Cookbook vs. Catalog Follies

**Smithy** · November 18

This could be subtitled a lot of things:

"More ambition than sense"
"When expensive might be better"
"Whom do you think you're kidding?"

The list of possible subtitles goes on.

So, the back story is that when I was growing up, once in a great grand while someone we visited around the Holiday Season would have petits fours. Oh, how I loved those things! And how I pined for the advertised delicacies in the Swiss Colony catalog! To the best of my knowledge, my family never indulged in them. Too expensive, probably not even very good junk food, and we had plenty of good homemade Christmas cookies.

Still. A few days ago a catalog from Swiss Colony arrived at my house, saying that it might be my last catalog because they didn't want to bug me, and pretending that I've ordered from them in the past. I haven't. I know it's a marketing ploy. But there are those petits fours. And Dobosh tortes and other delicacies that I've savored once in a while.

I haven't made Christmas plans yet. I expect to spend it here in Minnesota, with extended family or friends, but without my late and sorely missed husband. He wouldn't have approved of petits fours, although he might have wolfed them down anyway, scoffing as he scarfed (as he used to with warm chocolate chip cookies). Still. He isn't here. My blood family isn't here. My marriage relatives have a number of food intolerances. But I want those petits fours!

i dithered, and looked, and have been dithering and looking. Would I even think those mass-produced things are good any more? They're expensive!

I also found an old Petits Fours topic here that might could stand updating, but doesn't provide the level of detail I think I need.

Finally, I decided that a good used copy of Rodgers' Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from Vienna was the better buy. $5 and change for a book to tell me how to make good Dobosh and Bavarian Tortes, if not petits fours, as opposed to about $20 for a box of petits fours. I was convinced. I pulled the trigger.

Have I mentioned that I'm trying to weed my cookbook collection?

That cookbook is on its way. And I'm STILL probably going to buy petits fours from Swiss Colony!

**ElsieD** · November 18

The apple caramel cheesecake has my name on it. The petit fours are all yours. Deal?

**Smithy** · November 18

21 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

The apple caramel cheesecake has my name on it. The petit fours are all yours. Deal?

Shall we start an "ambition vs. catalog sense" cook-off?

**ElsieD** · November 18

14 minutes ago, Smithy said:

Shall we start an "ambition vs. catalog sense" cook-off?

Sure. Start drafting the rules. Anyone care to join us?

DesertTinker · November 18

1 hour ago, Smithy said:

… And I'm STILL probably going to buy petits fours from Swiss Colony!

Don’t expect much. We’ve gotten a Swiss Colony assortment pack for the last 10 - 15 years, petit fours are always included. Keep your expectations low. The quality always seems to take a little slip every year.

Kerry Beal · November 18

1 hour ago, Smithy said:

This could be subtitled a lot of things:

"More ambition than sense"

"When expensive might be better"

"Whom do you think you're kidding?"

The list of possible subtitles goes on.

So, the back story is that when I was growing up, once in a great grand while someone we visited around the Holiday Season would have petits fours. Oh, how I loved those things! And how I pined for the advertised delicacies in the Swiss Colony catalog! To the best of my knowledge, my family never indulged in them. Too expensive, probably not even very good junk food, and we had plenty of good homemade Christmas cookies.

Still. A few days ago a catalog from Swiss Colony arrived at my house, saying that it might be my last catalog because they didn't want to bug me, and pretending that I've ordered from them in the past. I haven't. I know it's a marketing ploy. But there are those petits fours. And Dobosh tortes and other delicacies that I've savored once in a while.

I haven't made Christmas plans yet. I expect to spend it here in Minnesota, with extended family or friends, but without my late and sorely missed husband. He wouldn't have approved of petits fours, although he might have wolfed them down anyway, scoffing as he scarfed (as he used to with warm chocolate chip cookies). Still. He isn't here. My blood family isn't here. My marriage relatives have a number of food intolerances. But I want those petits fours!

i dithered, and looked, and have been dithering and looking. Would I even think those mass-produced things are good any more? They're expensive!

I also found an old Petits Fours topic here that might could stand updating, but doesn't provide the level of detail I think I need.

Finally, I decided that a good used copy of Rodgers' Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from Vienna was the better buy. $5 and change for a book to tell me how to make good Dobosh and Bavarian Tortes, if not petits fours, as opposed to about $20 for a box of petits fours. I was convinced. I pulled the trigger.

Have I mentioned that I'm trying to weed my cookbook collection?

That cookbook is on its way. And I'm STILL probably going to buy petits fours from Swiss Colony!

You'll be able to compare the ones you make with the store bought version!

chromedome · November 18

16 hours ago, Smithy said:

Finally, I decided that a good used copy of Rodgers' Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from Vienna was the better buy. $5 and change for a book to tell me how to make good Dobosh and Bavarian Tortes, if not petits fours, as opposed to about $20 for a box of petits fours. I was convinced. I pulled the trigger.

That's a really great cookbook, and I'm going to gift myself a copy one of these days (though like you, I've been culling my shelves, this one's well worth owning).

rotuts · November 18

Buy them.

now , Im going to have to buy some also .

do bakeries ( near me ) make them ?

2 or 3 is all I need

right now.

Edited November 18 by rotuts (log)

Katie Meadow · November 19

@Smithy, you had me at dobos torte. I grew up in NY a half block from the best bakery on earth. The owner was Lithuanian I believe, but he made the most perfect dobos torte. It was my mother's favorite pastry. Mmmm, that hard caramel topping......

