Although most Americans have heard of sugar plums thanks to the famous holiday poem A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore, many have likely never have had the pleasure of tasting one of these luxuries, or even know what they really are (hint: they are not sugar-dusted plums). This is because sugar plums are one of the Gilded Age era holiday sweets that got eclipsed as America moved into the twentieth century. But The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook will bridge the past and present, bringing back sugar plums and other confections not typically found in modern cookbooks, while revisiting some beloved favorites. With origins that date back to the nineteenth century and even earlier, the recipes in The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook have been adapted for today's ingredients and appliances, allowing cooks to recreate them in their own modern kitchens. Each recipe will provide a colorful glimpse into the era, featuring the fascinating history behind each cookie, its ingredients and baking methods. There will also be sidebars throughout, offering tidbits of Christmas lore of the era. A perfect gift to bring sparkle to the holiday season for anyone who enjoys food, history, culture and Christmas traditions, The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook is a unique way to revitalize any baker's holiday repertoire while looking to past foodways for inspiration. With all the opulence and enchanting allure of the Victorian period, this nostalgic book is chock-full of delicious holiday treats.
Becky Libourel Diamond is a food writer, librarian, and research historian. Her most recent book, The Gilded Age Cookbook, blends Gilded Age details and celebrity stories with historic menus and recipes updated for modern kitchens. She is also the author of The Thousand Dollar Dinner and Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America's First Cooking School. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Rider University and a Master of Library Service (MLS) degree from Rutgers University. She has worked as a Business Librarian at Rutgers-New Brunswick since 2020. She lives in Yardley, Pennsylvania. Visit her at www.beckyldiamond.com.
"This cookbook has a set of "sweet treat" recipes that is a delightful mix of cultural history with easy to follow directions. Ms. Diamond highlights the European influence on these cookies and other sweets--especially from Germany, England and Scandinavia. She has included a treasure trove of holiday references--such as explaining exactly what a sugar plum is--brought into our lives by the fairy in the Nutcracker ballet... I can see this cookbook becoming a seasonal staple and having all family members, young and old, participating in making these treats."--Kathleen Langone, author of The Miniature Painter Revealed and host of the People Hidden in History podcast "I could not be more excited to have Becky's Diamond's new book The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook. Not only does Becky share authentic, easy-to-prepare recipes from the era for our modern kitchens, but she infuses each recipe and all her work with a tremendous sense of the actual history behind dishes and food styles and trends during the eras. With all of Becky's work, you really can 'taste the past.'" --Carl Raymond, host of The Gilded Gentleman podcast
