Janine Turner Books

I purchased this to give to my daughter for a Mother's Day gift. She has found much inspiration in it.

I have not read the book yet - my wife won't turn it loose!
But when she finishes it, I look forward to reading it!
It must be good as she keeps telling others about it!
We both have admired Janine as an actress , and enjoyed her adventures in
the TV series "Northern Exposure", which is why she wanted that book.

What I found most interesting about the book was its positive, proactive nature. The negative aspects of these womens' lives are not the main focus of their stories-- their faith and fortitude is. These women led humble lives and because of that, extraordinary gifts were given to them.

I would suggest this book not only to single mothers, but for all women seeking inspiration in their lives. All 12 of these women were single mothers, no doubt, but were also great role models for women!

I'm not really sure how to feel about this book. I do think that Turner should have chosen another title. Holding Her Head High implies to me that these women had reason to be ashamed of their single motherhood. Of the biographies I read (I didn't finish the last three), only one woman meets that criteria - and there were extenuating circumstances in her case as well (her abusive husband wouldn't grant her a divorce, so she left anyway and later lived with another man). That said, these women do have amazing stories to tell, and their lives can be used to encourage many women.

While the stories are interesting, the writing is rough. Turner learned the English grammar lesson that a series is "three or more things" well and EVERYTHING is "point A, point B, and point C". Many of her turns of phrase are awkward, and I found myself having to reread sentences to figure out exactly what she meant.

Still, Turner makes her point with these stories, and the book would make a good study for a women's Bible group.

When I first started reading this book, I thought I would be more interested in the author's historical account of each single mother's story. However, as I closed the book, I took away so much more than history. This book is a wonderful inspiration for all mothers--single or married. I think our society focuses on married mothers and pushes the single mom under the table. Finally, someone had the strength to speak out for single moms and inspire all moms with these historical accounts of fascinating single moms throughout history.

It would be a lovely gift for friends and moms for mother's day, too.

I could hardly wait to get my book and I was not dissapointed. Beautiful pictures and the instructions were very clear. I would recommend it for both beginners (a few simple designs) and professionals (intricate piping). She used Royal Icing, which I'm familar with being from the Caribbean, to decorate along with great chocolate, marzipan and fondant designs. Excellent book for the avid decorator.

Bought this book because I was immediately attracted to the book cover spectacular cake and colors presentation. The book, indeed, lives up to its name, hence the book entitled "SPECTACULAR CAKES"! Lovely book to look, admire. Most of the cakes were covered with fondant.

Book is filled with lovely captivating photos, one would get mesmerized with the choice of colors of designs, innovative ideas. One for my baking books library collection.

Some great ideas for all sorts of celebration cakes. Well laid out, photographs excellent and instructions easy to follow. I will use this book a lot.

It bears repeating........absolutely lovely! That is how one can describe this very well-written book on cake making and cake decorating.

I was initially drawn to the cover photo of pink, green, and orange neon-piping placed vertically, from the edge down, and in alternating colors, on a simple white fondant cake, with lovely orchids used as the crowning centerpiece on top of this gorgeous creation, which pulled all the piping colors together. And that was just for openers!

Ms. Mich Turner is an accomplished cake decorater coming to us from across the pond, with quite the reputation that has been requested by some of the finer hotels of that regal land. She has compiled quite a educational book of sorts to help anyone from a beginner to a more advanced cake artist. And she has done so with meticulous preparation and attention to teaching details.

The first chapter is of course, Cake Techniques, and with that introduction, you are blissfully on your way to learning the basics of pan preparation which seems simple but is most fundamental in getting those moist and heavenly creations out of their pans, without the frustation of torn, ripped pieces. For those who have initially struggled with this step, you realize how important this chapter is for a beginner.

The photography is just splendid with sharp colors and definition of each cake creation so that all the details are there for you to gauge your progress. And the instruction itself is detailed enough but not overwhelmingly complicated, therefore someone just starting out will be quite pleased with their finished work of art.

