Salt & Spine

Episode 153: Uliks FehmiuUliks Fehmiu is a co-founder of the beloved bakery Pain D’Avignon, which sprang up on Cape Cod over three decades ago. But the story of the bakery begins back in Uliks’ childhood and his early friendships in war-torn Belgrade.What Uliks calls an “improbable journey into baking” is shared, for the first time in this format, with his recent cookbook: The Pain d'Avignon Baking Book: A War, An Unlikely Bakery, and a Master Class in Bread. The book offers an in-person account of Uliks’ and his co-founders’ stories—brought to life with striking illustrations. Here’s more:In a journey that started in Belgrade amid the beginnings of war, and continued in America, four friends tested this philosophy to the extreme: They began a new life and opened a tiny bakery together on Cape Cod. Working hectic, twenty-four-hour days, while living all together in a loft above their business and making it all up as they went along, the founders of Pain D'Avignon quickly became one of the first highly acclaim

Episode 152: Maya-Camille BroussardMaya-Camille is the creative force behind Justice of the Pies, her Chicago bakery that’s become known for inventive and unmatched flavors (Lemon Espresso Pie … Blue Cheese Praline Pear Pie … and so on).Much of Maya-Camille’s work traces back to her roots, with a significant influence from her father, the self-dubbed “Pie Master,” who worked as a criminal defense attorney by day. As with many family stories, Maya-Camille’s is complex and dotted with both adoration and strife. A strong sense of social activism and community building runs through her blood, though, and is baked into her work.Her first cookbook, also titled Justice of the Pies, brings these beloved and revered recipes to home bakers with 85 recipes for both sweet and savory pies—plus quiches, tarts, whoopie pies, and more.“I've always loved baking,” Maya-Camille says in our chat. “But at my core, I am a creative individual. And also at my core, I love working with my hands. I do have an arts background in terms

Hi there, today we’re excited to release the fifth episode in our 2022 Baking Month. Thanks for your patience, as our team was under the weather! Today’s guest is Brian Noyes, whose latest cookbook is The Red Truck Bakery Farmhouse Cookbook. For all of December, we’ll be celebrating some of the year’s best baking books with a handful of author interviews, dozens of featured recipes, excerpts, and more. Read on!* Do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too:Episode 151: Brian NoyesNext in our Baking Month series, Brian Noyes joins us to #TalkCookbooks!Brian is the founder of Red Truck Bakery, the rural Virginia spot that’s become a national attraction and drawn the praise of everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Barack Obama. During a career in art direction at major media outlets in Washington, DC, Brian began spending his weekends baking pies and other goods. Before long, he’d purchased an old red pickup truck (from Tommy Hilfiger, no less)

Hi there, today we’re excited to release the fourth episode in our 2022 Baking Month. Today’s guest is Laurel Kratochvila, whose debut cookbook, New European Baking, is out now. For all of December, we’ll be celebrating some of the year’s best baking books with a handful of author interviews, dozens of featured recipes, excerpts, and more. Read on!* Do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too:Episode 150: Laurel Kratochvila Next in our Baking Month series, Laurel Kratochvila joins us to #TalkCookbooks!Born in Boston, Laurel left her hometown for Katmandu after graduating with a degree in Physics from Tufts. She wound up in Prague, working in a bookstore and café, where she also met her husband. It wasn’t until the duo decided to open up a bookstore in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg that Laurel started baking professionally—and her delicious bagels and baked goods were a hit. But Germany loves its paperwork, so Laurel decided to head to Fra

Hi there, today we’re excited to release the third episode in our 2022 Baking Month. Today’s guest is Erin Jeanne McDowell, whose latest cookbook, Savory Baking, is out now. For all of December, we’ll be celebrating some of the year’s best baking books with a handful of author interviews, dozens of featured recipes, excerpts, and more. Read on!* Do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too:Episode 149: Erin Jeanne McDowellNext in our Baking Month series, Erin Jeanne McDowell joins us to #TalkCookbooks!A Midwest native, Erin learned to bake like so many of us: alongside her grandmothers. While studying Baking & Pastry Arts at the Culinary Institute of America, Erin was drawn to a career in food media. After years of working alongside other cookbook authors and for food media outlets, Erin published her first solo cookbook, The Fearless Baker, in 2017, to high praise. Her pie book, aptly titled The Book on Pie, soon followed. And no

