BOOK REVIEW

THE PASTRY QUEEN:  ROYALLY GOOD RECIPES FROM THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY'S RATHER SWEET BAKERY & CAFE

Rebecca Rather with Alison Oresman

(Ten Speed Press - 2004)

There's a reason that so many popular magazines feature Fredericksburg, Texas in their articles on travel destinations, home decorating, bed and breakfasts and antique shopping.

It's because the writers love any excuse to visit this delightful town.

Part of the allure of Fredericksburg is the food found in the local restaurants.  Definitely the food.

Rebecca Rather shares some of the ambiance and flavor that's found there in her cookbook, The Pastry Queen:  Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country's Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe.

Rebecca is both the chef and owner of the Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe, which she initially opened as a bakery back in 2000.

Her previous employment with several high-end caterers and as Executive Pastry Chef for one of Houston's premiere restaurateurs provided the background she needed to begin her own dream.

She has taken some of the knowledge gained from her prior experiences and applied her own unique ideas and tastes to create some of the wonderful recipes found in this book.

If the word "pastry" frightens you or leads you to believe that the recipes might be too intricate, don't be put off.  I might not have picked it up for that very reason if the Hill Country reference on the cover hadn't pulled me in.

The author may be billed as the Pastry Queen in the book's title, but  her cookbook contains plenty of recipes for things other than pies and tarts.  Breakfast breads, muffins, scones, desserts, candies, cakes, cookies and brownies are well-represented.  Recipes for non-sweet dishes suitable for lunch and dinner are also given.  Drinks and a section called "Treats Kids Love" round out the selection of recipes.

I'm a cook with average skills and don't find the recipes to be difficult or intimidating at all.  Even the beginning baker should be able to attempt most of them without fear.

The ingredient lists are not especially lengthy nor do they call for hard-to-find items.  In preparing the Apple-Smoked Bacon and Cheddar Scones, I found the directions easy to understand and follow.

In many cases, she gives some background on the recipes and offers up some simple variations. Out of consideration for my friends with hot pepper phobias, I didn't add the jalepeno peppers she suggested as a variation for the recipe I made, but agree with her in that it would have been a great enhancement.

She often speaks of her customers at the bakery and their reception of the final products that she offers.  If I were lucky enough to be in town more often, I would be a frequent visitor too.

That friendly, easy way that Texans are famous for shines through in her writing.  Reading this book is as easy as chatting with your best friend.

The color photographs that accompany the text are another special element of the book.  Although not every recipe is accompanied by an illustration, those that are included will make your mouth water.  It's not all food photography either -- photos of friends, family and still life around the cafe perfectly reflect the personality of Fredericksburg.

If you've ever visited this fabulous Texas Hill Country town or the Rather Sweet Bakery, you'll find this book a lovely reminder of your visit.  And if you can't be there, this book is the next best thing.

In case you need any more inspiration, take a look at the names of the recipes included in this book in Part 2 of the book review and the recipe for the Apple-Smoked Bacon Cheddar Scones.

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