A huge cheese heist has experts wondering where it will go

Assorted cheeses on a rustic wooden board
Thefts of food products are not uncommon, so it is not a huge surprise that someone would plan a heist of a commodity like cheese, which happened recently to Neal's Yard Dairy, where over £300,000 worth of cheddar was stolen by swindle. What makes this theft unusual is the quality of the product, which will make it difficult to resell.… read more

The Big Book of Bread – James Morton – Cookbook Giveaway

Enter our worldwide giveaway to win one of three copies of The Big Book of Bread: Recipes and Stories From Around the Globe by James Morton. James Morton is the author of seven books including Super Sourdough (2019) and Brilliant Bread (2013), which won the Guild of Food Writers Cookbook of the Year award in 2014. In 2012, he reached… read more

The foods of Día de Muertos

After tomorrow's Halloween festivities, the Mexican celebration Día de Muertos or Day of the Dead follows, celebrated November 1-2 each year. Day of the Dead celebrations can be traced to the ancient Aztecs, who felt that instead of mourning the deceased, people should celebrate their lives and welcome their spirits back to the land of the living once a year. Common traditions… read more

Don’t throw out that jack o’lantern

Millions of pumpkins are purchased each year for autumn decorations, with the majority carved and displayed at Halloween. After the holiday is over, most of those pumpkins go straight to the landfill. That's a shame, says chef Mike Davies. He encourages us to use those pumpkins to make delicious meals, not only at Halloween but year-round. Baked pumpkin with sun-dried… read more

Food news antipasto

The groundbreaking cocktail book Liquid Intelligence: The Art and Science of the Perfect Cocktail by Dave Arnold turns 10 this year. This book was revered by modern bartenders looking to dive deep into the science of drinks so they could experiment with a solid footing on what each component would add to the mix. There is a revised edition in… read more

The Great British Bake Off/Baking Show – Week 5 – Pastry 2024

It is Pastry Week! Nelly strolled in wearing a beret, sunglasses and enough gold jewelry that even from the grave, Joan Rivers would be impressed. She's my girl. Signature Challenge: 12 frangipane tarts with pastry, frangipane filling and one additional element. (We have 670 online recipes for various frangipane tarts in our Library.) Illiyin and Dylan both had to remake… read more

October 2024 New Cookbook Review

October brings the motherload of new cookbooks - over 165 titles - for us to consider adding to our treasured collections. You can keep track of what is coming in November and December with our 2024 Cookbook Preview and don’t forget that you can create a wishlist and share it with your loved ones. Our 2025 Cookbook Preview Post is live and will be… read more

Is the term ‘food writer’ a valid description?

I subscribe to a variety of culinary websites, including Christopher Kimball's Milk Street. In his most recent Milk Street email, Kimball staked out a controversial position on food writers, saying that "[t]he entire notion of being a “food writer” is suspect, since it should be no different than being a writer," amidst a rant about the state of modern food… read more

Is blind baking necessary?

If you have watched The Great British Bake Off or The Great American Baking Show, you know the dreaded words that a baker never wants to hear: you have a soggy bottom. To avoid this fate and ensure a crisp pastry crust on your baked goods, blind baking is the way to go. However, it can be intimidating and time… read more

The Cake Bible – 35th Anniversary Edition – Giveaway

Enter our US/Canada giveaway to win one of two copies of The Cake Bible, 35th Anniversary Edition by Rose Levy Beranbaum and Woody Wolston. Right now on Amazon, buy one book get one at 50 percent off - including this title - type in cookbooks in search qualifying items box! Events are scheduled to promote this book and are available on our… read more

Revising a ‘bible’ – heresy or heavenly?

Rose Levy Beranbaum's The Cake Bible, 35th Anniversary Edition arrived on my doorstep a few days ago. My well worn original edition frequently gets pulled off the shelf for reference, so I was excited to see the updated version. I was a little nervous, however, because often the sequel to a hit is disappointing, and I worried that an attempt… read more

October 2024 EYB Cookbook Club Summary

Each month we previously offered at least four cooking options in our Eat Your Books Cookbook Club. This summer we cooked our favorite recipe from any cookbook, magazine, blog or online option and had a huge increase in participation. We decided to do a poll in the group asking if Members wished to continue with the “anything goes” posting or choose… read more

