Clinton St. Baking Company

I recently realized Keep, at age 10, is really serious about her desire to work towards a career in the kitchen. As her mom, that both thrills and alarms me. I mean, I'm down for having someone else in the house who can make delicious food, but really, trust my kitchen and all its dangerous implements to my kid? I'm just not sure...

However, Keep's been begging for months to please be allowed to do more than “help” me. So when the Clinton St. Baking Company cookbook arrived, I determined that I'd give her a shot at following some of the recipes. After we poured through page after page of amazing recipes, many of which included glorious full-page color pictures, she selected the Sour Cherry Muffins to make. I handed her the open book, and told her to call me when she was ready to put the muffin tin into the oven.

A little while later, she hollered my name, so I knew it was time. We placed the tins into the oven, and like a true novice baker, Keep tugged over a stool so she could sit and keep watch over her creation as it baked. A few minutes later, the real test came. Fresh from the oven, slathered in butter, how would they taste?

I have to confess, these muffins were every bit as delicious as the ones I pay premium for at a local bakery that is attached to a crafts store. The book has several more muffin recipes, as well as a recipe for buttermilk biscuits that, truly, is better than anybody's grandma's biscuits that I've ever tasted.

One thing that really impresses me about this book is that the recipes are varied in complication, from simple recipes even Keep can easily master, to more intricate creations that will really wow your holiday guests. Although there are sandwich and burger recipes included, this cookbook is primarily intended as a brunch book, and in that respect, it absolutely shines.

If you're looking for a cookbook to help you create a fantastic morning brunch for your family, or maybe even if you've got holiday guests coming into town and you'd like to wow them with a fantastic start to their day, this is your book. It would also make a wonderful gift for the breakfast loving foodie in your life. Best of all, this beautiful cookbook, with all its pictures, amazing recipes, and interesting slices of life from the authors and their family, can be purchased on amazon for (at the time of this writing) $19.98. Really not expensive at all, especially considering the high quality glossy finish this cookbook has. And if you have prime, you can have it on your doorstep almost as soon as you can dry the drool from imaging all the delicious food you'll be making!