Dear Bakers and Friends,
Welcome to the May 2024 issue of Betterbaking.com which is also the 27th year anniversary of my site. Betterbaking.com was launched in May 1997 or as I like to say, at the end of the last century.
At the outset, I had something called a ‘webmaster’ which is now just called ‘technical support’ aka just me as it turns out. Most technical support is usually an entire technical team versus the old days of a lone geeky person who often controlled websites they managed, much to the chagrin their creators and hosts. Back then, between freelance writing and teaching baking, I cobbled together a rustic site full of my accrued and new content from my years as a food writer freelancer. I was a first-time cookbook author the year I began this site and my concept for BB was to be literary in style, somewhat modeled after the esoteric look of Cook’s Magazine. It was driven by the finest baking recipes I could create and to that I tried to offer a comfortable hosting ‘voice’ that could stand out in this turbulent sea called the Internet. For years after launch I courageously and energetically featured over thirty recipes a month! What was I thinking? Even now, I never pace myself.
Part of what motivated me was the notion that something magical would occur, i.e. I would be bought out by the Food Network and be retained just to eat bon-bons and imagine new content leaving the ‘business’ and technical part of BB to other capable hands. A lot of creatives have that hope that there’s an external rescue on the way. I think many of live our lives as if a calvary is on the way! But I learned both as a single mother as well as a self-employed person, there's no cavalry which is of course, is disappointing. But on the upside is you get braver, stronger and stop waiting or otherwise looking in the distance. Instead you dig in and go forth. I also became my own webmaster and I suppose, my own cavalry.
Eventually (like two decades in) I pared down the recipe offerings because let’s face it, who has time to make thirty new recipes a month (I guess I did). I realized that while it might have been entertaining I was overwhelming my guests and wearing myself out; besides which the Food Network wasn’t noticing.
What I needed and wanted was to go back to basics, i.e. to share with other bakers and hopefully teach some tricks of the trade so you could bake better. I still try and keep things simple and personal and I believe I’ve succeeded with the latter at least. And this my friends, is where you find me on this fine May morning.
Speaking of the seasons, what did I say a few issues ago when it came to describing the months? March is a curmudgeon, April is a coquette and May, my dears, is the lovely, light debutant of the spring ball. May is sweet. merry and ladylike. Her palette is all about light greens of asparagus, lily of the valley white and the blushing tones of rhubarb and strawberries. May is also the traditional tea time in the BB kitchen and my own home. There’s new Hallmark series of Jane Austen movies, Bridgeton is unveiling its third season, there’s Cinco di Mayo, Greek Easter and my birthday all beckoning. I’m celebrating my birthday with an afternoon private tango class with a friend and a favorite teacher of ours and then more tango afterwards. There are some not-so-subtle hints and whispers about a family dinner and hopefully, cake! It will be a full and beautiful day, rain or shine.
Come to tea with Betterbaking and me. Take out your best China or visit a Good Will or Facebook Marketplace and splurge on a bone China tea cup. Never settle for one with cracks – the cracks aka as ‘craising’ can also be home to bacteria – use them as a planter if you like however. Make time, make a ceremony - celebrate you.
The recipe collection I’m offering should suit all and I hope you enjoy it.
With warm wishes for Mother's Day, Greek Easter, fellow Tauruses and just...happy Spring. Make the most of it - early spring is here and gone in a flash of a dew and sudden rain and a riot of crocuses.
Happy baking from my kitchen to yours,
Marcy Goldman
Master Baker, Author, Publisher
www.BetterBaking.com
Est. 1997
Recipe Collection for May 2024
Tollhouse Crookies
https://betterbaking.com/recipe-items/le-crookie-or-cookie-croissants/
Strawberry Cheesecake Croissants Free
https://betterbaking.com/free-recipe
Swiss Chocolate Scone Cake
https://betterbaking.com/recipe-items/swiss-chocolate-strawberry-scone-cake/
Lemon Currant Scones
https://betterbaking.com/recipe-items/madison-avenue-orange-nlemon-frosted-scones/
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