National Historical Baking Society

We are about to burst. Our excitement levels have not been this high since the day we opened our Brooklyn store and published our first book. We feel like we are emanating rainbows and unicorns and Santa Claus and shining stars. Let me take a breath and explain. We obviously love dessert – caramel runs [...]

I’m guilty. I sing, I sing a lot, and I sing in public. Often. I let loose in the shower, on my walk to the subway, and always (ALWAYS) while I cook and bake.  Music is a constant in my kitchen. Always has been. And most of the time it was Patti LaBelle-centric. I have [...]

I’ve never been good at picking favorites.  Don’t ask me my favorite movie, book, or color – when forced to choose, I can’t promise anything more than a weak answer.  I can, however, guarantee a strong headache.  When I was younger, I could spend hours filling out chain e-mail surveys sent to me by my [...]

I have always loved caramel.  It’s slightly rich, totally buttery and luxuriously smooth.  My love is so great I don’t even mind that it gets completely stuck to my teeth – that’s just one of its many charms. In my youth I was known to snack on the Kraft caramels that are available this time [...]

I am impatiently waiting for Fall to arrive. Not the pre-determined calendar date (which is apparently Sept 22nd 10:49AM for those keeping track), but “Fall” as in apple-picking, leaf-changing, soup-making, bread-baking, cake-making “Fall”. Fall means I can rotate hoodies back into my wardrobe, and I can ride the subway again without fear of aroma-induced nausea. [...]

If there is something Dolly hasn’t mastered, I am unaware of it. She is a talented singer, actress, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, philanthropist, cook, author, and theme park kingpin (the female Walt Disney). If she were to become a master skydiver, I would not be surprised. Before I ever ventured down south, Dolly was my gateway to [...]

  I’m on a malted mission.  Fate (aka a co-worker) handed me two brimming quarts of malt powder (the unsellable remainders of an exploded bulk package) and I took them.  In return, I accepted a challenge to make use of otherwise-trash: to feature malt as the star ingredient in delicious, nutritious eats. Okay, so I’m [...]

Cheese.  Let’s talk about it.  It’s pretty much the best thing ever right?  I love all varieties from the finest triple cream brie to casual colby jack – I don’t discriminate.  They’re all so salty, creamy and satisfying.  And how do we feel about bread? Yea, bread’s not bad either.  So naturally the right thing [...]

Sunday nights are full of drama at my house: family feuds, table flipping, hair pulling, name calling, and rivers of tears. And I love it. Thankfully, the theatrics are confined to my television screen courtesy Bravo’s Real Housewives of New Jersey. At the center of this drama-filled storm is Teresa Giudice – mom, personality, and [...]

Guys!  Is it really September?  What’s up with this hot and sticky weather?  The heat makes me so boola boola, sasparoola.  You can have the chocolate, I’ll take vanoola. Do you get where I’m going here?  No?  Need a hint?  Ok — think ice cream.  Think about how you love ice cream so much you scream [...]