Episode 329: German Heritage Baking with Heidrun Metzler
Release Date: 12/26/2024
Episode 355: Trends in Cookbooks for Spring 2025
Cookbook Love Podcast
Welcome to another episode of the podcast! Several times a year, outlets like Eater, Food Network, Epicurious, Publishers Weekly, and others publish their roundup features: What’s hot in cookbooks this season? They’re the pulse checks of the cookbook world and offer a lens into what's resonating now. Today on the show, we’ll dive into trends in cookbooks published this spring, each tied to what cookbook buyers are craving and what publishers are publishing in Spring 2025. Things We Mention in This Episode:
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Episode 354: Cookbook Writing in the Rhythm of Summer
Cookbook Love Podcast
Over the years, I’ve coached hundreds of cookbook writers. And as a cookbook writer myself, I’ve noticed something: the way we write shifts with the seasons. So does the energy you all bring to your projects. Without a doubt, January and September are your power months. Something about the clean slate of the new year—or the back-to-school feeling of fall—makes it easy to say yes. The urgency feels good for a while. But urgency doesn’t last. Pressure wears you out. And cookbook writing—at its best—is built on bringing the full you to the page, year-round. So today I...
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Episode 353: 7 Pro Tips to Go From Recipe Collector to Cookbook Writer
Cookbook Love Podcast
Welcome to another episode of the show. If you have gathered recipes for years, hosted holiday parties and meals, preserved family traditions, or become the go-to source for meals in your family, then you may want to turn your recipes into something more: a cookbook. In this episode, I’m sharing 7 tips to help you move from recipe keeper to cookbook writer, everything from why calling yourself a writer matters to how your kitchen and keyboard habits create momentum for your project. If you’re sitting on a goldmine of recipes, this episode will give you some food for thought to help you...
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Episode 352: Take Gluten-free Baking from Flavorless to Fabulous with Kasey Lobb, RDN
Cookbook Love Podcast
Welcome to today’s episode of the Cookbook Love Podcast! I’m thrilled to bring you a conversation with Kasey Lobb—a self-professed food nerd, registered dietitian nutritionist, and plant-based chef. Kasey is the author of The Gluten-Free Sourdough Cookbook, a flavorful new release that brings together her personal passion and professional expertise. Her new book marks a stirring new chapter for Kasey’s personal and professional journey. Most days, you’ll find her experimenting in the kitchen or tending to “Mother”—her well-loved gluten-free sourdough starter. For over 20 years,...
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Episode 351: The Meathead Method: Elevate Your Grilling and Smoking with BBQ Hall of Famer Meathead
Cookbook Love Podcast
Today, I’m thrilled to share a conversation with none other than Meathead—one of only 40 living inductees in the Barbecue Hall of Fame and the founder of , the world’s largest barbecue and grilling website. Meathead is the author of the best-selling Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling, and he’s back with a brand-new book: The Meathead Method. In this episode, we dig into what makes this book different—and how his method will change the way you cook outdoors. We also bust some big-time barbecue myths, including: Why beer can chicken doesn’t do what you think it...
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Episode 350: Inside Magnolia Bakery: Bobbie Lloyd Talks Icebox Desserts and Iconic Recipes
Cookbook Love Podcast
Welcome to today’s episode of the Cookbook Love Podcast! I’m thrilled to bring you a conversation with a true baking powerhouse: Bobbie Lloyd, CEO and Chief Baking Officer of the iconic Magnolia Bakery @bakewithbobbie. You might know Magnolia for its world-famous banana pudding and charming New York City roots, but under Bobbie’s leadership, it’s grown into a global dessert destination with over forty locations worldwide. And just in time for the unofficial start of summer, Bobbie joins me to chat about her brand-new book: The Magnolia Bakery Handbook Volume 2: Icebox Desserts. In this...
