Bon Appétit

A special bonus episode this week from our friends at The Chef’s Cut podcast. Every Tuesday Top Chef alums Adrienne Cheatham and Joe Flamm share behind-the-scenes chef insights and candid conversations with people in the food industry. Recently, they caught up with Editor-in-chief of Bon Appétit and Epicurious, Jamila Robinson. They discuss what it takes for a chef to get noticed by Bon Appétit, how much testing goes into each recipe on our site and the countless hours that go into working on helping to pick the 50 Best Restaurants for North America.BA Bake Club will be back on February 3 as we tackle this month’s recipe for bagels.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

This month on BA Bake Club, hosts Jesse Szewczyk and Shilpa Uskokovic break out their whisks and create a picture perfect pavlova. It has all the top textures of a showstopping bake: It’s crunchy, it’s chewy, it’s decadent and it’s boozy. Inspired by Shilpa’s childhood favorite, Black Forest gâteau, we dive into the inbox and dig into listener questions. And Shilpa preaches about the virtue of a cracked meringue. “My point is if it cracks, it's okay,” says Shilpa. “That's really what the whipped cream and the toppings are for sure. Just patch it back together.” Watch Shilpa make her fool-proof pavlova on Instagram. 2025 James Beard award-winning cookbook author Nicola Lamb also stops by to help weigh in on what you can do with leftover egg yolks and comes up with some creative suggestions! You can find Nicola on Instagram and her Substack called Kitchen Projects. Send your questions to BA Bake Club! Find us on Substack or send us a voice memo to bakeclub@bonappetit.com.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

We like big cinnamon buns and we cannot lie. December’s Bake Club is dedicated to the tireless efforts of Shilpa Uskokovic and her creation of a giant, gooey cinnamon roll. Not only is this recipe perfect for any festive gathering, but it also has all the nostalgia of a mall food court in the 90s. Shilpa tells Jesse about her decision to include two specialty ingredients and the importance that they had in shaping the structure of the recipe. And we meet another baker we think you should know: Patrick Shaw-Kitch of Brooklyn Granary & Mill. Patrick not only bakes, but mills his own flour for his creations and tells us why we should think more about where our flour comes from and how to harness it in our bakes. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Wally Amos, the iconic founder of Famous Amos cookies, shares his rollercoaster journey from talent agent to cookie pioneer. His charisma made him a pop-culture icon, but behind the sweet facade, he dealt with personal turmoil, including five marriages and financial missteps. His daughter, Sarah Amos, navigates their complex family dynamics, revealing how her father's quest for fame and validation impacted their lives. As she uncovers his story, she grapples with the balance of celebrating his legacy while confronting the realities of his choices.

Finally, Jesse, BA's resident cookie expert, treats the Bake Club to his latest creation: Chocolate Chip Cookies With Olive Oil and Sea Salt. In this episode, Jesse and Shilpa discuss how this accidentally vegan chocolate chip cookie came together. They explore the best methods to ensure the perfect chocolate distribution in the cookie and what Jesse meant by cooking flour to the color of ‘desert sand’. Plus, listeners share how they managed with the October Bake Club treat and cookie enthusiast Dorie Greenspan (of xoxoDorie) tells us when to tap and not to tap our cookie sheets on the counter.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

This episode is from our friends at Milk Street Radio. Bon Appétit columnist Maggie Hennessy helps us navigate the new rules of dining out. Is it ever OK to take out your phone? What’s the best way to grab your server’s attention? And how fussy is too fussy?  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Hold onto your piping bags, Bake Club! In September, Jesse set bakers a showstopper-worthy challenge in his Banana Pudding Paris-Brest. In this episode, he and Shilpa break down the many worthwhile steps for making this "drag queen of French desserts." They're also joined by superstar baker Zoë François (of the ZoëBakes newsletter) to answer a listener question about conventional vs convection ovens.Recipes & Links:Pictures: Jeannine's choux tire, Elyse's choux ring, Katy's bananasZoe's Raspberry Paris-BrestJoin us on Substack!You can find all the BA Bake Club recipes, including this one, here. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

We'll say it: late summer is peak pie season. And August's Bake Club recipe - for Shilpa's cardamom-laced Peach-Blueberry Crumb Pie - provides an excellent reason to turn your oven on and crank up the AC. In this episode, Shilpa and Jesse commiserate about how frustrating pie crust seemed (at least until Shilpa developed her Actually Perfect Pie Crust), and why pre-cooking your fruit is the secret to tender, crispy crust and perfectly-set filling. They'll also answer listener questions and introduce Bake Clubbers to pie expert Erin Jeanne McDowell, author of The Book on Pie.Join us on Substack!You can find all the BA Bake Club recipes, including this one, here. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In this bonus episode of BA Bake Club, Jesse and Shilpa take the stage live at the Bell House in Brooklyn, NY to introduce a new audience to the club. They cover the rules of Bake Club and give a sample of the kinds of questions they answer on the podcast - plus share some baking horror stories of their own!Join us on Substack!Listen to the other interviews from the show on the This is TASTE podcast. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

For July's bake, you all brought out your dutch ovens to make Jesse's crusty-yet-tender Cheddar Jalepeño loaf. On this episode, Shilpa and Jesse break down the process of making this same-day, no-knead bread and answer listener questions about overnight proofing, filling options, and more!Join our new Substack chat!Watch Jesse demonstrate the stretch-and-fold process. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices