All-American Cookie Book

　　For this trailblazing collection of America"s favoritecookies, Nancy Baggett crisscrossed the nation, visiting small-townbakeries, chic urban cookie boutiques, rural inns,bed-and-breakfasts, farmers" markets, and the homes of locallyrenowned cooks. She combed through community cookbooks and searchedout long-lost heirloom recipes, sure-handedly reworking everyrecipe in her own kitchen.
THE ALL-AMERICAN COOKIE BOOK celebrates regional gems from everycorner of the country: Pennsylvania Dutch Soft Sugar Cookies, NewYork Black and Whites, New Mexican Biscochitos, Key Lime Frostiesfrom Florida, and Mocha Espresso Wafers from Seattle. Asophisticated hazelnut chocolate sandwich cookie that was theclosely guarded secret of an Oregon hostess is here, and so is adelightfully crisp (and easy to roll out) old-fashioned gingerbreadcookie recreated from a handwritten 1880 notebook.
　　Homespun classics abound: Chocolate Whoopie Pies, Caramel AppleCrumb Bars, Chocolate Chunk Brownies, and Caramel-Frosted BrownSugar Drops. The collection also features devastatingly deliciouscontemporary creations like Chewy Chocolate Chunk Monster Cookiesand Cranberry-Cherry Icebox Ribbons. For children and adults alike,one of the most exciting chapters will be the lavishly illustrated"Cookie Decorating and Crafts," which includes everything fromsimple projects like Christmas cookies and Chocolate GingerbreadBears to an elaborate gingerbread house. As Nancy Baggett tells thestory of America"s heritage, she slips in fascinating bits ofhistory, showing the evolution of our homegrown bakingtraditions.