The Pastry Queen Christmas: Big-hearted Holiday Entertaining, Texas Style

Publishers Information

About The Pastry Queen Christmas: Big-hearted Holiday Entertaining, Texas Style

Publisher Web Link: http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/tenspeed/

It’s Christmastime at the Best Little Bakery in Texas

The annual Fredericksburg Christmas parade marks the beginning of the Texas Hill Country’s holiday season, which means the Pastry Queen is kicking into high gear at her Rather Sweet Bakery and Café. As party invitations pile up in the mailbox, Rebecca Rather is up to her elbows in sticky meringue, creamy chocolate, and a sleigh full of savory treats to meet the entertaining needs of her neighbors.

In The Pastry Queen Christmas, Rebecca shares nearly 100 traditional recipes reflecting her made-with-love-from-scratch philosophy and the tastes of small-town Texas. Show-off desserts such as Chocolate Cookie Crusted Eggnog Cheesecake, Sticky Toffee Pudding with Brandy Butterscotch Sauce, and Warm Pear Ginger Upside-Down Cake with Amaretto Whipped Cream are the perfect toppers to a family-style feast of Texas Spice-Rubbed Roast Pork, Baked Apple Pear Chutney, Brown Sugar Bacon, and No-Peeking Popovers. Still hungry the next morning? No problem-this country girl does an impressive breakfast, too: Bite-Sized Sticky Buns, Sweet Potato Scones, Cast-Iron Skillet Potatoes, and Mexican Ranch Chilaquiles ought to fill you up.

And if you’re still looking for excuses to entertain this season, you’ll find ooey-gooey baked goods wrapped up as gifts, homemade craft and décor ideas to make your home sparkle, and holiday-worthy menus guaranteed to make your gathering a Texas-sized success. Tree-trimming, cookie decorating, and Santas running down Main Street . . . Christmastime is here.

Author Information

About Rebecca Rather

Author Web Link: http://www.rathersweet.com/

A native Texan, Rebecca Rather makes the most of her Lone Star state’s varied traditions, whether looking to the kitchens of Texas’ Mexican and German immigrants or to the cowboy culture of her own forebears. Best of all, her recipes aren’t fussy—one of her best–selling cakes stirs together in a single saucepan. Add in a cupful of Texas attitude and her made–from–scratch–with–love philosophy, and you’ve got an irresistible taste of American baking.

Rebecca began her career as a private caterer in Houston, before moving on to become pastry chef for Houston restaurateur Tony Vallone and his group of restaurants. After apprenticing with Daniel Leader, she worked as executive pastry chef for research and development for Schlotzsky’s Bread Alone cafés. In 1999, she started her own business, Rather Sweet Bakery, in Austin. In 2001, she moved the bakery to the scenic Hill Country town of Fredericksburg, Texas, expanding to serve lunch daily and dinner on weekends. She has been featured in Texas Monthly, Gourmet, Ladies’ Home Journal, Food & Wine, Southern Living, Chocolatier, and Saveur, where she was among Saveur’s 100 favorites for 2003.

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The Pastry Queen Christmas: Big-hearted Holiday Entertaining, Texas Style

by Rebecca Rather