Showstopping Cakes – Cookbook Giveaway

December 15, 2022 by
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Enter our US/CA giveaway to win one of three copies of Showstopping Cakes: Mastering the Science and Art of Baking by Rahul Mandal. Showstopping Cakes by Rahul Mandal is the debut cookbook from the 2018 GBBO winner. From advice on stacking a tier cake to piping flowers, creating the perfect flavour pairing and avoiding a curdled cake batter or buttercream, Rahul… read more

Bittman interviews Claudia Roden

December 14, 2022 by
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It was a delight to stumble across a podcast featuring two of the most influential cookbook authors in the world talking about our favorite subject, which I found in Mark Bittman's interview with Claudia Roden, who sparked Western interest in Middle Eastern food. (Skip ahead to 3:00 to avoid advertisements). Bittman talks to Roden about Hanukkah traditions, the changing nature… read more

Giuseppe’s Italian Bakes Cookbook Giveaway and Quick Bites

December 13, 2022 by
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Enter our US/UK/AU/NZ giveaway to win one of three copies of Giuseppe's Italian Bakes: Over 60 Classic Cakes, Desserts and Savoury Bakes by Giuseppe Dell'Anno. Giuseppe Dell’Anno won our hearts while he competed in the Great British Bake Off in 2021 (and won!). In his first cookbook, Giuseppe's Italian Bakes, he shares his skill, knowledge and love of baking through… read more

Food TV in 2022 – the good, the bad, and the ugly

December 13, 2022 by
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When the Food Network debuted in 1993, it quickly became a go-to for food loving people who flocked to their TV sets to see shows that celebrated their favorite pastimes of cooking and eating. The network (which owes a lot of debt to public television programming) then spurred other cable television channels to put forth their own shows. When streaming… read more

Food news antipasto

December 12, 2022 by
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As we enter peak holiday baking season, even people who don't bake a lot will be firing up their ovens to make the festive cookies, cakes, and pies of the season. This will involve copious amounts of butter, flour, eggs, and sugar. The last ingredient comes in many different forms, including granulated, powdered, various shades of brown, and even as… read more

In defense of recipes

December 10, 2022 by
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There's been a proliferation in recent years of a different type of cookbook, one that deemphasizes recipes in favor of a more relaxed style of cooking. It it isn't exactly a recent trend - Pam Anderson wrote How to Cook Without a Book in 2000 and there are even older books in a similar vein - but it has gained… read more

What would be in your cookbook “go bag”?

December 10, 2022 by
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Last week, a friend and I were talking when the subject of "go bags" came up. Go bags contain those carefully chosen items that one would need in an emergency during an evacuation/disaster such as medications, ID cards, insurance cards, and an extra change of clothing. While, of course, there would be far more important things to worry about than… read more

This week: Swiss baking titles; Phaidon sale; EYBD previews; giveaway and more

December 9, 2022 by
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This week I want to share with our Members three books that I am loving right now and two of which are perfect for holiday baking and gift giving. Swiss Cookies: A Home-Baked Cultural Journey by Andie Pilot is a unique offering filled with exciting recipes. Andie begins with a section on historic Swiss cookies that includes profiles on cookie… read more

You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs

December 8, 2022 by
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carton of eggs
In cooking or baking, sometimes the smallest action provides the biggest challenge. As I discovered when watching my husband make an omelet, one of these actions is cracking an egg. His approach is to crack the egg on the sharp edge of the mixing bowl, and his method almost always results in small shards of eggshell that he has to… read more

Top food trends of 2022

December 7, 2022 by
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As we approach the end of the year, it's time to reflect on all that has happened in 2022. Jenny keeps us up to date on all of the cookbook happenings, so I am looking more broadly at food trends. Food and Wine recently reminisced on the top TikTok trends for the year. We reported on a couple of these… read more

Matt Lucas is leaving the GBBO

December 6, 2022 by
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Next year's Great British Bake Off is going to look a little different, as one of the show's co-hosts, Matt Lucas, announced that he would not be returning to the program in 2023. In an Instagram post, he said that hosting has “been a delicious experience and I can’t imagine a more fun way of spending my summers. But it’s… read more

The Tomte Cake and Giveaway

December 6, 2022 by
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As I was scrolling through social media, a good friend posted photos of her girls making a Tomte cake (photo below of the cute Hartzell girls). And you know me - I am all about baking, cake and anything Nordic or Swedish. I commenced to google and ended up ordering two sets - one for myself and one for my… read more

Food news antipasto

December 4, 2022 by
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Food is a significant contributor to cultural heritage, and UNESCO recognizes exceptional food items by adding them to its Cultural Heritage List. The latest food to officially become part of the "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" is the French baguette. President Emmanuel Macron described the baguette as "250 grams of magic and perfection in our daily lives.” Dan Leader's 4-hour… read more

Can The Great American Baking Show match the GBBO?

