Okay I'll admit it. I didn't come up with the idea for this project out of desperation or even an eagerness to learn, but out of inspiration. After seeing the "Julie/Julia Project" movie, I started thinking... what is the quintessential pastry book? Is there even a book that is the go-to reference for all things pastry, all things carbfully sinful? Julia Child's cookbook has stood the test of time to teach us silly Americans how to attempt to master the art of french cooking. But what about pastry?
I even researched this online. I googled "best pastry book." The more books I clicked on on Amazon (many reviews calling each book the "best"), the more I realized I didn't like any of these books. And the more I realized how into this idea I was. I could seriously do this; I could bake my way through a cookbook.
Before I get ahead of myself, let me tell a little bit about me. I grew up around food. For one thing, I'm Jewish. For another thing, I'm Greek. I was genetically predisposed at birth to love food. We always had a fully stocked freezer of ice cream at home (Blue Bell, to be exact) and I'm pretty sure I was making chocolate chip cookies on my own by the time I was 9. Actually, most of the time I just made small portions of the dough and ate it raw. Cause I could. In my 25 years, I must have eaten about 10 pounds of raw cookie dough - so far - and I can thankfully say I must be immune to raw eggs cause I've never had as much as a stomach ache from cookie dough.
Its been my dream since forever to open a bakery of my own one day. This used to be my pipe dream, but suddenly its become reality. After attending culinary school and earning a certificate in Baking & Pastry, I went on to work for Hyatt Hotels as a pastry cook. I am now (2 years later) a pastry chef at a fine dining seafood restaurant here in Houston, Texas. Hard to believe. In fact, on most days I don't believe it at all. Which is why I think I need this project.
I need to reaffirm that this is what I love to do. Well, okay, I know I love to bake, but is it something I want to make a career out of? I need to rediscover my passion for taking flour sugar eggs and milk and making something out incredible that can save a ruined day.
So back to my search for the book. While searching for the "best" pastry book, I researched who the best pastry chef is, was, or ever has been. Most award winning chefs I found I have never heard of, and those who's names I recognized, did not have a book worth baking through (in my opinion). I decided then and there that in order to remain passionate about this project, I would have to be following a great book by someone I admire. There can only be one person who fits that description.
Sherry Yard.
If you do not know of her, look her up. She's incredible. No, I have never met her but I have dreams of working as her assistant one day at the academy awards (she makes the desserts each year, although I'm not sure if she still does this). Although her career is still booming as the pastry chef for Wolfgang Puck's concepts, I will be following her career so far through her book "Desserts by the Yard."
In this cookbook, she begins each chapter of recipes with a brief description about her career and where it took her. The book begins with her childhood memories in Brooklyn, and ends with her doing the Academy Awards desserts. To think that by the end of this project, I can be recreating desserts from one of the most prestigious events of the year - wow. Now that will be a confidence booster.
You'll understand with each blog post just how wonderful Sherry Yard is, and you'll see why she is my all time favorite pastry chef. Her story is incredible. When I first got this cookbook, I read it before bed like it was a memoir - because in a way, it is. It is her life story, told through simply sweet recipes.
Because that's what life is. Simply Sweet.
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