Fave Reads of 2018 (#Bestof2018)

Well, this has been in my queue for a good year so I guess no better time then the present. I had said the only reliable post I do for my blog is an annual reading one and apparently that’s a big ole lie. Or at least it was the year an anthology I edited was published (which is quite good if I say so myself). Anywho, here you have it! Of the 60 books I read in 2018 there was a lot of fiction and nonfiction and, sadly, not as much poetry. So once again I made a vow for the upcoming year to read more poetry (spoiler: I do read more!).

Here they are in no particular order. You may have read many of these already, and I’ll note that not all were published in 2018 (a couple pubbed in 2019 and I had access thanks to ARCs).

Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi (2019) - This was my first foray into Oyeyemi’s writing and may I say it is wonderful! Her writing! Her characters! Her/Their wit! Just so freaking good. I found myself laughing out loud and staying up late (since I wasn’t able to sleep in Marrakech). When I got a chance to speak to her about this book I found Oyeyemi to be increasingly personable and kind. So yeah I’ll be reading ALL her books. She has another one on the horizon in a couple years.

Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob (2019) - One of the best books of 2019 (you’ll see the lists) and it’s completely warranted. Whenever I discuss this book with anyone they are hands down enamored with the execution and also relating to the tangible ways Jacobs conveys a lot of emotions that conflict and also combine to make us human and, hopefully, more aware. Such an essential work and I hope it continues to get as many accolades as it deserves. I was so glad to speak to her about this book pre-pub. Also give it as gifts this holiday season! Lord knows it’ll help or at least serve as an entrypoint for some tough conversations.

Becoming by Michelle Obama (2018) - I was gifted a copy and the opportunity to hear Obama speak at Barclay’s end of 2018 so I’ll just say I was smitten! Ghostwriter or not this sounds like Michelle Obama from the first to the last page. Her experience and the weight of it, the way she and Barack Obama first met, her trajectory as wife, mother, and soon First Lady. Wow. We get to see her as her and it’s a gift to do so.

Can We All Be Feminists? edited by June Eric-Udorie (2018) - I ended up loving this collection and the thought/care Eric-Udorie put behind it as an editor. She and I also spoke about editing an anthology and doing one around feminism in a time when it feels like the interwebs constantly discusses feminism in ways that are helpful (and hurtful) is a huge task. It is not easy at all. And Eric-Udorie adds a lot of elements of dissection, privilege, and awareness throughout of what we need to be thinking of when it comes to intersectional feminism, not solely feminism. Highly recommend this one to all.

Forget It by Anastascia-Renée  (2017) - Poetry! I had the pleasure of meeting Anastascia-Renée during a tour stop in Seattle where she hosted and I got her book which is WOW. Incisive and so damn insightful when it comes to the growth of self beyond relationships as well as in the midst of a break up. This is the book I recommend to those going through a hard time or having gone through it to feel that kinship. That’s what the best books do.

Saga Volumes 8 & 9 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (2017 & 2018) - All I have to say is GODDAMN it how could it end like this and then go on hiatus??? HOW DARE THEY! That is all…for now.

We Are Never Meeting in Real Life: Essays by Samantha Irby (2017) - I’m mad I waited to read this one. It was a splurge by at my local indie since I had heard so much and really wanted some humor in my life. I usually don’t love humor books but I loved this one! Funny and not saccharine sweet. Irby gets real to the point her and her feline get into it even as it says it’s goodbye. Irby has more to come in 2020 so buckle up y’all.

Junk by Tommy Pico (2018) - Hearing Pico read this in-person is its own experience. One I highly recommend. Reading it yourself, with Pico’s voice ringing in your head, is also beneficial to absorb how relationships, sense of self, and junk it’s most tangible form are part of our lives always. His trilogy ended this year with FEED (so I am gonna make a plan to read/re-read these all in one to get the full effect).

Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon (2018) - Laymon’s most personal book to date is mostly in 2nd person and it works to really get you in there. The heaviness of Heavy exudes the many facets of what we carry with us and how over time. It’s hard to sum a book up like this beyond saying it’s crucial reading and something you don’t forget. You cannot, and hopefully in the analysis and remembrance we grow as people to learn more about those around us and ourselves. Kiese and I also had a heavy (no pun intended) convo about this book and writing “truth.”

