peanut butter sandwich cookies filled w/ bacon-cream cheese

Peanut butter + bacon, always a winning combo no matter what form it's in. It could be in a cake, pie, sandwich, pancake, muffin, cookie, candy, cereal, parfait, etc...possibilities are endless. But the outcome is always positive. I don't think I've ever seen a bad creation made with pb & bacon. Think about it.....
I've made the peanut butter and bacon cookies, this time wanted to up the ante a bit by adding a creamy filling between two peanut butter cookies.
Don't have to tell you how decadent these are?
They are super easy to create too--just a matter of baking the cookies and whipping up the filling, then assemble.










Ready to make them? Easy peasy I promise.

peanut butter cookie sandwiches filled w/ bacon-cream cheese
print recipe

pb cookies:
1 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
2 ts of baking soda
½ ts baking powder
1 ts salt
1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 ts pure vanilla extract
1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter (I used chunky)

cookie filling:
½ stick butter (1/2 cup), softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
¾ - 1 cup confectioners sugar
giant pinch of salt
¼ cup + cooked bacon, chopped

Cook notes: you should have “just” enough filling or not enough for two sandwiches; If you use the filling moderately.

Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, set aside
In the bowl of an electric mixer or by hand, (I don’t have a mixer so I do this by hand or with my hands) beat the butter and sugars together until creamy/well blended.
Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated.
Add in the vanilla and peanut butter, combine.
Next add in half of the flour mixture, and mix till just combined, then add in the remaining flour mixture and mix till just combined. (Remember: Once you start to add in the flour you don’t want to overmix).
(If you wanted to add in chips, this would be the time—I did not.)
Cover the bowl well and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. (I left mine overnight, it was fine).
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop the dough by rounded oversized-tablespoons (or medium ice cream scoop) onto the prepared baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart.
Do not press down, leave them as balls.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until the tops of the cookies just begin to brown. Let these cool completely before filling.

For the cookie filling:
Using a handheld mixer or regular mixer, beat the softened butter, cream cheese until just mixed; add in the ¾ cup of confectioners sugar., along with a giant pinch of salt. Do a taste test and see if it’s sweet enough for you, if not add in another ¼ cup until you are happy.
By hand, add in the chopped bacon bits. Place in bowl, cover and let set up in fridge for a bit.
When ready to assemble sandwich cookies, simply place a tablespoon +/- of filling on one side of a cookie (flat side/bottom), spread a bit, then place another cookie on top (flat side/bottom).
I would store these in the fridge, not at room temp.
Should make about 15-18 sandwich cookies.

banana-walnut pancakes

Quick post.
Wanted to get these posted for Sunday morning pancake time! In case you needed ideas for breakfast/brunch.
Saw my friend Nick over at Macheesmo.com had just made and posted these. I knew instantly I had to make them.
Who doesn't have brown bananas laying around? Use them in these pancakes.
Took his recipe (which is very good btw) and added extra cinnamon and walnuts. Perfect.
You must try these.
(lighting on photos is bad, we have nothing but rain here--can't remember what the sun looks like)









banana-walnut pancakes
adapted from Macheesmo.com
print recipe

1 cup browned banana, about two bananas
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 TB brown sugar
1/2 ts salt
1/2 ts baking powder
1/2 ts baking soda
1 ts cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 ts vanilla extract
3 TB unsalted butter, melted plus some for frying up pancakes
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Peel bananas and measure out exactly one cup. Then mash them in a small bowl. Add liquid ingredients (milk, egg, melted butter, vanilla) to bananas.

Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients and combine well.
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a small knob of butter.
Once butter is melted, scoop in 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake. Depending on the size of your griddle or skillet you should be able to make more than one at a time.
Cook until pancakes are firm around the edges and have large bubbles forming on top, about 3 minutes. Then flip.
Cook for another 1-2 minutes on the second side.
Serve pancakes immediately with warmed maple syrup and top with the chopped walnuts.
Should make about 6-8 pancakes.

friday links

With the warmer weather coming up, here are a few quick meals I've come up with using foods from Trader Joe's.
Some you might like, some not so much, but it should give you other ideas for quick and simple meals.


