26 Jan 2026

feedThe Official Google Blog

How animators and AI researchers made ‘Dear Upstairs Neighbors’

Today, our animated short film, "Dear Upstairs Neighbors," previews at the Sundance Film Festival.

26 Jan 2026 6:00pm GMT

We’re announcing the 12 recipients of our AI for Science fund

A look at the 12 recipients of the first AI for Science fund.

26 Jan 2026 5:00pm GMT

24 Jan 2026

feedWordPress Planet

Gutenberg Times: AI Experiments, WordPress 7.0, Gutenberg 22.3 and 22.4, Playground for theme builders — Weekend Edition 354

Hi there!

Yes, it's been a while. Did you miss me? I hope you and yours had a great start to the new year, and I wish you a healthy, happy and prosperous 2026. I am infinitely grateful you are a reader on this site and newsletter. Thank you for your ongoing support.

My Year-End vacation directly merged into an intensive training and exploration into AI-first software development. It was eye-opening to say the least and entirely liberating. Ideas can be prototyped fairly quickly and their implementation is not stifled by the level of my personal coding skills. Success heavily depends on a clear vision, architectural consistency and radical quality control.

Although there was a downturn in publishing over the holidays, I found a plethora of posts and plugins again. This edition catches up on most of it.

Looking forward to going through our connecting with you in our eighth year of Gutenberg Times.

Yours, 💕
Birgit

Developing Gutenberg and WordPress

Aaron Jorbin published the WordPress 6.9.1 Release Schedule. RC1 will be next week on January 29, 2026, and the final release on February 3, 2026.

The GitHub project board of WordPress 6.9.x Editor Tasks lists the PRs that will make it into the release in the Done column. Other core updates are available in this trac report.

WordPress 7.0

Jeff Paul announced the WordPress 7.0 release squad, led by Gutenberg's chief architect Matias Ventura. It's a team of veterans and newbies spread around the globe.

Rae Morey, The Repository, also reported with more background and details on the state of real-time collaboration feature in her post: Matías Ventura Named WordPress 7.0 Release Lead as Contributors Close In on Real-Time Collaboration Approach


WordPress 7.0 will run your post editor inside an iframe by default, so now's the time to test your blocks for compatibility. If you're still registering blocks with apiVersion 2, you'll start seeing console warnings in WordPress 6.9. The main gotcha: your document and window references won't work inside an iframe. You'll need to switch to useRefEffect with ownerDocument and defaultView instead of globals. You can find more details in the official migration guide.

In his post WordPress 7.0 Enforces Block API v3: Why Existing Blocks Begin to Fail, Benjamin Zekavica, core-team rep, also provides some tips and Tricks. Custom blocks that target admin selectors like .wp-admin or .editor-styles-wrapper, rely on global document queries, or initialize libraries globally and now fail consistently. Reading through the article, it seems this is mostly related to agency work, with bespoke theme and block development on sites of the early block era.

Gutenberg releases

Gutenberg 22.3 and 22.4 have been released.

Hector Prieto highlights in his release post Gutenberg 22.3 (December 17)

JuanMa Garrido led the 22.4 release together with Anne McCarthy and they had to tame quite a large changelog with more than 400 PRs merged by 77 contributors, of whom 16 were first-timers! It must have been difficult to pick the top highlights for their release post What's new in Gutenberg 22.4? (20 January):


🎙 The latest episode is Gutenberg Changelog #125 - WordPress 6.9, Gutenberg 22.1 and Gutenberg 22.2 with JC Palmes, WebDev Studios

Gutenberg Changelog 125 with JC Palmes and host Birgit Pauli-Haack

Justin Tadlock's January developer roundup covers new responsive Grid blocks with adjustable columns and widths, an easy-to-use Fonts admin screen, and experimental PHP-only block registration with full metadata. New tools include an image cropper and an updated Abilities API client. The Breadcrumbs block is on track for WordPress 7.0, and Navigation overlay tests are allowing template part assignments. Playground now features a DevTools extension and a new dashboard interface.

Plugins, Themes, and Tools for #nocode site builders and owners

If you've ever watched a client accidentally drag your carefully crafted block layout into chaos, Eric Karkovack has your back. In his guide on How to Protect WordPress Block Layouts From Accidental Changes he walks you through two built-in WordPress safeguards: save your layouts as exportable block patterns you can restore anytime, then use the Lock feature to let clients update content without rearranging your design. You can even lock entire Group blocks at once for extra security.


