[.ca] Great Canadian Cookies, Bars and Squares (ISBN 1550549618)

Amazon.ca:
Great Canadian Cookies, Bars and Squares is a populist approach to the national sweet tooth. Thankfully, compilers Sheila Peacock and Jennifer Abrams haven't edited out the personalities of the contributors. Some recipe introductions confabulate about the ways in which recipes have been passed down; others offer enticing short stories. For instance, Barb Wallington advises us to drop the main-ingredient layer of her Peanut Butter Squares "by spoonfuls on top of the cookie layer, spreading it evenly. This is a very sticky process! Lightly press the peanut butter mixture into place by hand--you will need to wet your hands to keep the mixture from sticking to you, but a little water won't hurt the bar!" Many a terser, more uptight cookbook fails to reveal tricks as helpful as that. So what's served forth in these pages? Instructions for making sweet nothings round, square, and oblong, in several major categories. There are little-known recipes as well as classic Canadian sweets, including three variations on the Nanaimo Bar and a take on the butter tart that formats the gooey little wonder into a square. Raisin Bars don't use the flaky pastry topping and bottom of days past, but rather a crumbly version of the oats, flour, sugar, and butter mix. Famous Caramel Squares couldn't be richer, with two layers on the pastry crust: first, the expected caramel goo, then on top a swirl of mixed, melted chocolate and butterscotch chips. If such a decadent collection causes worry, remember the wise words in the introduction to Lemon Squares: “A true treat counts no calories.”--Ted Whittaker