Sunday Books & Culture for December 15
This week's reviews include the 35th Anniversary Edition of Rose Levy Beranbaum’s “The Cake Bible” and a look at “Wicked” on page, stage, and screen.
The Books & Culture section is edited by Vanessa Sekinger
THE CAKE BIBLE
by Rose Levy Beranbaum
Published by William Morrow Cookbooks (October 22, 2024)
Hardcover $26.09
Reviewed by Penny A Parrish
When cooking and baking skills were allotted, my genes were apparently asleep. Except for excelling at making various soups in the winter, I am rather inept when it comes to things like cakes (except for my yummy and alcohol-filled rum cake). My sister, on the other hand, makes her kitchen and oven sing with culinary delights. For that reason, I am gifting her the 35th Anniversary Edition of The Cake Bible this Christmas.
Just looking at the shining color photos in the center will have your mouth watering. But they will also tempt you to try some of the cakes. Rose gives detailed recipes and instructions that will be of great help to both the novice and the expert.
Her first version of this book came out in 1988. Many of her ideas, such as the reverse creaming method, were considered radical. Today, it is the norm. She combines taste with science, urging bakers to use measurements in metric weights. She discusses pans, equipment, ovens, techniques, icings and even throws in dabs of history. For instance, I did not know that the pound cake is considered the first “butter cake.” In France, it was prepared using one-fourth flour, one-fourth butter, one-fourth eggs and one-fourth sugar. Yum.
In each recipe, readers will find the following: ingredients, special equipment needed, oven temperature, mixing instructions, baking details, cooling and unmolding (if needed), finished height, and how to store your cake. There is also a chapter on decorating so your cake looks as good as it will taste.
I found several favorites, and I will twist my sister’s arm and try to persuade her to make some of them. My list includes: Golden Grand Marnier Cake, Swedish Caramel Almond Cake, Chocolate Spangled Angel Food Cake, and a beautiful Cordon Rose Chocolate Christmas Log. For the serious baker, there is even a five-tier Red Velvet Wedding Cake to serve 150. For those with less time and talent, you can try her waffle and pancake recipes.
This is an informative yet delightful and interesting book that would be a great gift for the baker in your family. If you thumb through it before you wrap it, be sure not to drool on the photos!
Penny A Parrish is a long-time book reviewer and artist. Learn more about her by visiting her page at Brush Strokes Gallery, which is in downtown Fredericksburg.
WICKED, WICKED, and WICKED
Alike, Different, and Reimagined
Reviewed by Vanessa Sekinger
For theater fans, there is nothing like feeling connected to the characters and events as they unfold before you, and often, it is the music that creates and develops that audience connection. Wicked, the Broadway show, is such a musical. The songs, the sets, the costumes create the world of Oz that is so foreign, and yet, the characters (even when they are green) are not so different from ourselves.
The songs range from comedy and camp to anguished or inspirational. It is truly a journey for the audience. The musical explores the concepts of good and evil, and specifically, asks the audience to consider if a person is born evil or if their circumstances play a role in their development. As you may know, this exploration focuses on the origin story of The Wicked Witch of the West from Frank L. Baum’s The Wizard of Oz.
This origin story, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, is the first novel in the tetralogy The Wicked Years by Gregory Maguire. Originally published in 1995, Maguire’s lengthy narrative follows Elphaba’s story from before she was born until her unusual demise. Elphaba’s character development is the heart of the novel, and Maguire builds both empathy and concern for her on her journey to becoming the Wicked Witch of the West but adds a few other layers that create conflicted feelings for the reader. One thing to note is the novel is R-rated. There are some pretty specific romantic scenes, adultery, and some general strangeness (even for a fantasy novel). It is an interesting origin story, but the boundary pushing aspects feel added on without a great deal of value for the development of the characters.
The newest addition to the Wicked family is the recently released movie version directed by Jon M. Chu. Wicked, the movie, did not disappoint! It takes the structure of the Broadway show but pulls from the novel for additional character development and an expanded storyline. More songs are included alongside the original score to connect the old and new.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande will please any fan of the Broadway version. Cynthia Erivo’s (Elphaba) “Defying Gravity” and Ariana Grande’s (Glinda) “Popular” exceeded my expectations and created powerful audience connections. The magic of movies also allowed for creative choreography and sets that are more complex than a stage can support. Jonathan Bailey’s (Fiyero) “Dancing Through Life” uses a creative moving library set to bring it to life. The movie makes some positive changes to tailor it to a PG audience, retains the power of the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda, and, most importantly, maintains the power of the songs.
As one of the longest running shows on Broadway, Wicked’s popularity comes from the depth of the story and the impact of the music. The movie maintains this impact and expands it to a larger audience. It will certainly be “popular” for a long time.
Vanessa Sekinger is the editor of the Books and Culture page and loves to read, spend time with family, laugh, and be outside.
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