Confections of a (Closet) Master Baker: Gesine Macaroon Demo

Friday, January 30, 2009

Gesine Macaroon Demo

3 comments:

Shilpa said...: What a fun and inspiring video! I especially appreciate the bit of history you shared about the origins of your macaroon. I'd love to purchase all three flavors for my boyfriend for Valentines, is that possible? Thank you again for sharing the video! Best, Shilpa; January 30, 2009 1:57 PM
Diane said...: Oh. That makes me miss your place even more. (Not that I ever saw you on that side of the counter or that there was ever so few people in there at a time.) It's not the same going to town without you there!; January 30, 2009 6:41 PM
Ugocrazy said...: These look fantastic ! I'll need to try that sometimes :)
But I'm confused about the the name though the receipe you made here is in french Massepain (Marzipan) i believe whereas the french macarons is this : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaron

I anycase this doesn't change anything your recipe looks great and tasty :D; September 17, 2009 6:36 AM

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Library Journal Review of Confections!

LIBRARY JOURNAL

August 15, 2009

Bullock-Prado, Gesine. Confections of a Closet Master Baker: One Woman's Sweet Journey from Unhappy Hollywood Executive to Contented Country Baker. Broadway. Sept. 2009. c.240p. illus. ISBN 978-0-7679-3268-4. $24. COOKERY

Bullock-Prado chronicles her career change from schmoozing Hollywood production company executive to running a bakery in Montpelier, VT. Living in the shadow of her famous older sister, Sandy, and working with "fame-hungry bores," Bullock-Prado eventually discovered that sugar, butter, and flour could help make her happier. And so she secretly began to bake, eventually opening her own bakery in the Green Mountain State. Between hilarious descriptions of a childhood virtually free of sugar and junk food and biting contempt for the shine of Hollywood, Bullock-Prado writes touchingly of the death of her mother and her relationship with her father. Recipes are a blend of her heritage—German and American—and include German classics such as Mandelhoernchen (almond cookies), American standards, and her own creations—Golden Eggs, a kind of baked doughnut, and Starry Starry Nights, a deep bittersweet chocolate cookie. VERDICT Memoir lovers will find this a lighthearted, entertaining read filled with humor and acerbic wit; foodies will enjoy the insider's view of running a bakery. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/15/09; a pick at BEA's Librarian's Book Shout and Share program.—Ed.]—Pauline Baughman, Multnomah Cty. Lib., Portland, OR

Broadway Books Reading Group Guide for Confections of a Closet Master Baker

Broadway Books Reading Group Guide

Confections of a Closet Master Baker

A Memoir

Gesine Bullock-Prado

Hardcover • ISBN: 978-0-7679-3268-4

Introduction to the Book

In August 2004, Gesine Bullock-Prado left behind a high-powered life in Hollywood, where she had run a production company with her sister, actress Sandra Bullock. She began a new chapter in the opposite corner of America, opening a bakery in the smallest state capital in the country: Montpelier, Vermont. Trading her designer suits and imported shoes for sweatpants and mismatched socks, she embraced her true destiny, launching a production company of another sort: a gem called Gesine Confectionary, where each morning at 4 a.m., she was able to revel in the joy of baking. Celebrating her once-secret hobby, Confections of a Closet Master Baker is the story of a woman who found a new purpose—and new joy—by following her heart. Packed with recipes that have made her a celebrity in her own right, this delectable memoir reminds us of the powerful links between food and memory, especially family memories. In the tradition of the bestselling Tender at the Bone, the ingredients of Gesine’s life will delight you at every turn.

About This Guide

From Gesine’s sugar-obsessed childhood to the poignant realizations she embraces while managing eccentric employees (and customers), this is a book filled with scenes that spark good conversation. It’s also a book that is best enjoyed with one of Gesine’s magnificent sweets within easy reach, so we recommend that your book-group members try out the recipes in advance, bringing the delicious results to your gathering. The questions and discussion topics that follow will further enhance your reading of Gesine Bullock-Prado’s Confections of a Closet Master Baker. May this guide help you and your friends savor her stories.

Questions for Discussion

1. In many ways, Gesine’s recipes are a tribute to the people who have shaped her life. What memories do you bring to the kitchen when you cook? Who is the most memorable cook in your family?

2. Wisely, Gesine does not give out her macaroon recipe—her lifeblood. Are there secret recipes or secret ingredients in your repertoire? Or a recipe that never quite delivers the same results as the relative who made it famous?

3. Gesine and her husband moved from one coast to the other when they launched their new life. How does she describe each of these settings in her memoir? How does the shift from L.A. to Vermont also cause a shift in her identity?

