Cookbook Limelight: Baking Basics and Beyond
Being a non-baker always makes for an interesting conversation when talking to passionate bakers. I’m usually intrigued by the fact that they do not equate this style of cooking with a high school chemistry lab, which was a less than favorable period of my teenage years. Open to exploring this area of cooking, I welcomed the opportunity to review Baking Basics and Beyond by Pat Sinclair. Getting the basics of baking down is key and Baking Basics lays it all out for you. The first rule of thumb is your equipment, basic ingredients (i.e. flour, eggs, vanilla, etc.) and how to measure.
Proper measurements is probably the biggest challenge for me which is why the books quick checklist of the proper way to measure liquids, dry ingredients and solids such as vegetable shortening will come in handy. Though I am not a baker in the least, I do know the key to successful baking is the perfect measurements. I know some of you may be thinking “just follow the recipe” but being a cook like me and based on the fact that I have the attention span of a five year old, I would like to learn how to simply measure off the top of my brain without all the difficult recipes.
While I am in the process of taking the steps toward baking classics in the kitchen, I found it easy to follow the recipes in Baking Basics. Though I feel the book could use more images for us beginners out there, I like the fact that the large print makes it easy to peer over while you work that hand mixer. The recipes offer simple ingredients and instructions on dishes I always assumed were extremely complex.
Looks like I might find a passion in the world of baking after all. Baking Basics has literally taken me back to school, but in a more favorable and flavorful way this time around.
*Book retails @ $9.99 PDF & $14.97 Paperback
Category: Announcements, baked, Food.Fun.Stuff.
About the Author (Author Profile)
Johnna French is a Harlem NY native with deep roots in Panama, Washington, DC and North Carolina. All four places have heavily influenced her life and the foods she loves today. After graduating Howard University School of Law and beginning her life as a young professional in the city she was led to start Johnna Knows Good Food in November 2007 to keep family, friends and colleagues updated on where to go and what to eat while dining in the nation’s capitol. French, who still practices law, leads a team of three writers to cover the ever expanding Washington, DC food scene. French has been featured in print and television, appearing in Washingtonian Magazine and is a regular contributor to various local TV affiliates including WUSA 9, FOX 5 DC and WJLA (ABC Affiliate) News Channel 8. During the 2016-2017 football season, Johnna aired on Comcast Sports Mid-Atlantic (CSN) show, Redskins Life, as the weekly tailgate host. Johnna is currently a regular contributor to the FOX Baltimore Weekend morning show.Subscribe
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