Synopses & Reviews
In this heartfelt memoir, master baker and star of the #1 hit TLC show, Buddy Valastro tells his inspiring story—and recounts his family’s warm memories from a lifetime of living, loving, and cake making.
Television viewers have fallen in love with Buddy Valastro, master cake maker, and his funny and fiery family, proprietors of Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey, on the smash hit TLC series Cake Boss. Now, to coincide with Carlo’s 100th anniversary, cake designer extraordinaire Buddy Valastro brings together his passion for baking and his high-energy family stories in the pages of this charming, heartwarming book—complete with 25 recipes and tips that will make every reader the “cake boss” of their own kitchen.
Buddy’s beautifully designed cakes are the stuff of legend—and so is the remarkable story of his father, a beloved pillar of the community and himself a talented baker who set the stage for his family’s rise to the pinnacle of their industry. Cake Boss recounts the story of Buddy’s life and of his family’s bakeshop, originally established in 1910 and now a Hoboken, New Jersey, landmark and culinary tourist destination. Here also are twenty-five recipes for Carlo’s Bakery’s most sought-after pastries, pies, cupcakes, and cakes, an irresistible combination of time-tested old-world recipes and modern creations, all founded on a rock-solid “old-school” baking foundation and classic techniques.
This is the incredible true story of how Carlo’s Bakery came to be, how one hard-working family realized their patriarch’s dream of making their beloved bake shop a household name. The special bond and loving dynamic of the Valastro clan make this an uncommonly touching and truly inspiring memoir.
Review
“Offers hard-won baking know-how … [and] conveys the dramatic sweep of Buddy's accomplishments as bolstered by his traditional values and family.” -Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
Now in paperback, Cake Boss is the New York Times bestselling life story of Buddy Valastro, the star of the hit TLC show, Cake Boss, and master baker of Carlo’s Bake Shop, the Hoboken, New Jersey institution that he runs with the help of his funny and fiery family. Buddy Valastro was born to bake. But he’s also a devoted family man, as loyal to his contemporary kitchen kin as he is to the legacy of the Valastros who baked before him. In
Cake Boss, Buddy reveals how he came to be America’s Favorite Baker and the inspirational tale of how his ancestors strove to succeed in America. Distinctively earnest, always honest, Buddy shares his inspiring tale of life, love, and loss—as well as thirty-seven recipes that will make readers the “cake boss” of their own kitchens.
Buddy’s beautifully designed cakes are the stuff of legend—and so is the remarkable story of his father, a beloved member of the community and a brilliant baker who set the stage for his family’s rise to the pinnacle of their industry. Presenting an irresistible combination of time-tested old-world recipes and modern creations, all founded on rock solid “old-school” techniques, Cake Boss recounts the incredible true story of how Carlo’s Bake Shop came to be, and how one hard-working family succeeded in making it a household name. The strong bond and loving dynamic of the Valastro clan make this an uncommonly touching and inspiring memoir.
About the Author
Buddy Valastro is an accomplished fourth-generation baker born in Hoboken, NJ. At an early age, it was clear that he was a natural baker and would go into the family business. He loved spending time with his father, a master baker, as his apprentice, spending countless hours in the bakery learning the old world secrets of baking. They dreamed that together they would make Carlo’s Bakery a household name. Since his father's passing when Buddy was 17, and with the help of his family, his father’s recipes, and his own innovative decorating and sugar art techniques, Buddy has taken Carlo’s Bakery to new heights.
Today, Buddy is is often asked to demonstrate, compete, and teach his craft around the country. At Carlo's, Buddy and his staff turn out thousands of wedding cakes, specialty cakes, and pastries weekly. His award- winning designs have been featured numerous times in different bridal and baking magazines. His memoir cookbook, Cake Boss: The Stories and Recipes from Mia Famiglia, is a New York Times bestseller and Carlo’s Bakery has been featured in books, newspapers, such as The New York Times, and television, mostly The Food Network, although he and his cakes have also been featured on The Today’s Show, Good Morning America, The View, and HBO’s hit series, The Sopranos. His next book, BAKING WITH THE CAKE BOSS, will be on sale in November, 2011.