As a lover of Asian culture and baker and lover of baked goods myself I was thrilled to pick up this book. Coming from a heavily Asian-influenced part of Texas and being a huge fan of my own accord this book has to be one of the best guides I’ve ever seen on how to make the treats I love so much at my local bakeries and from some of the more famous chains like Mozart Bakery and 85°C.
These bakeries and the baked goods inside of them have become such an integral part of my convention experience; I now end each successful panel with hot tea and a slice of cake and more from Mozart Bakery, a tradition that’s now over a decade old as my paneling career has continued to grow and mature. My friends and I shop at 85°C early into the weekend to load up on snacks and bread for the hotel room and I get one more trip in so I can bring these treats back home with me where I lack easy access to such delicacies.
Fortunately now, with the help of this book, I can make some of these recipes at home. No recipe seemed overly difficult and is written in a way that is fun, enlightening and instructional without babying me (a moderately seasoned [pun!]) baker.
I highly recommend Mooncakes & Milkbread to anyone who wants to learn more about baking, the cultural significance of many of the baked goods you may already love or simply want to learn more about a baking culture that may be different for you.
Mooncakes & Milkbread by Kristina Cho is out October 12, 2021