**Smithy** · November 19

14 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

@Smithy, you had me at dobos torte. I grew up in NY a half block from the best bakery on earth. The owner was Lithuanian I believe, but he made the most perfect dobos torte. It was my mother's favorite pastry. Mmmm, that hard caramel topping......

So, are you in on trying to make your own?

FauxPas · November 19

On 11/17/2024 at 5:02 PM, Smithy said:

That cookbook is on its way. And I'm STILL probably going to buy petits fours from Swiss Colony!

Yay, you should definitely go for both! 🙂

**ElsieD** · November 19

46 minutes ago, FauxPas said:

Yay, you should definitely go for both! 🙂

You enabler, you!

**Smithy** · November 20

Not a petits fours recipe to be found! Of course not! Wrong cuisine! (Sheesh)

But some mighty good-looking torte recipes. Meanwhile, Swiss Colony continues to taunt me.

Edited November 20 by Smithy
Spelling (log)

**ElsieD** · November 20

@Smithy. Where did you buy that book? Looks like something I might enjoy.

**Smithy** · November 20

8 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

@Smithy. Where did you buy that book? Looks like something I might enjoy.

I found it online. Abe Books, maybe? Did a Google search for the book and picked the lowest-priced entry.

DesertTinker · November 20

4 hours ago, FauxPas said:

Yay, you should definitely go for both! 🙂

@Smithy Hickory Farms appears to have a higher customer rating for their petit fours than Swiss Colony does (and the higher rating is based on more reviews). I also grew up with Swiss Colony and all the other seasonal catalogs of the 60s, 70s and 80s, packed full of aspirational things and goodies that were never ordered.☹️

Katie Meadow · November 20

8 hours ago, Smithy said:

So, are you in on trying to make your own?

Yeah, when hell freezes over I'll make a dobos torte. I'm not a baker. My aspirations don't reach much farther than a loaf of quick bread. or a basic apple cake. My husband is the flour and water guy, but he doesn't really do sweets. He makes a great rustic round, a white sandwich bread, brioche bread, biscuits and pizza. At this point in my life what little cooking energy I possess goes into actual food.

**Smithy** · November 20

10 hours ago, DesertTinker said:

@Smithy Hickory Farms appears to have a higher customer rating for their petit fours than Swiss Colony does (and the higher rating is based on more reviews). I also grew up with Swiss Colony and all the other seasonal catalogs of the 60s, 70s and 80s, packed full of aspirational things and goodies that were never ordered.☹️

Dammit, I did not need that complication! 🤣 (Thanks, I think. Now maybe I'll have to do a taste test of both?)

**Shelby** · November 20

1 hour ago, Smithy said:

Dammit, I did not need that complication! 🤣 (Thanks, I think. Now maybe I'll have to do a taste test of both?)

Go for it! Little things like this will help you get your mojo back and you deserve it!!

**Smithy** · November 20

Welp. I pulled the trigger on Swiss Colony, so of course I'll have to try making something myself also once I figure out (a) time and (b) ~~victims~~ fellow taste testers. I was marginally saved from myself, or at least from Hickory Farms, because they only do petits fours assortments that include the dreaded strawberry flavor.

Maybe this will start getting my cooking or baking mojo back!

**Smithy** · November 20

Meanwhile, I'm really liking the idea of trying to make something we see in a catalog and maybe do it better. It has the feel of a Bake-Off, but since it might be multiple products ( @ElsieD and her apple caramel cheesecake come to mind) it won't lend itself as well to the focused feel of the official Cook-Offs and Bake-Offs. This-here-now topic may be the right place.

**ElsieD** · November 20

1 hour ago, Smithy said:

Meanwhile, I'm really liking the idea of trying to make something we see in a catalog and maybe do it better. It has the feel of a Bake-Off, but since it might be multiple products ( @ElsieD and her apple caramel cheesecake come to mind) it won't lend itself as well to the focused feel of the official Cook-Offs and Bake-Offs. This-here-now topic may be the right place.

How convoluted is the cheesecake?

**ElsieD** · November 20

18 hours ago, Smithy said:

I found it online. Abe Books, maybe? Did a Google search for the book and picked the lowest-priced entry.

Checked Abe books Canada. They don't seem to have it.😒 thanks to @Kerry Beal's post I checked the US site. Given the shipping costs, it is marginally cheaper to but the Kindle edition from Amazon.ca.

Edited November 20 by ElsieD
Added to my post (log)

Kerry Beal · November 20

5 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Checked Abe books. They don't seem to have it.😒

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31785052693&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp0-_-tile1&searchurl=ds%3D10%26rollup%3Don%26sortby%3D20%26tn%3DKaffeehaus

**Smithy** · November 20

1 hour ago, ElsieD said:

How convoluted is the cheesecake?

You'll have to decide for yourself how convoluted it is. Here's their catalog photo and description:

Source: https://www.swisscolony.com/p/caramel-apple-cheesecake-000145.html?p=ac

Quote

A tender graham crust holds layers of sweet-tart apple filling and creamy-smooth vanilla cheesecake. Caramel and walnut streusel topping adds the crowning touch to this delicious dessert.

At least the Kaffeehaus cookbook has a recipe for cheesecake, though it's what they call Farmer's Cheesecake, made with farmer's cheese, and they say the cheesecake is lighter than standard American cheesecake. Since there's nothing in this book resembling petits fours, I'll have to punt -- or try one of the tortes instead -- or look for another source.

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