125 Cookies to Bake, Nibble, and Savor

Proust made the most of his madeleines, but for serious cookie fans, like Klivans (Bake and Freeze Chocolate Desserts), just one variety will never satisfy. In this appealing but not essential collection that's a combination cookbook, memoir and travelogue, 19 chapters consider various kinds of cookies (Brownies; Bars with Fruit; Tassies, Tea Cakes and Truffles) and related issues (Baking Equipment; Freezing and Shipping Cookies). Readers are introduced to Grandma Theresa's Sugar Cookie Cutouts and the Gingerbread People she bakes for her family. From around the world are Rafiki Oatmeal Cookies, which seem like any other oatmeal cookies except for their association with a friend who runs a safari company; an impressive range of treats inspired by visits to the U.K. and Europe; and Avenue J Butter Cookies from Brooklyn, which vie with selections from Maine neighbors like Maple, Date, and Walnut Chews. Readers will find holiday cookies, savory selections, and child-friendly possibilities, including Super S'Mores to make in the oven (inventive... but with pecans?). Each recipe concludes with bits of advice, some of which is intriguing (when beating the butter and sugar for shortbread Petticoat Tails, ""Listen to the butter... to make a soft slapping sound against the side of the bowl""). Klivans disregards cholesterol fears, guiltlessly admitting to having occasionally upped the shortening content for a more buttery taste, triggering another nostalgia for lost times. (Sept.)