When I think of baking, I don't necessarily think of magic although I guess I should. There's magic in mixing and stirring especially during the holidays. I made the hard and the soft gingerbread which turned out great. Who knew that I could buy a gingerbread husband? I really enjoyed reading about how baking and spices were used for spells and some for health. This should be in every bakers library. I received this book from Net Galley for a honest review.

I LOVE Christmas. I mean I start November 1st love Christmas. So when I saw this book I knew I had to read it. It’s really interesting and I cannot wait to try some of these old recipes and see how they compare to what I normally bake.

I collect cookbooks and have for almost 50 years. So the ones I choose now must be unique and bring more to the party than just a recipe or two. THE SECRET HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS BAKING was like receiving a gift! I love reading the history of recipes, ingredients, traditions and pretty much anything that tells how food managed to find it's place on my table. The stories in here are great. Ive already shared many of the stories and even more of the recipes. This book would be an excellent gift for anyone who loves cooking and the art of preparing as much as I do.

This was interesting book about various Christmas history and recipes. There is a lot of information contained in this book and you can tell reading that the author did a lot of research. I would recommend this to those who enjoy both history and baking books, as it has a lot of both.Thank You to Linda Raedish, Llewellyn Worldwide, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy prior to publication in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Secret History of Christmas Baking by Linda Raedisch

The Secret History of Christmas Baking: Recipes & Stories from Tomb Offerings to Gingerbread Boys by Linda Raedisch takes readers on a tantalizing journey through the surprising and sometimes dark origins of beloved holiday bakes. With a combination of historical research, captivating storytelling, and a collection of delicious recipes, this book is a delightful exploration of the fascinating world of Christmas baking.

Raedisch’s book begins by debunking long-standing culinary myths and reveals the global backstory behind our favorite holiday treats. From the ancient Egyptians’ version of gingerbread to marzipan’s pharmaceutical origins, readers are treated to a wealth of intriguing information about the history and traditions associated with Christmas baking. The author’s extensive research is evident, and she skillfully weaves together tales of sailors, saints, tomb raiders, and artisans to create a narrative that is both informative and engaging.

One of the highlights of this book is the inclusion of over forty recipes for modern bakers. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, you’ll find a variety of delectable treats to try. From traditional favorites like Christstollen to lesser-known gems like Linzer tartlets, there’s something for everyone. The recipes are easy to follow, making it accessible for bakers of all skill levels. Additionally, Raedisch provides illustrated instructions for dressing up your cakes and cookie plates with paper stars, angels, and witches, adding an extra touch of creativity and whimsy to your holiday baking.

While the content of the book is undeniably fascinating, it is worth noting that the visual appeal is not as strong as one might hope. The lack of colorful illustrations or photographs may leave some readers desiring a more visually pleasing experience. However, the author’s storytelling and the wealth of information provided more than make up for this minor drawback.

In conclusion, The Secret History of Christmas Baking is a captivating and informative book that offers a unique perspective on holiday foods, traditions, and baking. Linda Raedisch’s meticulous research shines through in every page, providing readers with a wealth of knowledge about the origins and cultural significance of these festive treats. With its collection of delicious recipes and craft ideas, this book allows readers to bring the magic of an Old World Christmas market stall into their own kitchens. While the lack of visual appeal may be a slight drawback, it does not detract from the overall enjoyment and educational value of this book. I highly recommend The Secret History of Christmas Baking to anyone interested in exploring the rich history behind our favorite holiday treats.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

**ARC Via NetGalley**

I was drawn in by the title and the book did not disappoint. I love baking and Christmas and learning about the history of all the spices and the recipes was fascinating.

I have a strong German family history and love making treats at Christmas that reflect that aspect of my family’s traditions.

Loved the amount of research that was put into this book it definitely showed how much love the author has for their work. This book is a definite give for anyone who has a love for history, christmas, and traditions in baking.

Thank you to netgalley and Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. for this gifted early copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is, at its heart, a recipe book, and I don't do recipe books...but-!