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Episode 349: Easy Everyday Meals, Recipe Strategy, and Writing Cookbooks with Jessica Merchant of How Sweet Eats
Cookbook Love Podcast
Welcome to today’s episode of the Cookbook Love Podcast! I’m delighted to be joined by Jessica Merchant, the force behind the wildly popular blog How Sweet Eats and the bestselling author of Everyday Dinners, The Pretty Dish, and Seriously Delish. Jessica is a full-time recipe developer and writer known for her down-to-earth approach, vibrant flavor combinations, and deep passion for all things food. In this episode, we dive into her newest book, Easy Everyday, and explore her tried-and-true strategies for making dinner doable, without sacrificing flavor. From her game-changing "Big 3"...
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Episode 348: Being a Cookbook Author: Umma: A Korean Mom's Kitchen Wisdom with Sarah Ahn and Nam Soon Ahn
Cookbook Love Podcast
Welcome to another episode of the podcast. I’m excited to be here today for an interview with Sarah Ahn. Sarah is a digital storyteller and creator of Ahnest Kitchen, where she shares and documents her mother, Nam Soon Ahn’s recipes. In their new book Umma: A Korean Mom’s Kitchen Wisdom & 100 Family Recipes, Sarah and Nam Soon take a deep dive into Korean home cooking along with decades of wisdom and techniques that help anyone cook like a Korean umma. Today on the show we talk all about Sarah’s building of her presence online with Ahnest Kitchen, the journey with her mother...
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Episode 347: Being a Cookbook Author: Discover Your Authentic Voice & Indian Comfort Food with Dal Chawal and Sapna Punjabi
Cookbook Love Podcast
Welcome to another episode of the podcast. Today, I’m excited to have an interview with Sapna Punjabi. Sapna combines a lifelong vegetarian practice with Ayurvedic training and expertise as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. In her new book Dal Chawal, Sapna presents Indian comfort food at its finest: economical, healthy, and delicious, with 85 recipes that form the foundation of Indian home cooking. In our interview today,we talked all about Sapna’s journey to writing Dal Chawal, writing a cookbook rooted in identity and wellness, her routines and habits that helped her write her book,...
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Episode 346: Being a Cookbook Writer: Recipes, Routines, and the Road to Your Cookbook
Cookbook Love Podcast
If you’ve ever dreamed of writing a cookbook—but the book isn’t here yet—you’re not alone. In this installment of Being a Cookbook Writer, I’m sharing exactly what I did to move from dreaming to actually writing my cookbook. I’ll walk you through the daily and weekly routines that helped me stay connected to my goal, even in the midst of a busy life. From journaling to documenting meals to typing just two recipes a day, I’ll show you how small steps can lead to a finished book. If you’re ready to stop waiting and start writing, this episode is for you. Things We Mention In...
info_outlineIn today’s episode, I am delighted to welcome Heidrun Metzler. Born and raised in Germany, Heidrun grew up surrounded by a family of women who loved to bake—learning from her mother, aunt, and grandmother. After moving to the United States as a young woman, Heidrun missed German baked goods and began creating her baking recipes, blending her German roots with ingredients the best ingredients she could find in the US.
Her new cookbook, German Heritage Baking, is the culmination of over a decade of work—a labor of love to preserve and share her family’s baking traditions. The book highlights inherited tips, techniques, and ingredient knowledge, alongside the profound joy of creating fresh baked goods at home.
Today on the podcast we talk about:
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Heidrun’s Inspiration for Baking:
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How her family’s passion for baking shaped her journey.
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Blending German baking traditions and techniques.
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Tips for Baking Success:
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Heidrun’s practical advice for creating consistent and delicious baked goods.
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Insights into ingredient selection and preparation techniques.
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Exploring German Baking:
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An introduction to three types of German baking featured in her book:
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Mürbeteige (Shortcrust Pastry): The foundation for many traditional German desserts.
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Cookies: Heidrun’s favorite recipes for timeless German cookies.
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Sponge-Based Tortes: Elegant and flavorful desserts that showcase German baking artistry.
Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just getting started, I hope this episode inspires you to explore your own heritage through baking.
Things We Mention In This Episode:
The State of Cookbook Publishing Workshop 2025
German Heritage Baking: Time-Honored Recipes, Traditional Techniques, and Culinary Secrets
Christmas Cookie Baking Guide by Maggie Green
Eric Kayser’s Sweet and Savory Tarts