A Sweet Quartet
Sugar, Almonds, Eggs and Butter
By Fran Gage  

     A Sweet Quartet defines sugar, almonds, eggs and butter as the baker's main instruments; properly orchestrated, they produce a symphony for the palate.

     After a brief history of sweeteners, readers learn of sugar cane's journey from the field to the kitchen. Find out why sugar has numerous advantages over artificial sweeteners, corn syrup and molasses. Recipes include pound cakes, Beaujolais and Peach Sorbet, and Peppermint Lollipops.

    Almonds can be ground and used as flour or added to complement a dish. Learn the importance of bees during the nuts' growing cycle as well as how almonds are harvested and processed. Recipes include Almond Chocolate Drops, Marzipan Ruffle Cake and Green Almond Panna Cotta.

     Ms. Gage teaches about eggs' history including their myriad symbolisms in various cultures. Readers follow an egg's path from hen to market. Recipes include Coconut Soufflé, Provencal Easter Bread, and Zabaglione.

     From milking the cow to the pat on bread, butter undergoes many processes. Readers learn how French butter compares to domestic, and why substitutes do not perform as well in baking as real butter. Recipes include Puff Pastry, Classic Shortbread and Fig Flans.

     A Sweet Quartet invites the reader along on tours of Louisiana's cane fields; Modesto, California's almond orchards; Petaluma, California's hatcheries; and creameries in both France and California. Along the way, Ms. Gage enlightens readers with fascinating information on the ingredients many bakers take for granted. She includes more than 30 recipes, including Croquembouche, which she considers the perfect combination of sugar, almonds, eggs and butter. A history lesson, travelogue and cookbook all rolled into one. A dedicated baker couldn't ask for more.