While Brian has been the willing recipient of many goodies from Amy’s wonderful new book – country loaf, pecan rolls, challah, sour dough bread semolina bread, the list goes on – I have been the one really baking recipes from her book. Brian and I have a simple rule: whoever cooks gets to write the blog. The other person cleans the kitchen.

First of all, I must say that Amy Scherber’s first book, Amy’s Breads, is the book that taught me how to bake bread. I take serious pride in my baking. Each weekend, I bake using my sour dough starter (mother). Brian and I get upstate on Thursday night and pull the mother out of the refrigerator and feed her until she is ripe and ready to go. By using Amy’s Bread, I have taught myself to understand the basics of fine bread baking. With several months of Amy’s under my belt, I had the confidence to take an artisanal baking class at the Culinary Institute on America. There, I climbed the next steps of fine bread baking. In my opinion you can never complete the mastery of bread making. You just keep learning and baking. Amy’s Bread is out of print and I have scoured the internet for any available copies. I give it to friends and relatives for gifts for those who I think are very serious about learning how to bake bread.

Recently Brian brought home a new Amy’s book, The Sweeter Side of Amy’s Breads! I could not believe my eyes. Each page is a new temptation. Immediately I baked and baked. I started with the Cinnamon Challah Twists, then Challah rolls, then the Pink Cake, and last weekend the Blueberry Muffins. Each recipe is perfectly written, easily done, and tastes heavenly!  The book’s selection of treats is extensive and, with each recipe so carefully written and tested, you are will consider yourself a baking guru. My only caveat is that, before you start, make sure you stock up on good flour and great butter. Your investment in terrific ingredients will pay off in aromas and flavors you haven’t sampled in a long, long time.

You know, when Brian and I started this blog we mentioned that good cookbooks are our passion. We are completely passionate about The Sweeter Side of Amy’s Breads. You will be, too.