I borrowed this through Prime Reading in my Kindle app.

I like the concept of this book: modernizing old recipes, many a century in age, to make them more approachable for modern cooks. However, this involved more than just figuring out oven temperatures beyond hot/very hot and switching out ingredients like lard for butter. It also updates ingredients with things like extra doses pepper, curry, and other other trendy ingredients. This is where the book lost me. None of her new twists resonated with me--I didn't find a single new recipe I wanted to try. I think I would have liked more straightforward technique updates to the original recipes much more. In the ebook, there were also a lot of recipes without any photographs.

This would be a perfectly fine cookbook for other bakers, but it just wasn't for me. ( )

In this charmingly designed cookbook, Jessie Sheehan curates and updates a wonderful selection of vintage treats. With a wide selection of recipes covering a range of skill levels, this book is sure to delight anyone interested in enjoying a taste of the past. ( )

'The Vintage Baker' is a sweetly designed collection of recipes, inspired by author Jessie Sheehan's personal collection of vintage cookbooks and recipe cards. "Inspired by" is the operative phrase here: all recipes in this book have been updated with modern techniques and ingredients, to suit modern tastes, (though a bonus pamphlet does include the original versions of some of the featured recipes, for those who would like a true taste of the past). What makes this book truly shine, however, is Alice Gao's photography, which perfectly captures the look and feel of a cookbook from the 1950s/60s.

Though I am not a baker I am very much a consumer of delicious baked things as well as a reader of cookbooks of every ilk. Not only was I charmed and delighted with this volume, I passed it on to a friend who does bake in the great hope that she will reproduce the gorgeous recipes herein and make me very happy. This book is very nicely constructed for both a baker and a reader - and somehow it even smells good! ( )

I received this book from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

Jessie Sheehan's book The Vintage Baker is filled with vintage baking recipes that have been given a modern touch. There are more than 50 recipes covering morning treats, cookies, pies, cakes, refrigerator desserts and candy.

The book starts with a little insert filled with actual vintage recipes. From there, the book goes into Sheehan's modernized versions of vintage recipes. Some of the changes are subtle. She adds salt and maybe some spices to things. Other changes are more substantial. I'm not sure I want black pepper in the whipped cream on my butterscotch pie. But, this is easily omitted. Most of the changes to the vintage recipes seem quite good.

I made a couple of the recipes to test the book. I made the Sand Tarts and brought them over to my daughter's house. Everyone agreed that they were delicious. I also made the Raspberry-Marshmallow Upside-Down Cake. We enjoyed the cake. I don't think I would sprinkle extra marshmallows on the top. I didn't feel like they added anything. It was already a bit high on sweetness. I did not sprinkle with confectioner's sugar when serving. Both recipes were accurate and easily followed.

Not every recipe has a picture to go with it. Over half of the recipes do have a photo of them. The photos have a bit of a faded vintage look to them. I like the variety of the recipes and plan on making more of them. Overall, I am thrilled to have received this book and will definitely make the Sand Tarts recipe again. ( )