4. Gesine celebrates the pleasure of dessert, but she is also troubled by America’s obesity problem. Discuss the points she raises about quality baking and helping children develop a healthy attitude toward sweets. What is the best way to ensure that they become neither obese nor anorexic, like many members of the Hollywood culture that Gesine had to flee?

5. Gesine shares childhood memories of stolen Oreos and craving the processed food everyone else seemed to have, while feeling ashamed of the ultra-healthy lunches her mother made for her. How does this compare to your upbringing? What are your earliest memories of food restrictions and cravings?

6. In chapter three, Gesine describes the experience of watching her father cook. While male chefs dominate the culinary world, women dominate home kitchens. Do men and women have different approaches to cooking? Is there any downside to a family in which only the women cook?

7. Gesine’s closeted hobby turned into a successful business venture. What secret hobby lurks in your daydreams? What would it take for you to pursue it fulltime, embarking on a new path in life? Would it spoil the fun if you turned your hobby into a business venture?

8. What is Gesine’s approach to long workdays and the pursuit of perfection in baking? Why might this be excruciating under different circumstances? What is the key to finding joy in work—even very difficult work?

9. Describe your response to the tragedy Gesine confronted when her mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness. What ironies lie in her mother’s final indulgence in decadent foods, while Gesine coped by becoming a runner? What can these scenes teach us about savoring life?

10. Gesine captures the challenges and triumphs she encountered when handling the baking for her sister’s wedding. If she were going to bake for your wedding, what would you order?

11. Confections of a Closet Master Baker describes the generations of women, in America and abroad, who have shaped Gesine. What legacies have they given her? What have they taught her about being a fulfilled woman?

12. In your community, is there a gathering spot like Gesine Confectionary? If so, which of her customers reminds you most of yourself?

13. Would Confections of a Closet Master Baker be a useful addition to the business-book section? How does this author define a “successful” business? What is refreshing about her missteps—steeped in honesty—with the media and order fulfillment, and with customers who don’t pronounce her name correctly? What could corporate America learn from her approach to human-resource management?

14. Gesine’s recipes very much capture her cultural heritage. What ancestries would be reflected if you were to write a memoir packed with recipes?

15. Besides satisfying customers’ sweet tooths, what other hungers were fed at Gesine Confectionary?

About the Author

Gesine Bullock-Prado’s delicious confections have been featured on the Food Network’s hottest new show, “Road Tasted with the Neelys,” and in such publications as InStyle and People. The Montpelier shop is now closed while Gesine prepares to launch another bakery—this time in Austin, Texas. Visit her blog at http://confectionsofamasterbaker.blogspot.com/

Confections of a (Closet) Master Baker

Friday, January 30, 2009

Gesine Macaroon Demo

3 comments:

Pronounce it like a Kraut.

Library Journal Review of Confections!

NEW Confections of a Closet Master Baker Trailer!

MACAROON ALERT!

Order "Confections of a Closet Master Baker

Random House Author Q&A

Confections of a Closet Master Baker mini-book trailer

Gesine Slideshow

Links

twitter

Twitter Updates

Watch the Macaroon Demo!

Link to Gesine Confectionary Time Lapse!

Join Confections on Facebook

Baker's Hotline! Well, email...

Recipes! Click on the Recipe and Ye Shall Receive

Resident Baker Elf

Broadway Books Reading Group Guide for Confections of a Closet Master Baker

Press!

Ray's Most Excellent Video

A few thoughtful titles for your cookbook shelf

Blog Archive

Best. Clock. Ever.

BlogCatalog

Confections of a (Closet) Master Baker

Friday, January 30, 2009

Gesine Macaroon Demo

3 comments:

Pronounce it like a Kraut.

Library Journal Review of Confections!

NEW Confections of a Closet Master Baker Trailer!

MACAROON ALERT!

Order "Confections of a Closet Master Baker

Random House Author Q&A

Confections of a Closet Master Baker mini-book trailer

Gesine Slideshow

Links

twitter

Twitter Updates

Watch the Macaroon Demo!

Link to Gesine Confectionary Time Lapse!

Join Confections on Facebook

Baker's Hotline! Well, email...

Recipes! Click on the Recipe and Ye Shall Receive

Resident Baker Elf

Broadway Books Reading Group Guide for Confections of a Closet Master Baker

Press!

Ray's Most Excellent Video

A few thoughtful titles for your cookbook shelf

Blog Archive

Best. Clock. Ever.

Subscribe To

BlogCatalog