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Classic Home Desserts of Richard Sax

Apicio

By Apicio
in Pastry & Baking

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Apicio

Apicio

Posted
Posted

This is one cookbook that I am really surprised I have not come accross often enough in any thread in this forum and yet if anyone abandoned me in a dessert island (with a well stocked larder) I would not wished to be rescued immediately if I have this with me along with Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking and Craig Clairborne and Virginia Lee’s The Chinese Cookbook.

Sax’s cookbook provides me with a never ending supply of dessert ideas that reminds me of my mother who slapped or whipped together something simple for dessert while the rest of our family was eating our meal.

Gato ming gato miao busca la vida para comer

MelissaH

MelissaH

Posted
Posted

Do you have any favorite recipes? Particularly things that could make use of some of the late summer produce bounty?

MelissaH

MelissaH

Oswego, NY

Chemist, writer, hired gun

Say this five times fast: "A big blue bucket of blue blueberries."

foodblog1 | kitchen reno | foodblog2

russ parsons

russ parsons

Posted
Posted

richard sax is sadly underappreciated. i agree, that's a great book. several years ago i did a piece on pots de creme, where i took recipes from a dozen books, broke them down and cooked through them to try to come up with my "greatest" version. it was really interesting--some of them had more than a dozen steps and left a sink full of dirty dishes, and then richard's was dead simple, practically foolproof and had the best quality of all of them. in fact, iirc, i ended up just saying that and running his recipe (credited, of course).

Apicio

Apicio

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

To introduce Ligita’s Quick Apple Cake on page 383, he says “Stick a bookmark here, and leave it in.” I did and now my copy opens there. Next page is Hilda’s Apple Cake and then Margaret’s. Skip two pages and it will open to All-Time-Best Summer Fruit Torte. Ligita’s Apple Cake is just one of my all time favourites along with Hilda and Margaret’s apple cake. The Down-East Cranberry Apple Pie on page 500 though is another dessert I cannot live without.

Gato ming gato miao busca la vida para comer

Steven Blaski

Steven Blaski

Posted
Posted
To introduce Ligita’s Quick Apple Cake on page 383,  he says  “Stick a bookmark here, and leave it in.”  I did and now my copy opens there. Next page is Hilda’s Apple Cake and then Margaret’s.  Skip two pages and it will open to All-Time-Best Summer Fruit Torte.  Ligita’s Apple Cake is just one of my all time favourites along with Hilda and Margaret’s apple cake.  The Down-East Cranberry Apple Pie on page 500 though is another dessert I cannot live without.

I second Apicio's enthusiasm for the apple cakes -- especially Ligita's & Margaret's -- I make them both often, the former if I'm especially hurried but want something very simple and delicious.

Sax's book is definitely one of my des(s)ert island picks. Some of the other delicious and reliable favorites:

Oatmeal Shortbread Squares

Boston Cream Pie

Claremont Diner Coconut Cream Pie

Lutz's Chocolate Cream Pie

Dried-Fruit Mincemeat Pie with Lattice Cream Cheese Crust (great for holidays)

Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted

Please STOP - all of you! I don't need and shouldn't covet another cookbook but you are driving me to distraction! Sounds like the perfect book for short cut desserts. :biggrin: How long can I resist? Sheesh.

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

Moopheus

Moopheus

Posted
Posted

I have only made a few recipes from this book, but so far all of it has turned out so good that I'm sure I'll be working my way through more of it, because basically every page has a recipe I want to try. The recipes are all clearly written, well organized, and work. The Double Chocolate Pudding was really excellent.

"I think it's a matter of principle that one should always try to avoid eating one's friends."--Doctor Dolittle

blog: The Institute for Impure Science

CompassRose

CompassRose

Posted
Posted

I haven't made nearly enough recipes from this book, but the ones I have made were fantastic. The Zelten fruitcake is one of my holiday standbys.