The Reckonings by Lacy M. Johnson (2018) - The titular essay is what got me seeking this book out. I heard Johnson read it at a conference and I immediately knew I had to read this all. Privilege, justice, feminism are all thematic elements but Reckonings is so much more than the idea of themes, it’s about what’s affecting people and how. We can all relate to the material and there are hard things to hear within these essays, it’s all essential and it’s all candid and beautifully written. I cannot recommend this book enough. You can read me gush a bit about it in an interview with Lacy last year.

She Would Be King by Wayétu Moore (2018) - I got the chance to read Moore’s book twice for conversations last fall and it’s even better on the re-read! The ways Moore ties in an intraracial story with speculative elements, slavery, and the how privilege (there’s that word again) comes into play in and out of cultures is expansive and really detailed. The stories come together in ways that are not predictable and you want to continue this journey with everyone far beyond the ending.

Love War Stories by Ivelisse Rodriguez (2018) - Viva la short story! A finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Prize earlier this year I am a huge fan of Rodriguez’s debut collection. I mean wowza, the range in voices, perspectives, and scope. Love War Stories really does have love as the thruline in all it’s iterations from the beauty of it to the pain and fear that comes with it. I heartily recommend this collection to all. One of the best of 2018.

Maid by Stephanie Land (2019) - Land’s memoir would become a NYT best seller at the very beginning of 2019 and deservedly so. It’s a close-up view to poverty that not a lot of people know about. Myself included in these days. The ways that the system really screws you and how poverty is defined by state/federal levels. People are struggling even when employed, so let’s look more at our systems and less at the people just trying to make it day by day.

Black No More by George S. Schuyler (reissued 2018) - Bring on the satire! I had not read Schuyler before and actually assigned this book as part of a Harlem Renaissance reading group I lead this fall because it' deserves to be read/discussed! It goes there in a way that definitely has a definitive mission and, at the same time, has a lot to say about race relations and the ways in which Black people navigate the world of privilege and the ways in which power and hierarchy are always present even when we’re “on the same playing field.”

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (2014) - I’m late to reading this Pulitzer Prize winner but the writing itself is so intricate and so spare. Some chapters are as short as one page and not a detail as lost! I do not know a lot about WWII beyond the perfunctory teachings from school. But this world that he provides and the people encapsulated within a true tragedy bridges something really necessary in seeing/feeling details and recognizing how much was lost.

Listen, Slowly by Thanhha Lai (2015) - I teach this book as much as I can because the voice is tremendous! So funny! So sweet! So snarky! I love it! A trip to Vietnam brings about a lot of family discoveries, not necessarily secrets but an appreciation for history and culture that the protagonist learns being a privileged American and not knowing enough about their heritage and how much it means to her gram who is on a journey for some answers post-war.

You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino (2018) - You may notice a trend in me admiring these books around privilege but that doesn’t mean they’re heavily “message-y”. Gino’s Jilly P! is fun, sweet, and humorous as well as serious when it counts. Jilly has a lot to learn, as does her family. With a new baby on the way who is hearing impaired Gino wants to look at race and ableism and ally-ship for middle graders. This is just the book that doesn’t talk down to them because it’s constantly engaging them.

Tradition by Brendan Kiely (2018) - So happy to read the latest from Kiely which looks at privilege in a boarding school from a place of patriarchy and financial status among other things. I love how Kiely approaches privilege from two perspectives and how he doesn’t dismiss those who helped people learn along the way. This is a story that doesn’t sugarcoat how the world works, sadly. So expect some real honesty here, and that’s something young people need.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (2018) - The Poet X pretty much won every award there was to win in 2018 to 2019 (including the first POC to win a Carnegie Medal for Children’s Lit). Acevedo’s debut really stems from the personal connection and the lyrical style (it’s a novel-in-verse) and because poetry is her home base as a slam poet it certainly carries the strength and power within each poem to have us totally engrossed in Xiomara’s life and wants and struggles as a teen. It feels urgent because it is.

What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky: Stories by Lesley Nneka Arimah (2017) - Wow. Stunning. Arimah’s debut collection, as she mentioned at a writer’s conference, is actually very feminist and reading it with that broadened awareness helped me see the limitations I, and others, may put on the scope of work that is conscious socially and politically. There are speculative elements to some stories and much of it is contemporary. From hair babies to family discord this is a collection I consistently recommend to folks and one I want to emulate in it’s poignancy.

