Sweet Stories- and a Giveaway!

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The Secret Life of Baked Goods

Did you know that Duncan Hines cake mixes are named after an actual person, while Betty Crocker was simply the figment of someone’s imagination in the marketing department at General Mills?  Boston Cream Pie is not a pie at all, but a cake?  Whoopie Pies are not pies, but cookies?  An Anzac biscuit is not a biscuit, but a cookie?  Chocolate “chips” were never meant to be a chip at all?  German chocolate is not from Germany, but named after its inventor, Samuel German? And the most amusing, which part of an animal cracker (which is not a cracker, but a cookie) children bite off first?  These and other questions are answered in Jessie Oleson Moore’s delightful new book, along with dozens of luscious recipes.

Baked Goods program sign

Popular blogger of CakeSpy and self-proclaimed “Dessert Detective,” Jessie Oleson Moore was a guest speaker at our local library program of “Chef Series,” where chefs and authors come to promote their books and sign copies for the audience.  As I entered the program room, Jessie was setting up the table of sweets, which were some delicious cupcakes from Swirlz in Chicago.

Baked Goods cupcakes in box

Baked Goods cupcake box

Baked Goods book with cupcakes

Baked Goods author holding book half shot

Jessie Oleson Moore proudly showing her book.

Jessie looked very familiar to me and as we spoke, I realized we had met at the last Pillsbury Bake-Off where we both attended as media.  We talked a little about the Bake-Off until the program began.  The packed room listened as Jessie talked about the baked goods and their history that we all know and love, including cakes, pies, cookies, brownies, desserts, and commercial products like Twinkies and Suzy-Q’s (yes, there was a real Suzy!).  Cookbook authors are almost always asked what is their favorite dish, and in this case, baked good.  Answer?  Hummingbird Cake. (google it!)

Baked Goods pile of books

As I was walking up to the table to the table to buy the book, it occurred to me that I have not had a book giveaway in a long time, so I bought two.  Now is your chance to own this little gem of a book, and I even had it autographed for you!  Leave me a comment here on the blog and tell me- ” What is your favorite baked good?”  Is it a family favorite or something from your childhood bought at the grocery store?  Something grandma made or you make yourself?  A restaurant specialty?  Let me know and you will be entered in the drawing.  Enter by 11:59 pm,  Thursday, June 6th, and I will announce the winner on next Friday’s blog on June 7th.  Good luck!   Jessie will be delighted that you will own her book!

Baked Goods author holding book facing camera

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41 Responses to Sweet Stories- and a Giveaway!

  1. May 28, 2013 at 7:51 am #

    What an interesting book! I always want to know the stories behind the dishes. I’m not a dessert-aholic, but I can’t resist anything that includes apples. I’d have to say that an apple pie or tarte tatin, still warm from the oven, is my favorite sweet treat. Or, perhaps, bread pudding New Orleans style. Or anything chocolate. I guess I’m more of a sweets person than I thought I was.

    • May 28, 2013 at 9:32 am #

      I think everyone loves sweets in some shape or form!

  2. May 28, 2013 at 7:56 am #

    I think the scones at my restaurant are the winner. Buttery, moist, not too sweet, positively addictive. We have people call to reserve them and sell out sometimes whole they are still in the oven!!!! So, next time you’re in Reno, come see us!!!!!!! We’ve been on Food Network!!!!

    Dishcafecatering.com

    • May 28, 2013 at 9:33 am #

      Your scones sound delicious!

  3. May 28, 2013 at 8:33 am #

    I love lemon bars which when I make my brother ends up eating them all. I usually have to hide them for others.
    The tangy lemony taste is just perfect with sweet French vanilla or latte.

    • May 28, 2013 at 9:33 am #

      I love lemon bars, too.

  4. May 28, 2013 at 9:11 am #

    I’d say my favorite baked good is carrot cake. I love the flavors in it and cream cheese icing tops it off perfectly! Subtly sweet and the warmth of the spices make it my favorite.

    • May 28, 2013 at 9:34 am #

      I agree, Maxine! Carrot cake has wonderful spices.

  5. May 28, 2013 at 9:20 am #

    Love Jessie’s turquoise look. I recently had the most yummy carrot cake oatmeal sandwich cookie filled with a cream cheese frosting.

    • May 28, 2013 at 9:35 am #

      Lisa, Jessie said she loves turquoise, too. At the program, she even had on turquoise tights!

  6. May 28, 2013 at 9:28 am #

    My favorite is Crème Brulee – sweet or savory.

    • May 28, 2013 at 9:36 am #

      Oh, Mary Louise…. we are soul sisters. Crème Brulee is my favorite, too.

  7. May 28, 2013 at 9:46 am #

    Love her look and would love her book!

    • May 28, 2013 at 10:36 am #

      Jessie is as sweet as she looks, and so is her book!

  8. May 28, 2013 at 11:22 am #

    Rhubarb pie is a family favorite. NOT strawberry+rhubarb, just rhubarb. Whenever it’s in season, it’s coming out of my oven. We had three this weekend! 😉

  9. May 28, 2013 at 11:38 am #

    Although I do love a good dessert, my favorite baked good is a nice warm slab of cornbread.

