I have been a Christina Tosi fan since the first time I visited New York and went to Milk Bar and this is another amazing book from one of the most talented dessert chefs.

Dessert Can Save the World is a mix of autobiography, recipes, and stories from Tosi and I loved learning more about her and her experiences and she has done so much to get where she is today. You can just tell what a ray of sunshine Tosi is from the way she writes to the way she cooks. This book is filled with her passion and amazing recipes.

This is not a straight up cookbook, but it is an amazing insight with some recipes into Tosi and the importance of dessert. Which we all know is the best meal.

Christina Tosi gives great advice on her (and her mom's) philosophy on life: Bake the Cake, Celebrate with dessert when you can, Don't make it just about you.
Tosi is an optimist whose attitude and perspective are incredibly compelling. Reading her book will give you a lift--that's besides the sugar rush from eating the cookies, etc...--and make this day's and the next day's problems shift into simple tasks in mindset.

Like stumbling into a new friend, a great listener who knows just what to say and how to create comfortable silence - this title is the comfort food we didn't know we needed.

I think that the highest compliment I can give this delightful book is that, as I was nearing the end of it, I was already making plans to hop on Amazon & purchase two hardcover copies for myself & for my mother-in-law, who 1) loves food, 2) owns her own porta-potty business & 3) is a self-proclaimed tomboy girly-girl who redefined what being a boss looked like in her extremely male-dominated industry, much like the illustrious Ms. Tosi herself! (Sadly, I shortly after that realized that I won't be able to do that for a few more months until the actual pub day!! *sad face*).

Disclaimer: I've been a little bit of a Milk Bar/ Christina Tosi super fan since the days when I lived in Brooklyn & could push my toddler/ newborn-laden stroller to the Carroll Gardens location right over the F train stop, while also watching her at home as a judge on MasterChef Jr. while I breastfed my baby girl (who's now nearly 8!), so Ms. Tosi didn't need a lot of help to win me over; that job was done! But I WILL say that I do happen to also be super picky about writing styles & ability, and I'll often read books that are written by some of my faves outside of the writing world with a fair amount of trepidation, mentally sending the message "PLEASE DON'T SUCK!", and I am pleased to say that I dove headfirst into this gooey, sugary, delectable confection-with-a-soul of a book and never once cringed. Even when CT packs on the cheese & the sugar, she does so with full, unapologetic self-awareness that manages to be entirely relatable, while not compromising her own authenticity. I could also "hear" her voice narrating this entire book as I read, so I somewhat feel like I had the audiobook experience, as well! :)

This is a book that is a love letter to her family, to the people with whom she's worked along the way, to her team at Milk Bar, and (duh!) to DESSERT- in all its glorious and "dirty secret" forms. I love a good food memoir, and this one delivers with a few fun recipes and "non-recipes", lots of fun & funny anecdotes pulled from her childhood & culinary career, and heartwarming, ooey-gooey but not over-sweet, life philosophies galore. I'm now entirely obsessed with her mom Greta & her care packages (not sure if I would rather work for Greta or for Christina- can they please start a company together so I can work for them both??). I'm now fully committed to baking cakes for ALL celebratory occasions - big, small & everywhere in-between - and to the ongoing crazy scientist/ food inventor approach which Christina brings to her work and her personal life. Her "Chef's Table" biopic gave me a glimpse into the woman behind the business, and now I feel like this book gave me someone whom I now consider a mentor/ role model from afar.

In a world where it's difficult to hear anything over the shouts of the toxically "positive vibes only" privileged Instagram influencer and the death drums of this pandemic-ravaged, politically-polarized & vastly disparate world in which we find ourselves at the end of 2021, Christina's heartfelt manifesto about cultivating joy in all its forms, even in the most bleak of circumstances, by bringing it to others who need it even more than we do, resonates to the core.

There's something she shares at the end of one of her chapters (I can't officially share it as a direct quote since this book is not yet "done" & could still change) that talks about the importance of seeing a need, or a void, in the world, and creating the solution, the perfect-sized puzzle piece, to fill that void.

I believe she has done this with her ever-expanding Milk Bar empire, and now, with this beautiful book. Thank you for refusing to be anyone other than you, CT. I'm inspired to be even more me because of you being you.

*I received an advance NetGalley ARC courtesy of Rodale, Inc in exchange for my honest review*

Take one part memoir, two parts self-help, three parts love letter to dessert, a pound of butter and a bag of your favorite candy….that’s the winning recipe of this book. It’s not a cookbook, although it does include a handful of recipes. Christina Tosi has written this book to cheer you on as you take the bull by the horns, just bake the cake, and make the most of life’s milkshake moments. A fun and inspiring read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC, in exchange for this honest review.

I received this book for free to review courtesy of NetGalley and the publishers. I am a huge MilkBar Fan and David Chang fan so I immediately knew I was going to love this novel. Toshi is adorable and the book really made me feel like I knew her on a personal level. She allowed the reader into intimate details of her life in this cheery auto-biography. One of my favorite aspects of the novel were the quotes, she wrote in such memorable moments I have at least five things from the book that I want to write onto a note on my fridge. In these dark times with the pandemic, "Dessert Can Save the World" radiates sunshine. The length of the book I felt was perfect, not too long or too short. If you are a baker or someone who just likes cookies/treats this is the autobiography for you. I did see some feedback that there were not enough recipes, however, I thought the book had the perfect balance between prose and recipes. After all, this was not a straight recipe book. I would definitely read another book if Toshi wrote a follow up.