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde (reissued 2007) - Got to read this for a convo with the great Min Jin Lee and what a collection! I needed this book as an undergraduate and wish I had read it several times over in my 20s to my 30s. But now is as good a time as any to get into some Audre Lorde. Re-read her as often as you can!

Don’t Touch My Hair! by Sharee Miller (2018) - This was such a fun picture book and I’m so glad I got an advance readers copy. The journey is really well rendered for young people and my co-worker’s, now 5 year old son, loves this book! It helps teach kids about boundaries and I love Miller’s approach to doing so as a little girl wants people to stop touching her hair.

Other titles I very much enjoyed in 2018 include: An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, Heads of the Colored People by Nafissa Thompson-Spires, Betty Before X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée  Watson, Pride by Ibi Zoboi, A Lucky Man by Jamel Brinkley, and For Every One by Jason Reynolds.

Interview with Chimere of @CleanPlateCo (An intrepid owner who started a business out of a desire to feel healthier and provide that to others.)

Chimere and I met in April 2012 at the IACP Culinary & Book Expo in SoHo. I saw her sitting alone munching on some of the great eats offered and I asked if I could join her. Immediately we struck up conversation and a bond keeping in touch over the years as Clean Plate Co. has expanded throughout New York City.

This summer I finally got to partake in Chimere's menu and had her (award-winning) Shrimp & Grits at Astoria Flea bringing my friend Frances along. She and I thoroughly enjoyed this dish and if I hadn't already been a fan of Chimere as a person I was utterly smitten with her food as a chef.

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Clean Plate Co. came out of wanting to go another direction. What was the impetus for you to pursue a culinary career and also look into an alternate way of eating? Your website notes that you “ditched the unhealthy eating habits” you became used to as a student. How easy was that switch to flip once you decided to start Clean Plate Co.?

I'd say it was fairly easy to change my eating habits. Once anyone proceeds to conquer a goal, the best thing to do is prove to yourself that you can do it. Interestingly, I didn't grasp it as "I need to" or "I better start," those words alone give pressure which makes people give up before they begin. I was young, a newlywed, expecting, laid off, bored, & just wanted to be a healthy mom, while looking to kill time during the day. Visiting farmers markets and trying cookbook recipes turned into having fun, inviting friends & family over to my place and entertaining with food! It was basically about an intimate new life, softened with a newfound interest, preparing for our first child together.

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This and last summer Clean Plate Co. was at the LIC Flea (and Astoria Flea) in Queens. And just last month you won the LIC Flea’s Best Vendor Award! Congratulations! What was the dish (or dishes) that you served as part of that contest? Did you notice a trend when it came to what was particularly popular at the LIC/Astoria Fleas?

Thanks a lot! It's our first award and we're still on Cloud 9. We wanted to make vending easy for ourselves, so we like to keep it fun and pretty much "a no brainer" when it came to selection. What do people love to eat? What would they go for on a weekend, looking for grub, during any season? Comfort food of course! But not just any, ours! We've been selling our Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese since 2010 at Hell's Kitchen Flea, so the recipe is perfected after all these years. Shrimp & Grits has been a favorite in our household for just as long and we'd begun selling it last year at the Ridgewood Market. People love witnessing the preparation, smelling the aroma of Cajun butter hitting the hot skillet in addition to fresh lemon juice and sizzling, marinated wild shrimp. It reels them in and we get a kick out of it. Those two dishes alone helped us win. It's what keep clients coming back and we're proud because we really put a lot of love and time into those dishes.

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New York City can be a tough place to distinguish yourself in regards to food. What Clean Plate Co. offers is a nice distinction and even aspects of the gourmet when it comes to dishes that also feel familiar. (Your Shrimp & Grits are dynamite, by the way. Better than ones I’ve had in NYC and in South Carolina.) How much planning and experimentation goes into getting your recipes just right and making sure they stand out as part of Clean Plate’s larger mission?

I personally love color, texture, contrast in temperature, simple presentation, yet extremely attractive. My husband and I make a great team because of the Ying & Yang factor. The balance has to be right. I know what women like and he knows men. It all matters. Our dedication to introducing local produce is crucial. It's what placed us where we are because it hits close to home. Business can be perceived as technical or very cut & dry, definitely intimidating. People aren't comfortable with that. Incorporating seasonal ingredients automatically feels like home to anyone. It's nostalgia. So is building relationships with local purveyors & butchers. I'm a mom first, everyone can relate to that. I'm self-taught, so I'm planning as if I were planning for myself. I'm trying different ideas for the client. I present tastings, which are fun and build a great rapport before the event, so you know what you've paid for. That takes time, but time I'm willing to put in because people are consuming my work. I want them to be excited & extremely satisfied with a Clean Plate Co. experience.

