Welcome, dough devotees, carb connoisseurs, and those of you who just came for the puns! On this episode of Yeast of My Concerns, we dive deep into the romance of baking with the incomparable Michelle Wright, author of Whisk Me Away: A Cookbook of Romance and Celebrations. This cookbook promises to transport readers to magical places through the power of butter and sugar—so naturally, I have some pressing questions. Let’s get whisked away!
Q: Your cookbook is called Whisk Me Away—so let’s start there. If you could be literally whisked away to any kitchen in the world, past or present, where would it be and what would you bake?
Michelle: I would love to be in England in Mary Berry’s kitchen and we would be making a Victorian Sponge for our dinner party
Q: What’s the most dramatic baking disaster you’ve ever had? Bonus points if there was smoke involved.
Michelle: There are so many that it is hard to choose from, but one that I remember the most is not necessarily a baking disaster, but when I was making homemade caramels for the first time, I cooked the caramels way past hard-boiling and had a heck of a time getting them out of the greased pan. When I finally got them out of the pan, they fell on the floor and I thought I had chipped the floor they hit it so hard. And the caramels were so overcooked, they stayed in the same shape that they came out of the pan! But I learned to never give up and to keep trying.
Q: We have to address the most divisive issue in baking: Do you pronounce it ‘car-a-mel’ or ‘care-a-mel’? Because frankly, the fate of this interview depends on your answer.
Michelle: I pronounce it ‘car-a-mel’, but will not judge anyone on how they say it.
Q: They say cooking is an art and baking is a science, but I personally think baking is a science run by chaos gremlins. What’s one ‘unbreakable baking rule’ that you absolutely break?
Michelle: You can never have add too much vanilla extract or chocolate in any form.
Q: Who was your baking Yoda—the wise, flour-dusted soul who first showed you the magic of mixing butter and sugar? And did they, at any point, dramatically whisper, ‘The whisk chooses the baker’?
Michelle: It is hard to remember exactly who first showed me the magic. I come from a long list of cooks and bakers on both sides of the family. I did live only a mile away from one of my grandma’s and I loved going over and baking chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, or making orange julius. All three of the recipes are in the same cookbook and when my grandma passed away, I got that cookbook.
Q: Every baker has a ‘comfort bake’—that one thing they can make in their sleep, in a power outage, or possibly while being chased by a bear. What’s yours?
Michelle: Lemon bars. I have made them for years and it is a favorite among my friends and family.
Q: In your expert opinion, what’s the most underrated baking ingredient? And isn’t it ALWAYS butter?
Michelle: Butter is one, but infused olive oils and infused balsamics can really make any recipe soar. I have quite the collection of both infused olive oils and balsamics and use them all the time in salads, desserts, soups, meat dishes, almost everything.
Q: If you were a pastry, what would you be? And follow-up: What baked good would you absolutely never date?
Michelle: I would be a strawberry mille-feuille with chocolate sauce on top. We have a local bakery that makes them and they are my favorite. -And follow-up: What baked good would you absolutely never date? Anything with coconut. I don’t like coconut. However, I do have friends and family who love coconut so I will still make desserts for them with coconut in them. One of them is the coconut cake that is in the cookbook. It is a fan favorite.
Q: You get to throw a fantasy dinner party with three famous chefs, bakers, or foodies (dead or alive). Who’s on your guest list, and what’s on the menu?
Michelle: Mary Berry, Paula Deen, and Julia Child. We would each pick two or three of our best dishes and share. It would be a potluck feast!
Q: Talk to me about the viral ‘snackle box.’
Michelle: We have charcuterie boards in the cookbook and the “snackle box” is a perfect charcuterie board for road trips, flights, picnics, hikes, anywhere on the go. And they can be customized however you like. You could do a holiday, healthy, sweet and salty, all fruit and nuts, veggies, mix and match. Anything to make it your own “snackle box”. Perfect for one, or for sharing.
Final Thoughts: If I could share advice with anyone, it is to have fun! Enjoy the food and simplicity is beautiful. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you are hosting a dinner party, picnic, food for family, friends, or just yourself, put your touch on it. Make it yours. Don’t be afraid to try new things and make a recipe yours. That is the best part of cooking/baking for me. It is my creative outlet and the way I show love.
NEW! Whisk Me Away: A Cookbook of Romance and Celebrations: Drawing inspiration from the beloved Proper Romance novels, explore a selection of more than eighty delectable recipes along with historical games and fashion and etiquette tips perfect for crafting your own romance-themed soirée.
