An Interview with Restaurateur & Cookbook Author Sarabeth Levine
When I first came across the cover of this new cookbook, Sarabeth’s Bakery: From My Hands To Yours, I was immediately smitten. I mean look at it, GOR-GE-OUS!!!! And when I learned it was for the first cookbook of Sarabeth Levine, I knew I had to have it.
See, Sarabeth is a New York icon. She is Pastry Chef and Founder of “Sarabeth’s” Restaurants with 6 locations in New York City, one in Long Island and one in Key West, Florida. She is the creator of the SARABETH’S line of jams and preserves which are sold nationally and abroad. And now, she has added cookbook author to her resume. Busy , huh! (Oh she also just started a blog too. Check it out.)
I went to the first signing of her book tour a few weeks ago at Williams Sonoma in NYC and had the pleasure of meeting her. When I told her I had a blog and wanted to interview her, she graciously agreed. What follows is a snippet of my conversation with this special lady.
Sarabeth – if you read this – it was truly a pleasure meeting you and speaking with you. Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipes with us in this wonderful book.
Oh and the book – it’s a gem folks. Not only does it have great photography and easy to follow recipes, but her tutorials for each section are invaluable. Grab it for yourself or for that special person in your life. For a preview, check out these Maple Walnut Muffins I made from the book.
ACB: How does it feel to see your first book on the shelves?
SL: Remember when Cinderella put on her beautiful gown and went to the ball? Deep down inside, she couldn’t believe she was there. And that’s how I feel because I’ve never really seen myself as an author. I have only seen myself as a pastry person…a baker. And I do not believe it yet. I’m really excited. I’m so proud of the book and I can’t even believe it’s mine.
ACB: After so many years in the business, what made you want to publish a cookbook?
SL: For 30 years, people have been coming to the bakery and asking for our recipes. However, I never had the recipes broken down in small quantities. I have been working on breaking them down for a while now. When Rizzoli approached me, I decided I was going to give the public the exact recipes they had grown to love from the bakery – no tweaks, no changes, same techniques, same equipment. They are a compilation of recipes I have created and others that have been brought to the bakery over the years – 30 years worth of recipes.
Everything has been done before; nothing is new. It’s just a little twist on this, a little twist on that. But the basics remain the same. So I was fine with giving out my recipes. I wanted them to be from my hands to yours (and everyone else’s) in the hopes that they would become your own.
ACB: What do you hope home bakers take away from the book?
SL: Seems simple, but I want my readers to learn how to bake. The book isn’t just recipes. Every chapter starts with a tutorial. And I can’t stress how important it is for bakers, new and old, to read the lessons before baking. I want them to read the lessons more than once. It doesn’t take that long. And then read the recipes a couple of times too and absorb the steps. Once you are comfortable the recipes, I welcome everyone to tweak/change and make them their own. I want people to be free and do their thing.
ACB: Can you share some tips you consider essential for home baking?
SL: First: You must read a recipe in its entirety before you begin baking.
Second: You must lay out all of your measured ingredients before you start baking.
Third: Learn how to properly cream butter and sugar together, an important element of many baked goods, which I explain in detail in the book.
ACB: What’s your favorite recipe in the book?
SL: I adore the first chapter – Morning Pastries. I so want my readers to embrace that chapter and share that experience with me. I love to eat them and I love to make them.
As for what I like to eat? That’s a tough one. I LOVE ice cream. And I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE tarts and pies. And I love that that rice pudding recipe in the book! And those peach crumb pies dies are to die for. Oh, and that apple pie is very special. Oh, and the scones…I love everything!!!!
ACB: Do you think you have another book in you to publish?
SL: Probably 
ACB: So what’s next?
SL: I don’t see more bakeries; possibly more restaurants. But I never had a roadmap. I just followed the yellow brick road and will continue on to embrace anything that allows me to be creative.
Share
Katrina — December 10, 2010 @ 9:53 am
Great interview. You really have a knack for it!
Monique — December 10, 2010 @ 10:18 am
DUde, you interviewed a celeb. you’re awesome! I would really love a new cookbook… so i might look into this one.
But i have to be a good girl and buy my GRE study book first.
Rosa — December 10, 2010 @ 10:49 am
An interesting book and interview! Thanks for sharing.
