Doing something a little different with this episode. I have been heavily involved with University of Southern California alumni organizations over the years. Due to the pandemic, USC Lambda LGBT Alumni Association asked me if I would host a virtual chat about baking with Frank Tegethoff, a member of the King Arthur Baking Co. research & development team. Of course I jumped at the opportunity … Continue reading s02 e02 Chat with Frank
The Japanese are known for their ability to re-invent things, and the cheesecake is no exception. In 1969, the owner of a luxury confectionary maker in Kobe was inspired by käsekuchen, a german cheesecake, while on a trip to Berlin. He made his own version back home and soon other bakeries began making it too. Women’s magazines during this time increased its popularity. And it’s … Continue reading s02e1 Japanese Soufflé Cheesecake
Shokupan (sometimes referred to as Japanese Milk Bread or Hokkaido Milk Bread) literally means meal bread. Shoku is meal or food and pan was taken from the Portuguese word for bread. This type of bread became common in post-war Japan when it was served in school lunch to combat rice scarcity. As is typical in Japanese culture, they took this common Western staple and elevated … Continue reading s01e10 Shokupan (Japanese Milk Bread)
I love when savory and sweet flavors are paired to give an unexpected twist. In this case, rosemary enhances the buttery goodness of shortbread. Add some flakey salt on the top for a tongue explosion and you’ve got yourself a winner. There are many ways to do shortbread (see variations below) but just remember to keep the 1 cup flour to 1 stick (1/2 cup) … Continue reading s01e09 Rosemary Shortbread Bars
Blueberry muffins are really easy to make, but there are so many recipes out there, it is hard to know which one to use. Which is why I started with a basic recipe 10 years ago, and kept modifying it until I got what I wanted. And what I wanted was a moist crumb, a high crown, a large size and a crunchy top. My … Continue reading s01e08 Large Blueberry Muffins
Since the pandemic, more people are baking at home, as you are probably aware when you go to the grocery store trying to find flour, yeast and other baking staples. The search term “recipe” hit an all-time high on Google and Banana Bread tops the list of most searched recipes. I can see why. Banana bread is very easy to make, uses up bananas that … Continue reading s01e07 Banana Bread Bundt
If you really want to impress your family, friends or co-workers with crowd pleasing cookies, these are it. And ‘large’ is an understatement; they are huge, enormous, gigantic chocolate chip cookies! They are thick, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and oh so very chocolaty. This recipe makes some significant changes to the typical back of the bag chocolate chip cookie recipe. First … Continue reading s01e06 Large Chocolate Chip Cookies
Anyone who knows me, knows my favorite meal is breakfast/brunch! From eggs, hash browns and sausage to French toast, waffles and pancakes, I can never get enough. When I want a quiche in a pinch, I use a 1-ingredient crust and combine it with a basic quiche base. The secret ingredient is panko – Japanese bread crumbs. I also bought this inexpensive extra deep pie … Continue reading s01e05 Easy Crust Quiche
One of the easiest ways to make a distinctive cookie is to use a recipe that falls and cracks – like my Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies. This one is even more distinctive because of the contrast between the white powdered sugar exterior and the dark chocolate brown interior. And the soft, fudge like chewiness is so satisfying for anyone who loves chocolate. Most recipes call … Continue reading s01e04 Chocolate Crinkles
I’m not a cake guy. Mind you, I love eating cake. I’m just not into baking cakes. Perhaps because cake baking is an exacting science with tried-and-true ratios that require you to weigh your ingredients to get the perfect outcome. I’m much too lazy to do that. I’m also not into decorating things. I like beauty that is inherent, not additive. There is so much … Continue reading s01e03 Olive Oil Cake with Roasted Balsamic Blueberries
Alone Together Baking 