Saturday, December 05, 2009

'Tis the Season for Gingerbread Houses

Build a House... Then Eat It!
Who doesn't love putting together a gingerbread house during the holiday season? If you want to start from scratch (though there is something to be said for kits) here's a few titles that include outstanding ideas and tips. In order of complexity and range:

Gingerbread Houses, Animals and Decorations by Joanna Farrow gives step-by-step instructions for 20 adorable projects.

Making Gingerbread Houses : Dozens of Delectable Designs and Ideas by Veronkia Alice Gunter showcases a variety of cool, unique and of course, tasty designs. Samples include Dorothy's House Lands in Oz, Santa's Workshop, Tropical Tiki Hut, Feathered Friends Houses, and even a Medieval Castle.

In Susan Matheson & Lauren Chatman's The Gingerbread Architect : Recipes & Blueprints for Twelve Classic American Homes, gingerbread houses receive classic treatment. The visuals are breathtaking and range from town houses to farm houses. Equipment, ingredients, templates, resources and a glossary of architectural terms are included, as well as the recipes themselves.

Further Reading
For an accompanying storybook to read to your special little helper, try:
The Gingerbread Girl by Lisa Campbell Ernst
The Gingerbread Boy (Try Kathy Wilburn's or Harriet Ziefert's)
The Gingerbread Cowboy by Janet Squires
The Gingerbread Rabbit by Randall Jarrell
Maisy Makes Gingerbread by Lucy Cousins
Hansel and Gretel, the classic "grimm" fairy tale, retold by James Marshall

Post by Bev Simmons