December 3, 2022 by
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The Roku Channel just launched the first episode in its new series The Great American Baking Show. It is a celebrity-baker, holiday-themed program so we don't yet get to meet the bakers who will be competing in the 'real' program, but it does give us a flavor of what to expect. I watched this first episode and so far I… read more

Jenny’s Best Books of 2022 and Cookbook Gift Guide with Giveaway

December 3, 2022 by
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This was yet another fantastic year for cookbooks and I will try to keep my list fairly reasonable in length but I assure you this year has outshone those before and may outshine years in the future. Once you take a look at this list, be sure to enter our worldwide giveaway for a set of cookbooks provided to us… read more

What not to give for the holidays

December 2, 2022 by
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I'm sure most of you have been seeing lots of advertisements and posts about gift ideas, and if your browsing habits influence the algorithm like mine do, most of what you see is food or cooking related. My biggest problem is that plenty of what I see in those articles appeals to me as a gift recipient, not necessarily as… read more

This week: Holiday events, recipes, giveaways and more

December 2, 2022 by
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How did it get to be December already? I am not ready for this year to be winding down. Where is the pause button? This roundup will share some calendar highlights specifically with regard to the holidays and news from the last few weeks. A reminder that Procrastibaking Podcast has invited our Members to join them on December 11th at 3:00… read more

Is mise en place really necessary?

November 30, 2022 by
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Read the foreward to any cookbook and the author will probably mention mise en place. It is touted as the key to making sure your food will turn out well, and there are definitely benefits to the practice. But, as Mark Bittman points out in a recent episode of his podcast focused on the new edition of How to Cook… read more

Cookie baking tips just in the nick of time

November 29, 2022 by
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If you are an avid baker you probably have a list of all of the cookies and treats you will be making for the holidays. Even people who rarely bake will whip out a batch of decorated sugar cookies or family favorites this time of year. No matter where you fall on this spectrum, good baking advice is always handy… read more

Food news antipasto

November 28, 2022 by
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The Gourmand Cookbook Awards winners were recently announced, with a whopping 45-page listing by country. Each category in the awards contains multiple winners, considered the “Best in the World” for their respective topics or regions. The list is sprawling and contains worldwide submissions for various cities, countries, and subjects. While you may not recognize all of the authors or titles,… read more

The luxury of leftovers

November 25, 2022 by
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Many moons ago, I regarded most leftovers with annoyance. Since I liked cooking so much I did not enjoy revisiting the food from the previous day, preferring to having something completely new for each meal. As I got older I realized the error of my ways, learning that leftovers were a delicious timesaver as well as a sign that I… read more

Words of advice on Thanksgiving Eve

November 23, 2022 by
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My social media feeds are full of photos of gorgeous pies and beautiful roasted turkeys. This is the first year in over a dozen that I haven't made a huge meal (I even cooked a whole feast for just two of us during Covid lockdowns), instead I'm taking it easy, going to a friend's place, and only make a couple… read more

What’s the best time for the holiday meal?

November 22, 2022 by
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You've set your Thanksgiving (or other holiday) menu, gathered the ingredients, cleaned the china and linens, and are all set to start your feast. Now the question remains: what time should you serve the meal? The Washington Post's Becky Krystal recently explored this question, and found the time periods that met with the most approval. Accidental turkey from Food Network… read more

The Cocktail Cabinet Cookbook Giveaway & Quick Bites

November 21, 2022 by
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Enter our US/UK/CA giveaway to win one of three copies of The Cocktail Cabinet: The Art, Science and Pleasure of Mixing the Perfect Drink by Zoe Burgess. In The Cocktail Cabinet flavour expert Zoe Burgess demystifies cocktails, explaining and exploring the structures, flavour profiles and techniques used. In the first part of the book Zoe helps you understand why cocktails work,… read more

Food news antipasto

November 20, 2022 by
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As we gear up for the biggest food holiday in the US, people are finalizing their big Thanksgiving Day feast. Although everyone wants the meal to be amazing and delicious, sometimes things don't go as planned. We've all had cooking mishaps, and often these turn into memorable events that get discussed for years afterward. My husband still loves to regale… read more
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