The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook

January 16, 2012
Food Network star Paula Deen introduces the couple behind Savannah’s Back in the Day Bakery and their cookbook. Broken down by baked good, including “Cupcakes and Cakes,” “Pies,” “Cobblers, Crisps, and Tarts,” and “Cookies,” chapters feature Southern favorites such as baked eggs with grits and ham, and buttermilk chess pie, along with old-time favorites like lemon meringue pie, and strawberry-rhubarb crisp. The author’s “homespun style” permeates the collection—from font and borders to recipes—including the “Savories” chapter, featuring dishes such as roasted chicken and vegetable cobbler (touted as “A potluck favorite”) and vegetable potpie. Sidebars on topics from clever packaging for baked goods to ingredient information for items such as sorghum, as well as a resource pages, add value to this retro-style book that’s all about comfort food.

February 15, 2012

Approaching its tenth anniversary, the Back in the Day Bakery is a popular Savannah destination serving up old-fashioned American treats with a healthy dose of Southern flair. Following an enthusiastic foreword by Paula Deen, founders Cheryl and Griffith Day share sweet and savory bakery favorites like Old-Fashioned Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting, Salted Caramel Apple Pie, and Bacon Jam Empanadas. By incorporating some less traditional ingredients (e.g., flavored sugars, guava paste, and bennecake flour), the authors successfully breathe new life into familiar favorites. VERDICT A well-rounded baking book suitable for home cooks of all levels. [Five-city tour.]

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2012
Home bakers first and bakery owners second, Paula Deen darlings the Days here inventory recipes for every season and sweet tooth that even the most amateur among us can feel comfortable in attempting: cinnamon-sugar-doughnut muffins, Mexican hot chocolate shortbread, and a shortcut piecrust that the Days promise will impress. Necessary special tools are clearly noted, and the tips, commentary, and notes are as fun to digest as these southern sweets look to be. One particularly funny inclusion is a customer's ode to the Pecan Sandra, written after not finding his favorite cookie in the cases. The book is as pleasantly, cohesively stylized and visually appealing as the Days' Savannah outpost. Drool-inducing photos featuring the impressive yet decidedly unfussy baked goods (with a special section devoted to savories as well, such as baked eggs and pancetta-fontina bread pudding) placed beside carefully culled vintage kitchenware and objets d'art of the cooking persuasion are works of art in themselves.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

Starred review from January 1, 2015

In their follow-up to The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook, married business owners Cheryl and Griffith Day pair more recipes from their acclaimed bakery in Savannah, GA, with creative MIY (make-it-yourself) crafts, including a whimsical marshmallow chandelier and snack carriers fashioned from vintage linens. Keeping with their from-scratch, made-by-hand theme, the authors also include notes on how to decorate and serve their recipes. For instance, they suggest sugared rosemary and cranberries (recipe included) as a garnish for the yule log with espresso buttercream and offer tips on how to set up a crostini station that includes vidalia onion marmalade, pimento cheese, and devilled ("devilish") eggs. Beautiful illustrations by Emily Isabella heighten the book's charm. VERDICT Expect demand for this charming bakery cookbook. Like Paul Lowe's Eat and Make, it offers a winning blend of tasty recipes and easy crafts.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.