My mother taught me that cooking is an act of love and a beautiful mountainous escape. Maida Heatter

{HISTORY}

Perhaps the best-loved American baker of the 20th century, Maida Heatter (1916-2019) credited her claim to fame by the fact that she was never formally trained. She went at recipes with heart, curiosity, and a level of perfectionism that made her not only an outstanding baker but also an excellent instructor as well. As a self-taught baker herself, she didn't take for granted the fact that many people found baking intimidating or complicated, and in that vein, her cookbooks are explicit in instruction. Maida wanted everyone to be just as successful at baking as she had become. 

Although interested in cooking since childhood, Maida lived the life of a creative free spirit dabbling in jewelry-making, painting, and fashion illustration before she one day, offered to make some desserts for the menu of her husband's coffee shop in Miami. One thing led to another and soon Maida's desserts were flying off the counters, catching the attention of locals, tourists, and even well-respected industry icons. In 1974, she published her first book, Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts, which launched her on the path to becoming a household name in the food industry of both professional and novice bakers. 

In this book, Maida shares many of the recipes that were favorites at the coffee shop. Since they were made in her home kitchen and then scurried to the shop, the recipes found here are ones that travel well are shelf-stable for the day and can be made in large or small quantities. Almost like a collaboration between Maida and her coffee shop customers, this book is not only a wonderful treasury of recipes but also an interesting look in the sweet tooth preferences of Floridians in the 1970s. Maida credits the advice, recipes, and techniques of her Southern mother-in-law for helping her understand the palette of tropical residents just as much as she credits her own mom for teaching her not only how to cook but how to love the entire process as well. Now considered a classic cookbook, and a James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame winner, this cookbook will you keep you and your loved ones sweet, one delicious dessert at a time, all the year through. 

An extra special part of Maida's earlier cookbook volumes like this one are the illustrations, which were done by her daughter Toni, before she died, tragically in a glider accident in 1994.

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- 1977 Edition

- 411 pages plus a detailed index

- Interesting recipes include Churros, African Date Bars, Pepper Pound Cake, Swedish Dream Cookies, Black Bottom Pecan Cream Pie, Tropical Mago Cream, French Custard Rice Pudding, Chocolate Icebox Cake, Shoe Soles, Brownie Crisps, Kentucky Pound Cake and her famous Brownie recipe... plus so many more!

- Original dust jacket included

- Decorated coverboards

- Illustrated throughout

{CONDITION}

In lovely vintage condition. The dust jacket is in great shape - clean and shiny with just one small chip along the bottom edge. Very clean inside and out with no cooking spots, notes or smudges. There is one paper scuff on the side endpaper most likely where a sticker or a nameplate was once situated but has since been removed leaving behind a surface tear.  The spine is tight and all pages are intact.

{SIZE}

Measures 6.55" inches (width) x 9.5" inches (length) x 1.25" inches (thickness) and weighs 1.12lbs

{MORE MAIDA!}

Find more of Maida's wonderful cookbooks here.