“My car just knows the way!” That was the explanation given to Barb Lockert by longtime customers of her kitchen supplies store who failed to notice when she changed its name. Lockert relates this story in the introduction to her book, EASY BAKING IN BARB’S KITCHEN, a collection of recipes perfected over a four-decade career as a Bosch retailer, cooking instructor, and television presenter.
Growing up in Alberta, Canada, Lockert learned the culinary arts in her grandmother’s kitchen. Her tales of these early days are delightful, teeming with recollections of her astounding work ethic (she earned $0.25 an hour in her grandparents’ drug store at age seven) and the delicious food she was reared on (well, most were delicious; American readers may be inclined to skip over the descriptions of grilled cheese-and-ketchup sandwiches). Equally fascinating is her account of starting and expanding her store, Bosch Kitchen Centre–re-christened Barb’s Kitchen Centre in 2012–as well as her appearances on various morning shows. There are also many color photos from her career that add to the book’s attractiveness (these would be more useful with captions giving the date, place, and names of others in the pictures). Move over, Martha Stewart!
As for the recipes in EASY BAKING IN BARB’S KITCHEN, food prep novices will appreciate the book’s other prefatory materials, such as the Simple Baking Tips. For instance, one of her “hints” is “to prepare what comes before the comma first, such as: ½ cup (125 mL) butter, melted. This refers to measuring the butter before melting; Whereas ½ cup (125 mL) melted butter refers to melting butter to obtain ½ cup (125 mL) of liquid.” Good to know! Another useful section is the Troubleshooting Section, where she lists common problems–cake too crumbly, cookies with darkened edges–followed by her solutions, all of them forged in the fires of experience. When naming kitchen implements, she says not just “bowl” but “Bosch Universal Kitchen Machine® bowl,” suggesting she is still on the company payroll. But so what if she is? A licensing deal here or there could never detract from this bon vivant’s Bible.
Part memoir, part baking Bible–the recipes contained in Barb Lockert’s EASY BAKING IN BARB’S KITCHEN are perfect for seasoned and raw cooks alike.
~Anthony Aycock for IndieReader