Food news antipasto

The tenth annual Smithsonian food history gala was held in Washington, DC on Thursday, with Chez Panisse founder Alice Waters receiving the Julia Child Award for her contributions to the culinary world. Star chefs like José Andrés and Jacques Pépin attended the event along with food writers and other industry professionals including all nine previous Julia Child Award winners. Waters… read more

The Great British Bake Off/Baking Show – Week 4 – Caramel 2024

Last week John was defeated by bread and left the tent. Caramel was the theme for week four. There were fails and successes all around and many bakers were repeating the caramel process because of difficulties. Signature: 12 caramel biscuits in 2 1/2 hours Jenny: Andy and Nelly need their own show. They make me smile. I loved when Andy… read more

The Cake Bible, Crumbs and author events, EYBD Previews, recipes and more

The temperatures are dropping here in Colorado and there is a crispness to the air that I look forward to every year. Cooler temperatures mean more baking (and roasting, braising and using the oven). Just in time for this season, I want to tell you about a few more amazing baking books that you will need to add to your… read more

It’s time to start aging your eggnog (plus other holiday food prep)

Not only have stores' Halloween decorations been consolidated to make way for tinsel, lights, wrapping paper, and Christmas trees, but there are also other signs that the holidays are fast approaching. With only 68 days to go before Christmas, 67 until the beginning of Hanukkah, and 69 until the start of Kwanzaa, the clock is ticking for us to get… read more

Why you might want to ditch that plastic spatula

Your plastic kitchen utensils may be trying to kill you. Okay, that's hyperbole, but a recent study found that kitchen utensils, takeaway containers, and even jewelry made from black plastic contained high levels of potentially toxic chemicals, which may be reason for concern if not panic. The study, published in the journal Chemosphere, found two kinds of flame retardants -… read more

The Monday Pasta Club Cookbook Giveaway

Enter our US/Canada giveaway to win one of three copies of The Monday Pasta Club by Ed Barrow. In 2020 pastry chef Ed Barrow created The Monday Pasta Club. He has hosted a number of sell-out supper clubs and events, from Bristol to Brighton and with Edinburgh to follow. The supper club bring people together in a relaxed and intimate… read more

Cooking and baking as protest

Just as a cake can have many layers, the act of baking itself can contain multiple meanings. These meanings can be personal, like when you bake your friend her favorite cake for her birthday, or they can have a broader message. Just ask bakers like Paola Velez (author of Bodega Bakes) and Natasha Pickowicz (author of the award-winning More Than… read more

November 2024 Great Big Cookbook Club Summary

As our members know, each month we offer several cooking options in our Eat Your Books Cookbook Club. There are other fun cookbook clubs around the interwebs and we’d like to highlight those for those members who might want to cook or bake something other than our choices.  We want to get this information out to you so you can prepare… read more

Food news antipasto

You may have seen TikTok videos about the 'fridge-scaping' trend, where people decant everything they buy at the grocery store and put it into clear containers that so that all of your produce, cheese, and other items are on display and tidily organized in matching jars. Whether you believe that this is gorgeous and amazing or shake your head at… read more

The Curry Guy Chicken – Giveaway

Enter our worldwide giveaway to win one of three copies of The Curry Guy Chicken: Deliciously Spiced Recipes From South and Southeast Asia by Dan Toombs. Dan Toombs' latest title celebrates flavorful chicken dishes from his travels around South and Southeast Asia. Because chicken is such a versatile ingredient, Dan showcases different techniques – from stir-fried and deep-fried to braised,… read more

The Great British Bake Off/Baking Show – Week 3 – Bread 2024

We said farewell to Jeff last week who left due to illness and Hazel was eliminated after a poor showing with cookies. This week was bread - which is never my favorite week. There is always too much under or over proofing and far too many shots of Paul's fingers diving into the dough. I feel so much stress for… read more

Cookies! EYBD Previews, Recipes and More

In September 6th's roundup, I covered some great cookie cookbooks/magazines and today I want to cover a few more which just happen to be second editions of two of my absolute favorite cookie books. As you may know, I am a sucker for holiday cookies and especially the recipes shared when newspapers run their best cookie contests. See these related… read more

Barbara Lynch is closing all of her Boston-area restaurants

Last year we reported on a scandal involved revered Boston chef Barbara Lynch in which former employees recounted tales of alleged abuse and harassment at her restaurants. Lynch's rags-to-riches story was chronicled in a 2017 memoir that recounted her rise from a hard-knocks South Boston childhood to culinary stardom. The James Beard Award-winning chef shuttered a handful of restaurants in the wake… read more
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