Rose Levy Beranbaum: Get a Grip on It - Bake from Scratch

      Photo by Matthew Septimus

       Words That Established Renowned Individuals’ Visibility

      By Rose Levy Beranbaum

      Regardless of the achievements and creations of the renowned chefs, food writers, and performers mentioned below, each person appears to be characterized by a specific word or phrase. I'll begin with my own experience. Despite authoring 14 cookbooks, the standout detail on my Wikipedia page is that I "pioneered reverse-creaming."

      Marion Rombauer Becker, the author of The Joy of Cooking, made the term "joy" synonymous with her, although many have since claimed it. Maida Heatter, my greatest mentor in baking and the writer of the foreword for The Cake Bible, embodied a lovely philosophy captured in her most quoted statement: “Happiness is baking cookies. Happiness is giving them away.”

      Marie Curie, who has greatly inspired my scientific approach to baking, famously stated, “Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood.”

      M. F. K. Fisher, my most significant influence in food writing, expressed, “There is a communion of more than our bodies when bread is broken and wine drunk.”

      Emeril Lagasse famously exclaimed “Bam!” during a lunch at his New Orleans restaurant while sharing with me and my late husband, Elliott, his ambition to transition from chef to television host. Elliott advised him to choose a phrase that would capture everyone's attention.

      Marcella Hazan, my favorite Italian cookbook author, was best known for her statement, “What you keep out is just as significant as what you put in.”

      Martha Stewart’s engaging and frequently repeated phrase is, “It’s a good thing.”

      Ina Garten has nearly everyone saying, “How easy is that?”

      Marcel Desaulniers owned the well-known restaurant, the Trellis, and his signature dessert, Death by Chocolate, became his claim to fame.

      Rachel Ray’s shorthand “E-V-O-O” for extra-virgin olive oil quickly gained popularity.

      Erin Jeanne McDowell is an exceptional pie baker; I mentioned that the title of her book The Book on Pie could easily be I Am Pie! Her signature concept is the Sturdy Pie Challenge.

      Sarah Kieffer has produced several outstanding baking books, but what comes to mind first are her pan-banging cookies.

      Zoë François excels as a baker, writer, and performer. Her desserts are stunning; her extraordinary Pavlova immediately comes to mind.

      In his “Cooking for Levi” videos, the words of approval from the 5-year-old—“pretty tendah”—made him instantly endearing and unforgettable.

      Fernand Point was a French chef and a pivotal figure in the evolution of French cuisine. I strongly identify with his famous remark: “Donnez-moi du beurre, encore du beurre, toujours du beurre!” which translates to “Give me butter, more butter, still more butter!” That reflects my life story: my love for butter was so profound that the Dairy Council appointed me as a butter ambassador for two years after I claimed, “I’d rather have one cookie made with butter than many made with anything else!”

      Lastly, there was Julia Child, whose name itself became a brand.

      Find Rose’s Reduction Spatula here.