I'm seriously addicted to these little rice balls. I've used them in many a stir fry dish. They are so good with this sweet chili sauce--I use that sauce on almost everything.


Have you tried the creamy polenta?


One of my favorite snacks.


An excellent sandwich--trust me on this one.


Another winning sandwich combo.


You simply must try this salad dressing--it's that good. Very gentle pear flavor, with the just the right amount of gorgonzola. So good!


This is what I use for ALL my pizzas. Thanks to Esi for turning me on to it. I buy this in bulk.

From around the web:

The perfect lunge

50 awesome pre and post workout snacks. Great list.

Outside Magazine breaks down some of the best diet plans. Well I shouldn't say diet but more of a lifestyle eating. They were tested for a year.

Chicken & cashew lettuce cups (bookmarked!)

Bratwurst foodporn. Bratwurst in pretzel bun (from serious eats)

Mini taco salad bowls!! (thanks Pam)

Houses on their own tiny islands.

Anyone tried the Tracy Anderson method?

New York's state prisons (now closed) for sale as a home? Hmmm.

30 minute chickpea, coconut, cashew curry.


Chocolate cupcakes with biscoff buttercream! (from the little kitchen)


Hot Dog cookies! I just love these. (from CakeSpy)

Double dark chocolate granita.

How to make a succulent sea terrarium. So cute.

How to make Chaat. A lot easier than I thought.


One of my friends turned me on to this ginger beer. It's so good. If you love ginger, then you're going to love this.


Anthropologie, one of my favorite places to not shop at because of the high prices. But I do love admiring their new arrivals from afar. I just adore this dress for summer.


Everyone needs a long black skirt. This is perfect for almost any top; casual or dressy.


This bathing suit is so retro it's adorable. I'm tempted to get it.


They are lounge pants, but I would totally wear them as regular pants since the colors are so summer.

Have a great weekend kids!

strawberry-white chocolate cream scones

I rarely see strawberries used in scones. Why is that? Do people not like this combo? Do they think strawberries do not go in scones? They go well with shortcakes? And shortcakes are just a couple uncles away from a scone in the biscuit family--right?
Granted I can see where strawberries might taste horrid in a scone, if the strawberry isn't chopped to the right size (huge chunks are a turn off in a scone UNLESS it's a chocolate chunk!). Or if the strawberry isn't ripe enough.
Strawberry season is in full effect and I'm having a great time celebrating. Those giant strawberries are my favorite, they are always the sweetest.


The white chocolate chunks brown up a bit and give off this almost creamy-like taste. Really good!


Keep the dough as cold as you can and never overwork/overmix the dough. Overworking leads to a tough scone. We don't want that.


Leftovers (should you have any, make a great crumble for shortcake parfaits!).



Congrats to the winners of the Pie It Forward cookbook giveaway. #12 (all that's left are the crumbs) and #40 Amanda!

strawberry-white chocolate cream scones
print recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 ts baking powder
1 ts salt
4 oz butter, grated or cut into small pieces (kept cold)
½ cup fresh strawberries, cut into ½ inch chunks
¼ – ½ cup white chocolate chunks (add as much or a little as you like)
¾ cup heavy cream
1 egg
Course sugar, for coating tops of scones, optional

Grate or cut up your butter in to small chunks; keep in fridge until ready to use (keep the butter cold).
Cut up your strawberries into ½-inch chunks. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.

In a large bowl (or your food processor), combine and mix all of the dry ingredients. Add in the butter chunks and mix until your dough resembles pea-sized chunks. Add in the heavy cream and mix until dough just comes together; do not overmix. It’s normal to have chunks of butter. If you overmix you will have a tough scone.

