The Greyston Bakery Cookbook: More Than 80 Recipes to Inspire the Way You Cook and Live

I picked up this book because I was touched by the story behind the bakery that inspired it. The Greyson Bakery is all about supporting the local community by providing jobs to people with difficult pasts. I admire the efforts of the bakery and am pleased that the recipes in the book live up to their great vision. Contained within the book are basics (i.e. whipped cream and butter cream frosting) as well as cakes, tarts, cookies and bars. The creations are all sweet in natural so there aren't any yeast breads, croissants, etc., but there are so many delightful recipes I couldn't care. I found the recipes to be approachable and well written. Best of all, they were a good mix of more classic/expected recipes like peanut butter cookies, blondies, etc. as well as more unique creations like a maple fig tart, chocolate banana nut cake, and pineapple macadamia upside-down bars. Because of this mix of recipes, I think it would be appreciated both by someone who is looking for a single beginning book to bake from as well as a cookbook collector who is looking to add another great book to the shelf. It caters very well to people who have more traditional tastes as well as those looking for a little something more adventurous. An important note, however, is that there are only 16 pictures in the book. If you are a more visual baker and prefer a picture with every (or almost every) recipe you would probably prefer Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook, which has an exhaustive number of photos. Overall though the photos in this book are lovely and pique my interest about recipes I might not otherwise think to try. I really enjoyed this cookbook and think that other bakers, both new and more experienced, will as well.

I definitely enjoy this book. Most of the ingredients are easily accessible. The results aren't disappointing at all. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys to bake.

I just wanted to point out that this is the second Greyston Bakery Cookbook, though that doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere. The first one was published in 1986 by Shambhala Press and is also well worth having if you love to bake, and can find it used (it's been out of print for a while).

I enjoy cooking from this cookbook. The recipes are clearly written and use ingredients that most people have in their kitchens. There are several recipes that are absolutely delicious. I have made many recipes from this book and plan to make more as time allows. I also enjoyed the story behind the creation of this bakery which was another reason I decided to purchase it.

The photos alone will wet your appetite. Enjoy delicious desserts - all calorie free of course - NOT. Hey, it's you're trying to diet, keep the book on your coffee table and don't open it up! The author has done all of us a favor by making the recipes easy to follow.