I have a fondness for Holiday Baking shows. I'm amazed at the skill, the ability to recall and create recipes, the overall creativity, and the dexterity. The ability to create complex Gingerbread Houses especially fascinates me, as I have yet to work up the nerve to even attempt decorating a ready-made kit. December 12 is Gingerbread House Day. Originating during the 16th century, Gingerbread Houses became a Christmas staple. Their popularity only increased with the publication of Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm: "...And when they approached the little house they saw that it was built of bread and covered with cakes, but that the windows were of clear sugar."
"Influenced by the mysterious place gingerbread holds in classic children's stories, beloved novelist Helen Oyeyemi invites readers into a delightful tale of a surprising family legacy, in which the inheritance is a recipe. Perdita Lee may appear to be your average British schoolgirl; Harriet Lee may seem just a working mother trying to penetrate the school social hierarchy; but there are signs that they might not be as normal as they think they are. For one thing, they share a gold-painted, seventh-floor walk-up apartment with some surprisingly verbal vegetation. And then there's the gingerbread they make. Londoners may find themselves able to take or leave it, but it's very popular in Druhástrana, the far-away (or, according to many sources, non-existent) land of Harriet Lee's early youth. The world's truest lover of the Lee family gingerbread, however, is Harriet's charismatic childhood friend Gretel Kercheval--a figure who seems to have had a hand in everything (good or bad) that has happened to Harriet since they met. Decades later, when teenaged Perdita sets out to find her mother's long-lost friend, it prompts a new telling of Harriet's story. As the book follows the Lees through encounters with jealousy, ambition, family grudges, work, wealth, and real estate, gingerbread seems to be the one thing that reliably holds a constant value"-- Provided by publisher.
Fourteen-year-old Mona isn't like the wizards charged with defending the city. She can't control lightning or speak to water. Her familiar is a sourdough starter and her magic only works on bread. She has a comfortable life in her aunt's bakery making gingerbread men dance.But Mona's life is turned upside down when she finds a dead body on the bakery floor. An assassin is stalking the streets of Mona's city, preying on magic folk, and it appears that Mona is his next target. And in an embattled city suddenly bereft of wizards, the assassin may be the least of Mona's worries
Visitors are arriving in droves to spend Thanksgiving in the mountains of pet-friendly Wagtail, Virginia. Many of them are bringing dog and cat gingerbread houses to enter in the contest that will be held in the new convention center. Wagtail resident Orly Biffle bequeathed the land to the town in his will, provided that they not cut down the grand old oak tree on the property. Orly's children are mighty miffed that they didn't inherit the prime piece of property overlooking the lake. Holly notices that Trixie and Twinkletoes, her calico kitty, are fixated on the big oak tree. Trixie barks at it as though she thinks it's a corpse! Just as contestants are spicing up their sweet gingerbread creations, the majestic tree drops an enormous limb. The mayor declares that the tree is dangerous and must come down. When a bulldozer churns up some roots, the tree falls over on its own accord revealing a body inside the trunk! Initially, everyone suspects this unsavory trick was Orly's doing. But it soon becomes clear that someone is trying to keep the truth under wraps. Trixie and Twinkletoes now have to help Holly sniff out some suspects and leash a conniving killer. --. Publisher's description.
Wicked Harvest: a Dewberry Farm mystery by MacInerney, Karen
"Crisp autumn breezes, sizzling bratwurst, warm gingerbread cookies... and just a dash of murder. It's Oktoberfest in Buttercup, Texas, and homesteader Lucy Resnick is taking a break from her chores to enjoy a day of bratwurst, craft beer, and German gingerbread at Sweetwater Brewery. But the day takes a bitter turn when one of the brewery owners turns up dead, crushed by a giant sack of barley. It doesn't take long for Sheriff Rooster (not the sharpest tool in the garden shed) to finger the victim's brother and co-owner, Simon Gustafson. But former investigative reporter Lucy senses that the blighted plants in her pumpkin patch aren't the only things rotten in Buttercup. Will she find the killer in time? Or will she be next in line for canning?"--Amazon website.