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When we first met, Chimere, we had talked about the lack of healthy options in various areas of NYC, particularly the Bronx. And also about how much education is necessary when it comes to low-income families and those not able to afford or be around fresh, natural ingredients without preservatives as well as being able to “ditch” their own unhealthy eating habits. What are some of your recommendations for those who may want to be more active about eating healthier but may not have the resources available to them at the moment?

With experience in Food Bank of New York's Cookshop Program, in addition to their Soup Kitchen & Pantry along with volunteering my time with both children & adults has made me realize how segregated New York City's communities are. Inaccessibility to nourishment shouldn't be possible in one of America’s most resourceful cities. Helping teach kids about the biology and preparation of healthy foods was enlightening. Some were turned off from unfamiliarity, some were excited about the new information, some were actually grateful for me just being there. Being connected to the students, I was angry making my way to and from the school. Corner stores with junk food aligned along the windows, no supermarkets in site, no fruit or vegetable stands. I used to take a cab just to buy groceries, so when there's a will, there's a way. If you want a certain lifestyle, you'll go out of your way to maintain it. For some it's not so easy. Most parents work long hours and feel like they don't have time to skip around looking for the best produce, but without eating healthy, you're actually taking years off of your life. I suggest alternatives & simple coordination. Do it together, have fun with it. There's so much offered and available, we may not be used to making the effort to get what we need because all the things we shouldn't have are so convenient. Instead of soda or sugary drinks, buy mostly water or make lemonade together. Read the contents, the ingredients. We all know salt, sugar, and fat are the most detrimental, yet they’re everywhere. Make the effort to slowly eliminate what you can and when there is time take a trip and shop with your kids. There are year-round markets in some of our communities, just take the initiative & advantage. Take breaks from fast food, set challenges for your family and see the difference in your stamina and brain function! I believe the education is also extremely important, just like any other subject. This fall, I'll be presenting a Health & Beauty Workshop at the Women Mean Business Conference in Harlem, presented by SheChef.org & I'll be doing the same for children and parents at Wee Bee Kidz Day Care Center & Brooklyn.

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You don’t only create/offer savory goods. You do sweets as well. You’ve catered for events for Time Out New York and at Lincoln Center, to name a couple. When it comes to sweets what’s part of your criteria for making a good dessert? Do you still try to be healthy or really focus on it being good. For me, good includes a decent amount of butter.

There's plenty of ingredient options in baking, especially now that there's gluten issues climbing & more vegan requests. Adaptation is everything. A vegan client is not willing to sacrifice their diet for a baked good because they don't have to. There are options everywhere, sugar-free desserts, you name it. When I first began catering, it was mostly for baked goods, which meant experimenting & eating a lot of it. I knew I was in for a problem if I didn't offer options, business wise & personally. Consuming fluffy cupcakes or gooey chocolate chip cookies late at night or for lunch every other day, isn't going to help you maintain a sensible diet. Versatility is key. You can indulge once in a blue, but trying a muffin prepared with applesauce & canola oil or a cake made with coconut flour is just as delicious & not so harmful if enjoyed often.

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When you do customized parties/private dinners, how do you create the menu? Do new items come about after speaking with those that hired you or do you provide a list/taste of your offerings that may fit in line with the type of event/meal that they want? How much of it is seeing what fits for the client and making it fit for the client?

Customizing and creating menus are my favorite task. I usually "free-style," thinking of taste and colors. What flavors go together, what dishes & seasonal produce are appropriate for the event. Clients may request a dish they've tasted at a market or event. Some like our ideas, usually. We offer a variety, we also have experience in vast cultural cuisine. New items come to us after traveling, shopping around, or simply trying new dishes at home. If possible, I like to meet with the client and check out the season's best together, which is always fun. If it sounds good, clients have enough faith in us to deliver the rest. I'm so happy about that, it makes things easier on both ends.

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You’re online (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram). Are there other online venues or ways that you can be reached via social media? Are there any additional food fairs/events you’ll be appearing at soon in NYC or nearby? 

