500: Christina Tosi Ranks Those Very Special Reese's
Nov 25, 2024
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Christina Tosi, the founder of Milk Bar and author of 'Bake Club,' joins the conversation. She shares insights on what makes for a great weekend baking project, perfect for busy home bakers. Tosi reflects on her transformative cooking habits and fond memories from the Momofuku days. The highlight? A fun ranking of seasonal Reese's treats that stirs nostalgia and laughter. The hosts also touch on exciting trends in the culinary world, including unique restaurant previews and innovative baking techniques.
Christina Tosi emphasizes the importance of accessible baking in her new cookbook 'Bake Club,' which aims to simplify the baking process for everyone.
Reflecting on her move to Nashville, Tosi appreciates its vibrant culinary scene and the sense of community it fosters through food.
The podcast highlights Tosi's innovative approach to baking by encouraging the use of unexpected ingredients, transforming traditional recipes into creative culinary experiences.
Deep dives
Taste Bud Formation at the Grocery Store
Taste preferences are heavily shaped by experiences in grocery stores, as they serve as a common ground for many Americans. Shopping in these aisles often introduces individuals to diverse foods and flavors, thus forming their culinary identities. The conversation emphasizes not taking food too seriously, suggesting that food exploration can be enjoyable and liberating. This approach also reflects the overarching theme of the new cookbook, which celebrates a lighthearted attitude toward baking and cooking.
Christina Tosi and Bake Club
Christina Tosi, the founder of Milk Bar, discusses her latest cookbook, 'Bake Club,' which evolved from her pandemic baking sessions. The cookbook aims to demystify baking and emphasizes its accessibility, featuring recipes that range from simple basics to elaborate desserts. Tosi encourages readers to embrace baking as a means of community engagement and personal expression. She highlights that baking can be a joyful, stress-relieving activity, fostering connections regardless of the circumstances.
Nashville Culinary Scene
Tosi shares her recent move to Nashville, praising its vibrant culinary landscape and sense of community. She mentions frequent outings to local restaurants, where she enjoys both the lively food scene and home cooking. Her interactions with prominent local chefs enhance her dining experience, providing her with insights into the city’s unique flavor combinations. The shift to Nashville represents not just a geographical change for her family, but also a new chapter filled with culinary potential and opportunities to celebrate local food culture.
Innovative Recipes and Ingredients
During the conversation, Tosi introduces various creative recipes from her cookbook that incorporate unexpected ingredients like mayonnaise in cakes and bugle chips in dessert bars. The discussion delves into how traditional baking can be transformed by reimagining classic recipes with innovative elements. Tosi highlights the versatility of ingredients, explaining that even common pantry items can yield exciting new flavor experiences. This perspective encourages bakers to think outside the box and explore their own creative culinary expressions.
The Future of Milk Bar and Community Engagement
As Tosi celebrates the anniversary of Milk Bar, she expresses enthusiasm for future projects and community outreach through baking. The bakery remains committed to democratizing dessert and bringing joy into people's lives through innovative and accessible treats. New ventures are in the pipeline, including expanding the brand and experimenting with limited-time menu items. Tosi's passion for engaging with her audience through both online platforms and physical locations continues to strengthen the connection between her brand and dessert lovers everywhere.
It’s our 500th episode! Thank you to everyone who has been following along since 2018 and to those who are brand-new to our universe. We had to mark this big episode with one of our absolute favorites in the world of baking, business, and cookbook writing. Christina Tosi is the founder of the singular Milk Bar bakery and the author of many must-own cookbooks. Her latest is her best one yet: Bake Club: 101 Must-Have Moves for Your Kitchen tackles all the baking questions (and perhaps struggles) home bakers might have. We talk about what makes a great weekend baking project and how some recipes are ideal for the time-strapped. Tosi talks about the good-old Momofuku days and how a big life change is making her rethink her own cooking habits. Also, the holiday Reese's ranked! Thank you again for all the wonderful messages over the years! We love hearing from you and bringing you our show a couple times each week.
Also on the show, it’s the return of Three Things where Aliza and Matt discuss what is exciting in the world of restaurants, cookbooks, and the food world as a whole. On this episode: Aliza's birthday, including trips to Pastis and the Alvin Ailey retrospective at The Whitney, the Baldor x The Sussmans collab is really fun, as is The Shirtosphere. Also, a box grater PSA, Malcolm Livingston II's August Novelties is incredible, JJ Johnson is previewing a cool new restaurant concept, Aquavit's bar room menu is the perfect way to try high-caliber Swedish cooking in NYC.
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