This is by the same author who did THE OLD MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS, which is a delightful, nonstandard history of Christmas' pagan antecedents—truly, "not your mother's Christmas book." This volume is about the Christmas standards: stollen, gingerbread, fruitcake, and all, full of the spices and nuts we consider essential to the holiday, and the history of the use of these spices along with the recipes for these items (and more) included. For instance, one used to have to get spices from apothecaries, as they were used in ancient medicines. Raedisch's history begins, indeed, in ancient Egypt, with a recipe using "tiger nuts." Did you know that candy corn was originally invented as a Christmas treat? In the United States, where corn syrup replaced marzipan as a sweetening for the lower classes, the result was candy corn! Also covered is Germany's Christkindl, portrayed by a young woman in a crown, the bleak companions of St. Nicholas who meted out punishments, and finally American contributions to gingerbread lore via the Pennsylvania Dutch.

History and vintage recipes all in one volume! I'm here for the history, but I don't mind the other.

What a fascinating historical read that seemed extremely well researched. I’ll admit I requested it thinking it would mostly be a recipe book, and while there are recipes, there is way more history and some other fun things like crafts to go along with baking for a meal. I’ve tried some of the recipes out with my German family, and gingerbread is a staple in our house for Christmas, but most of the recipes I haven’t tried or likely even tasted (I only made one from the book so far). I think this would make a really good gift to a loved one this holiday season!!

Thank you NetGalley, Linda Raedisch and Llewelyn worldwide for the arc to review. I really enjoyed this and think it would be happy in many peoples homes!

I loved the history and research that went into The Secret History of Christmas Baking. There is so much interesting information behind holiday foods, traditions and baking that a lot of people don’t know or realize.

This book felt heavily researched and I found parts fascinating. I now understand better the origins of some of the ingredients that I use in my pantry. There are recipes within for traditional Christmas baking and illustrated pictures. I do wish the illustrated pictures had some color as it would have made them pop more and not made it feel so much of a history book also part cookbook.

I want to thank NetGalley, Linda Raedisch and Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd., Llewellyn Publications for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

Full disclosure, I'm not a huge cookbook person, but I LOVE this book. I'm huge Into history, and getting to read the story behind recipes, like actual historical facts, was so fun. I loved how the authors shared stories about the food, the recipes, the tradition. I rarely go out and buy books after I've received e-arcs of them, but I will definitely be adding this one to my collection!

I love baking at Christmas so I was instantly drawn to this title. It was a fascinating look into the history of such delicious treats. The recipes and crafts included are something I'm looking forward to trying, while others are too complicated for this simple cookie baker. Definitely enjoyed the read.

The Secret History of Christmas Baking is my favorite kind of book: the perfect blend of exotica, history, and food. Reading it I can almost smell the nutmeg, cinnamon, and mace wafting from the kitchen, see generations of celebrants before us enjoying the same sweets we still love today, pick my way across the seas in search of spices, warm myself in a German kitchen where the Lebkuchen are hot from the oven and soon to be served. There are so many recipes I want to try in my own home, so many shapes and dessert molds I want to explore, so much history I want to delve into at leisure. While the recipes might associated with Christmas, this is a delicious book for any time of year. A delight. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley, Llewellyn, and the author, Linda Raedisch, for the chance to read The Secret History of Christmas Baking in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Llewellyn Publications for the opportunity to read "The Secret History of Christmas Baking" in exchange for my honest review.

This book would make an excellent gift for anyone who loves to bake and is interested in the detailed history of some of our favourite Christmas baking items. The book has a detailed Table of Contents which makes finding exactly what you are looking for easy.

The Introduction draws the reader in and makes you want to get reading, baking and doing Christmas crafts.

There is a detailed history of every recipe before the actual recipe details are shown. Each recipe has both imperial and metric measurements for ease no matter where the reader lives. All the crafts include detailed stencils and instructions.

All the cookies and spices have their histories listed. The author has brought to life some little known details of many of the spices that are regularly used in Christmas baking but the baker might not know how or why their use came about.

