Over the Counter #139

What books caught my eye this week as they passed over the library counter and under the scanner? Well, it was all about vintage this week.

First up was Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson. Subtitled: Timeless Recipes for Cupcakes, Flips, Rolls, Layer, Angel, Bundt, Chiffon and Icebox Cakes for Today's Sweet Tooth.

From the publisher Ten Speed Press:

"A charming collection of updated recipes for both classic and forgotten cakes, from a timeless yellow birthday cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, to the new holiday standard, Gingerbread Icebox Cake with Mascarpone Mousse, written by a master baker and coauthor of Rustic Fruit Desserts.

Make every occasion—the annual bake sale, a birthday party, or even a simple Sunday supper—a celebration with this charming collection of more than 50 remastered classics.

Each recipe in Vintage Cakes is a confectionary stroll down memory lane. After sifting through her treasure trove of cookbooks and recipe cards, master baker and author Julie Richardson selected the most inventive, surprising, and just plain delicious cakes she could find. The result is a delightful and delectable time capsule of American baking, with recipes spanning a century.

Each cake has been expertly tested and retooled using the best ingredients and most up-to-date techniques. With precise and careful guidance, Richardson guides home bakers—whether total beginners or seasoned cooks—toward picture-perfect meringues, extra-creamy frostings, and lighter-than-air chiffons.

A few of the dreamy cakes that await: a chocolaty Texas Sheet Cake as large and abundant as its namesake state, the boozy Not for Children Gingerbread eBundt cake, and the sublime Lovelight Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Chocolate Whipped Cream. With recipes to make Betty Crocker proud, these nostalgic and foolproof sweets rekindle our love affair with cakes."

Next up was My Cool Classic Car by Chris Haddon. Subtitled: An Inspirational Guide to Classic Cars."

From the publisher Pavilion Books:

"My Cool classic Car features approximately 42 vehicles from around the world, including the small but perfectly formed Fiat 500, the Bavarian Goggomobil, Willys WW2 Jeep, the Plymouth Belvedere with its extraordinary trademark wings, the popular and trustworthy Morris Minor, and the Mini, the design success of the 60s. The book also includes details of extraordinary journeys (some short and some long) that some of these cars have made – London to Mexico; 2,000-mile round trips to Italy; and forgotten time capsules untouched for decades along with heartwarming stories of how a car has become a priceless part of the family.

The book uses high-quality, stylish photography to capture the beauty of these cars set against attractive backdrops. The photography focuses on the design specifics which have earned these cars the label ‘classic’. The owners’ stories and accompanying vehicle notes (which explain the influence of car design on the wider design community) offer interesting insights as well as inspiration to the design conscious. The book is guaranteed to leave the reader contemplating the joys of embarking on a road trip in any one of the iconic cars featured."

(Over the Counter is a regular feature at A Bookworm's World. I've sadly come to the realization that I cannot physically read every book that catches my interest as it crosses over my counter at the library. But...I can mention them and maybe one of them will catchy your eye as well. See if your local library has them on their shelves!)