One of the most impressive desserts I’ve ever made was a custard pie imbued with the aromatic spices of Thai iced tea, and covered with whipped cream “ice cubes.” I followed several pages’ worth of detailed instructions to achieve its ultra flaky, crispy crust. The end result made it worth every second of painstaking effort.
That recipe, from the “The New Pie: Modern Techniques for the Classic American Dessert,” was how I came to appreciate the talents of Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin, two Atlanta doctors whose mutual love of baking led to matrimony and hundreds of ribbons, including Best of Show in the 2017 National Pie Championship.
I reviewed their debut cookbook soon after its 2019 release. Despite the limits of my patience with pastry, their witty writing, clever reinventions, and science-based guidance motivated me to push those boundaries.
Undoubtedly their follow-up will be getting more of a workout.
Like its predecessor, “Fabulous Modern Cookies: Lessons in Better Baking for Next-Generation Treats” (Countryman Press, $25) is filled with good humor, expert instruction and awe-inspiring creations — but with fewer steps and ingredients.
“Because of the effort, we like to say pie is for showing someone how much we love them,” they write in the introduction. “Cookies are for making friends.”
As scientists, the couple considers themselves mostly introverts. A plateful of fresh-baked cookies is the tool they most often turn to for broadening their social circle.
Not just any cookie, though. While recipes are categorized by conventional techniques — bar, drop, rolled, slice-and-bake, and so on — the flavors are anything but. The Crispy Chocolate Five-Spice Oatmeal Cookies I whipped up one night is a delectable example. New-School Banana Puddin’ Squares, Peanut Satay Crunchers, Coconut Cream Pie Roll-Outs, Rum Puncharoos, and savory Frito Pie Cheese Coins also have my attention.
None of these look daunting. But should I ever feel the urge to get fancy, they’ve provided an extensive tutorial in cookie-decorating to help me out.
Author appearance: 5-8 p.m. April 20. Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin will celebrate the release of their new cookbook at Cremalosa, 2657 E. College Ave., Decatur. Food samples will be available along with owner Meridith Ford’s artisanal gelato. Signed copies of the book and wine will be available for purchase.
Susan Puckett is a cookbook author and former food editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Follow her at susanpuckett.com.
Sign up for the AJC Food and Dining Newsletter
Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on Twitter and @ajcdining on Instagram.
About the Author
