Explore the surprising—and sometimes dark—origins of beloved holiday bakes.

"A whirlwind tour of the . . . always colorful backstories of ingredients, recipes, methods, and madnesses that flavor our most beloved holiday treats."―Caren Gussoff Sumption, contributing writer for Krampusnacht: Twelve Nights of Krampus

Spice up your season by rolling, molding, and kneading your way through the world's oldest and most iconic Christmas recipes. This culinary adventure offers fascinating historical details and uncanny tidbits about sailors, saints, tomb raiders, refugees, and witches. You will discover what the ancient Egyptian version of gingerbread was like, why cookies were once considered pharmaceuticals, and how the background of even the humblest holiday treat is a global story.

Through forty recipes adapted for modern bakers, Linda Raedisch shows you how to make Linzer tartlets, Christstollen, almond cookies, and other goodies. She also offers illustrated instructions for dressing up your parcels, tins, and cookie plates with festive crafts. From Ancient Rome and the European Middle Ages to the traditions we recognize today, this book explores the surprising and sometimes dark origins of some of our most beloved holiday bakes.

"Inventive, captivating, and so very smart. I learned a ton from this book, which will no doubt become a staple of the Scholarly Cookbook genre (and if that's not a thing, it is now!). Truly the best kind of gift, Christmas or other." ―Wendy Mass, author of the New York Times –bestselling novel, The Candymakers