Yes, I'm also on Tumblr, CaterCow.com, Fiestah.com, Thumbtack.com, I'm working on YouTube cooking segments with my pals over at MelimeL Digital Art Design—called 'Seasonal Comfort' which focuses on comforting meals using local ingredients of the season. We anticipate holiday market vending & are really expanding for catering duties. Growing and getting better is my main goal. I converted from sole proprietor to an LLC and am ready to hire soon! So be on the lookout for all, but in the meantime, let us cater your upcoming events. Small or large, you'll have a newfound perspective on catering for sure!

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I'd Like to Introduce: @MinoritiesinPub (MiP)!

Well, this is a venture that grew out of friendly talk and then became a running joke of us doing a podcast about being minorities in publishing in the Whole Foods cheese section (we note our love of Whole Foods in our first episode) and then this niggling idea became "Hey why the hell not do this?" And when I mentioned it offhand to others or friends saw our "mock" tweets some said, "I'd listen to that if you did a podcast!" True story.

My friend and former co-worker Bev and I often discuss the lack of minorities in publishing as two people of color (POC) in publishing and said "We should do a podcast." Thinking on it more I reached out to Bev and said, "We really should do one" and she agreed.

And with that we started meeting. Talking logistics. Doing research on podcasts. Getting links with more links embedded in additional links noting what newbie podcasters should know. I made the logo with Bev's input (see above). And we kept thinking and meeting regularly and meeting tasks while assigning more tasks and it is now a real thing! How exciting is that?!

Bev is ON IT. She gets stuff done, which is how I knew I wanted to work with her and this podcast would be a reality, and not just an idea we spoke of for several months to a year and maybe got around to doing some research on but it wouldn't come to fruition.

And thus we have Minorities in Publishing (MiP)!

Bev and I recorded our first episode on Tuesday and it's available here on our Tumblr here.

I was a bit late to the game in terms of submitting it to iTunes but once we get the formal approval you'll be able to find it there as well.

In our first episode we discussed our backgrounds in the industry (over 20 years experience!) and reasoning for our podcast as well as what you can expect to hear in future podcasts, specifically interviews with publishing professionals on how publishing can be more inclusive in terms of diversity in publishing. And we do a mini bookclub for Roxane Gay's debut novel An Untamed State from Grove Atlantic.

We hope you'll listen, enjoy, share, chime in, contact us, visit our Tumblr, follow us on Twitter (@minoritiesinpub), and if anything support diversity in the arts and pursue it as a minority and/or advocate!

Interview with Chloe Stinetorf of Chloe Doughy (Delivering fresh and new cookie dough so anyone can feel like a high class baker.)

You know I love participating in the #NYCBakeSale and I have to say that #NYCBakeSale also has some of the best contributors and supporters in the nation. This year Chloe Stinetorf was kind enough to offer up a one month sample of her doughs at Chloe Doughy as one of the raffle prizes. I entered and surprisingly won! (I rarely win things.)

I was psyched to sign up for and receive the May doughs which included lavender lemon (and the chocolate chip staple that subscribers get every month along with the new flavor). Imagine my delight when I made the chocolate chip and got a chocolatey sweet slightly salty cookie all in one! And being that my computer broke down soon after making these cookies it served as a nice therapeutic solution while I was on hold with tech support.

The following week I made the lavender lemon and once again was balled over by the subtlety of the flavors but how well they worked and the lovely crisp shortbread nature of this cookie. After this sampling I--and my co-workers whom I shared these cookies with--know that Chloe Doughy is the real deal and a new New York gem.

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A lot of people I've spoken to, and even for myself, say that baking started as a family endeavor, a kind of bonding time. This seems to be the case when it comes to you and the creation of Chloe Doughy in having baked with your grandmother in your youth. What is it about cookie dough that you think really strikes people or encourages these kind of memories and positive associations?

A freshly baked cookie right out of the oven tastes and smells delicious, and for many people that triggers happy memories of baking with family. I always think about my grandmother when I'm baking because she has taught me so many recipes and techniques over the years.  

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Why deliver cookie dough? Why not deliver the finished product? Is it that you want to bring unique flavors to people in a way that is “less scary” to those that don't often cook/bake from scratch or a way to enhance the taste factor so that people can enjoy them fresh or are there other factors?

