We start with updates on the Preheated Podcast Baking Club. While Stefin and Andrea both give Kitchens of the Great Midwest two enthusiastic thumbs up, they don’t want to discuss the book since several listeners want to read it first. Stefin added Ruth Reichl’s Garlic and Sapphires and Patricia Volk’s Stuffed (Stefin’s pick for Happiest Book of 2016) to the list of food memoirs she’d recommend.
Listeners, what are some of your favorite books about cooking?
Andrea’s macarons were anything but traditional, but she (and her family) loved them nonetheless. Overfilling the macaron circles caused some technical issues and only six of the 16 macaroons turned out without cracking, but the flavor was phenomenal! The French Chocolate macaron recipe came from David Lebovitz’s fabulous book The Sweet Life. Thanks to Sonja for her macaron baking tips and Stefin for loaning Andrea the awesome macaron mat.
Meanwhile, Stefin tackled 40 layer baklava from NatashasKitchen.com and was wowed by the results. When it’s baklava making day, make sure you clear your schedule and devote yourself to the two hour task, since it’s not a recipe that adapts well to multi-tasking. When Stefin described the final step of pouring the crackling hot syrup over the pastry, it sounded absolutely divine.
Next up is Andrea’s interview with friend of the show Craig Weaver, as he reveals how he adjusted his baking routine when he married a gluten-free girl.
Next week our baking resolution is “Trying a Non-Traditional Recipe” and we’re tackling Spicy Chocolate Bark with Chipotle and Almonds from food blogger Heidi over at FoodieCrush.com. Both Stefin and Andrea love the smoky flavor of chipotle, and are curious how it will blend with dark chocolate and almonds.
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