Sugar, Sugar

September 19, 2011
It’s safe to say most cookbooks don’t include a Neil Diamond Record, Tiger Beat magazine, the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, or a Diamond Studded Dog Collar as an ingredient. Not the case for Reiner and Sanz-Agreo’s (also known as the “Sugar Mommas”) collection of desserts, which includes a nostalgic “ingredient” for each of the 68 recipes. The chapters in this inspired title are organized by type of baked good and are whimsically titled including Tart and Pies Worth the Lie; Better than Nooky Cookies, and “Cool Bars and Summer Stars.” Recipes culled from across the country and often named after their creators—Aunt Fern’s Caramel Icing, Annabelle’s Puddin’ Pies, and Gran’s Tea Cakes, give the book a home-spun, one-of-a-kind feel. Classic desserts such as Red Velvet Cake, Apple Pie and Sugar Cookies have their place alongside unique finds such as Scrumdilliumptious White Chocolate Cake and Railroad Track Cookies . In the end, this quirky, innovative collection feels like a professional version of that long-lost family collection of index cards.