Baked Alaska: Sweet Comforts of the North Country

A perfect title. Great recipes AND extra little stories about the recipe's history or special ingredient. It's what makes a good recipe beloved. You can almost see Ruth Allman in her kitchen making her sourdough soft ginger cookies with the wind howling outside. It makes me think these recipes were handed down within my own family. Focus is on ingredients that travel and store well and those that suit Alaska's climate: lemons, cranberries, prunes, and pumpkin in winter and oh those fresh berries in summer. I received this cookbook from a friend several years ago and it has been in continual use since then. The recipe selection is not exhaustive, and that's the good part. You don't get lost in all the recipes, but this book contains some gems. The Vagabond Blues Blueberry Coffee Cake is one of my favorites with its satisfying lemon-ricotta cheese filling. The author includes some basic recipes (e.g., rhubarb pie, lemon meringe pie, and lemon squares) that are the best I've tried. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves baked goods. Ms. Eppenbach, I wish you would write another.