Wes Theron demonstrates the Details block for WordPress, showcasing how you can create collapsible sections perfect for FAQs, definitions, transcripts, and supplemental content. The tutorial covers inserting the block, navigating with List View, and customization options for keeping pages organized and tidy. Theron walks through practical examples showing how the accordion-style functionality helps hide and reveal content on demand, offering a native WordPress solution for managing long explanations without cluttering the page layout.


Matthew Cowan released Find Blocks, Patterns & Shortcodes, a plugin that helps users locate Gutenberg blocks on WordPress sites and allows CSV export for content audits. The tool includes batch processing, post-type filtering, synced pattern searches, and WP-CLI support, with sortable results tables. It also features security measures like rate limiting and XSS prevention, and improves accessibility for screen readers and keyboard navigation.


In his post How to create magic effects in WordPress with core blocks, Joel Olawanle demonstrates creating cinematic effects using only WordPress core blocks, focusing on the Cover block's layering capabilities. In his tutorial, Olawanle covers fixed backgrounds for parallax simulation, scroll snap with minimal CSS, creative typography using duotone filters and blend modes, and multi-layered depth through nested Group blocks. Olawanle emphasizes building premium visuals while maintaining performance through native blocks, avoiding heavy page builders and keeping sites lightweight, accessible, and fast.


Matt Cromwell created the Synced Pattern Popups plugin, which turns WordPress's reusable synced patterns into modal popups that load content with AJAX and use smart caching. Triggers can be activated using simple class or href attributes, and third-party blocks display correctly with good styling. The plugin supports accessibility with keyboard navigation and ARIA support, has an optional AI-powered summary feature, and works with WordPress 6.9's Abilities API for automated workflows-all without any setup needed.


Justin Tadlock's Media Data plugin reveals hidden information from uploaded files-like camera settings, audio tags, and video codecs-through easy-to-use editor blocks that need no coding. Photographers can show exposure details below images, podcasters can add artist info next to players, and archivists can log file sizes and lengths, all using WordPress's existing metadata with customizable labels and complete block theme integration. Users of WordPress 6.9 also benefit from Block Bindings support for improved workflows.


Troy Chaplin's Priority Plus Navigation plugin enhances the core Navigation block by managing menu items more efficiently. When space is limited, it moves items into a dropdown for better accessibility. Using ResizeObserver, it monitors width and changes submenus into a "More" dropdown while following core overlay settings. The plugin fully supports theme.json for customizing dropdown styles, hover effects, and separators, and ensures keyboard navigation and screen reader compatibility.


Kadim Gültekin created Block Style Modifiers plugin to enhance Gutenberg's block styles with additional CSS classes that can layer together. Developers can easily add modifiers for specific blocks or globally using simple PHP functions and can reorder these classes in the editor sidebar. An experimental companion pack showcases hover effects, responsive utilities, and overlay treatments.


In his post, Bernhard Kau presents his Campaign Archive Block plugin, which fixes Mailchimp's complicated archive problem by creating dynamic API-driven listings instead of manual archives. Annoyed with Mailchimp's clunky JavaScript and formatting issues, Kau developed a plugin that automatically pulls archives and can share API credentials with other Mailchimp plugins. Users can set the display count, choose between title and subject, and include sender metadata, reducing the need for manual updates after sending emails.


Johanne Courtright released Groundworx Core 1.3.0 with Dynamic Flow, a query-powered carousel filtering posts by taxonomy or keywords with curated mode for manual selection, Static Flow for building custom slide carousels with any blocks and media pause controls, and Featured Posts displaying content in responsive grids. The update adds responsive breakpoint systems across layouts, block transforms between post disp

Theme Development for Full Site Editing and Blocks

In my latest post, I show how WordPress Playground Blueprints turn theme demos from basic setups into fully functional sites in a browser. Developers create demo content locally, export it, and host assets on GitHub to avoid CORS issues. They then make JSON files that define installation steps, including content import and site setup. The WordPress Importer automatically resizes media and updates URLs. Using this method theme builders can share links that launch complete working demos with sample content, navigation, and settings preserved.


On the Developer Blog, you can read my article Streamlining block theme development with WordPress Playground and GitHub, where I explained a simple workflow using WordPress Playground, the Create Block Theme plugin, and GitHub to connect visual design with version control. Designers can work entirely within browser-based Playground instances, using CBT's Save Changes to update theme files and submit pull requests to GitHub-without needing to use a terminal or code editor. This method makes it easier for anyone to work on block themes while upholding professional development standards. It's the blog post to the presentation I gave at WordCamp Gdynia last September. The video is now available on WordPressTV.


