Amazon.com Amazon.com's Best of 2001 (ISBN 0395915376, Hardcover)

Nancy Baggett went on a culinary journey in search of the best American cookies. Amazed by the remarkable repertoire of American bakers, Baggett spent several years researching and baked nearly 30,000 cookies for The All-American Cookie Book. Every American cookie you can think of is here--more than 150 of them--from luscious Black Bottom Mini Brownie Cups and chewy Chocolate Thumbprint Crackles to Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies and crisp, spicy Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Cookies. More-unusual regional favorites include Savannah Chocolate Chewies, Chocolate Whoopie Pies from Pennsylvania, and Floridian Ambrosia Cookies made with coconut and pineapple. Avid bakers will appreciate the bits of cookie lore and history in this brilliant collection. Baggett also gives interesting insight into how American cookies evolved, and how different ingredients and techniques were introduced. Mouthwatering photographs tempt and delectable descriptions convince you to try nutty, fruity, chocolaty concoctions, every one of them made in America. --Leora Y. Bloom