By hand, add in the strawberries and white chocolate chunks; mix till just combined.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Pat into a circle, about ¾-1 inch thick. Cut into triangles, I made 7, but you can make them a bit smaller or larger.

Place onto prepared baking sheet, with space between each one. Chill in fridge for at least half hour (this is optional of course, but the colder they are the better bake up).
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make egg wash and wash the tops of the scones with the egg wash, then sprinkle tops with the course sugar.
Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until the scones are golden brown on the tops.

strawberry shortcake w/ blue cheese biscuits

Why didn't I think of this sooner? Strawberries marinated in sugar and lemon juice, then served on top on a warm blue cheese biscuit.
Seriously a match made in foodie heaven.
The biscuit is not too sweet but rather more savory--perfect with sweet marinated strawberries.
I highly recommend this.
In fact, the next time I make this I want to add a drizzle of dark balsamic to the marinade. We all know how well balsamic vinegar goes with strawberries?
This doesn't go so well with whipped cream--tried it and din't really like (you can see some of the leftover whipped cream in photo).


Marinate strawberries with sugar and lemon.


The dough comes together fairly fast. Keep it cold.


Cut out any shape you want. Love the heart shape ones personally.



strawberry shortcake with blue cheese biscuits
print recipe

For the strawberries:
About 2 pints (10-15 strawberries) cut into 1 or ½ inch pieces
About ¼ cup or less of sugar
The juice of 1 – 2 lemons
(the amount of sugar you add is up to you; I usually use just under ¼ cup)

Marinate these for at least 3 hours (or more) before serving.

Blue cheese biscuits

8 TB unsalted butter, grated or cubed
1/2 to ¾ cup of crumbled blue cheese (use as much or as little as you like)
(just under) ¾ cup whole milk, cold
½ cup heavy whipping cream, cold
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
¾ TB baking powder
giant pinch of salt

one egg (for glazing tops of biscuits)

Grate or cube your cold butter (I prefer to grate it then keep it cold in freezer until ready to use).
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Add in the butter, using a pastry cutter or fork, work it until you have sand-like crumbles.
Next mix in the milk, cream and blue cheese crumbles. Using a spatula mix till just combined. Please don’t overmix! Lumps are good!
I took a sheet of parchment paper, place some flour on it, then placed the dough on top. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out to about 2-3 inches thickness. Sprinkle flour on top, take plastic wrap and cover the top. Place in the fridge to set up/rest; c. hill at least ½ hour to 1 hour.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits, place on parchment lined baking sheet or non stick spray covered sheet.
Brush biscuit tops with egg wash, and bake about 9 - 12 minutes or until golden brown. They bake up fast so check them at the 9 minute mark.

Allow to cool before topping with marinated strawberries.
I do not recommend serving whipped cream with this as it does not go with the blue cheese biscuits.

friday links

It's Friday and it's time for the holiday weekend to BEGIN.
I'm so happy. We (cape cod) finally have sun.
Our springs consist mainly of rain, rain, then 1 day of sun, then more rain.
It's taxing on the mood for sure.


Cape Cod national seashore, down by nauset lighthouse.





We had a lot of rain, gloom and darkness for the past three weeks. So glad it's gone!




Deep sea fishing boats in harwich port, ma are ready for the season.


Our town was conducting gas line testing. I had to capture this on photo, it was such an intense flame and the magnitude of heat that came off it was frightening. I was about 200 feet or more away and could easily feel the intense heat.

From around the web:

One week coffee is good for you and the next week it's not. Here's another article on how coffee can deter skin cancer? On the fence with this one.

How to plant an upside down tomato planter (this way looks so much easier).

Dental x-rays linked to common brain tumor? Hmmm.

Homes in bizarre places. The cement factory converted into a home is wild.

