[.ca] Making Great Gingerbread Houses: Delicious Designs from ... (ISBN 1579902685)

From Amazon.com:
Miniature houses have an undeniable appeal, especially when they're made out of food. But the architectural achievements in this guide are so charming and sometimes so elaborate that it's hard to imagine actually eating them; they're meant to be admired, not devoured. From rustic to royal, humble to ornate, this eclectic assortment ranges from cooking-school complex to child-simple. Some were even designed by kids and could certainly be constructed by them. (Just be sure to buy extra trimmings, since the budding architects are bound to do some nibbling!) The authors lay solid groundwork in the introductory section, explaining the key points of gingerbread building, pattern making, and utilizing various types of trimmings, and offer basic recipes for gingerbread dough, royal icing, marzipan, pastillage, and fondant. Then it's on to the structures themselves, contributed by more than four dozen designers. Houses, cabins, inns, chapels, castles, lighthouses, even whole little villages drip with snowy icing, as candies, cookies, and other goodies mimic stone, brick, shingle, stucco, logs, and landscaping. This is not a step-by-step guide but rather a gallery of wonderful ideas, with photos of each creation and some very general suggestions about making them. The photography is not high quality but is adequate enough to show detail, and templates are included for many of the structures. One designer even found an ingenious solution to the edibility dilemma, turning the flat roof of her elaborate Victorian concoction into a serving surface for Christmas cookies. --Amy Handy

Very Informative:
I had always wanted to make a gingerbread house but was afraid to try it. I do many different types of crafts but none where the item is made of just food. That seemed too daunting for me. But when I recieved my copy of "Making Great Gingerbread Houses" my fears left. I read the whole book ( the side "tips" helped allot ) and proceeded to make my first Gingerbread House. The photos and directions for asembling their "Basic House" were simple and made the process basicly mistake proof for me. Their ideas for decorating along with photos of completed houses with differnt ideas for this helped me to realize that sometimes less is NOT more....at least when making gingerbread houses. Even some of the more complicated houses became a possible future house for me to make once I read all of the information that they supplied with the photos. With their information on " form real life to gingerbread" and their templates I understand the basics of gingerbread houses. Inns, cottages,chaples,castles,villages and even a riverboat, you are only limited to your imagination. And....the dough recipe makes for GREAT cookies. I would recoment this book to nayone that wants to learn the ins and outs of gingerbread houses.

Really disappointing:
If you are seeking the inside secrets to gingerbread artistry, don't expect much from this book. This book doesn't even begin to cover the many gingerbread/food techniques currently available -- and that home builders can use -- which mimic real-life or fantasy -- building structures and contents. I thought that many of the instructions shown were too simple and general -- the reader deserved to read more details, more inside information on how to work with food items to create effects -- especially since the author is a pastry chef! The book's description also promises photos of the Grove Park Inn's gingerbread competition entries. But if you expect to see the competition's top of the line entries featuring incredible details, don't. I looked forward to receiving this book. I'm sorry I bought it.

Artistic, Excellent Photography, Good Variety!:
Highly recommend for your baking library! Lots of great ideas, good instructions, basic templates but lots of room for your own personal taste. Worth the buy!

Wonderful Baking Must Have:
This is an excellent book with simple, clear and easy to follow instructions with plenty of room for individuality. Photography is crisp, clear and uncluttered. Highly recommend just for viewing pleasure if not for anything else!

I love this book!:
I always loved making gingerbread houses, but I wasn't all that good at it, and someone else always assembled the house. This book inspired me to try building my first house on my own. I can't wait to try out all the decorating ideas. I think this book is really good for beginners, like myself. I love how it gives you instructions, tips, and pictures to help you make your own. If you have any interest in gigerbread houses whatsoever, I strongly advise you to read it. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are clear, and it will have you hooked on gingerbread houses.