Week Three of Bake for Family Fun Month Baking traditions in our lives last a lifetime. Whether for birthdays, weekly meals or special holidays baked goods speak volumes. For our family, chocolate’s the ingredient tradition that makes any time together a celebration! Chocolate chips, cocoa, baking chocolate, chocolate frosting…all were a luxury in our home […]
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Baker’s Spotlight: 17th Century Chicken and Cherries
From bread and pie to casseroles and other savory dishes, baking has a long history of nourishing millions of people from all cultures, worldwide, for thousands of years. The history of baking continues to reveal itself to us as time marches on, in fact, the world’s oldest known ovens were unearthed in Croatia in 2014. […]
Starting to Bake is all about Mis en Place!
Whether its your first time baking or your thousandth, you never lose when you mis en place (meez-on-plahss). Are you thinking “putting everything in place” will take too much time? Do you have young bakers almost levitating to get started? Having them help “get everything in its place” is part of them helping. Its fundamental […]
Baker’s Spotlight: Apple Pie For All!
Baking educator award winner Marla Prusa has made it a goal to teach Howells-Dodge, Nebraska high school Family & Consumer Sciences students pie baking. Over many years they’ve baked hundreds of pies for community gatherings, fund-raisers and their own families. Marla shares how she started baking pie and developed her pastry skills: “I baked my first pie when I was […]
We’ve Got Flour and We Know How to Use It!
COVID has helped Americans build their sense of home and the skills that go with it, including baking. Sheltering in place provided many folks the time to bake and reap the benefits that have proven to be appreciated and sustainable by many. Fortunately we’ve also moved past the hoarding we first experienced! B&G Foods, (brands […]
Baker’s Spotlight: Lisa Pluff – Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Browned Butter
November’s Baker Spotlight is on a great baker and teacher, Lisa Pluff. Lisa teaches baking science and Family & Consumer Sciences at Manhattan High School, Manhattan, KS. Lisa is a graduate of the Kansas State Bakery Science bachelors degree program. Check it out! Instead of working in a bakery, Lisa opted to earn a masters […]
Baking Goes Better with True Cake and Pastry Fillings
In a pinch we’ve all filled cookies, pastries or cakes with a jam, and watched it boil out, soak in or run. With guest and gift baking on the line in the next months, you can insure positive results. Cake and pastry fillings are thicker formulations and will bake more consistently. Unlike jams and jellies, […]
Sandwiches Rule August!
How did Americans ever get to loving sandwiches so much? We, in fact, dedicate August as National Sandwich Month. I think it’s something related to why the Earl of Sandwich, a real-life 18th-century aristocrat, reportedly loved them. He was busy, they were easy! This August, try your sandwiches in some creative packaging. Mmmmm… Flat Bread Sandwich! Many […]
Who Wants Some Pizza?
Americans love pizza, so much so there’s an entire month dedicated to celebrating the dish. (October is National Pizza Month) American families eat so much pizza they consume the equivalent of 100 acres of pizza a day. Can you imagine? 100 acres of pizza a day! And who makes all that pizza? Well, Lots of […]