An article on how long a nap should last. LOL!! (as if)


Aren't these ocean art prints so pretty? Perfect for a white wall bathroom or office. From Society6.com


For the wanderlust in all of us, how about this one? A reminder to get outside and travel. Also from Society6.com


This one I love. If I could collect maps (new and old) for a living I would. I have a small bathroom that just begs for this wallpaper. Check out the other wallpapers, quite unique and will give you some great ideas next time you go wallpaper shopping. From Lonnymag.com

Grilled chicken recipes for weekend grilling. From Seriouseats.com

Swedish meatballs done right. Not those soggy, mushy crappy kind. These are done by chef marcus samuelsson.

Are you a macaroni salad lover? I am too, but I'm fussy and want the flavorful kind. Here is a list of good ones, more importantly: macaroni cobb salad! Bookmarked!

This video on youtube is AMAZING!. If you're afraid of heights do not click. If not, then enlarge that screen.

Want to try a different BBQ sauce this holiday weekend? How about tandori BBQ sauce?

Avoid depression while bathing suit shopping! Some good tips (I think).

Energy drinks they do cause depression--this one I firmly believe. All those chemicals are just not good for you. Great article.


Excellent round up of mango recipes from whole foods.


Recently I tried one of the Blue Print Juice raw drinks. They aren't bad. This one pictured has beet juice in it and I thought I would gag, but I didn't. Would love to try the whole cleanse routine; pricey little suckers though.

MIT engineers solve the problem of backed-up ketchup bottle. Hmmm. (love that it took an engineer to solve this) .

Plant eater paradise: 2012 Best Summer Cookbooks.

Ice cream recipes that need NO ice cream maker. Excellent list.

True cost of eating healthier? Guess what? It's cheaper!


One of the best buttermilk dressings I've come across. Heirloom tomato-basil salad with buttermilk dressing. From whole foods.



Eat Raw Eat Well: Excellent book on eating more raw foods. Nothing crazy or wild, no crazy grocery lists to be had. It's really all about a gentle way to ease you into more raw food eating that actually tastes good. I was quite shocked at how all the recipes looked good.

Have a wonderful holiday!

Don't forget to enter the cookbook giveaway for the book Pie It Forward from Gesine Bullock-Prado. Did you read the interview? Good reads.

guest post: cookbook author gesine bullock-prado of "Pie It Forward"

Today I'm thrilled to have cookbook author and blogging friend Gesine Bullock-Prado.
Gesine is the author of the memoir “My Life from Scratch: A Sweet Journey of Starting Over One Cake at a Time”” and the cookbooks “Sugar Baby” and the newest “Pie it Forward”. She lives in Vermont with her husband, is a chef instructor at the King Arthur Flour Company in Norwich, VT, and is slowly learning the process of becoming a gentlewoman farmer while remodeling their antique home and semi-working farm. And if that’s not enough, is currently on a book tour promoting her third book “Pie it Forward” via radio and television. (you might also have seen her doing cooking segments on the Today Show as well). It also needs to be noted that she did have a small pastry shop in Montpelier, Vermont: Gesine Confectionary and it has since been closed. I can’t imagine doing all this; I’m tired after typing it all. And don't forget to see her website: gesine.com It's just adorable and for me, literally sums up what her new life is like in rural Vermont. (read through to find out about a giveaway to win a copy of Pie It Forward!).

Gesine (geh-see-nuh) was incredibly kind to answer a few questions for me about her latest cookbook, and how she does it all in life, as well as her next steps in life.

