New Gourmet Cookbook -- Cookies!

[roxlet]

I just saw that there is a new Gourmet cookbook being published on November 1st that will be a compilation of all the decades of cookie recipes that appeared in Gourmet. Where do I sign up?

[buttertart]

Bumping this because I finally read through the book and there are too many recipes I want to try. Any new or old MUST tries?

[Sal Vanilla]

I have the giantastic Gourmet compilation cookbook (yellow in color) which I ADORE, but I have tried probably 90% of the cookies therein and I found them to be not all together that wonderful. Maybe the exclusively cookie cookbook will be better.

[pikawicca]

Just made the Shuttles, one strange little cookie. Instead of creaming the butter and sugar, then adding the dry ingredients, you throw everything into a bowl and knead it together with your hand. What a mess -- took me 10 minutes to scrub the gunk off my hand.

Chill, then you're supposed to roll little balls of dough into the desired shape on a floured board. Forget it! Those suckers were way too crumbly to roll, so I just compressed the balls into little log shapes in my hand. Dipped in the beaten egg whites and baked (about twice as long as directed). The result? Delicious, with a most unusual texture, due, I suppose, to the odd method of combining the ingredients. You swear that there were ground nuts in there.

Right now I've got a batch of "Flapjacks" in the oven. (Recipe from the Lyle's Golden Syrup link on the "What are you baking now?" thread. This one took very little effort to put together.

[Becca Porter]

Yeah that picture intrigued me. Thanks for the report. I am craving the ones with cranberries. I can't wait for some to show up at the store.

[roxlet]

Yes, I was very intrigued by that recipe as well. Despite the grief, it sound as if they were worth it taste-wise.

[buttertart]

Could you be a slob and chuck everything into he food processor which is what I know I'd be seriously tempted to do?

[pikawicca]

I don't think you'd get the interesting texture.

[roxlet]

Well, that was quick! I have Amazon Prime, which sends things in 2 days, but for some reason, my recent purchases have come in one day. Ordered it yesterday, and my Gourmet Cookie Book arrived today. It is a lovely little thing. I love the little historical introductions before each recipes, but mostly I love a bunch of the recipes.

[AGM_Cape_Cod]

I am stopping at Jessica's Biscuit on Sunday so added this to my list. After all I only have 1839 cookie recipes per EYB-LOL. Though since I have every Gourmet from Dec 1975 in my basement my husband might complain.

[pikawicca]

Mr. UPS just delivered my copy, and I'm trying to decide which recipe to try first. The recipes are an interesting glimpse of the past. The editors have actually had to "translate" some of the terms in the older recipes.

[Becca Porter]

I get my copy tomorrow!

[roxlet]

Wow, it's out already??? I thought it was coming out in November. Did you get it from Amazon?

[pikawicca]

Yep.

[roxlet]

I just ordered it. I have been toying with joining thegoodcook.com, but the fact that this book is listed as being published on November 1st just sealed the deal on NOT joining. I can't find books that I love, and I hate waiting when I want something and it is available...

[pikawicca]

I pre-ordered it as soon as I read your OP. I find that quite a few books get released early.

[roxlet]

You'd think that a book club would try to get the books to its members early rather than later. The reason I didn't pre-order it is that I thought I'd join.

[The Dairy Queen]

RE: TGC Some of the books seem to be special member printings, too. Bindings not as nice, etc. :( .

Plus: I hate that I don't have my new Dorie yet.

You can get some good deals through the Good Cook for sure, but you do pay in waiting time, limited selection, and lesser-quality materials. So, if price is your primary consideration, then it could be worth it. But, if some of these other things matter more to you, it might not be worth it.

~TDQ

[pikawicca]

Just sampled a Skibo Castle Ginger Crunch -- subtle, but delicious. Super easy and quick to make.

[The Dairy Queen]

Never heard of it, but I love ginger! and crunchy! What year is it from?

~TDQ

[pikawicca]

December, 1999.

[Caitlin McGrath]

Looks good. Was the recipe changed at all for the book?

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[pikawicca]

No.

[buttertart]

From our charming and delightful partner in crime, Alkapal:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/5527...

[beetlebug]

Wrong link buttertart. But, now I want to go back to China and eat. I thought you were trying to torture me in a different way.

