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Nonfiction Book ReviewsPage Two of TwoThe Buttercup Bake Shop Cookbook by Jennifer AppelSimon and Schuster, October, 2001Hardcover, 125 pages ISBN: 0743205790 Ordering information: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk 
The subtitle for this cookbook is "More Than 80 Recipes
for Irresistible, Old-Fashioned Treats." Irresistible is somewhat of an
an understatement. Jennifer Appel is the owner
of The Buttercup Bake Shop in Manhattan, where
happy customers partake of delicious, homemade
desserts. There is nary a non-fat item in this book
of old-fashioned yummies, so those looking for
something lo-cal should look elsewhere. But if you're
looking for luscious crowd-pleasers such as
Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Pie, Gingerbread,
Pumpkin Pie, Red Velvet Cake, The Greatest
Brownies Ever, Over the Top Chocolate Layer
Cake or Apple Pecan Cake, this is a must-buy.
The recipes are simple and easy to follow, with side comments by the author. As the holidays approach, why not let Jennifer Appel teach you a few new (and old) tricks for that holiday baking? We certainly have, with wonderful results. How to Taste: A Guide to Enjoying Wine by Jancis RobinsonSimon and Schuster, October, 2001Hardcover, 208 pages ISBN: 0743216776 Ordering information: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk 
Learning to taste and appreciate a good wine is
not as difficult a skill as one might believe.
So states renowned wine expert and taster
Jancis Robinson, the author of The Oxford Companion
to Wine, certified Master of Wine and star of the
PBS series Jancis Robinson's Wine Course.
How to Taste is a workbook and guidebook in one.
Robinson demystifies the basics of wine:
the different grapes, the regions, the types of wines,
vintage, value and pricing are all covered here in
easy to understand terms. But what makes the book
so special is the virtual tasting course, which any
reader can follow. The practice exercises (which can
be done alone or with a group of friends) build from
the simple comparison of two simple wines, to
the more difficult skills of blind tasting events.
If you follow her instructions and faithfully do
the exercises she suggests, you should be able to
amaze your friends and confound your enemies
with your newly-acquired wine savoir faire.
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