What does “Pie It Forward” entail? It’s a new frontier in pies; sweet and savory pies that is; a different take of the classics; a creative twist with a heavy dose of Gesine imagination. Her press release says it perfectly: “….Gesine imagination—riffing on her German roots, her Hollywood background, and life on her Vermont farm. A blueberry brown butter tart, an Italian plum tart with a yeasted-dough crust, a tiramisu-inspired espresso tart, a Vermont pizza pie….”
And with each new pie recipe has its own crust recipe since Gesine states “not all dough’s are created equal!” Good point.
Bonus part of the book? A savory chapter filled with pork pies, Cornish pasties, Bavarian calzone…



Brief history of Gesine: she lived a large, glamorous, yet overworked stressful life in Hollywood working as a lawyer, film executive for many years. She left the Hollywood life to set her eyes on pastry-making, open a bakery, and start life again, from scratch, in an antique home, living as a soon-to-be gentlewoman farmer (with her husband, and I’ve lost count how many animals, and farm animals). And if you’re curious to find out why she left all that glamour and glitz for the simple life, starting from scratch, and choosing the baker path, I HIGHLY suggest you read her book “My Life from Scratch: A Sweet Journey of Starting Over, One Cake at a Time”.


chocolate fleur de Sel caramel tart, pg 153

Her blogs include:

Confections of a (closet) Master Baker – splendid recipes, secret tips and yummy pictures from a professional pastry chef

Sugar Baby Cookbook – a companion website for the cookbook: Sugar Baby. It includes extras like videos, extra pictures and ideas of what else you can do with the wonderful recipes in Sugar Baby.

Running in Circles – A blog dedicated to reconfiguring traditional recipes so that they work as the perfect fuel for runners while staying as delicious as the original. Also great advice of you want to run a marathon and never thought you could.

Freegrace Living – Living life completely from scratch: from raising farm animals, to growing food to restoring a Tavern built in the 1700’s. There’s more to life from scratch than baking.

Pie It Forward – The companion website for the cookbook: Pie It Forward.


Gesine's gorgeous homestead in Vermont (looks as if the renovations are going quite well)


Geese, she has lots of them. Chatty little critters too.




The newest additions to the farm. Precious right? Gesine takes really good care of the babies: they all sleep on flannel sheets!

questions:

Just typing up the intro, and all that you do, all that you have done in your past life, I thought to myself, where does she get the energy? It’s obvious you have a zest for life and taking on multiple projects.
I was under the impression that you just completely set your eyes on starting life over with pastry making. I had completely forgotten that in your busy Hollywood days you baked, a lot actually, as a stress release. Did you start out making fancy pastries? And is it true that you’ve had no formal training?
How did you learn all these fine pastry making skills?

It was my mother’s death that really put the coal in the pastry engine. She died far too young of cancer, especially for a woman who was a health food nut (macrobiotic) and a marathon runner. But she was also a wonderful and adventurous cook, primarily during the holidays when she let loose with the butter and sugar. She was German and I was raised in Austria and Germany when I was younger and we returned most summers thereafter. Suddenly, my mother’s strict culinary regime went out the window. Kaffee und Kuchen (cake and coffee) was a daily meal, whether we baked at home with my aunt and family or whether we went into Salzburg and hit up a pastry shop where pastries are an intricate and edible art. When we were back in the states, I coveted my friend’s Oreos and Nutter Butters. Once I had my own kitchen and I set about baking earnestly, I drew from my childhood influences and the stubborn streak I’d inherited from my mother. The first task I gave myself was mastering laminated doughs and I wasn’t leaving my kitchen until I’d made those doughs my bi…well, you know where I’m going. And that’s how it progressed. If there was a treat I loved from childhood and couldn’t find in the states, (mandelhoernchen, macaron, millefeuille etc) I figured out how to make it myself.

And you do all this on your own, very little in the way of assistants I see? Does this energy stem from your busy Hollywood life? Always wanting to continue taking on more? I’m a loner and a perfectionist. Tina Rupp, who is the photographer on the books, always looks at me like I’m nuts for doing all the baking for the photo shoots alone. But it’s my work. I wrote the book. These are my recipes. So I feel like the reader should see how I do it. And under that kind of pressure, where you’re baking 100s of things in a few hours, it’s a great test to the workability of recipes and proof that they can look beautiful even if you’re losing your mind and have 5 minutes to finish.

