Cookbook Review: The Redpath Canadian Bake Book

It may come as a surprise to some that my love of reading is not limited to your typical work of fiction, memoir or self-help book. I also enjoy a nice cookbook, because I cook every single goddamn meal most of the dishes our budding little family dines on, so I’m constantly looking for new recipes to spice up our menu. Cooking of course goes hand-in-hand with baking, and although I try not to over-do it in the sweets department (I usually just buy my own chocolate) I like indulging in a home-baked treat every once in awhile, more often now that I’m pregnant.

In December I acquired a copy of The Redpath Canadian Bake Book. It took me a few moments to realize why the ‘Redpath’ name was familiar to me, and then it become clear-they produce the majority of sugar in Canada! Realistically, I probably consume their product more than any other, as I’m a certified sweet tooth. Now if anyone or any company is going to produce a book of recipes devoted to sweets, doesn’t it make sense that a sugar producer should? Before I even cracked the front cover I knew I’d like the contents of this latest addition to my cookbook collection.

Now I’m no professional chef, in fact far from it, I’d say my cooking and baking is mediocre at best, however I am improving, and I know that to produce a reliable review of a recipe book I have to produce at least one of these recipes, so I begrudgingly took on the task of baking Chocolate-Chip Cheesecake Brownies found in this book. You’re welcome! And to make this an extra educational experience, I involved my toddler, who was completely and utterly absorbed in our measuring cups for a blessedly long time. A win win for all involved.

I suspect this is one of their easy to moderate recipes in terms of skill level required, but I haven’t (yet!) baked anything else from the book so I can’t really say for sure. But the instructions were very clear on what to do, and the final product seemed to look similar to what the picture depicted, which quite honestly, doesn’t make a difference to me anyway. There’s a huge range of recipes here, so as I gain more confidence in my abilities I may attempt something like the “Elegant Petit Fours”, but that’s far off in my future I’m sure.

What I like most about this book is the fact that it’s Canadian, and I’ve harped on about this to anyone who will listen-following a recipe that’s written in your own country is SIGNIFICANTLY easier. It’s not just the measurements, each country has its own access to particular ingredients and blended grocery items, so I know that what’s in this book will be easy for me to procure. Oh, and for those people who just find recipes online, you know that what you get on pinterest etc. is never really guaranteed to work out. But, when you follow a published recipe from a book, it has to stand up to certain rigours that online recipes don’t, so you can trust what you find on the printed page.