Sometimes it’s more than just a cookie.
Christina Tosi shares her heartwarming wisdom to making the world sweeter, beyond confections. A memoir that warms the heart more than the oven, Dessert Can Save the World has the potential to do precisely that.
Tosi is an icon in the dessert world, not only for her indulgent creations that light the coziness of nostalgia we didn’t know we missed but also for her tenacity as an industry leader. A very approachable industry leader who you want to be your best friend so you can share your dirty dessert secrets with. Frozen chocolate covered raspberry jel-rings? I feel so seen.
Christina Tosi is dessert saving the world.

Going into this I assumed it was a cookbook. Instead, this was more of a memoir/self help book. Tossi’s story is energetic, upbeat, and full of life. The anecdotes are fun and the way she talks about food is refreshing and entertaining. Overall a fun memoir just not quite what I was expecting.

This is a beautifully written memoir with the recipes that helped shape Tosi throughout her life included. A fun comical read at times. I definitely enjoyed reading about her beginnings in the culinary world. Definitely the book for those obsessed with Milk Bar and/or Christina Tosi.

As a fan of Milk Bar desserts the treats I send to family and friends on special occasions,I really enjoyed Christina’s behind the scenes story,There is so much joy in this story her mother Greta’s spirit of joy outgoing generous made me smile.Learning what is was like for Christina to work in mostly male kitchens her strong drive& determination.There are just a few recipes but they are good ones.Found this a delightful read.#netgalley #rodale

“Dessert inspires us to celebrate at least one thing every single day.” Tosi’s way of writing makes you feel like you and the author are long time friends having a lovely chat regarding the meaning of dessert. All of the anecdotes in this book were so fun & down to earth, and the recipes are all so unique—for example, one recipe was “make-your-own-adventure” which I’ve never seen before this book! All in all this is a really new and fun cookbook that I can see myself coming back to when I have a craving for something sweet.

If you’re expecting a cookbook, you’re in for a surprise. Sure, there’s a few recipes, and yes, there’s talk of technique, but for the most part, this is Christina Tosi’s sugar-coated manifesto – a rambling chatterfest that includes some marvelous anecdotes about her mother, a lot of talk about her personal philosophy of life – how to celebrate it, cope with it, and improve it. Beyond that, there’s heaps of happy advice about helping your friends celebrate the milestones in their lives too, whether they are huge accomplishments or miniscule moments.

And of course it all comes down to the creation and use of desserts. I quite enjoyed the times Tosi talked about her experiments with food, which come from a natural tendency to wonder ‘what if’ about ingredients. Some of her slap-together snacks are a hoot!

Read this if you’re looking for some high-energy fun. Read this if your lifestyle’s lost its magic. Read this if you have friendships you treasure and want to celebrate. Read this if you need a prompt to recall your own foodie memories. I can’t decide if this one gets filed under Autobiography or Self-Help. I can’t file it with the cookbooks, it would scare the rest of the books away!

My thanks to author Christina Tosi, Rodale Inc., and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.

This was a great cookbook and I really enjoyed reading through the recipes. I definitely found some that I will be making.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Dessert Can Save the World.

This book is right up my alley because I am MAD for dessert.

I'm that person who flips to the dessert menu first when I go out to eat. I'm the person who eats less of her main meal or entree to ensure I always have room for dessert. I'm that person who may just have enjoyed dinner at a great restaurant but if dessert sucks, all I remember is how bad dessert was, not how amazing the rest of the meal was.

That's me. I am a dessert lover. I love sweets. I eat it every day, even if its just a small square of chocolate. Naturally, I was excited when my request was approved.

As a native New Yorker, I know what Milk Bar is and the founder/CEO Christina Tosi is just as famous as the company she built from the ground up with her innovative and creative desserts.

Dessert Can Save the World isn't just a great title of a sweet memoir of the author, it's the author's reminder that food and dessert connects us, humanity, together. We celebrate the good and the bad with dessert, when our hearts have been broken or we are sad, there's always dessert. It almost never disappoints.

The author details her path to success in work and life; back breaking work and grueling hours in the culinary world perfecting her craft and, along the way, discovering her destiny and her path in life.

She shares the wisdom she learned growing up surrounded by strong and generous women; her stories about her mother are my favorite and hilarious and laugh out loud sweet. After I finished reading, I wanted to meet her mom!

Don't worry; there are recipes but the narrative nearly outshine the recipes in my opinion; Tosi's tone is strong and passionate; she's funny, sincere and warm.

Her love of baking and sharing her creations with the people she loves and the world shines through, which leads directly to the title.

Dessert Can Save the World is a metaphor; world peace isn't going to happen if Biden and Putin share a milk bar cookie but a positive attitude, being true to yourself, doing good and being empathetic and radiating goodness with those who need it when they least expect it can improve not just our personal outlooks but the world at large.

Dessert Can Save the World is an optimistic and joyful look at improving your life and the lives of others.

And if you're having a bad day, that's okay. Have a cookie (or pie or ice creak or cake), step back and recharge.

Tomorrow is another day to be you and do good.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I can't seem to escape books about Milk Bar (or rather Milk Bar adjacent in this case). This is an interesting book by Tosi.

Part memoir, part recipe book it's a dive into celebrating more and experiencing joy. I was expecting more recipes, and photos of said recipes so that was a bummer. The recipes are mostly for basic things like cake and family recipes. The lessons portion of this book is more interesting. Tosi talks about celebrating the little things and shares stories. There's a lot in this book about finding ways to experience joy, which feels especially relevant. It's a light and enjoyable read.

Overall not what I was expecting, but an interesting read.