Baking makes me very happy, and my goal with Chloe Doughy is to share that joy with other people. Cookie dough delivery allows people to experience the delight of home baking without the hassle. At Chloe Doughy we say, "Skip to the fun part!" We also love inventing and sharing our unique cookie dough flavors of the month--the variety is exciting for our customers, and we deliver a product unlike anything they can find in stores.

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It seems that your cookie dough flavors are somewhat seasonally based. For instance, the lavender lemon dough (which my co-workers adored, by the way) feels very summery with the citrus and lavender fragrance. You’ve previously offered orchard crumble and maple snowball dough in the past during cooler months. So what may be in store as we head into a warmer summer and then into fall?

We're excited to announce our July flavor of the month, the Strawberry Liege! The recipe is based on our obsession with the traditional Liege Belgian waffle. Our Strawberry Liege recipe incorporates crunchy Belgian pearl sugar, a crumble topping and sweet fragrant strawberries. We often incorporate seasonal produce and ingredients in our special monthly doughs, and right now strawberries are in season! Our August cookie dough flavor hasn't been announced yet, but we'll give you a hint, it's a tribute to our favorite August holiday . . . Shark Week!

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Does inspiration hit you out of nowhere or is there a solid something that tethers you to an idea you want to pursue? What inspires you each month for your flavor(s) and how far in advance do you plan your cookie doughs?

I'm often interested in working with a specific ingredient first, and I start there and work my way out, developing a dough that complements that ingredient. For instance, our Maple Snowball cookie for January was inspired by my love of pure Vermont maple syrup and I knew I wanted it to be crunchy and incorporate powdered sugar, and our Glazed Earl Grey came about because I wanted to develop an orange flavored cookie that would pair well with breakfast tea. I'm usually working on 4-5 recipes at once, it takes a long time to get the flavor, consistency, and texture just right. Experimenting with recipes in the kitchen is my favorite part!

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Chocolate chip is considered the ‘base’ of cookies, I think. It’s simple but quite effective especially when done right. And I have to say of all the store bought, bakery fresh, and homemade chocolate chip cookies I have tasted Chloe Doughy’s is the best. What do you think helps to make a “basic” cookie stand out without too much accessorizing?

Thank you, it's nice to hear that because I've been working on our Classic Chocolate Chip recipe for years! Chocolate chip cookies come in all varieties: crispy, chewy, thick, thin. The list goes on forever! I think the best chocolate chip cookies have something special and memorable to them, for instance I love Tate's cookies because they're so buttery and crispy; there's no other crispy cookie quite like them. For our recipe, I wanted a cookie that was soft and full in the middle and crispy at the edges and bottom. I love having different types of bites in the same cookie! The qualities that make our Classic Chocolate Chip cookie special are also enhanced by the immediacy of eating them fresh out of the oven, which is an important part of the Chloe Doughy experience.

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What is the end goal for Chloe Doughy? To expand in terms of the amount of doughs or to be able to reach a larger community outside of NYC? Hosting more classes? Or does the hope for the Chloe Doughy brand go beyond that?

First, I want to grow our local NYC business so that we're able to deliver to all five boroughs! I'd also love to sell our cookie doughs at local markets and grocers. We're also working on a shipping option for overnight delivery out of state (stay tuned!) and we're expanding our baking class schedule as well. Our cookie doughs make people happy, so I'm excited to expand and reach more customers.

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I really like that you have baking classes catered to children of various ages. Many bakeries tend to go after the older sect, but you offer cookie dough classes for both groups. What was the decision for that and, also, what do you aim to help students with in these classes?

My mother is a first grade teacher and I've taught in her classroom a lot over the years--everything from baking to art, even some math! I love the early elementary school age range--they're so full of energy. Baking with young children is a lot of fun, and they love measuring ingredients, whisking, and rolling out dough. I remember baking from a very early age with my family, so it gives me joy to teach other young bakers. I want children who take my classes to become adventurous and bake at home with their families, I also want them to appreciate the care that goes into baking and how special it is to have something homemade.

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Beyond Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest are there other places online or even at local food fairs or stores where people can find Chloe Doughy products?

Join our mailing list to stay in touch! We always announce when we're going to be selling cookies or dough at local fairs and special events.

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Chloe is also, very generously, offering a $15 discount to readers for your first month of cookie dough when you sign up for Chloe Doughy. The code is: JENNIFERBAKER

Yup, I'm a code! Thanks so much again, Chloe!