I also bore easily. My husband is my true helpmate in life but in the pasty department, there’s no trespassing in my baking cave. On the other hand, when I’m teaching, I love everyone to get their paws in the mix: to feel the croissant dough as it’s rising and the butter block when it’s the perfect temperature for folding, just to play with the ingredients. I want to share what I know and love, so when I’m in that mode, I not only want people in my space, I want them literally poking my dough.


raspberry-lemon coconut panna-cotta tartlets, pg. 46

In one of your blog title’s you’ve dubbed yourself with the name “I’m gesine, helga’s daughter” tell me the story behind that title? This is in memory to your mom? You’re mom was the one that put that sparkle in your eye for baking at an early age? I’ve heard from your podcast on NPR how much of an influence that was. (listen here).

That’s actually my “handle” on Blogger, so whenever I post or comment that’s what turns up. It’s because I am truly my mother’s daughter. I wrote my memoir Confections of a Closet Master Baker/My Life from Scratch as a pastry journey and as a love letter to mom. I bake and she’s conjured before me.

Also, from that NPR podcast I learned and I admire that you said, regarding watching your mom slowly die of cancer, you said, and quite simply but with such intensity, “watching my mom slowly die of cancer, I realized life is too short….I can’t stop her cancer but I can certainly make my life happier…” And this is essentially, leading up to now, what you’ve done: make your life happier? Yes?

Absolutely, Life’s too short. I know she was proud of me before I changed my life but she’d have reveled in the life revolution we’ve made. At once it’s heartbreaking that I don’t get to share Vermont, the animals, the pastry and the peace we’ve captured. On the other hand, her hand is in all of it so I see her in everything I do.

And speaking of your strong German mother, she was the one that lived a macrobiotics lifestyle, but still baked buttery, rich goodies such as German tortes, tarts. Was this a contradiction or her balance of good food with bad food?

The wonderful thing about my mother is that she never saw beautifully made food as “bad” food because it isn’t. She saw processed food and unnatural food as bad. I think she was just incredibly honest with herself and her self-control. You put a pint of ice cream in front of her, she’d eat the whole thing. Same with a box of marzipan. But my mother was a huge advocate of using butter and gorgeous, real ingredients. When we were back in her home, in Germany, she relaxed and she let the dietary vice grip loosen and she’d enjoy her slice of cake and then we’d climb a mountain. Had she lived her entire life this way, you could make a good argument that she’d be alive today.

All those years, in your past life, of living the fast life of Hollywood--any of that make you now look back and say “Hey I learned something from this?”

The honest truth is if you work in Hollywood, it’s anything but fast. Film production is a “hurry up and wait” life. I didn’t party or schmooze. But that “hurry up and wait” actually does apply to baking. So often there are processes that require you to whip this, whip that, fold gently but quickly, IMMEDIATELY put it in the oven….and then wait wait wait until it’s done. Thankfully, I can make something else while I’m waiting.

I understand the meaning of wanting to write your first book “My Life from Scratch: a sweet journey of starting over”. And can see the connection to then write your second book “Sugarbaby” a wonderful yet hard task I might add. But tell me how/why you choose the direction of pie for book three?