Cheers,
Rosa
ingrid — December 10, 2010 @ 12:09 pm
Great interview! She seems down to earth and I love that she wants to TEACH us techniques and not just give us recipes.
I’ll be checking out her cookbook and those muffins!
~ingrid
Megan — December 10, 2010 @ 12:57 pm
That really is a beautiful cover. And after reading the interview, I think I’ll need to get the book. I’ve been trying to reign myself in when it comes to baking books, but sometimes they become essential.
Amy — December 10, 2010 @ 1:18 pm
Well done, Eliana. What fun to interview a class act pastry chef. Her essential tips are spot on! And yes, that cover is gorgeous. Good timing, too because I haven’t quite completed my holiday wish list.
vanillasugarblog — December 10, 2010 @ 8:20 pm
chicka! nice interview. I mean it. I especially love her answer of “you must read a recipe in its entirety…” So true and perfect advise.
what are some of your fav recipes in there? i might get the book. or rather i should ask “what recipes are in there that you know I will dig?” LOL
Angie — December 10, 2010 @ 10:05 pm
You did awesome! And so glad I saw this interview because I am waiting on her book to get in the mail from Amazon. I knew from the cover that it would be a good one.
Jamie — December 11, 2010 @ 9:39 am
This really is a beautiful, attractive cover that would so make me want to take it off of a bookstore shelf and peruse it. And then purchase it. I love the inetrview, she sounds like a beautiful person and one who passionately loves what she is doing and thrilled to share it with other. A book I will definitely check out.
Tracey — December 11, 2010 @ 8:43 pm
Fun interview! I’ve had my eye on this book since I saw the cover too. Dorie gave it a really great review recently, which only piqued my interest further. Hopefully Santa will bring me a copy
Brian @ A Thought For Food — December 12, 2010 @ 5:52 pm
Despite growing up in NJ and going into New York all the time, I had never heard of Sarahbeth’s until recently… when I was given a few of their wonderful jams as a gift.
Since then, I’ve seen the cookbook (yes, it is stunning) and I am now dying to go to the bakery.
Wonderful interview!
Saira — December 12, 2010 @ 8:21 pm
Wow! She seems amazing. Must’ve been great meeting her. I completely agree with her tip about reading the whole recipe through before starting to make it. That’s a mistake I used to make when I had just started baking.
I don’t measure out all the ingredients beforehand but do lay them all out in their containers. I will try to do what she says from now on because it’s a tip I keep coming across. Now I have to go to one of her bakeries/restaurants when I visit NYC. Thanks for introducing me to someone who will probably become one of my faves!
momgateway — December 13, 2010 @ 1:46 am
How true! Reading a recipe in it’s entirety plus laying out the ingredients and learning basic techniques is so important particularly with baking where precision matters a lot. Hope to visit one of her restaurants when I get to visit New York again.
Capability — December 13, 2010 @ 12:11 pm
I love to bake and read (and sometimes even cook from) cookbooks – great intro to someone I had heard of but did not know that much about – Thanks!
Rebecca Cook — December 13, 2010 @ 6:26 pm
Okay, so now I’m curious as to whether or not I’m using the correct butter-sugar creaming method. Win or lose the giveaway, there’s a good chance this book will end up in my collection anyway so I can learn the secret!
AmyRuth — December 14, 2010 @ 9:51 am
You have so many wonderful opportunities living where you live. So Lucky!
Thanks for sharing some “LUCK” with us. he he I would love to have her book because I love to bake too. I’m feeling lucky….
One thing I have learned is how speedy it is to weigh ingredients.. what is your take on that?
AmyRuth
Liz — December 15, 2010 @ 8:21 am
Great interview! I like that she wants to teach readers to BAKE, not just follow a recipe. That’s something I’ve been able to do with cooking, but when it comes to baking I am always looking for new guidance. Great read!
Sara @ Saucy Dipper — December 31, 2010 @ 1:31 pm
Oh, I loved going to Sarabeth’s when I was in NYC. It was such a treat to go…even if you did have to wait in line for awhile. I’m still thinking about those pumpkin muffins.
I’ll definitely have to pick up a copy of this cookbook. Lovely interview.