HOLIDAY BOOK REVIEW: "The Modern Baker" by Nick Malgieri

Nick Malgieri's new book on baking is already beginning to look like a treasured family cookbook – a sprinkle of flour between the folds, a post-it note to Santa for some must-have gadgets, and a smudge of butter on page 129, where, for the first time, I learned to roll a near-perfect tart crust.

The chicken pie photo on page 153 was so tempting, I left the book open so my family could compare it with the real thing. With the winter winds howling outside, we were all in the mood for some comfort food.

The former executive pastry chef at the Windows on the World includes more than dainty tea cookies and delicate desserts in his collection of 150 classic and contemporary recipes. The Modern Baker is brimming with hearty breads, tarts, pies, cakes and cookies, along with clear, time-saving instructions, perfect for the busy holiday season. Believe it or not, almost everything in the book can be made in under an hour, provided your larder is stocked with lots and lots of butter.

I tend to bake only when I have a luxurious afternoon to myself, or when I know company is coming. But Nick's book makes it easy, by reducing preparation time.

A glossary of terms, ingredients, techniques and equipment, simmered down from 30 years of experience as a renowned pastry chef, author, and teacher, make The Modern Baker a one-of-a-kind reference book, a book you will want to return to again and again for the sheer joy of learning something new.

Nick credits his grandmother for inspiring his own love of baking and for his natural inclination to share his culinary expertise with others.

"When I was a child, my maternal grandmother lived with us," says Nick, "She loved to cook and bake and she baked pretty much every day, so the example of seeing her, being around her, and eating her baking so often had a profound influence on me."

Undergraduate studies in French, his grandmother's native Italian, and German; a degree from the Culinary Institute of America; and an apprenticeship in Switzerland led him to positions at the prestigious Hotel de Paris, the Sporting Club in Monte Carlo, and at the Reserve de Beaulieu in France. In New York he was assistant pastry chef at the Waldorf Astoria; executive chef at Paine Webber, Inc.; and pastry chef at the Board Room, a private club.

Today, Nick, the best-selling author of eight cookbooks, directs the baking program at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York and frequently serves as a guest teacher at many cooking schools. Since 1985, he has appeared at culinary events throughout North America, including at the Smithsonian Institution. Teaching full-time clearly agrees with him.

In November, a whirlwind tour took him to Texas, where he visited and taught at five Central Market stores that also have cooking schools in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth.

"These cooking schools are extremely well run, and all the cooking school personnel are extremely professional," says Nick, "I’ve been teaching in Texas since the mid-eighties, so it’s almost like a second home. I love my Central Market visit every year because I always have time to catch up with friends along the way. I did a menu from The Modern Baker: Cheese and Paprika Elephant Ears, Puff Pastry Tart with Caramelized Onions and Gorgonzola, Pumpkin Pecan Buttermilk Tart, Bittersweet Chocolate Tart and Whipped Cream Layer Cake."

I can vouch for the Pumpkin Pecan Buttermilk Tart – it was a big hit with my family on Thanksgiving – and so was Maida's Big Apple Pie, which I will bake for the second time, on Christmas Day. Unless, of course, I decide to try the luscious Devil's Food Cake on the cover of The Modern Baker.

"My criteria for all recipes are embodied by it," said Nick of the photo, when asked why this cake is a showstopper. "Looks great, tastes great, easy to prepare. It’s a fairly standard devil’s food cake that I tweaked a little to make sure it wouldn’t bake up dry."

Ahhh, he makes it sound so simple … and with this book, it is!

For recipes, photos, and personal tips from The Modern Baker, see Nick Malgieri on gather.

Add to your cookbook collection with more books by Nick Malgieri.

Where to go on your next culinary vacation? Check out Nick's picks:

"Culinary vacations have been popular since the cooking school boom hit in the 1970s. Pamela Sheldon Johns is a great teacher who has settled with her family in Tuscany and does classes in San Gimigniano, the ancient spa resort. I can also highly recommend Kasma Loha-Unchit for anyone wanting to do a culinary visit to Thailand."

~ Lisa Gensheimer
The Culinary Tourist

Chicken Pie Photo Credit: Charles Schiller