Hi there, today we’re excited to release the second episode in our 2022 Baking Month. Today’s guest is Brian Levy, whose sugar-free baking book, Good & Sweet, is out now. For all of December, we’ll be celebrating some of the year’s best baking books with a handful of author interviews, dozens of featured recipes, excerpts, and more. Read on!* Do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too:Episode 148: Brian LevyNext in our Baking Month series, Brian Levy joins us to #TalkCookbooks!Brian’s interest in cooking and gastronomy began in high school when he went on a month-long trip to France. He discovered Gourmet magazine and started watching Martha Stewart, The Two Fat Ladies, and more food TV. Before he began his career in pastry, Brian studied journalism and was determined to work for Gourmet. To build up his resume, he thought some experience in the kitchen might help—so he went back to France where he interned in a bistro outside

It’s our annual Baking Month, and we’re kicking things off with some return guests! Back on the show today are Rose Levy Beranbaum and her collaborator-turned-hubby Woody Wolston. They’re joining Brian in-studio to talk about their latest work, The Cookie Bible.Episode 147: Rose Levy BeranbaumRose likely needs no introduction to those in the cookbook world. But here’s what you need to know:* She published the ground-breaking The Cake Bible in 1988, changing how many home and professional bakers approached the craft. (In particular, Rose helped lead the charge to include the more accurate weight measurements in her recipes instead of just volume.) * The Cake Bible is now in its 60th printing (!!!), and Rose shares some news on what’s next for the classic work.* In that time, Rose has penned a dozen other cookbooks, from The Baking Bible to The Bread Bible—and other non-bible titles on ice cream, cakes, Christmas cookies, and more.* Rose’s latest cookbook, The Cookie Bible, completes her “quartet of bibles” on

Hi there, exciting show for you this week. Melissa Clark, one of the most prolific cookbook writers of the modern era, joins us. Read on!* Do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too:Episode 146: Melissa ClarkThis week, Melissa Clark joins us to #TalkCookbooks!When we launched Salt + Spine, I wrote a short list of our dream guests — the cookbook authors who, at the time, I felt were pushing the industry in new directions or had a wealth of experience to learn from. We’ve been lucky to sit down with many folks from that list (from Samin Nosrat to Julia Turshen to Vivian Howard…). Today, we’re marking one more off that list as Melissa joins us in-studio to discuss her latest cookbook, Dinner in One.Dubbed the “gold standard for Internet recipe writing” by Eater, Melissa Clark has been developing recipes for over a decade at The New York Times, where she started with a short sidebar on home cooking questions before joining as a columnis

Hi there! After a short break last week, we’re back with new episodes and bonus content for subscribers. This week, cookbook author Odette Williams joined us in our studio at The Civic Kitchen in San Francisco to talk pasta.* Do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too:Episode 145: Odette WilliamsThis week, Odette Williams joins us on Salt + Spine to #TalkCookbooks!Odette was an actor long before she started calling herself a cook (or an author). She called Sydney home until 2006 and credits the unpretentious, adventurous attitude of Australia for her own approach to cooking.Leaving Sydney for love, Odette joined her now-husband in New York and started a family. As she was spending more time cooking with her children, she was inspired to design high-quality aprons just for kids. (The aprons were a hit and sold by goop, J. Crew, and Anthropologie; Odette jokes that she quickly became the “apron lady.”) While Odette’s career as a food

Hi there! It’s Election Day in America, so we’re bringing you a special episode today that’s all about baking with a political and emotional spin. If you haven’t voted yet, find your polling place here. If you’ve already voted, it’s always a good time to donate to organizations like the ACLU or Color of Change to protect our voting and civil rights.* Do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too:Episode 144: Becca Rea-TuckerThis week, Becca Rea-Tucker joins us to #TalkCookbooks.Becca is the creator of the popular Instagram, @thesweetfeminist, where she became known for creating visually striking cakes and other baked goods with political and empowering messages. Check out a few:After living in Washington, DC, and working at the beloved Baked & Wired bakery, Becca decided to merge the frustration and anger she was feeling living in the capital during the previous administration with something she was great at: writing on cakes. The

Hi there! This week’s episode is coming to you a bit later than normal, as I’ve been under the weather fighting what feels like my 47th sinus infection over the last few years. Thankfully, we recorded this chat with the wonderful Kristen Miglore several weeks ago—with both a live audience and a non-nasally host. That said, we’ve got a great show for you: Kristen is back for the second time on the pod, this time sharing a new batch of Genius tips and tricks (and hacks, if you will). Plus, recipes and tons of new cookbook releases this week.

