Currently Baking: Banana Bread from Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery + Cafe by Joanne Chang with Christie Matheson; photographs by Keller + Keller
Reader/Baker: Lily Goldstein, Circulation
Image retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/8190925
What's it about?
This cookbook is by Joanne Chang, the owner and pastry chef at Boston’s Flour Bakery + Cafe. What sets this book apart is her emphasis on technique. I appreciate how clearly she communicates how to combine ingredients together, revealing tricks that other cookbooks might forget to mention.
What inspired you to pick it up?
I’ve picked up goodies from Flour Bakery + Cafe while wandering around Boston in the past. These days, I really miss running those kinds of errands, so I was thrilled to find this cookbook on Libby (and Overdrive).
Have you learned anything new?
What sets this Banana Bread apart from other recipes I’ve tried in the past isn’t what goes into the bread, but rather how you combine ingredients. I’ve learned to put more care into my bread -- for a fantastic and flavorful payoff!
Are you liking it?
So so much! The bread turned out to be very moist, not too dense, and had a pleasantly soft crust. One thing to note: I used greek yogurt instead of crème fraîche, though sour cream works as well. Additionally, If you’re not in the mood for Banana Bread, I’d recommend the Ginger Molasses Cookies or the Cornmeal-Lime Cookies from this book.
Where can I find it?
This cookbook is accessible on Overdrive and Libby. If you’d like to place a hold on a physical copy to be picked up after we reopen, here is a link to the listing in our catalog.