Saturday, May 19, 2012

Love To Cook, Hate To Bake?


My eighth book, Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts is just out. You might be thinking, “what, another dessert book, can’t she give it a rest?”

What’s new, fun, and interesting about Sinfully? 

After seven books, I’ve shifted my perspective from baker to cook. I’ve always noticed that people who love (and are good at) baking think and learn differently than people who love (and are good at) cooking.  How many fantastic Top Chef candidates get knocked out of the competition because they can’t make a good dessert?  How many good home cooks put out fabulous, seemingly effortless meals with a store-bought dessert finale? Maybe this is you. Maybe you find baking too finicky or constraining. Maybe you like to taste and adjust as you cook; maybe you hate to follow a recipe exactly, or don’t like to measure precisely.  Maybe your cakes and cookies are more like doorstops and paperweights…

All cooks need simple sensational little desserts up their sleeves: clever easy things to do with fruit or ice cream, or a lightening quick gingerbread, a great little sauce, compote, or pudding, or a easier-than-it-looks soufflé.  We all need recipes that are simple but not simple minded, terrific but not time consuming, compelling but not complicated.

My editor (a very stylish cook who hates to bake) delights in saying that Sinfully is the dessert book with no pastry bags, pastry brushes, rolling pins, offset spatulas, or baking skills!

Visit my brand new and beautiful website (see previous post!) at http://alicemedrich.com/ to learn more about the book or check out my touring schedule. Maybe I will see you this week in Petaluma, San Diego, Westlake Village, New York (in late summer), or elsewhere in the Fall. 

4 comments:

  1. My seven year old and I made a strawberry pavlova using the recipe from Sinfully. It worked perfectly, was perfectly delicious, and was perfectly easy to prepare from start to finish. I had never made anything like it before- and it worked. Thank you for the hard work and magic it must take to make such fabulous, simple, really-works-even-for-newbies recipes.

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    1. Sounds like a very sweet time in the kitchen for both of you. I'm so glad that is turned out so well!

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  2. Hello Alice,
    I wanted to share with you that my 12 year old daughter has decided to bake her way through your newest book and she's loving it! She is keeping a blog about her experience at: http://chocolatetcreme.com/

    She started baking a while back and simply loves it. For her school mastery project she apprenticed with a local bakery (getting up early every Wed and working before school) where she learned quiet a bit. Now she enjoys making cakes for friends and the occasional restaurant.
    She has just begun her blog and project but I thought you would enjoy seeing her progress. And your recipes are fantastic!
    Rachelle
    @ http://www.caramelizelife.com

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    1. Good for her! I will follow her progress. Thanks for sharing.

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