The Village Baker's Wife: The Deserts and Pastries That Made Gayle's Famous

by Joe Ortiz and Gayle Ortiz

Book Overview

Gayle's Bakery has grown from a humble 800-square-foot shop to one of the largest most successful bakeries in America. This work collects the all-butter, real-sugar, whole-cream, fine-chocolate... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0898158699
• ISBN13: 9780898158694
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press
• Length: 327 Pages
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 7.7" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

This cookbook is a must have!

Don't be fooled by this book with very few pictures. The directions are long but worth it. So far everything I have made from this book has been wonderful. I have made the apple pie twice. The pie crust recipe is amazing and I'll never make another pie crust again. The choc chip cookies and white choc mac nut cookies are to die for. Last week I made the chocolate macaroons, wow heaven! I wish I had this book years ago. Such a great purchase.

DEE-LISH-US!!!

What a find! This book has some great recipes. It really caters to folks that know their way around the kitchen and have some knowledge of baking, even though the directions are very well written and each recipe has a refer to page to remind you of a technique that was explained early on in the book. I've never been to Gayle's but I certainly won't pass it up if I'm ever in the area. Everything I have made, with the exception of the croissants, have been phenominal (the croissants were way too buttery and greasy - this was probably due to my handling of the dough rather than the recipe though). The pastries are to die for even though they took some time to make - no one believed I made them, they looked too perfect - exactly like the photo! The chocolate mousse cake is sinfully delicious and the key lime pie is the BEST I have ever had. Needless to say I have added a few pounds from all the experimenting in the kitchen.The ingredients are easy to find, the recipes are the ones you'd want from a traditional bakery (danishes, pastries, cakes, cookies, pies). What a gold mind this book has been, I feel like Gayle's has 'revealed' all their secrets. I keep reaching for this book when I want to try a sweet treat.

My all-time favorite cookbook for special occasions

This cookbook is, by far, the most influential book in my life of baking! I bought it shortly before my wedding a couple of years ago, and I was able to use several recipes for wedding events! For instance, I made the poppyseed cake with raspberry cream icing for my bridesmaids' luncheon, complete with the traditional "cake charms" for the perfect pink cake! I was asked by four people for the recipe, and in fact, I made it again when I gave a good friend her bridal luncheon last June! For my wedding reception, one of my own contributions to the reception table was the lavender shortbread. A truly interesting myriad of flavors, of course, but it got rave reviews! ("What in the world is IN these cookies?") Five stars!

Great book for all levels of experience --

I love Gayle's in Capitola -- all the pastries taste exactly like those from your fondest childhood memories. In the past few months I've made several cakes from Gayle Ortiz' cookbook, and each one tastes just like Gayle's! Even somewhat complicated recipes are broken down into manageable components with easy-to-follow, detailed instructions. I have an embarrassment of cookbooks and baking manuals from four generations of avid bakers, and Gayle's combines the best qualities of all of them. As evidenced by another reviewer's comments, the inherent subjectivity of baking renders no cookbook foolproof. (I've made the pastry cream according to the directions several times, with no problems.) However, this cookbook is nearly foolproof -- my self-proclaimed "not-a-baker" boyfriend & his three children made the carrot cake for my birthday with no assistance, and it was wonderful -- just like Gayle's! (The one error I've found is that recipe's baking time seemed to be incorrect -- 30 minutes instead of the 50-60 mine needed to bake).

The Recipes Work.

This is my favorite of the dozens of baking books I own. The writing is entertaining, yet informative. If reading through the yummy array of recipes isn't enough, the photographs of bakery cases filled with beautiful baked goods will have you running for the kitchen. Everything I've tried from The Village Baker's Wife has turned out perfectly, which is a claim I can make of no other book. I can even boast perfect croissants on the first try!