But I love it most for his style. It's a great read, which is my final criterion for cookbooks. He writes like a hug.

bripastryguy

bripastryguy

Posted
Posted

I remember having this book with me at all times on my first pastry chef gig...I have to dig it out again-I miss my old friend. Weighed a ton lugging in messenger bag across the city

"Chocolate has no calories....

Chocolate is food for the soul, The soul has no weight, therefore no calories" so said a customer, a lovely southern woman, after consuming chocolate indulgence

SWEET KARMA DESSERTS

www.sweetkarmadesserts.com

550 East Meadow Ave. East meadow, NY 11554

516-794-4478

Brian Fishman

lexy

lexy

Posted
Posted

Oh dear, I'm never going to get through all my school reading with threads like this! :biggrin: I could only hold for so long - I just got back from the library, copy in hand, and this book looks like a real winner.

But I love it most for his style. It's a great read, which is my final criterion for cookbooks. He writes like a hug.

I've only skimmed it so far, but I totally agree. It's homey, comforting reading.

Cutting the lemon/the knife/leaves a little cathedral:/alcoves unguessed by the eye/that open acidulous glass/to the light; topazes/riding the droplets,/altars,/aromatic facades. - Ode to a Lemon, Pablo Neruda

  • 8 months later...
Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted

Got my copy of the book yesterday - a bargain on Ebay and in superb condition. Have not had time to cook from it but I just love the style of the book, the writing, and the simplicity of many of the desserts. It surely is a book that deserves to be reprinted.

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

LindaL

LindaL

Posted
Posted

Just ordered my copy today plus Payard's Simply Sensational Desserts as I read somewhere in EG that it is worth having too :smile:

Wondering about Nancy Baggett's All American Desserts and Wayne Bachman's American Desserts book too. Anyone has any opinion on these. Thanks

foodie3

foodie3

Posted
Posted

i too love this book.

whipped cream poundcake is my standard now, i also like polish honey cake and make my creme caramel and pots de creme using his recipes.

fou de Bassan

fou de Bassan

Posted
Posted

The most stained pages in my book belong to All-American Fudge-Chunk brownies, Raspberry Flummery, Whipped Cream pound cake and Schrafft's Hot Fudge sauce. The peanut butter pie is also seriously good.

If only Jack Nicholson could have narrated my dinner, it would have been perfect.

CaliPoutine

CaliPoutine

Posted
Posted (edited)

The other day I made East-West Ginger cake. It's not a Sax recipe, rather it comes from David Lebovitz. I saw it in the book though and made it for sugar high friday( food blogging event).

Pics and story are in my 2girls foodblog( link at my signature line)

Edited by CaliPoutine (log)

Randi

2girlsinthekitchen.blogspot.com

The Senior Dining Thread

eG Food Blogs

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#3

#4

foodie3

foodie3

Posted
Posted
how does Sax's whipped cream pound cake differ than the Elvis one?

it contains no butter, only whipping cream.

i am not familiar w/ elvis's recipe.

  • 3 years later...
zoe b

zoe b

Posted
Posted

Oh, so now I WANT this cookbook--does anyone know if the 1999 edition is much different than the earlier edition? There's a big difference in price--I can get the older one on ebay for 4 bucks or so

zoe b

zoe b

Posted
Posted

No matter--I just got the older edition from the library & immediately bought it on ebay--it exhausted me just leafing through it.

Love his style, and all the anecdotes & snips of food history in it. This is what cookbooks used to be like--hundreds of recipes--rather than the 50 or so you get now.

plum tart

plum tart

Posted
Posted

I've owned Classic Home Desserts for over 20 years. Between it and the Chez Panisse Desserts, I have never felt the need for any more dessert cookbooks. I bake several of the coffee cakes often and several of the Christmas cookies are keepers and have become part of my annual Christmas cookie collection. Also his tiramisu is authentic and delicious.

I have trouble keeping the book in my house. I have a friend who borrows it for months at a time and when I go to use it, it is nowhere to be found. I should buy Katherine her own copy.

And, I agree. His writing is lovely and personal. I felt so very sad when he died knowing there would be no more books from him.

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