  10. May 28, 2013 at 12:17 pm #

    My favorite dessert is surprise cupcakes. My mother always made them on the first day of school and had them waiting for me when I walked in the door. Chocolate, cream cheese, and chocolate chips!

  11. May 28, 2013 at 12:33 pm #

    I’m torn between three and i cannot choose which i love best. One is usually homemade: those wonderful hamantaschen cookies. Also i recently fell in love with apricot newtons and they’re perfect when the baking spirit cant be found. The third is a slice or two of honey cake, a simple treat that makes me smile.

  12. May 28, 2013 at 12:44 pm #

    Jessie is so sweet–I met her at the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn a few years ago! I would just love this book! Growing up, we made funfetti box cake for every birthday, holiday, etc. To this day, if I show up at my grandfather’s home with a cake that’s not funfetti, he looks disappointed. xo

  13. May 28, 2013 at 12:49 pm #

    Cardamom coffee cake is my favorite baked good as of late. Now, if I can just recreate Solstice Cafe’s recipe…

  14. May 28, 2013 at 1:20 pm #

    Good to connect with you again, Debbie! My favorite is from a very old Joy of Cooking book. It’s the receipe for Caramels that my mother would cook to the soft stage, put pecans in, put it in a buttered 9×13 pan, cool it for a bit then hand out three spoons. We would all dig in to the soft and gooey caramel. We always tried to finish the pan before the caramel could harden! It does bring back great memories when my sister and I get together and make the caramels. Delicous!

  15. May 28, 2013 at 2:17 pm #

    I love chocolate cake and pecans cookies.
    Your book looks awesome!

  16. May 28, 2013 at 4:28 pm #

    Looks like an interesting book. My favorite is a family recipe cake that has a light chocolate cake with a cooked caramel icing!

  17. May 28, 2013 at 4:31 pm #

    Super tart key lime pie is my all time favorite!

  18. May 28, 2013 at 4:49 pm #

    My great grandma’s oatmeal raisin cookies. I wish I could make them like she did. Staciele AT netins DOT net

  19. May 28, 2013 at 7:45 pm #

    I’d have to say oatmeal chocolate chip pecan cookies, hands down. The best way to eat it? Unbaked. With a spoon. No shame.

  20. May 29, 2013 at 9:58 am #

    Italian creme cake is my favorite……cream cheese, pecans, YUM!! Actually, anything with creme cheese frosting becomes my favorite 🙂

  21. May 30, 2013 at 11:23 am #

    My ultimate favorite baked good is Pineapple Mandarin Cake. It’s *Delicious*

  22. May 30, 2013 at 2:28 pm #

    Is it open only to US residents? However, I like anything chocolate!

    • May 30, 2013 at 6:48 pm #

      Hi Enrica- I’m so sorry! I should have made that clear. Unfortunately, due to the high postage cost of mailing a heavy package outside of the country, I’m afraid that I must keep the drawing to residents of the USA only. But I am so happy you wrote, and I agree – anything chocolate is good!

      • May 31, 2013 at 3:19 pm #

        It’s ok. I love your blog!

        • June 3, 2013 at 7:49 am #

          Thank you, Enrica! That’s so nice to hear! Where are you from? I love my overseas readers!

          • June 5, 2013 at 3:55 pm #

            I’m from Italy. I live in Modena, the town of Ferrari and Pavarotti.

          • June 6, 2013 at 6:09 pm #

            I would love to visit Modena, Enrica. I went on a wine tour of Southern Italy and Sicily and fell completely in love with your country. I hope to go back someday. I still dream about that trip.

  23. May 31, 2013 at 1:38 pm #

    Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies…PERFECTION!

  24. May 31, 2013 at 1:38 pm #

    As cliche as it is, my Grandma’s homemade chocolate chip cookies are still my favorite. They always have a taste that I can’t capture and were my favorite consistency. A little crisp on the edge and chewy on the center. They stay like that for days, if they manage to last that long. Obviously there’s grandma mmagic when it comes to bakes goods.

  25. May 31, 2013 at 1:45 pm #

    I adore chocolate mousse cake from any good bakery!

  26. May 31, 2013 at 2:14 pm #

    My aunt’s Frozen Lemon Pie.

  27. June 2, 2013 at 7:59 am #

    My favorite dessert – Hot Fudge Sundae.
    I am very honored that Cake Spy posted my recipe from the 45th Pillsbury Bake-Off, even though it was breakfast and not dessert.
    http://www.cakespy.com/blog/2012/3/6/pillsbury-bake-off-countdown-key-lime-pie-cinnamon-rolls.html
    I even wore turquoise glasses (on the inside) at the Pillsbury Bake-Off! – Not knowing that Cake Spy was there and liked that color too!

  28. June 2, 2013 at 11:55 pm #

    My favorite baked good is a homemade scone! I love how versatile they can be. I love baking them, and I love eating them.

  29. June 6, 2013 at 9:14 am #

    I love most baked goods, and my favorite seems to vary by the day. However, you can’t beat a good old chocolate chip cookie with walnuts!

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