Sunday, December 13, 2015

"Mimi's Adventures in Baking Gingerbread Men" by Alyssa Gangeri

REVIEW and EXCERPT
Mimi's Adventures in Baking
Gingerbread Men
by Alyssa Gangeri


Mimi's Adventures in Baking is a children's book series by chef-turned-author, Alyssa Gangeri. Find out all about her inspiration for creating this series in the "About the Author" section below. The third book in the series, Mimi's Adventures in Baking Gingerbread Men, has just been released and is currently on tour with Worldwind Virtual Book Tours. The tour stops here today for my review and an excerpt. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.





Description
Embark on a baking adventure with Mimi where she will measure, mix, and bake her way to the perfect batch of gingerbread men. If Mimi can do it, so can you!



Excerpt
"What are all these powders, Nonni? They smell!"
"Those are called spices, Mimi. They come from a plant, seed, or herb. They're dried and ground so we can use them to add flavor to whatever we're making. Gingerbread men are full of flavour and the spices are key to making the perfect cookie! Measure them just like the baking soda and then we'll add them to the flour mixture."



Praise for the Book
"One of the things I love most about Mimi's Cooking Adventures is that it blends a story with the actual process of cooking. It takes reading and makes it into a family activity. Mimi's Adventures in Baking Gingerbread Men is no exception. This book explores the fun of winter (snow days, snow angels, family, and gingerbread men) and teaches you how to make a winter treat. This book is the perfect addition to any holiday library. If you or your child likes cooking, baking, or doing activities together, this is a must read." ~ Kirstin
" ... this time Mimi is going to help her Nonni make Gingerbread Men! All the ingredients and the utensils needed are listed and as in the other book - safety is emphasized. What fun it would be to help your child make Gingerbread Men on a Snow Day - just like Mimi did!" ~ MikiHope
"This is such a cute idea. Made baking with the kids fun and enjoyable. And so easy to understand! Its great passing on the love of baking to the little ones - all taught through a fun story that keeps that attention and interest!" ~ Amazon Customer

My Review


By Lynda Dickson
It's a snow day so, while Mom still has to go to work, Mimi and her brother Danny spend the day with Nonni. They make gingerbread men cookies before going out to play. First they gather all the ingredients and equipment they will need, then Nonni and Mimi mix the ingredients, roll out the dough, cut out the gingerbread men, and bake them. When they are cool, Mimi and Danny decorate them.
You and your little one can follow along with the story and then a bake a batch of gingerbread men too, as the full recipe is included at the back of the book. I love how Mimi asks all the questions your little baker is likely to ask. And Nonni's got all the answers!
Fun and educational, with delightful illustrations by Chiara Civati, this is the perfect gift for the holiday season.



About the Author
Chef Alyssa has been baking since she was a little girl in her grandmother's kitchen. Since graduating from the Culinary Institute of America she has worked for famous chefs and elite companies such as the Ritz Carlton, Tom Colicchio, Norman Van Aken and Gray Kunz. She currently is the Executive Chef at Riverwalk Bar and Grill on the Historic nook of New York City, Roosevelt Island. She also has a boutique custom cake company called AllyCakesNYC where she creates cakes to appease the imagination. Through her journey of baking she developed Mimi, her very own miniature version of herself.
As a child she loved baking and everything that came with it. As an adult and food lover she realized there was something missing when she frequented bookstores: an interactive children's cookbook. And we are not talking about a boring old cookbook for kids with lots and lots of recipes, and some pictures. Children these days have just as much interest in the kitchen as their parents do, but the ordinary cookbook is just not going to cut it. She created Mimi's Adventures in Baking to give children and adults a way to get into the kitchen and allow the child to become the chef and the adult to become the assistant. Each book has one recipe and an interactive storyline the child can read, and at the end they can go into the kitchen and do what Mimi did! And for the "non-baking" parent, these elite pastry chef recipes are tested and ready for even the most inexperienced baker! Impress other moms with Mimi's creations!
Mimi's Adventures in Baking will also teach children how to measure, mix, and bake their way through the kitchen, while also giving safety tips along the way. No more boring cookbooks! Now there is a fun, exciting, and educational way to learn how to bake!

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