Coffeetime Indulgences: 65 Irresistible Recipes to Serve with Coffee-Morning, Noon, or Night

My copy of this cookbook has become dog-eared, torn, stained, and nearly stolen by past roommates, but it remains my foolproof guide to getting "oohs" and "ahs" from my guests. Who am I kidding?! I make stuff out of this book for myself just as much as for guests! Many cookbooks are flashy but not all that useful; this is an exception. It is my single most-used cookbook.There are coffee cakes (of course!), scones, muffins, biscotti, pastries, cookies both elegant and down-home, tortes and tarts, and a couple oddities made with coffee like beef stew and red-eye gravy. The real show-stoppers are the sweets, of course. I've found things here for brunch, afternoon tea (coffee!) parties, or dinner desserts, both fancy and casual. Some of my favorites are orange pecan sticky-buns, Canadian scones, persimmon bread, Great Granny's Vanilla Crisps, hazelnut truffles, Cozy Coconut Cookie Cake, finger frets...I could go on. The authors drew on an impressive list of both professional and home cooks, and each contributor shares their memories and reflections on the pleasures of coffee. Even if you're not a java junkie (I can't live without it, myself!), you will nevertheless find tons of irresistable goodies in this book.

During the past five years of graduate school, I have had the good fortune to live in a house with a copy of this cookbook. The one request I have before leaving for Australia - a copy of my own. Every recipe I have made, from the Lemon Yogurt Pound Cake to the Blueberry Cream Pie, has been a success. I would recommend this book for every home cook as an invaluable resource for perfect coffee-friendly delicacies.