Episode 142: Jorge GaviriaThis week, we’re thrilled to welcome Masienda founder Jorge Gaviria to #TalkCookbooks with us.Jorge’s first cookbook, Masa: Techniques, Recipes, and Reflections on a Timeless Staple, explores the deep history and significance of masa—the dough made of nixtamalized corn that goes on to become tortillas, tamales, sopes, and many more Mexican and global staples. It all started with a realization while apprenticing at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Jorge started to dream of opening the “tortilla equivalent of Tartine Bakery, the San Francisco–based high temple of sourdough.” That idea led to sourcing heirloom corn and masa harina (the dried version of masa) from local farmers in Oaxaca and supplying some of New York City’s top chefs. Jorge’s company, Masienda, was born.Eight years later, Masienda is on a quest to revolutionize how we think about corn—and therefore, masa, masa harina, and other products. Today he’s sourcing heirloom corn from a network of 2,000 farmers across six states in Mex

Episode #141: Sophie MinchilliThis week, Sophie Minchilli joins us to #TalkCookbooks.Sophie leads food tours around Italy with her mother, cookbook author and previous Salt + Spine guest Elizabeth Minchilli. The two lead food lovers through Rome, Umbria, Puglia, and other destinations.Growing up in Italy with a cookbook author as a mother, Sophie’s life has always revolved around food. She left briefly for university in London, before moving back home to Rome to devote her career to food.Now, Sophie’s out with her first book—The Sweetness of Doing Noting: Live Life the Italian Way with Dolce Far Niente. It’s part cookbook, with a few recipes, but mostly it’s a guide to the southern Italian philosophy of “dolce far niente” and finding pleasure in the everyday.As Sophie writes, “How often do you focus on being in the moment, doing nothing? Whether it’s sitting outside at a cafe watching the world go by, whiling away the hours with your loved ones sipping a glass of wine or being immersed in nature at the beach

Episode 140: Erin GleesonThis week, Erin Gleeson joins us to #TalkCookbooks.What a fun episode! I packed up our recorder and microphones and headed south from San Francisco and into the woody, serene drive to Erin Gleeson’s charming cabin-esque home in the South Bay. Just look at this enviable set-up—I wish we could record every episode here!And Erin even prepped us a plate of lavender shortbread, which is featured in her latest cookbook, and a warm pot of coffee:Anyway — we were at Erin’s house to talk about her latest cookbook, The Forest Feast Road Trip.A California native, Erin spent her early career pursuing art and photography. But she was always drawn to food, and it quickly became the subject of much of her work. When a cross-country move brought her from bustling New York to a serene cabin in the Santa Cruz Mountains, she set her focus on working on cookbooks. Before long, her content was finding an audience online, and her signature aesthetic (hybrid watercolor-photography) was born. Soon after came

Episode 139: Eitan BernathThis week, Eitan Benath joins us to #TalkCookbooks!Eitan is one of the most visible people in food media today. At just 20 years old, he’s amassed a remarkable 8+ million social media followers. Odds are, if you have a social media account, you’ve seen Eitan. Whether on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or even Snapchat, where he’s hosted three cooking shows. Last year, his original content reached more than 350 million people with 3 billion views.It all started with Food Network. Building on his childhood love for cooking, 11-year-old Eitan appeared on the first kids’ episode of “Chopped.” And there was no stopping him after that; he started a blog and social media accounts, becoming a near-overnight success thanks to his charismatic personality and his engaging content. (Case in point: Oprah Magazine called him “the internet’s most delightful chef.”) Today, he’s president of his own culinary production studio, the Principal Culinary Contributor for CBS’ “The Drew Barrymore Show,” and ju