;-)

[buttertart]

Heh heh...we have many ways of doing so...some are as yet unrevealed! (Twirls nonexistent moustache.)
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/5641...
That better be it. If not, it's the second-to-last post on Alkapal's "Cookie-palooza" thread which is most peruse-worthy in itself.

[roxlet]

Good going, buttertart (and alkapal!).

[buttertart]

I take no credit for others' genius. ;-)

[Becca Porter]

I just found you on EYB, Roxlet! I wish I could friend all of you, but I will when I can. My username is porterbl1, and you can find me through DG's Baking- From My Home To Yours...

[roxlet]

Thats great, Becca Porter, see you here, and on EYB. I will look for you at DG's too!

[pikawicca]

I only have 605, but I'm not sure the Gourmet book will help much: It's a collection of the single best cookie recipe from each year, 1941-2009. Not many recipes here. (I'm going to get it, anyway.)

[roxlet]

68 recipes seems like a goodly amount in a cookie book -- particularly if they are exceptional!

[beetlebug]

You guys are all KILLING me. Between EYB and Buttertart's threads on new baking books, I'm having serious cookbook envy. I also having serious space issues since this month's COTMs and Ad Hoc are sitting on the dining room table because of lack of space.

But, I only have 126 cookie recipes, according to EYB so I can't wait to see how this new book looks.

[roxlet]

About a year before they shuttered the magazine, they had a web site feature about the top cookie recipes of each decade. It went pretty far back, and was really interesting. Let me put it this way -- there is no way I'm NOT buying this book!

[beetlebug]

I remember that article. It was really interesting to see how cookies evolved through the decades. I'm going to request that my "home" library purchase it. It's the one place where I make a difference. For a 2 room library, it's got a great cooking section, thanks to the HC hounds.

[Katie Nell]

Yes, I loved that article! I can't wait for this book!

[JaneEYB]

Was the article just on their website or also in the magazine? If in the mag, does anyone remember what issue?

[beetlebug]

I read it in the magazine. I have no idea which issue because I read it at the library. I'll look to see if I copied any of the recipes.

[Katie Nell]

I think it would have been November 2008. I found this in the archives: http://www.gourmet.com/search/query?k...&

[JaneEYB]

It wasn't November 2008 - that was a Thanksgiving edition that generally is stuffed full of nothing but Thanksgiving recipes. I looked in October and December on either side and no luck either. One day when I have the time (hah!) I'll go through my stacks of Gourmet's and find it. But I've already convinced myself I need the book - it didn't take two months. As roxlet says, it needs to be idnexed.

[buttertart]

See below for a link to Alkapal's link to the recipes from that special issue.

[Katie Nell]

Is it the special December cookie edition, like they have here: http://www.condenaststore.com/past-is... ? I know I have one of those from like 2006 or something, but I don't think I have recent ones. I remember getting this article in an e-mail from Gourmet.

[JaneEYB]

I took the time while having my lunch (have to multitask) to look further at my stack of Gourmets and found that Ruth Reichl did her editorial in the Dec 2008 issue about the best cookies through every year of Gourmet since 1941. But there weren't any recipes, they were all at gourmet.com. As Alkapal's link shows, a lot of those recipes are no longer online (though some enterprising bakers have dug up a lot of them) so we'll just have to wait for the book.

[HillJ]

Here's the link to a pdf file created for the entire Gourmet cookie lineup 1941-2008. Gourmet.com removed the archive as originally posted some time ago.
http://failed-dam.org/temp/Great%20Co...

[The Dairy Queen]

HillJ, what is this pdf, exactly? I compared the listing recipes in thiis pdf to some of the recipes mentioned in a discussion of the book on Amazon and there's about an 80% overlap. Or, is it just a cut and paste from gourmet.com of all of the (vanished) recipes that were discussed in the story? Did they just turn this story from Dec 2008 (plus recipes) into a book?

