Looking at my site stats and comment tallies a normal person might be lulled into the illusion that absolutely nobody is reading this blog. But I’m not stupid. I know there are actually legions of you guys out there, hanging on my every word, all wondering: Joe, can expensive Danish butter really be that much […]

The tarte tatin was just so-so. The Pie and Pastry Bible method, which calls for macerating the fruit in sugar for half an hour to an hour, softens the fruit up so much that the apple slices are nearly reduced to applesauce by the time the whole thing’s over. I’ll give it this though, it […]

Puff pastry, how do I love thee…? Your one thousand butterty layers can be put to one thousand sweet or savory uses. Frozen, you are a tart crust, pot pie topper, batch of hors d’oeuvres or Beef Wellington wrap waiting to happen. Your scraps can be made into everything from galettes to Alsatian onion tarts […]

Below is a list of Joe Pastry-recommended books. I own almost all of them, and those I don’t I covet. They’re listed in the order I suggest you acquire them. I receive all recommendations with great enthusiasm. Core Books for the Home Pastry Enthusiast: The Cake Bible, Rose Levy Berenbaum The Pie and Pastry Bible, […]

Below is a list of Joe Pastry (and reader)-recommended books. Though the collection is mostly intended as a resource for bakers and pastry enthusiasts, books on general cookery will also be included. Any and all recommendations will be enthusiastically received. For the pastry enthusiast:

…is a guy who believes that if a man feels like whipping up a nice almond cocoa genoise or a few madeleines, well…he should be able to. And if he feels like talking a little science or history along the way…well, what harm does that do anyone? Joe was born and raised in Chicago. He […]