Zoe Nathan opened Huckleberry Bakery & Café in Santa Monica, Calif., when demand for the breakfasts she served at her husband's restaurant outgrew their Saturday-only time slot. With a preexisting fan base already in love with its fresh and wholesome ingredients, Huckleberry became an instant success.
In 115 recipes, Nathan walks readers through a day in the life of her bakery in chapters corresponding to each hour, starting at 3:30 in the morning with muffins. The deep fryer breaks, there's an order for 50 extra Maple Bacon Biscuits and the espresso machine stalls, but Nathan and her team carry the day. Now home bakers can be breakfast heroes, too, with recipes like the high-intensity cocoa-nib muffins with dark-chocolate glaze or a hearty hash made with braised brisket and fingerling potatoes. The no-frills photography allows the food to shine, and the polka-dotted page edges add to an attractive package of a delectable collection. --Jaclyn Fulwood, blogger at Infinite Reads