I've had a busy couple of weeks creating recipes for non-newsletter sources, so you'll see some new recipes coming in the next couple of months! And like so many folks these days, I also fell under the weather, so my baking (and newsletter writing) took a bit of a hiatus. Oh, how I missed you!
On Connection
Since appearing on the Great American Baking Show, something miraculous has happened. No, I haven't become famous. No, I haven't gotten rich. The most important thing I got out of this experience is connection.
First and foremost, connection with my Baking Show family. My immediate baking family are the other contestants from my season of the show. We bonded during our time inside and outside of The Tent. We've visited each other, talked on the phone, held regular Zoom gatherings, and have an annual Secret Santa gift exchange. Even in the warm-fuzzy realm of the Baking Show, our season's contestants remain close. I've also met an extended Baking Show family. I've connected online and in person with folks on other seasons of the Great American Baking Show. I just got back from a weekend in New York City with my fellow contestant and friend Jon, plus Marissa from season 5, and Jason and Tina from Season 4. (More on that below!) We hit it off and had a day of baking followed by a day of bakery hopping in Manhattan. I've grown my Baking Show family to contestants from the original Great British Bake Off and even the Canadian and Australian versions. How lucky am I to get this extended family of folks who've baked in a tent (or, in case of the Aussies, a shed)?!
I've also reconnected with folks from throughout my life. Suddenly they saw my face pop up on their TV last year (especially if they use a Roku), and said "Hey, I know that guy!" From old college friends, to former colleagues, to distant relatives. Whenever someone would text me or send me a message on social media, I would smile. If possible, I tried to hop on the phone with them, get on FaceTime, or even plan a visit. Just like with my visit to New York, I've made a point to see friends or grab coffee with colleagues, even if that means venturing out of town.
I’ve also connected with new folks via social media this past year. I know it gets a bad rap, but I use it to be social. I comment or message (mostly foodie) folks, then we strike up a conversation. It’s led to some great chats, baking tips and tricks, and even in-person meetups. Bakers are an especially warm batch, so I hope keep cultivating these connections both online and offline.
My resolution for 2024 is: more in-real-life connections. That might mean a weekend trip somewhere, or a mid-day coffee across town, or even an awkward request to meet an old colleague for lunch. Once you meet someone in person, you feel like you've truly met them. Or that you've reconnected with them in a meaningful way.
On Marmalade
Classic British Orange Marmalade, the kind Paddington Bear loves, is made with Seville Oranges. These citrus are also known as bitter oranges, because, well, they’re bitter! The juice is sour and the peel has a fragrant orange flavor with a back note of bitterness. It’s precisely that bitter, sour, sweet, and fragrant flavor that made me fall in love with marmalade.
Most people have a hard time with the word bitter and even shudder at the thought of bitter flavors. But bitter and I have a special bond. I just love it. Other foods rely on bitterness for their distinctive flavors include: dark chocolate, coffee, tea, beer, red wine, grapefruit, kale, other hearty dark greens, and much more. Bitter is bracing and deep (think coffee, chocolate, or black tea). It’s also refreshing, like in a crisp IPA.
It can take a lot of sweetness to balance bitterness, which is why we add sugar to chocolate, coffee, and tea. This balance makes marmalade taste fantastic. Marmalade made with sweet oranges has a lovely flavor, but it tastes way too sweet. You need the bitter. My favorite cocktail, the Negroni, walks that perfect line between sweet and bitter, just like orange marmalade. But I can have the latter for breakfast.
Interestingly, the English word “marmalade” comes from the Portuguese word marmelada means “made of quince.” (Quince is “marmelo.”) And I adore quince.
I make a big batch of marmalade every year. There are plenty of fantastic recipes out there. I suggest Nancy Birtwhistle, Dan Lepard, or Camilla Wynne. This year, I got my Seville oranges from Pearson Ranch, but you can also ask your local grocer if they can stock them or order them for you. Make more marmalade, everyone!








Highlights of my quick trip to New York City:
First and foremost, seeing my baking friends. A lot of quality time with Jon and his wife, Katie, and their sweet pup.
Baking at Tina's house with Marissa, Jason, and Jon. Tina taught us how to make Italian-American rainbow cookies, which are one of my favorite things ever.
We also made an incredibly good (and easy!) lemon poppyseed cake from Sweet by Helen Goh and Yotam Ottolenghi.
Tina, who is an amazing teacher, schooled us in making pasta. Then she whipped up a fresh tomato sauce and we had a stellar lunch. Of course, Tina also made some focaccia.
The next day Jon, Tina, Marissa and I went to Lysee NYC, where we had what can only be called a pastry experience. Lysee is a literal gallery of incredible patisserie. We had the iconic corn pastry, obviously. But we also had their signature Lysee, with a deep caramelized toasted rice flavor and the perfect balance of creamy textures and crunch. Wow. Plus, their take on a babka, pan au chocolat, and kouign-amann. We topped it off with a showstopper: a calamansi tart with pineapple, basil, and a coconut mousse on top. Maybe one of the best desserts I've ever had. The pastry was so thin and delicate! Plus, the drinks excellent.
We walked to NY Cake where I ogled everything I could ever need for the kitchen. I had to restrain myself.
Then over to Breads Bakery, because they make Jon's favorite babka (which I remembered him telling me when we met in England). It lived up to the hype. Plus, we had a ton of other goodies from Breads. I love their yeasted rugelach! And the cheese sticks!
We said farewell to Tina and then stopped by Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks where we perused the glorious selection of used cookbooks of all sorts. Jon spied autographed cookbooks behind the counter and asked the owner if they had any baking ones. Bonnie got a copy of Classic Home Desserts by Richard Sax off of the shelf, my eyes welled up with tears, and knew I had to take it home.
Then we stopped by two more bakeries: Librae and La Cabra. It was Sunday, so La Cabra had loaves of their hearty Danish rye, and I snagged a brick to lug back to Chicago.
I told Jon that I wanted to go to Kalustyan's, because I have always dreamed of going there. I'd seen photos of their walls and walls of every spice, bean, flour, nut, you-name-it. It didn't disappoint. I'm such a nerd for that kind of stuff, and I’m glad Jon is, too.
We finished the weekend off with a delicious Greek dinner in Queens on Sunday.




What have I been baking/working on?
I made a lot of marmalade: Classic Seville Orange and some Seville With Passion Fruit!
I was under the weather, but had enough energy to make my whole wheat toast bread. The easiest, best bread for toast. (I'll share that recipe sometime soon!)
I developed two recipes that will be coming out in the next few months in some local publications. So excited for y'all to get those recipes!
I made some impromptu sweet and savory hand pies with homemade flaky pastry that I stashed in the freezer.
I made a single, solitary brown sugar and cinnamon “Pop Tart” for Jason, and he wouldn’t let me have a second bite of it.
I made some sourdough, but with dried sourdough starter from a flour mill in Italy’s South Tyrol region. It worked like a charm, and I wonder why we don’t have this sort of product here in the US.
What's next?
Stay tuned next week for a sunny lemon cake recipe!
Happy Baking & Marmalade Making,
Martin
Marmalade with passionfruit sounds extremely up our alley!