My life change was as much to write as to bake. Once my pastry shop opened, I had no time to write. Starting at 3:30 a.m. and closing up shop at 7pm leaves you with nothing left but a strong desire for red wine and a bed. But Vermont is filled with artists and writers and it turned out that a vast majority of our customers were writers. So we started a writer’s group that met in the shop after we’d shut the door. We’d nosh on left over goodies and share our latest and not so greatest. I had to produce something for the group so I started to write my pastry journey. Originally, the memoir had no recipes. It wasn’t until we were about to go to publishers that I rewrote the manuscript to accommodate them. The cookbooks are simply my need to share specific techniques. SugarBaby was the book I couldn’t find when I was training myself. I didn’t understand why you could get a candy-making book but there was nothing in it that explained that those techniques were the same as in making an Italian meringue for macaron or a Sacher glaze or pate de bomb for chocolate buttercream or croquant. It was as if there was a conspiracy to keep this knowledge away from home bakers and this ticked me off. As for pie, I have a really broad view of pie and I’ve heard so many people lament that pie crust is the bane of their existence. I wanted to produce a book that explained what makes up the flaky, tender crust and then show that there are many versions on the same theme and how to coordinate with various fillings. You can make a traditional American crust or you can blast it with 50% more flaky and buttery by making a quick puff and then you can take it to the moon by making traditional puff. And then there is the simple tart dough, which is my version of pate brisee, and so much more. Like SugarBaby, I find that when you get knee deep in the pastry world, you see these techniques that are interrelated and I wanted to share that pie can be so much more than what we’ve traditionally thought about in the home kitchen.

I know when I test recipes I often rely on my husband to taste test first. He’s not a foodie so he isn’t all that reliable, as he says “this is good” to just about everything. Does your husband have a good palette? Is he a good taste-tester?

He’s got a very sophisticated and broad palate. And he’s honest. So he’s my true barometer of what’s what in the kitchen.


vermont apple pie, pg. 91

Your bakery Gesine Confectionary in Vermont is closed now? Was this let go because of too much on your plate? I heard it was a fabulous little cake shop. Think you’ll ever own another bakery again—you know when things calm down a bit for you?

I’ll never say never.

Do you still sell those infamous macaroons online?

Instead of mail order, I’m partnering with someone to get them in retail stores nationwide. This takes more time than I’d like but it’s an interesting endeavor.

In “pie it forward” you literally live up to the title of “redefining the pie classics”. Going into this cookbook, did you have a set list of pies that you wanted to recreate or should I say re-design?

I usually develop recipes based on what I’m craving. Which can be really dangerous.

Years ago when my husband and I first moved back to cape cod, we rented a very old (like 1700’s old), antique house that belonged to one of the first constables of Sandwich, MA. The amount of money we poured into that place made us deem it “the money pit”. I know you and your husband bought an old house and farmhouse? Was this something you wanted to do? Do you still love it? My memories of living a our antique rental, made me coin it up in this phrase “living in the money pit was like owning a convertible car that had piles of money in the back seat, and every time you drove the car the money would just blown away…”

I grew up in a family that restored houses so I can’t imagine not having a project. The second a house is “done” I’m ready to move on. Thankfully, this house will always have a project in store. It was built in 1786 and has a lovely history but is in better shape than most new construction. I don’t think of it as blowing money as much as being a steward of Vermont history. I’d rather spend money on maintaining the property than buying shoes or clothes. Not unlike how I’d rather blow $100 on great chocolate than $300 on a purse. I’ll enjoy the chocolate and my carriage house turned bakery a hell of a lot more.

With all the skinny pastry chefs I know (and there are not a lot of skinny ones out there). I have to ask, and a few fans have asked me to ask you: how do you stay so thin? Is it because you’re always on the move?

The adage “never trust a skinny chef” is so so wrong. I say, “never trust a fat chef” because who is more likely to scarf the best stuff in the kitchen before it gets out to the customers? You always have to taste for quality and balance but leave the best for the customers.


nutella tart, pg. 182 and classic pecan pie, pg. 183

Personally, I learn a great deal from you, and your recipe posts at Confections of a (closet) Master Baker; you easily show us how easy it is to make macaroons. Watching your videos at your website www.gesine.com; you have a wonderful video about making a wild blueberry pie. I couldn’t agree with you more when you say the best part is the crust. And one of your tips: everything must be cold; even the flour. Where did you learn that from? Any other tips for exceptional pies and pie crusts?