"Keeping up with Gutenberg - Index 2025"
A chronological list of the WordPress Make Blog posts from various teams involved in Gutenberg development: Design, Theme Review Team, Core Editor, Core JS, Core CSS, Test, and Meta team from Jan. 2024 on. Updated by yours truly. 

The previous years are also available:
2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024

Building Blocks and Tools for the Block editor

Carlo Daniele explores the Block Bindings API for Kinsta, demonstrating how to connect external data sources to Gutenberg blocks. The tutorial walks you through registering custom binding sources, fetching weather data from Open-Meteo API, and creating a UI for custom sources introduced in WordPress 6.9. Daniele builds a practical example binding temperature and conditions to Paragraph blocks, showcasing how the API transforms WordPress into a dynamic application platform beyond traditional blogging.


Ian Svoboda helps developers with creating custom blocks using the create-block package. He covers static and dynamic rendering options and explains important files like block.json, edit.js, and save.js. In his tutorial, he builds a dismissible Notice block, outlines naming conventions for assets in the editor and frontend, and demonstrates automatic block registration with glob pattern matching. Developers need local environments and build tools like wordpress/scripts or 10up-toolkit.


In his last week's live stream, Ryan Welcher went fully into PHP mode and build Custom WordPress Blocks WITHOUT JavaScript. The Gutenberg plugin now also entails a PHP-only block API in version 22.2 and refined in 22.3. Check out the video and see how it all works.


Paulo Carvajal published a comprehensive guide on managing Interactivity API state flow for large-scale WordPress applications. You'll learn the three foundational pillars: Global State for page-wide data, Local Context for component isolation, and Derived State for reactive consistency. You also learn unidirectional data patterns, asynchronous actions with withSyncEvent, store namespacing, and server-side hydration strategies to help you build performant enterprise projects.

WordPress and AI

In his latest video, Jonathan Bossenger discussed recent AI-related news in WordPress, including the Plugin Check Namer tool for evaluating plugin names and the introduction of the Abilities API JavaScript client in Gutenberg. He also showcased the AI Experiments plugin and WP Bench for evaluating the AI capabilities in WordPress development.


As James Le Page announced on X, the AI Experiments plugin has received significant updates that include AI-powered excerpt generation fully integrated with the editor, along with a new Abilities Explorer admin screen for viewing registered AI features. The backend now supports Content Summarization and Image Generation experiments, which are pending UI development. Additionally, documentation and onboarding materials were improved, and WordPress Playground preview support was added to streamline workflows, allowing developers to test changes directly from pull requests.

Ray Morey has the skinny for you here: AI Experiments 0.2.0 Adds Excerpt Generation and Abilities Explorer


WordVell's editorial team examined fourteen practical MCP implementations changing WordPress and WooCommerce workflows from manual tasks to AI-driven automation. This protocol allows natural language commands, such as "publish this post," to be executed instantly via servers like InstaWP, OttoKit, and n8n. Use cases include AI-driven content creation with SEO, automating admin tasks across sites, product search conversations, personalized customization, and guided checkout experiences.


James Le Page also announced WP-Bench, a benchmark that measures how well language models understand WordPress development. This tool assesses models on WordPress APIs, hooks, security patterns, and features like the Abilities API while testing code in a secure WordPress environment. The goal is to set a standard evaluation for AI providers, encouraging them to improve for WordPress's many developers.


David Levine, a senior software engineer at rtCamp, explained in the article Beyond AI: What the Abilities API means for WordPress Composability that the new Abilities API allows developers to register specific "abilities" using a clear, machine-readable format. This approach replaces scattered hooks and custom REST endpoints, making plugins and core features more composable. It helps third-party code integrate easily without needing extensive knowledge of internal functions. The API also allows AI and automated tools to find and use capabilities automatically, leading to a more modular and future-ready WordPress ecosystem while maintaining backward compatibility for gradual changes.

Need a plugin .zip from Gutenberg's master branch?
Gutenberg Times provides daily build for testing and review.

Now also available via WordPress Playground. There is no need for a test site locally or on a server. Have you been using it? Email me with your experience.


