Children’s book celebrates ‘Baking Day at Grandma’s’

December 06, 2016 11:00 pm • Last Updated: December 08, 2016 10:23 am

A lost art is celebrated in new children's book

Anika Denise has a slew of children's books, both published and under contract. But her newest, "Baking Day at Grandma's," appeals not only to her young fan base, but to older folks as well. That's because it's about the comforting memories so many of us share of bonding in the kitchen with our grandmas. And Denise says people are not only buying the book for their kids, but also for their grandmothers.

"Baking Day" is written by Denise and illustrated by her husband Christopher Denise. This is the third collaboration by the couple, who live in Barrington, R.I., following "Pigs Love Potatoes" and "Stella Comes Home." Christopher has illustrated more than 20 books for young readers, including the acclaimed Redwall picture book series.

The charming, rhyming picture book features three little bear siblings — loosely based on the couple's three young daughters — all bundled up on their way to Grandma's on a cold winter day where they will bake tasty treats and wrap them in little bags tied with ribbons to give as gifts. In between baking, they take breaks for singing, dancing, and hot cocoa.

Denise grew up in Queens, N.Y., in what she describes as "a big, fun, loud Puerto Rican-Italian family." She has fond memories of cooking with her Italian grandma Rose, the inspiration behind the book.

From the age of 6 through her teens, Denise's mother would ship her off to Lake George, N.Y., to spend the entire summer with her grandmother.

"Both my parents worked, and it was nice to get out of New York in the summer, although I loved New York, too. But it was a different side of life — city mouse, country mouse — and really special," Denise recalls.

"I got to know my grandmother really well," Denise continues. "One thing she loved was to cook and bake. She taught me how to set a table, mix and stir and crack an egg. She'd show you once. She taught me to be confident in the kitchen."

Denise remembers making a variety of Italian cookies with Grandma Rose — classic glazed cookies, anisette cookies, and meringue cookies, as well as pizza fritte.

"It was fried dough like at the fair, but she made it for breakfast and taught me to knead the dough, fry the pieces in hot oil, and sugar them. Being little and doing that was exciting, and it smelled great. It was definitely an act of love, how she showed love — both cooking and setting the table. To this day, I know how to fold napkins, set out the silverware, glasses, etc."

Denise is happy that her grandmother made little books one year with many of her recipes on pages she typed out on a typewriter and distributed to everyone in her family.

"She signed the recipes 'Love, Grandma' and had handwritten notes in the margins," describes Denise. "I love that I have that as an artifact of my grandmother.

Denise has included one of her favorite recipes in the book — Grandma Rosie's Chocolate Cake.

She acknowledges that baking is becoming a lost art today because of busy lifestyles and so many activities, but even so, she makes time to bake with her daughters.

"Sometimes it's easier to bake from a mix," she admits. "But we ritualize things around the holidays when we bake Grandma Rose's Italian cookies and cut out sugar cookies with cookie cutters and decorate them."

Just like in the book, baking together as a family is important, but equally important, Denise stresses, is giving and sharing the fruit of their labors, in this case cookies.

"I think (our kids) recognize that these are special traditions, and the sharing part of it is fun for them," Denise says.

"The last couple of years we did this thing called 'Bake it Forward' with friends in our neighborhood," she adds. "We all bake an extra batch of cookies and give it to a shelter, food pantry, needy families. We got other people in the community doing it and collected all these cakes and cookies and partnered with Heartworks, Rhode Island, a (nonprofit) organization that does acts of kindness at the holidays. We're doing it again this year."

Denise observes that her book is resonating with readers in different ways.

"I think the book hits a few notes, nostalgia for sure, people who tell me, 'I baked with my grandmother.' It's a universal thing to have moments in the kitchen, touchstones for families," she says. "I also hope the book inspires the giving part and that it will start a conversation with families after they read it about their own traditions."

Grandma Rose's Meringue Cookies

Anika Denise shares one of her grandmother's recipes, noting, "Rose always said to make on a bright, dry day only," so the cookies come out crispy, not soggy.

Ingredients

3 egg whites (room temperature, but separate when cold)

3/4 cup super-fine granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

pinch of salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (or try crushed peppermint candy!)

Directions

Preheat oven to 250

Beat egg whites in a standing mixer increasing speed gradually

When whites begin to get foamy, add tartar and salt

Gradually add sugar after mix begins to get thick (with stiff peaks)