Interview with Judy of Silk Cakes (A classically trained pastry chef who makes the best dang icing I've ever tasted.)

One of my blogger buddies Lillian (of Sweets by Sillianah) had posted on Facebook that a new bakery was opening in Queens, Forest Hills specifically. Queens doesn't get many new, cool, or trendy places. Lots of new venues tend to start in Brooklyn or if in Queens LIC or Astoria, so the fact that a new bakery that already has a location in Lower Manhattan opened in the middle of Queens was a treat. And so, I had to try it. My friend Lesley and I ventured to Metropolitan Avenue and found a very clean, sparse, and contemporary looking space that stood out among the fast food chains, banks, and realtor offices. Silk Cakes is sleek and clean and has an array of cupcakes at the ready. I was psyched. Lesley was psyched. And we had some cupcakes to reward ourselves for a quarter-mile walk.

I had a yuzu cupcake with green tea truffle in the middle and green tea buttercream icing that blew my mind. What was this icing perfection and unique cupcake that I wanted several more of in one day? Believe me walking away from Silk Cakes was hard but I did and returned and look forward to returning many more times to a unique bakery with Asian-inspired flavors and match-ups that are decadent yet accessible and incredibly tasty.

Since 2006 Judy has offered specialty and customized wedding cakes that look too gorgeous to eat. Her cupcakes are just as lovely with icing curved along the top of the cake like a Softee swirl of ice cream and is just as smooth, believe me. If you're in the Rego Park, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens area, or just along the Queens Blvd line I implore you to visit and get a taste of Judy's experience and passion for desserts.

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The buttercream icing of your cupcakes is unlike any I’ve had before. The texture is reminiscent of silk. It’s smooth and creamy to the touch yet has a solid texture so you don’t have to worry about it losing its form. Not to ask secrets but how long did it take you to create/perfect your icing recipe?  

Many years.

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Not only are the culinary arts part of your family background but you trained at the French Culinary Institute. What do you think were some of the best things you took away from your time there and at L’Ecole? 

As a classically trained I learned the essentials of many desserts. At L'Ecole, I was in charge of pastries for the a la carte and came up with many innovative desserts. This is where I came up with so many of the unique flavor combinations available at Silk Cakes.

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Silk Cakes' website notes that you do “Asian inspired designs” and “unique flavor” combinations. Do you think that items such as matcha and green tea, considered more staples of East Asian dishes/desserts, are starting to become more mainstream in American pastry shops? Do you think there’s a method to getting these specific flavors into a dessert without them being lost or too heavy?

Silk Cakes likes to offer unique flavor combinations that no one else carries. Since we've opened our retail store in queens, the general public has really embraced these flavor combinations. In time, the prediction is that these specific flavor combinations will become part of mainstream America. There is definitely a delicate balance that we had to discover when bringing two ingredients together. It was a lot of trial and error. Our cakes are not overly sweet either so you can really taste this balance of ingredients.

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Queens has been in need of more bakeries, especially in the Kew Gardens Hills/Forest Hills area. With Brooklyn being the borough that’s been getting the bulk of new eateries over the past several years why did you decide to open your second Silk Cakes shop (the first is in the Lower East Side) here?  

We didn't want to follow everyone else, and my sister lives in Forest Hills, so she convinced me to set up my second location there. The neighborhood has been very welcoming since we opened our retail store a couple months ago.

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You do very elegant and classic designs and, like your cupcakes, nothing overwhelms or comes across as excessive. As a decorator how do you come to know what may be the best way to convey the customers needs/wants into the design of a cake? 

We usually ask clients to send us visuals of elements that they would like to incorporate into their cake design. Sometimes a client may have an idea and what we do is come up with a sketch and walk the client through our proposal on how we can bring their idea to life in the form of a cake.

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Besides Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram are there other social media/online outlets people can get updates from Silk Cakes?  

What you listed are the main social media sites that we use to update our customers. Also, Judy is going to be showcased as a guest chef on the YouTube channel Rogers Powell Worldwide Culinary Apprentice at the end of this month. She's going to teach viewers online the basics of cake decorating. Stay tuned as we plan to announce this on Silk Cakes social media sites.

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Thanks so much to Judy and her sister Amy for helping with this interview. I look forward to trying the full array of cupcakes Silk Cakes has to offer during my walks. I feel I've earned them.