There is an extensive bibliography at the end of the book. Makes it easy to look for other books on the topic. There are also resources for online links to find even more information about the history of all our yummy Christmas baked goods. This book would be a wonderful addition to any baker's Christmas list.

The Secret History of Christmas Baking: Recipes & Stories from Tomb Offerings to Gingerbread Boys
Linda Raedisch
Author Linda Raedisch delves into the background of some of our favorite holiday treat like gingerbread and fruitcake.
Before Christmas we pull out our rolling pins, cookie cutters, sugar sprinkles and candy thermometer. Each Christmas treat has its on history, a backstory. The ancient Egyptians made something similar to gingerbread. Marzipan was used as a medication. Many of the stories are dark. There are more than forty recipes in this book and there are illustrations to assist you in decorating your cakes and cookies. The author has also included crafts and some information about herbs and spices.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a review dopy of The Secret History of Christmas Baking

This book is an interesting mix of history and recipes of some old Christmas favourites, mostly European rather than North American. It was fun, but I was curious about how many of the author's sources were blogs and websites rather than scholarly materials - I imagine this sort of research might be difficult to find in books so I don't entirely hold that against her.

I was confused by her assertion that the neighbour asking about eggs in the recipe was likely asking if the recipe was safe for vegans - a recipe which has butter as its first ingredient.

I also found some of her suppositions condescending, like the idea that "most people" don't know that pumpkin spice doesn't come from pumpkins. (I am aware that it has become trivia with the PSL trend that most "pumpkin spice" things don't contain pumpkin - despite the fact that they never said they did - but I have never heard anyone suggest that pumpkin spice comes from pumpkins.)

I would like to thank the publisher for the eARC I received.

Oh I do love Christmas and I do love baking so this was a book that I really wanted to read and explore. And I wasn't disappointed First I must say I loved the cover and as soon as I opened the book I could imagine Christmas baking for years gone by jumping out to meet me.

In this book you will find a history of not just recipes but ingredients and spices used. There are stories and facts of the beginnings of what now are Christmas traditions, there are recipes to try and there are so many interesting tidbits that make this such a fun book to read. There are recipes, crafts, cultures, traditions and so much more.

If you love Christmas, history and cooking you will love this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Llewellyn Publications for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. Loved it.

I was initially drawn to this book due to the idea of it being a historical, Christmas recipe book, and I feel like this book delivered on just that! The author did a wonderful job of giving a great cultural background of different spices, ingredients, recipes, etc.

I think this book would be stronger with some photographs to accompany the recipes (as many recipe books include), but overall, this is an interesting read for any Christmas-loving baker!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever wondered where Christmas baking traditions came from? The Secret History of Christmas Baking: Recipes & Stories from Tomb Offerings to Gingerbread Boys by Linda Raedisch, will answer many of your questions. The book includes not only stories and facts about traditions that are unique to different places in the world, but also recipes and crafts that are connected to Christmas baking traditions.

Included are dozens of recipes that have traditionally been baked at Christmastime. These recipes are very appealing and most readers will want to try several of them. They are written in the traditional manner with the ingredients listed first, followed by step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow for both beginning and advanced cooks. There are lists of traditional ingredients for Christmas baking and the history and uses throughout, which is good information for cooks and bakers.

While there are many helpful illustrations, there are no photographs – None. This actually ruins the book. The stories make for good and interesting reading, but most readers want to see what the recipes should look like, and that’s impossible when there are no pictures. The prose is well written and the stories are fun and informative. This is a good book to curl up in a corner and read.

Anyone who wants to add to their Christmas baking repertoire and doesn’t care about photographs will want to include this book in their cookbook collection.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

I love baking. I love history and getting to read history about my baking is just fantastic. I really enjoyed this. I learned alot of new facts and it was highly entertaining to me.
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I love baking and history, so this one was a no brainer for me to want to read it. I loved the tidbits and bits of history dispersed throughout the book as well as the recipes. This one has something for everyone!