~TDQ

[HillJ]

Or, is it just a cut and paste from gourmet.com of all of the (vanished) recipes that were discussed in the story?
~~~~~~~~~~~
Yes, just the cookie history & recipes from the original article.

[The Dairy Queen]

Very helpful, thank you. Boy, Conde Nast is sure milking everything they can out of existing Gourmet material, including the "Quick Kitchen" special edition magazine that is on stands now.

It's like the old adage that Gourmet is more valuable to them "dead" than it was alive. Shame.

~TDQ

[HillJ]

It is sad..but, someone there at least recognizes that G's strength for loyal readers lies in its history.

[The Dairy Queen]

Okay, so, I FINALLY went through a copy of The Gourmet Cookie book and compared all of the recipes from the book to HillJ's pdf (which are the recipe links from the story that originally appeared in the magazine). There are about 10 years where the "featured" cookie in the book is different than the one in the pdf. I've listed those years here, as well as, when available, provided a link to the recipe on epicurious. In the end, I think I was able to find all but 3. Between the pdf and the link, you have almost all 70 years worth of recipes that appear in the book. Not bad!

In both the book and the magazine story they say they printed the recipes as they were initially published. In the book, they say that they retested all of the recipes and added "notes" where needed. I don't know if those "notes" are the same in the book as in the pdf. Also, I noticed the headnotes to the recipes in the book are definitely different than in the pdf.

Anyway, for what it's worth!

2009 grand marnier glazed pain d'epice cookies
2006 chocolate peppermint bar cookies
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Peppermint-Bar-Cookies-236672
2004 polish apricot-filled cookies
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Polish-Apricot-Filled-Cookies-231210
2002 scandinavian rosettes
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Scandinavian-Rosettes-107450
2000 walnut acorn cookies
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Walnut-Acorn-Cookies-104429
1999 skibo castle ginger crunch
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Skibo-Castle-Ginger-Crunch-102754
1998 gianduia brownies
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...
1991 jan hagels (cinnamon almond wafers).
1989 cornetti (almond cookies)

~TDQ

[HillJ]

Wow, TDQ-fantastic research. Very generous of you, thanks!

[Caitlin McGrath]

I just downloaded the PDF and took a quick look through. This is fabulous, thanks HillJ!

Interesting to note, given all the fascination with brown butter in recent years, that the 1961 cookie is a simple dropped brown butter sugar cookie. Also, the cranberry turtle bars from 2001 look outrageous and wonderful. Must make sometime!

Cranberry Turtle Bars

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[HillJ]

Funny, I thought the same thing about the brown butter. The Cranberry Turtle Bars are excellent. I've made every one of the cookies in the pdf at this point and they really are a historical baking treasure highlighting the best of test kitchens, base ingredients, flavor pairings and ingredients over the years. I consider myself fortunate to have been around long enough to understand the generational influences.

[The Dairy Queen]

Wow, that is quite an endorsement!

~TDQ

[Caitlin McGrath]

So which recipes do consider the standouts?

[HillJ]

Palets de Dames are a must
Benne Wafers if you're up for a challenge-they are delicate
Speculaas, my sons fav.
Kourambiedes, my fav
Black n Whites, classic

[flourgirl]

Hill, did you make Aunt Sis's strawberry tart cookies? If so, did they work for you?

[HillJ]

hi flourgirl. I made the cookies (Hill does all the cooking; J the baking). some time ago with both the a strawberry and an apricot jam. The short list of ingredients makes this such an easy recipe to get down but I freeze the butter and use a grater box to incorporate it into the dry ingredients before adding the beaten egg and then I only refrigerate the dough for about 20 mins. I use the base of a melon baller to make the indentation and I strain the jams so they are very smooth. Are you planning to give these a try?

[flourgirl]

Ahahaha, Got it!

I did make them, and they didn't turn out well. They spread so much they looked like lace cookies. I knew about the freezing/grating trick, but somehow I forgot the freezing part! I grated the cold butter using my food processor (and actually, one stick WAS frozen because I ran out of refrigerated butter when I made them.) I did chill the dough over night, which meant having to let it soften a little to be able to work with it. That must be the problem. I might give these another try some other time, but right now I have to move on to other baking.

edit: I just wanted to add that I don't usually make such butter rich cookies, but it seems like the recipe as written is not a very good one. The techniques that you had to use to make the recipe work are a big departure from the directions as written. I hate that. And from my research into this, this is apparently a common problem with this recipe. I only hope I have better luck with some of the others.

[HillJ]

Solid point about butter cookies in general flourgirl.

[Becca Porter]

You guys are killing me, too. I just preordered it! I have a weakness for cookie recipes.

[roxlet]

Me too. Particularly since this hits the stores just in time to plan the Xmas cookies. And the book is very reasonably priced. I think it would make a great Christmas stocking stuffer for friends who bake.

[buttertart]

I am so there too...big surprise, right?

[roxlet]

Shocked, I'm shocked.