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The review---

Jenna Weber is also the author of the blog, Eat, Live, Run

“Autobiography” and even “memoir” seem odd words to use when the writer is young, but White Jacket Required is Jenna Weber’s tale of finding her way from food lover and enthusiastic cook to starting a career in the business. One of her ‘stops’ along the way was as creator of the food blog “Eat, Live, Run”, and her writing style is charming and easy-going, making this book a quick and enjoyable read. She is particularly adept at crafting mouth-watering descriptions of scenes with food: her mother preparing something she loves, or dining out on a special dish. This book will make you hungry!

Her adventures going through cooking school, her personal relationships and her telling of her family life are all laid out and interspersed with a variety of recipes. Some recipes are family treasures, others ones that she created or got from places and people that are meaningful to her. Her vision of becoming a food writer is achieved with this book, and judging from this offering, I’m sure we’ll be enjoying more food-related adventures from her in the future.

I sampled several of the recipes, including the Vietnamese-inspired Spicy Sesame Noodle Bowls, which were simple to prepare but very tasty.

Recipe Tested!

Reprinted with permission from White Jacket Required: A Culinary Coming-of-Age Story © 2012 by Jenna Weber, Sterling Epicure, an imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

Pumpkin Whoopee Pies
By Jenna Weber,
Author of White Jacket Required: A Culinary Coming-of-Age Story

Makes about 18 whoopee pies

These cookies are very rich, almost like a cupcake, so I suggest saving this recipe for a special occasion or a rainy afternoon. The cookies are best the day you bake them; if you keep them for too long they will become a bit gummy and soft. They would also be perfect with cream cheese frosting in the middle, or on their own, sprinkled with a dusting of powdered sugar.

For the buttercream filling

1 egg white

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar, divided

¾ cup shortening

For the cookies

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup canola oil

1½ cups canned pumpkin

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon cardamom

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

1½ teaspoons ground ginger

Make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the egg white, milk, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of the powdered sugar, then mix on high speed until the mixture is creamy and light. Add shortening and remaining cup of sugar, and whip on high speed until very light, about 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 325°P. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make the cookies: In a large bowl, blend together brown sugar and oil with a spoon until well combined. Add pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla and continue to stir until smooth.

Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices, and then add to the wet ingredients, stirring only until combined (be careful not to overmix).

For best results, spoon batter into a piping bag with a large tip and pipe mounds of batter (about 1 tablespoon each) of batter onto the lined sheet tray, about 3 inches apart. (If you don't have a piping bag, use two large spoons and space the batter in the same way.)

Bake cookies for about 10-12 minutes, until they begin to turn golden. Let cool completely before sandwiching cookies together with the filling.

Cookie sandwiches will keep in a sealed plastic container at room temperature for a few days.

The above is an excerpt from the book White Jacket Required: A Culinary Coming-of-Age Story by Jenna Weber. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Reprinted with permission from White Jacket Required: A Culinary Coming-of-Age Story © 2012 by Jenna Weber, Sterling Epicure, an imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

Author Bio
Jenna Weber, author of White Jacket Required: A Culinary Coming-of-Age Story, is the author of the highly successful food blog Eat, Live, Run. In 2007, she attended Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Orlando, Florida. White Jacket Required is her first book. She lives in San Francisco, California. Go to www.eatliverun.com for an up-to-the-minute look at Weber's world of food.

For more information please visit http://www.eatliverun.com and follow the author on Facebook and Twitter