Creative Cookies: Delicious Decorating for Any Occasion

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Summary: Best cookie decorating book I've seen yet
Review: and I have purchased several. Even beginners can recreate Ms. Garrett's creations because of her detailed explanations and pictures. Outstanding recipes, especially for the glace' icing (much more preferable than royal icing, I think. Besides tasting great it also dries hard to the touch which is a plus when you need to stack the cookies). She gives very imaginative and classy ideas for baby showers, mothers day, heart designs, monograms...to name a few. She also gives suggestions for adding your own touches. I especially love her wedding cake cookies (which you can adapt for b'day or anniversary occasions) and her "get well" cookies (you can use any message to personalize it). She provides full size patterns from which to make templates but I hope she comes out with copper cookie cutters in these shapes.

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Summary: A book that will get you motivated to decorate cookies!
Review: As a student of Toba Garrett in NYC, I knew before I bought this book that it would be wonderful, and it is!!! --the recipes are easy to make, and the decorating is simple enough for the novice and stunning enough to challenge those with skill.(If you have never decorated before, Toba explains step by step along with numerous color pictures to guide you) You'll make cookies that you never thought possible. Definitly a must have!

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Summary: Not for the simple person!
Review: Don't get me wrong. This book was beautifully written and she has some beautiful ideas. The problem with this book is, it does not seem like very practical designs and ideas for the average normal citizen. I could see most of these ideas done in a very upscale bakery or hotel or for some hollywood gathering. Not for the regular person. She has beautiful work but when you bring it home do not be suprised if you decide to just look at it and sit it on the shelf and probably never put it to good use.

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Summary: Finally, the cookie book you've been waiting for!!
Review: Finally, someone has written a book on baking beautiful cookies, complete with beautiful, clear, full-color photos, easy-to-follow instructions and great ideas for cookie gift-giving. There are many, many (believe me, I've looked) books on cookies, but all of them seem to neglect the fact that cookies can look as beautiful as any cake or pastry. A cake is a good gift if you have a way to transport it, or if there aren't terribly many people to be served from it, but cookies are easy to take anywhere without too much effort, can often be made quite a bit in advance, and can be made in "batches" so that many can share the extraordinary goodies. Toba Garrett is an experienced chef (I've been trying to register for her sold-out classes several times) with an impeccable reputation (not an easy thing to attain in New York City!) who writes in a very easy to understand fashion. The recipes are easy and the cookies astoundingly beautiful (and shhhhh!, they're not hard to do either--but your guests won't know that!)

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Summary: "STEP-BY-STEP" BOOK WITH PICTURES, ILLUSTRATIONS & RECIPES
Review: Great book for the novice cookie decorator! It's full of ideas for all occasions. It takes you through each beautifully decorated cookie, showing you a color picture of what the finished product will look like, giving you the recipes to use (both for the cookie and for the icing/decorating) and giving illustrations on exactly how-to-do-it and what decorating items and recipe ingredients you'll need to complete the chosen product.

Rating:
Summary: "STEP-BY-STEP" BOOK WITH PICTURES, ILLUSTRATIONS & RECIPES
Review: Great book for the novice cookie decorator! It's full of ideas for all occasions. It takes you through each beautifully decorated cookie, showing you a color picture of what the finished product will look like, giving you the recipes to use (both for the cookie and for the icing/decorating) and giving illustrations on exactly how-to-do-it and what decorating items and recipe ingredients you'll need to complete the chosen product.

Rating:
Summary: best cookie book ever!
Review: I ordered this book expecting fun creative ideas in decorating cookies with my children. I found that it is very creative, with tons of ideas but i just cant find the fun of making those cookies with my children. The pictures are beautiful, even if its too advance for me, I will keep it for future reference, (may be when my kids are older) :D.

Rating:
Summary: Nice book for true decorator
Review: I ordered this book expecting fun creative ideas in decorating cookies with my children. I found that it is very creative, with tons of ideas but i just cant find the fun of making those cookies with my children. The pictures are beautiful, even if its too advance for me, I will keep it for future reference, (may be when my kids are older) :D.

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Summary: A Feast for Your Eyes and Your Palate!
Review: I purchased this book in order to get some better ideas on cookie and dessert decorating techniques. Boy, I was in for a surprise! The directions are easy, geared to beginners (like myself) and the results are fabulous. Like anything, it takes some practice, though! I plan on taking Ms. Garrett's classes at Peter Kump's Culinary School in New York City after reading this book! It is a definite plus for anyone who loves to bake cookies, and is always looking for an excuse to do so! And, as a bonus, the recipes in the bake are phenomenal!

Rating:
Summary: Too Advanced for Me!!!
Review: I think this is a beautiful book and offers wonderful ideas on gorgeous cookie decorations, but it is WAY too advanced for me, a good baker but beginning decorator. I am returning it, because I don't even think the generic cookie tips are worth keeping, as the whole thing is too advanced. If you are a good decorator already and have the talent and time and willingness to make elaborate gift-quality cookies, this is truly a find, but otherwise, I'd skip it. I was really just looking for a book with fun decorating ideas for cookies for kids beyond the usual gingerbread man or pumpkin-cut sugar cookie with orange sprinkles! Creative ideas I need, but beautiful I cannot achieve.