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by Cynthia G. Neale
by Cynthia G. Neale
Art by Maggie Martin
Art by Maggie Martin
Cynthia Neale has decreed that baking is an artistry that can help heal our world.
Cynthia Neale believes joviality is as much an ingredient in a dessert as sugar and flour and wants to share this joy with the world. She compiled her favorite dessert recipes and a few amusing tales and invited her friend Maggie Martin to create whimsical artwork as accompaniment. Her recipes reimagine perennial classics and introduce new favorites that include healthy, but tasty, indulgences that will have people wondering why laughter is coming from the kitchen . . . along with enticing aromas.
Whether you love cakes or scones, you can whip together these simple recipes or fanciful masterpieces from Laughter in the Kitchen, a hip addition to a dessert addict's cookbook collection.
“Cynthia Neale’s Laughter in the Kitchen is a real hoot! I found myself smiling— occasionally laughing out loud—through its seven chapters, which are neatly arranged by baking type: pies, cakes, cookies, and cheesecakes, to name a few. The recipes are delightful “made from scratch” with whimsical titles ranging from “Joe Frogger Cookies” to “Honey, Give Me More” cookies to “Going Bananas Cream Pie.” In between, Neale provides homespun advice for baking desserts and tips on choosing the best pantry items. Her “laugh icons” help to keep your baking stress-free!” — Margaret M. Johnson, author of Delicious Ireland, Teatime in Ireland, and Festive Flavors of Ireland
“Cynthia Neale’s recipes are perfect for these turbulent times, especially her Wacky Chocolate Cake. Her collection of recipes, along with her amusing stories are soothing and fun. Photos and drawings, developed over a lifetime, look so delicious, that I want to eat any one of them now. Alas, I’ll have to breathe and patiently bake them. Life is short. Start a meal with dessert.” — Tony Del Plato, contributor to five Moosewood Restaurant Cookbooks (Ithaca, New York) and co-proprietor of A Stone’s Throw Guest House
“There are many reasons why I love Laughter in the Kitchen! It’s more than a cookbook and is stocked with information, inspiration, and humorous stories that will make you smile and laugh. The recipes are paired with whimsical art and photos portraying baking as enjoyment of the process of creating delicious desserts, not perfection. As a Wellness Guide, I appreciate the healthier ingredients she suggests that can be just as yummy. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to partake of Cynthia’s cakes and scones. They are the best my husband and I have ever had! I look forward to trying some of her new recipes, especially the gluten free, vegan, and pumpkin recipes, a personal favorite. For anyone new to baking, the instructions are clear and easy to follow. This is more than a cookbook, it’s a labor of love, full of joy with a focus on delicious, healthy food that anyone can make.” — Marilynn Carter, Author of No Fret Cooking, Wellness Guide, Reiki Practitioner and Teacher
“An accomplished historical novelist, Cynthia Neale brings the same storytelling warmth to these reflections on kitchen life, memory, and the quiet alchemy of food. Her voice will remind readers that the most meaningful stories often unfold around the kitchen table.” — Michael Turback, Food, Wine, and Culture Writer
Details
Details
Bink Books
276 pp. ● 7.44x9.69
$35.95 (pb) ● $9.99 (eb)
ISBN 978-1-960373-89-2 (pb)
COOKING / Methods / Baking
COOKING / Courses & Dishes / Desserts
Publication date: May 1, 2026
Cynthia G. Neale is the author of Catharine, Queen of the Tumbling Waters, The Irish Dresser, A Story of Hope during The Great Hunger (An Gorta Mor, 1845-1850); Hope in New York City, The Continuing Story of The Irish Dresser; Norah: The Making of an Irish-American Woman in 19th-Century New York; The Irish Milliner. Ms. Neale is also the author of Pavlova in a Hat Box, Sweet Memories & Desserts. Laughter in the Kitchen is her second cookbook. In addition to these works, Ms. Neale has written plays, screenplays, short stories, and essays. A screenplay, The Irish Dresser Series, adapted from her four novels is currently being pitched to producers. She holds a B.A. in Writing and Literature from Vermont College. Ms. Neale enjoys Irish set dancing, ballroom dancing, reading, painting, hiking, kayaking, and, of course, baking.
Maggie M Martin, Artist Illustrator describes her work as "Paintings from Life." This is Maggie's second collaboration with author Cynthia Neale,having previously made the Art/ recipe/storybook Pavlova in a Hatbox together. Laughter in the Kitchen took on a French accent as both the author and artist enjoyed trips to France during the production time, and many of the sketches are from her travels. She studied Illustration, and is a lifetime member of The Art Students League, NYC. Maggie has worked as a portrait artist, courtroom sketch artist, Arts development,having founded and directed a nonprofit arts organization with a mission to promote emerging artists. She and her husband John Chesebrough renovate historic properties and share sailing adventures. Maggie paints in watercolors from her attic studio and in oils ‘en plein air’ in the Finger Lakes near her home in Watkins Glen, NY.
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