Gesine Bullock-Prado

I was interested in this book for the vegan recipes. It hurts my heart to give it 2 stars, especially since the color photos are gorgeous and the desserts look tempting. Not a problem: The recipes are complicated, but fancy dessert recipes often are. Not a problem: The book gives complex step-by-step directions. Problem: To convert a recipe to the vegan version you must refer to a shaded box, with an 8-point font on a different page than the page with the complex directions. Actually using the recipe requires repeatedly flipping back and forth between the main page of ingredients, the page with the vegan variations and the page that lists the preparation steps that apply to using those vegan substitute ingredients. I think the author tried to accommodate too many audiences and the result is a book that raised and then crushed my hopes.… (plus d'informations)

The author is the sister of actor Sandra Bullock and managed Sandra's production company in Hollywood until she could no longer tolerate the Hollywood environment. While she was still working in Hollywood she vented her frustrations by baking. Eventually she and her husband moved to Vermont and opened a bakery. This memoir is about that experience, both the running of the bakery and the people who frequent it. The story is interesting though sometimes she comes off rather whiney. She clearly loved her mother, a German opera star and accomplished baker, and in part this is a tribute to her. The book includes many alluring receipes.… (plus d'informations)