Joy Preston misses her beloved late grandmother dearly. But when she learns the terms of Nana's will, she's shocked - and more than a little irked. Joy moved to Colorado years ago and is now CEO of a successful nail polish company. Her life and career are in Denver. How can Nana have expected her to give that up, even temporarily, to take over a bed and breakfast in North Carolina for six months? Yet there's no denying Heart and Soul's charm, especially at holiday time. The B&B is always elaborately decorated for the season, with themed guest rooms and dazzling lawn displays created for the annual Parade of Homes competition. The entire town takes part in the festivities, and soon Joy, too, is joining in the gingerbread house contest and letting her reservations melt away. There's another special reason for Heart and Soul's popularity. Rumor has it that, during holiday season, guests can be reunited with the spirit of a loved one who's passed on. Joy's skeptical, yet she feels her beloved Nana's influence all around her . . . perhaps even indulging in a little matchmaking between Joy and handsome estate attorney Will Drake.
Nederlanden presents recipes, along with decorating and packing ideas, for updated favorites. She includes instructions for gingerbread houses, cookie place cards, and cookie ornaments. And each cookie id destined to become your new Christmas classic.
Kim-Joy's baked creations have charmed fans since she was in the final of the Great British Bake Off 2018. Following on from her bestselling debut book, Baking with Kim-Joy, she's turning to everyone's favourite time of year - Christmas!
Sharing her simple decorating techniques and her delicious flavour combinations, Kim-Joy will delight novice and seasoned bakers with - amongst many others - her melted snowman cake pops, white chocolate igloos with marshmallow seals, penguin bao buns and incredible inspiration for designing your own magical gingerbread village.
Whether you're after ideas for edible Christmas gifts or bigger bakes to feed friends and family, you'll find a treasure trove of adorable recipes here that will melt everyone's heart.
Christmas 2020 is officially set to be the sweetest Christmas on record!
"The ultimate cookie cookbook, from best-selling author of The Baking Bible Rose Levy Beranbaum. This is your must-have cookie book, featuring nearly every cookie imaginable, from rustic Cranberry Chocolate Chippers to elegant French macarons, and everything in between-simple drop cookies, rolled-and-cut holiday cookies, brownies and other bars, pretty sandwich cookies, luxurious frosted or chocolate-dipped treats, and much more. With legendary baker Rose Levy Beranbaum's foolproof recipes-which feature detail-oriented instructions that eliminate guesswork, notes for planning ahead, ingenious tips, and other golden rules for success-it's easy to whip up a batch of irresistible, crowd-pleasing cookies anytime, for any occasion. Standout classics and new favorites include: Rose's Dream Chocolate Chip CookiesLemon LumpiesBlack Tahini CrispsPeanut Butter and Jelly ButtonsDouble Ginger Molasses CookiesCaramel Surprise SnickerdoodlesMom's Coconut Snowball KissesChocolate SablésGingerbread Folks (with a special sturdy variation for gingerbread houses)Pecan Freezer SquaresBrownie DoughnutsBrandy Snap RollsPlus "extra special" details including homemade Dulce de Leche, Wicked Good Ganache, Lemon Curd, and more"--. Provided by publisher.
Everyone in class is busy practicing songs and making goodies for their trip to town to thank community helpers, and the Gingerbread Man has made a card for someone extra sweet. But before he can deliver his gift, whipping wind and swirling snow come to town, too. Slushy sidewalks are no place for a cookie, but this Gingerbread Man won't let a little bad weather stop him!
"I'll search on my own, as fast as I can!
I'll dash through this snow. I'm the Gingerbread Man!"
With all the flavors of the season and generous dashes of kindness and gratitude, the Gingerbread Man's newest adventure makes for a perfect read-aloud throughout the holidays.
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