I’m a geek, I like to know the true nature of things. The “cold” in crusts is a standard issue instruction but the why of it interested me more and the bottom line is that the nature of flour is to absorb moisture. If everything’s warm, the flour will absorb the butter and the crust will be tough. If you chill everything, the butter won’t be absorbed but will remain suspended in discernable chunks in the dough. In the oven, the moisture evaporates, creating a lovely puff and flakiness, leaving the proteins and the butter to create structure and gorgeous flavor. The other truism of pie dough is not to over process it, otherwise you’re working the gluten (proteins) in the flour which also leads to a tough dough AND warms the dough so your butter is going melt and then that whole absorption thing happens. The other thing is not to add too much moisture to most butter flour doughs (traditional pie crust and puffs) which will make the dough goopy and tough. Often, the dough will look too dry and a baker will add more water until the dough comes together and “looks” right. However, this is usually the sign of a grossly overprocessed dough. Instead, add just enough liquid so that when you pinch the dough between your fingers, it holds together. Then press into a round, cover with wrap and refrigerate. This allows the dough to rest and for the flour to start hydrating. About 20 minutes. You’d be surprised how 20 minutes can turn a round of dough from a rough, dry mess into a smooth, workable dough.

In a typical day, what do you eat? I know sugar is a staple in your diet for recipe taste-testing.

Eggs. We have so many laying birds from hens to geese to ducks, eggs are on constant rotation. I make fish stews and cassoulets for lunch. We have ramps and fiddelheads in the fridge now and hopefully a foraging jaunt today will turn up some morels for a nice tart. It’s a seasonal free for all here.

Most memorable travel destination for food? What did you have?

We’ve had so many memorable meals together, my husband and I. When we travel, it’s 1% exploring the new town and 99% food. But my favorite was an unexpected meal in Morocco. We detoured into a truck stop for a minute. We smelled a gorgeous tagine and suddenly we were ravenous. We ended up ordering beef kefta and washed it down with Coke, feasting in the middle of the dessert. It was one of those food experiences when you catch yourself gleefully humming while you eat, your feet doing that “I just put something unbelievable in my mouth and there’s more in the bowl” happy dance.

Favorite junk foods, if any?

Too many to list. I still crave cheese filled Combos whenever I drink too much beer. I won’t let you near my bowl of Kraft macaroni and cheese. And bacon.

Does your husband like to cook or bake?

He’s a great cook. He’s become an expert at Japanese pub food. He’s our weekend chef.

If someone wants to open their own bakery, granted they are going to be on their feet all day. I know you’re on your feet all day; a good pair of chef clogs goes a long way, but what about keeping your back strong? Any tips in that area?

Don’t lock your knees and stretch. Get a rolling counter at the right height for you. I roll laminated doughs by hand al day and while this is a phenomenal workout, it’s awful on the back. If you get the counter to just the right height, it takes so much burden off your vertebrae. And take walks. I actually find that a good run cures all my bake and back ailments.


strawberry love pie, pg. 226

Is there another book in the works? Something about ‘complicated desserts’?

The next book is a cake book, geared towards creations that are beautiful when you slice into them as much as the are beautiful on the outside. And by “inside” that means they look great slice and that they better taste damn great when you put them in your mouth. Some are complicated but others are painfully easy and just look complicated (my favorite kind). And we’re filming a PBS series called “Life from Scratch” (gee, wonder where that came from) that’s part homesteading lifestyle show part baking show. Want to know how to hatch and raise ducklings and then use your extra duck eggs to make an unbelievable pound cake? Want to make your own farmer’s cheese and turn it into the best cheesecake ever? Curious about keeping bees but want someone else to get stung first (i.e., me), this is the show for you.

Thank you so much Gesine! Your answers were just a joy to read and comforting to know I'm not the only one that has an obsession with those darn Combo pretzel things. Thanks for the back tips too!

To enter the giveaway for a chance to win a copy of Pie It Forward, simply leave a comment here telling us which of Gesine cookbooks you've read, or which ones you'd like to read.
We'll do the drawing May 29, 2011.
One entry per person please. PLEASE have a valid email in your link and/or comment.