Confections of a Closet Master Baker

1 part cookbook and 2 parts inspirational story

Once a high-powered Hollywood movie executive, Gesine Bullock-Prado was never very happy with her career. She used to sit in meetings and create recipes and grocery lists. Eventually, Bullock-Prado took control of her future by taking the plunge out of Hollywood and into Montpelier, Vermont, where she opened her own small bakery.
However, being sister to the famous Sandra Bullock, Gesine's bakery, Gesine Confectionary, didn't stay a small little sweet shop for long. In "Confections of a Closet Master Baker" Bullock-Prado explains her decision to leave glamorous Hollywood for hippie-land, as well as give out recipes that go along with her tales.
Gesine grew up the daughter of an American father and German mother, whose parents did not always live on the same continent. Sometimes Gesine would live in the southern U.S. with her father, sometimes in Germany and Austria with her mother and that side of the family. When living with her mother, her diet was very restricted, including a ban on sugar of any sort unless her mother was in a generous mood.
Her mother loved to bake, however being a famous singer, she couldn't afford to gain any weight by eating the things she created. She therefore didn't want any kind of sugar temptation in the house, inadvertently creating a sugar hound out of her deprived daughter, Gesine. Gesine tells a story about going to a friend's house and sneaking an entire bag of Oreos out of the house only to eat them all, then go on a sugar-infused rampage to rival nothing else seen.
Now the Gesine is all grown up, she and her husband took on the job of refurbishing the only shop available on main street Montpelier, making it the place where people go to get breakfast, lunch and snacktime in town.
She talks about getting up before dawn, working like crazy all day, going for a run after work, then dinner with her husband and early to bed so she can start all over again tomorrow. At times she sounds like an over-exhausted, over-worked, under-paid be-careful-what-you-wish-for, but she claims even though the bakery is just beginning to break even financially, she wouldn't have it any other way.
She punctuates each chapter of storytelling with a recipes, often one she relates to her authentic German childhood. I personally cannot wait to try out the Espresso Cheesecake recipe, perhaps over the holidays this year. Not really a cookbook, more than just a novel, really an entertaining story, however Gesine found time in her busy schedule to get this book written, I'm glad she did.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Gesine's tart personality perfectly balances out all the sweetness of the book.

This is Gesine Bullock-Prado's memoir of leaving the rat race in Hollywood to open a bakery in Vermont. It comes complete with the usual funny mishaps and quirky characters. I think what I liked best about this book is Gesine herself. Far from the fat, jolly baker, she is impatient, caustic and sometimes not too sure she actually likes people all that much. What she does like is baking. She lives and breathes it, obsessing over the perfect cherry pie or macaroon. Opening a bakery she learns she can love people from afar with her beautiful pastries.

I really love that Gesine is not the typical baker. Somehow her tart personality perfectly balances out all the sweetness of the book. The recipes recipes, like Espresso Cheesecake and Raspberry Meringues are creative yet accessible to the home cook.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

love this......

this is one of my favorite books. Not only is it a look at a business woman turned baker, which is inspiring. There are some amazing recipes including her wonderful homemade apple pie. So good!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

LOVE THIS BOOK!

I absolutely loved this book! Gesine's book is witty, funny, and inspirational. I admire her for taking charge of her life and leaving a high paying, high profiled career, and doing something that she is truly passionate about. I recommend this book to anyone that loves to bake, cook and has fond family memories that are tied to food or traditions!

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