Find out how to be a hero in the kitchen, and learn about Barb’s journey as an author!
Are you ready to transform your baking prowess and elevate your culinary skills to heroic levels? Look no further than the delectable pages of Easy Baking in Barb’s Kitchen. This extraordinary baking cookbook is poised to revolutionize your baking experience, providing you with a treasure trove of time-saving techniques and scrumptious recipes that will make you the baking hero among your friends and family.
Our guest today, Barb Lockert, is not just an accomplished author and entrepreneur, but a television personality who has been gracing screens for over four decades. With a passion for people, travel, cooking, and baking, Barb’s infectious enthusiasm has made her a natural at delivering easy-to-understand instructions that resonate with novices and experts alike. Her culinary journey began with the establishment of a teaching gourmet kitchen store, where she honed her teaching skills and perfected her easy cooking and baking methods.
But Barb’s influence extends far beyond the kitchen. Her entrepreneurial spirit has earned her a plethora of awards, and she has shared her expertise on both local and national television, captivating audiences with informative and entertaining cooking demonstrations. Her contributions to various magazines and newspapers have solidified her status as a culinary authority, and her motivational speaking engagements have inspired countless individuals in their own ventures.
In this interview, we delve into Barb’s illustrious career, her passion for teaching, and her unrelenting drive to simplify the art of baking.
Can you tell us what inspired you to write Easy Baking in Barb’s Kitchen?
Owning and operating a gourmet kitchen store in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, for 33 years allowed me to meet so many wonderful people. Many attended cooking and baking classes at our store, where they would learn time-saving tips and techniques, taste samples, and receive recipes. Many times I heard, “When are you writing a cookbook?” and “I look forward to reading about your recipes, as a journey in time.” I am grateful for this devotion and encouragement.
Since retiring from the retail operation, I have had the time to devote to this book project, which has been percolating in my mind and office.
I was determined to continue sharing my passion for baking, through the publication of my cookbook, in an easy-to-understand format.
How did your 33 years of teaching classes contribute to the development of this baking cookbook?
I enjoyed developing recipes revolving around the use of equipment, gadgets, and fresh baking supplies we sold in our store. My love of sharing food with others and encouraging friends and family is always my privilege. Teaching individuals how to have success in baking helped them develop confidence in the kitchen. This cookbook provides a collection of delicious recipes for all ages to develop their skills and save time and money when baking from scratch. My endeavour to inspire readers to bake successfully and have fun in the kitchen should be evident.
What makes your book stand out from other baking cookbooks on the market?
My cookbook is unique as it contains instructions on how to use a Bosch Universal kitchen machine to save time, a flour mill to retain nutrition, as well as how to mix without any equipment, in as few steps as possible. The comprehensive index will allow the reader to find a recipe easily, and a troubleshooting section can provide guidance for baking success. The introduction, biography, and baking tips are written in an entertaining and easy-to-read fashion. A baking log will help the readers remember recipes for future reference.
You’ve contributed to magazines, newspapers, and TV. How did these experiences help prepare you for writing a full-length book?
It was an honour being asked to write articles and recipes for magazines and newspapers. Allowing me to answer regularly asked questions by customers and friends expanded the audience through print. It was exciting and a challenge to create recipes and share interesting tips and easy techniques when invited as a guest on television. Passionate about food, I found it exhilarating to teach easy instructions to the viewers. My goal was to inspire the viewers to enjoy each recipe, practice to develop confidence, and have fun in the kitchen. Creating wonderful memories on air and developing lasting friendships with the hosts was exciting. It made sense to write a full-length cookbook and share a collection of some of my favourite recipes.
One of your endeavours is international culinary tours. Do have a travel/food story you’d like to share?
I sincerely enjoy sharing my passion for food and travel. I designed one of my culinary tours with seven hands-on cooking classes in the itinerary. Four of the classes were at one particular cooking school in the countryside of Tuscany, Italy. The chef continually mentioned that each recipe was “light and fresh.” We all had so much fun using the freshest ingredients, preparing delicious food, learning Italian techniques, and recreating the meals when we returned home. My culinary tours have wonderful itineraries; however, we do concentrate on the local food, whether on a walking tasting tour or while eating in restaurants. Attending cooking schools in various countries is an absolute highlight for all of the travellers, novice or experienced.
Lastly, how would you like readers to feel after reading your book and trying out your baking techniques?
I would like the readers to be inspired and recognize that baking can be easy and fun. Simple tips, techniques, and a delicious recipe can invite any reader to achieve success, by oneself or while creating memories with others. With easy-to-follow instructions, a positive attitude, and practice, readers can enhance their skills, develop confidence, and enjoy delicious treats.
Find out more about Barb and her culinary adventures at www.barblockert.com
