This is what happens when a devoted daughter revives her famous-baker-dad's recipes--and uncovers a hidden family history.In this narrative cookbook, Marcy Brenner's devotion to her dad, Max, is evident from the first line to the last--but her journey of discovery goes back in time, to long before she tasted her first Chocolate Top Cookie.We follow her journey, starting with a childhood of working holidays at Brenner's Bakery in Alexandria, Virginia, and culminating in teaching herself to bake like a pro in her own kitchen. To learn Max's secrets, she decoded his cryptic, commercial recipe cards. In so doing, uncovered an unexpected story--one of generations of bakers who both protected their past and used love as their primary ingredient.Features fifty primary recipes, with variations, and a special "Notes" section on banking tips and tricks--including how-to's for bread starters. Plus, more than 100 four-color process photos, along with black-and-white illustrations of Max's favorites. The narrative pages include Brenner family photos, past and present.