Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio The Baker Who Made Julia Child Cry: Nancy Silverton's Recipes Will Change Your Life
Nov 14, 2025
Nancy Silverton, a celebrated baker and founder of La Brea Bakery, shares the unforgettable moment she made Julia Child cry with her stunning brioche tart. She dives into her innovative techniques for perfecting classics like cornbread and angel food cake, emphasizing texture and flavor. J.M. Hirsch discusses a delicious Korean stir-fried chicken with rice recipe, highlighting its simplicity and flavor. Together, they explore the art of reworking traditional recipes, making baking accessible and exciting for everyone.
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Slow Proof To Scale Bread Baking
- If baking many loaves, slow the proof by chilling braided loaves in a cooler until ready.
- Bring them out to finish proofing just before baking to prevent overproofing earlier loaves.
Steam Then Sauté Green Beans
- Steam trimmed green beans briefly with a lid, then remove the lid and sauté to finish.
- This two-step method broadens the doneness window and allows you to add flavorful sauces.
Losing Money In The Madoff Scandal
- Nancy Silverton lost significant La Brea Bakery proceeds in the Madoff scandal and learned resilience.
- She kept working, leaned on her ongoing paycheck, and reframed the loss as a life lesson that opened new routes.
