The Indulgent Amateur
(an ongoing cookbook in pen and
watercolor)
by Addison Godel
The goal of this collection is to showcase some of my personal favorite sweet treats, ones that have stood the test of time and repeated preparations. (In other words, the ones for whose recipes people actually ask!) Don't expect freqeunt updates or a sprawling library - these paintings take time and I'm a busy grad student! But you can be sure everything here is quality comfort food, nothing just cut-and-pasted from somewhere else with no testing or consideration.
This project began as a zine-in-progress and may someday find itself in print for real. In the meantime, though, it's on the web. Some things are lost in translation (page numbers, for example). Bear with me.
If the photos get your mouth watering, be sure to check out my other food snapshots over at my photoblog.
I'll eventually compose a proper introduction to this thing, establishing my baking philosophy, as well as an amateur's guide to equipment and basic techniques. For now, though, let's get straight to the recipes!
Four-Layer Super Grasshopper Brownies - A minty, incredibly rich brownie whose recipe calls for you to smash a lot of things. How can it fail?
Aunt Nancy's Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake - A rich, moist, doctored cake mix.
Fancy-Type Thumbprints - Cocoa and chopped nuts make all the difference!
Tina + Becky's Awesome Kick Yr Mouth's Ass 'Cos It's So Full of Flavor Banna Nut Cake - The name says it all, I daresay. Vegan!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chippers - Soft and autumnal big-batch cookies. Not quite vegan, but easily made so.
Strawberry Supreme Chiffon - Creamy, sweet, and berry-licious! Perfect summer treat.
Cocoa Crackle-Tops - Dense, soft, subtle chocolate tea cookies. My friend Ann's favorite.
Creamy Lemon Pound Cake - One of the first recipes my mother gave me when I moved away from home. As she puts it, "easy and good!" As a bonus, I've also included her recipe for glazed pecans.
(To come in next update, ideally: Miniature Blueberry Tarts, Double-Decker Date-n-Walnut Bars, "Dad's Specialty" Pancakes, and Mom's Lemon "Ice Cream." No promises on when that'll be...)