Hi there, happy Tuesday! This week, Nicole Taylor joins us in studio to talk Watermelon & Red Birds. Plus: We chat with Carla Lalli-Music later in the week—and bring you featured recipes and highlight new release cookbooks. Read on!Do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too:Episode 138: Nicole TaylorNicole Taylor—author of Watermelon & Red Birds—joins us this week to #TalkCookbooks.A Georgia native, Nicole pivoted to a career in food media when she relocated to Brooklyn with her husband in 2008. Her Heritage Radio Network podcast, Hot Grease, brought 162 episodes with an emphasis on highlighting Black food personalities and “reclaiming culinary traditions & celebrations, cooking at home and eating as a political act.”That led to a couple of cookbooks: first, writing The Last O.G. Cookbook (yes, the cookbook-companion to the Tracy Morgan TBS comedy), and Nicole’s first solo project, The Up South Cookbook: Chasing Dixie in

Episode 137: Ali SlagleThis week’s episode is a fun one — our first live event since pre-pandemic! Ali Slagle joined me in front of a live audience at Omnivore Books in San Francisco recently. A Los Angeles native and UC-Berkeley grad, Ali started her career at Ten Speed Press, where she worked on several cookbooks as an editorial assistant. She joined the Food52 team after working on their Genius Recipes cookbooks (featured here in our 2018 chat with Kristen Miglore!) and later went solo with a freelance career.A prolific contributor to the New York Times Food section, in which she’s published over 250 recipes, Ali’s work has also been featured in Bon Appetit, the Washington Post, Saveur, and more. Ali’s first cookbook, I Dream of Dinner… (So You Don’t Have To), offers 150+ recipes for getting quick, crave-able meals on the table every day. From her mom’s chilli recipe to bacon-jalapeno smashburgers, Ali’s recipes come to her via a “dinner matrix” process that we discuss in the show. We’ve got a great chat w

Episode 136: Kristina ChoThis week, we’re joined by Kristina Cho to discuss her debut cookbook, Mooncakes and Milk Bread: Sweet and Savory Recipes Inspired by Chinese Bakeries. Kristina is a Bay Area-based recipe developer and writer who grew up in a restaurant family in Cleveland, Ohio. After a degree in architecture left her longing for something more, she turned to food blogging and launched Eat Cho Food. As her recipes grew in popularity, she realized some of the hits were items you’d find at Chinese bakeries (one of the first to resonate: the hot dog flower buns). Before long, Kristina had made another realization: the cookbook world was missing a book dedicated to Chinese bakery-style recipes. So Kristina set out to write up.Mooncakes & Milk Bread is the result of that effort, and it landed Kristina two coveted James Beard Awards earlier this year (in both the Baking & Desserts and Emerging Voice cookbook categories.) The book is packed with classic and inventive recipes, from pineapple buns to

Hi there — happy Tuesday! We’ve got a great conversation for you today with author Adrienne Cheatham on her first cookbook, Sunday Best. Check out the episode and more—featured recipes!—below. But first, a few announcements:Our Summer Cookbook Club is in full swing and we’re baking our way through Jessie Sheehan’s Snackable Bakes. Next Tuesday, we’ll come together on Zoom with Jessie to make a cherry clafoutis (if you’d like) and to discuss cookbooks, sweets, and more. Reserve your seat now! Do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too:And now, here’s Adrienne:Episode 135: Adrienne CheathamThis week, we’re joined by Adrienne Cheatham to discuss her debut cookbook, Sunday Best: Cooking Up the Weekend Spirit Every Day: A Cookbook (with Sarah Zorn).Adrienne is a Chicago native who grew up spending a lot of time in the restaurants that her mother managed. She was drawn to t

Hey there, We’re back with a very special episode for you: Today’s episode was the first we’ve been able to record in-person in 899 days! We met Bay-Area native Andy Baraghani at The Civic Kitchen (our studio home in San Francisco) to hear about his first cookbook, The Cook You Want To Be. We’d almost forgotten how magical in-person interviews are. While we’re grateful to have been able to bring you great conversations, recorded remotely, during the pandemic, there’s something special about how the conversation flows naturally, how an author’s personality fills the space and the interview with ease, and, of course, the way the colorful spines of hundreds of cookbooks brighten the wall behind us. Here’s a shot of us at The Civic Kitchen after our chat:It felt so great to be back in the studio and it feels so great to share that conversation with all of you! -Brian & CleaEpisode 134: Andy BaraghaniThis week, we’re joined by chef and author Andy Baraghani