For the sake of understanding how each chapter is in perfect step with the next, this is how she has presented her outline:

CAKE RECIPES:
Carrot cake, lemon cake (definitely my favorite because of it's light and airy taste), chocolate truffle, coffee and walnut, and fruit cake)

Meringues

Cookies

Buttercream with alternating flavors

Chocolate Ganache Buttercream

Covering A Cake with Marzipan

Covering A Cake with Fondant (guides/charts to determine amounts needed)

Royal Icing (w/ guides & charts for determining amounts)

Covering A Cake with Royal Icing

Piping Icing (also "flooding" techniques)

Glazing (gels, lusters)

Icing Techniques

How To Prepare Cake Stands (iced stands, chocolate-covered stands, etc)

Blocking A Cake (to determine placement of layers)

Stacking A Cake

Using Pillars To Separate Tiers

Stacking Tiers with A Central Column

Finishing Touches


ICED CAKES/WORKING WITH ICING:
Tiffany Pearl Ribbon Cake (tiny little pearl-size drops of icing set into an alternating pattern placed just above a thinly ribboned base)

Full Tiffany Pearls (same as above but with larger size pearls of icing)

Cascading Pearls (just as written, cascading pearls placed sparsely near the top but becoming more condensed as you reach the base of the cake)

Ribbon Loops (such a wonderful idea; using royal icing, you make loops that you let dry then place at the base of the layers; very 3-D!; these were also used as 1 or 2 on top of petit fours)

Candy Stripes (the cover photo)

Catlia Lace (this reminds me of Australian piping techniques that were used 1-2 centuries ago to create lace-like creations; her instruction in this technique is worth the price of this wonderful book alone!)

Lace Brush Embroidery (it reminds of Alencon Lace used on wedding dresses which is very soft and delicate and romantic!)

Hand Painted Orchid (again, a very fine lesson on watercolor "painting")

Ballerina Fairy (another example of exquisite hand painting)

Birds of Paradise (fine, delicate hand work)

Woven Ribbon (a technique I haven't seen very often but which I found so fascinating in that it looks as if there truly is a woven ribbon in the fondant)


CHOCOLATE CAKES:
Tempering Chocolate

Pouring Chocolate Ganache Icing (the look of shiny chocolate on a cake is just an incredible touch of elegance especially on a heart-shaped cake)

Chocolate Plastic (this is a technique to be proud of once you master it)

Piping Chocolate

Chocolate Glazing Lusters

Chocolate Ganach Torte

Chocolate Roses

Tri-Colored Fans and Roses

White Velvet Roses (this cake was gorgeous; it used white chocolate curls to line the sides of the cake then used the "velvet roses" to finish)

Individual Ganache Bites

CAKES FOR EVENTS:
Valentine Hearts (a chocolate heart with chocolate curls on the side and wrapped with a delicate red ribbon; the top of the cake with luscious strawberries with "flooded" piped chocolate ribbons)

Rosebud Hearts (extremely delicate rosebuds and silver dragees on a white fondant-covered stacked heart cake)

Daisy Chain

Easter Bunny Cake (I loved the marzipan bunnies, carrots, and tulips!)

Summer Pavlova

Winter Pavlova

Chocolate Bonfire

Amaryllis Christmas

Christmas Tree Cake (very unusual but spectacular cake of purple fondant with white fondant stars on the sides and a 3-D fondant star tree built in the center with silver dragee "ornaments")

Individual Christmas Cakes (let your Christmas imagination run wild)

Christmas Package

Winter Igloo (marzipan penguins and igloo)

Building Blocks (baby blocks petit fours)

Birthday Clown Cake

Teddy Bear Christening Cake

Christmas Cookies


SIGNATURE CAKES (prepare your eyes!):
1950's Chic (white cake w/white roses, white side piping; gorgeous!)

Cascading Lily Cake

Corsage Rose Cake

Butterfly Cake (flooded yellow/white icing butterflies on a white ribboned and white fondant cake)

Fleur-de-lis Cake (an all white stunner!)

Contemporary Romantic (rose separating the layers)

Aroma Romantic (another version of above)

Faberge Cake (simple yet elegant piping on the center of each cake side)

Vanity Fair (very elegant piping which will take a bit of time to do)

Art Deco Cake (the name says it all)

Straawberry Helter-Skelter Cake (the use of plastic chocolate)

Black-Pearl Tiara Cake (dramatic effect with black piping)

Individual Cakes


TEMPLATES and RESOURCES

This will be a very welcome and essential addition to your cake baking/decorating libray, to be sure. For more detailed cake construction points, there are other books that go into even more detail, but for the novice to the intermediate baker, this is an excellent teaching tool.

I am new to Baking and Cake Decorating. I just started baking from scratch, having usually opted for Duncan Heinz or Pillsberry cake mixes (which are not really suitable for carving). The recipes in this book are easy to follow and are really wonderful. I made the Carrot Cake (with the crystallized Ginger)- Which was moist and wonderful!
There are clear descriptions with photo's that are easy to follow or adapt to your own ideas for decorating cakes. I've already purchased over 20 books on cakes and decorating and along with Colette Peters' books, this is one of my favorites!Cakes to Dream On: A Master Class in Decorating