Nick Malgieri has a new baking book out this year entitled, Bake! I happen to have been gifted the book from Nick Malgieri himself, it's true. I figure you are all surprised that I would be so lucky to have a new book sent to me personally in the mail with a nice little note and his autograph in the front. I was surprised myself. Very surprised.
Nick is the author of the Modern Baker book that we are using in the blog-along Modern Baker Challenge, started up by fellow BBA blog-along baker, Phyl. We started baking from Modern Baker in April, the book itself being a birthday gift from my guys, who are always very eager to be the recipient of the food that follows said sort of gifts. So far we have finished the first two sections, Quick Breads and Yeast Breads, and are working on the third section now through December. I have managed to make 29 of the 30 recipes in the first two sections, and count myself a definite fan of Mr. Malgieri's recipes. Great stuff.
Recently NM was holding a baking class in Ohio, just but one state away. Phyl signed up immediately and encouraged all of us to do so as well. I was very tempted to toss everything in the car and head east for the class but knew that commitments here wouldn't support me going at that time.
Phyl had the luck to get to go out for cocktails with NM the night before the classes and mentioned to him that I had wanted to come but family commitments had kept me away. NM asked for my address saying that he would send me something and Phyl gave it to him, with my permission, of course, Phyl being the legal guy that he is and all. I figured it would be a copy of NM's tour schedule or a recipe or an autographed photo or something. I had no idea, nor did Phyl, that it would be his new book! Wow.
Mark came in with the mail and said, "You have a package. It feels like a book. From Nick Malgieri." I said, "Oh, yeah, sure I do. Nick and I are old friends and he sends me things all the time, it must be his new book," joking around. Sure enough, it was his new book and it really was from Nick Malgieri. I emailed Phyl asking him what he knew about this, figuring Phyl would know all about it and had a hand in it, might even have sent the book himself, but Phyl didn't know anything about it and was as surprised and delighted as I was. Thanks, Phyl, it helps to have well-placed friends!
The book is wonderful, I have looked through it countless times and today Phyl and I baked together on Twitter the first recipe I wanted to make from the book, Orange and Almond Scones, on page 184.
I don't want to publish his recipes here, so I'll just give you the ingredient list so that you can run out and buy the ingredients when you pick up a copy of the book at the bookstore.
Ingredients are: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, almond paste, unsalted butter, egg, milk, orange zest, and almonds. Easy, simple, absolutely delicious, a definite repeat. I'm thinking these are appearing both Thanksgiving weekend and Christmas weekend.