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A Fine Dessert by Emily Jenkins Book Review

A Fine Dessert: Four Centuries, Four Families, One Delicious Treat by Emily Jenkins
Illustrations by Sophie Blackall
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade
Release Date: January 27, 2015

Four families. Four different cities. Four Centuries. One recipe. A richly detailed story that not only shows the endearing beauty of one simple dessert, but also a visual guide to how the preparation process of food has changed over four hundred years. 

Carefully researched, this story was simply delightful. The illustrations had a very classical feel that was in keeping with the tone of the book. Even as an adult, I was fascinated by the processes of making food from other time periods. I was especially impressed by the way the author included the topic of slavery in a way that can create dialogue but was still in keeping with the lightness of a story about a dessert. 

Inspired by the book and the recipe included at the end, I decided to make my own fool, a raspberry one. Simple to make, perfect for children, with only four ingredients, it was in a word--delicious. It is a light dessert, apĂ©ritif for some, but I was impressed. I would include my own picture, but am afraid that it tasted much better than it looked and my garnishing skills leave much to be desired. Note: Best served after only a few hours in the fridge. Serving it a day or two later will result in the whipping cream losing some of its spring.

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