Questions? Suggestions? Ideas?
Don't hesitate to send them via email or
send me a message on WordPress Slack or Twitter @bph.


For questions to be answered on the Gutenberg Changelog,
send them to changelog@gutenbergtimes.com


Featured Image: Ai generated.


24 Jan 2026 6:05am GMT

23 Jan 2026

feedWordPress Planet

Open Channels FM: It’s Okay to Let Go

Being a creator also means there are many times where it's tough to let go of ideas or even businesses. You need to figure out that sweet spot for yourself.

23 Jan 2026 12:38pm GMT

feed20SIX.fr

Les méthodes utilisées par les entreprises pour mieux structurer leur environnement digital

Les méthodes utilisées par les entreprises pour mieux structurer leur environnement digital

Comment éviter le chaos numérique en entreprise ? Structure, sécurité, outils centralisés et données maîtrisées : adoptez une vraie stratégie digitale !

L'article Les méthodes utilisées par les entreprises pour mieux structurer leur environnement digital est apparu en premier sur 20SIX.fr.

23 Jan 2026 12:36pm GMT

22 Jan 2026

feedThe Official Google Blog

See the newest product features in January’s Demand Gen Drop.

Learn more about the enhancements Demand Gen is launching, just in time for the new year.

22 Jan 2026 5:00pm GMT

feed20SIX.fr

Comment configurer votre eSIM avant votre départ ? Guide étape par étape pour préparer votre voyage

Guide eSIM voyage : configuration facile avant départ

Découvrez comment configurer une carte eSIM pour votre voyage à l'étranger. Guide complet avec étapes simples, compatibilité téléphone et avis Yesim.

L'article Comment configurer votre eSIM avant votre départ ? Guide étape par étape pour préparer votre voyage est apparu en premier sur 20SIX.fr.

22 Jan 2026 2:50pm GMT

feedWordPress Planet

Open Channels FM: Growing Agency Success with People-Centric Values and Open Source Education

In this episode, Anne Bovelett chats with Rahul Bansal and Aviral Mittal from rtCamp, highlighting the agency's growth since 2009, commitment to accessibility, and innovative training programs in WordPress.

22 Jan 2026 9:00am GMT

feed20SIX.fr

Création de Bitcoin : les plus grandes dates de son histoire

Création de Bitcoin : les plus grandes dates de son histoire

Dates clés, halving, adoption : revivez les grandes étapes de l'histoire du Bitcoin et suivez l'évolution de son cours.

L'article Création de Bitcoin : les plus grandes dates de son histoire est apparu en premier sur 20SIX.fr.

22 Jan 2026 6:23am GMT

02 Jan 2024

feedL'actu en patates

Bonne année 2024

Acheter des originaux sur le site LesDessinateurs.com Vous pouvez me suivre sur Instagram, Bluesky ou Facebook.

02 Jan 2024 10:41am GMT

01 Jan 2024

feedL'actu en patates

Une année de sport

Dans le journal L'Equipe du dimanche et du lundi, vous pouviez trouver un de mes dessins en dernière page. Voici un petit échantillon des dessins réalisés en 2023 pour le quotidien sportif. Acheter des originaux sur le site LesDessinateurs.com Vous pouvez me suivre sur Instagram, Bluesky ou Facebook. Acheter des originaux sur le site LesDessinateurs.com Vous …

01 Jan 2024 9:11am GMT

30 Dec 2023

feedL'actu en patates

Attention aux monstres !

Acheter des originaux sur le site LesDessinateurs.com Vous pouvez me suivre sur Instagram, Bluesky ou Facebook.

30 Dec 2023 1:06pm GMT

15 Feb 2022

feedCooking with Amy: A Food Blog

How to Use Bean and Legume Pasta

Much as I love pasta, I'm not sure it loves me. Last year my carb-heavy comfort food diet led to some weight gain so I looked into low carb pasta as an alternative. There's a lot out there and I'm still trying different brands and styles, but I thought now would be a good time to share what I've learned so far.

Pasta with Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts

My introduction to legume and bean-based pasta was thanks to Barilla. I was lucky because I got to attend a webinar with Barilla's incredible chef, Lorenzo Boni. I tried his recipe for pasta with butternut squash and Brussels sprouts which I definitely recommend and have now made several times. If you've seen his wildly popular (150k+ followers!) Instagram feed you know he's a master at making all kinds of pasta dishes and that he often eats plant-based meals. I followed up with him to get some tips on cooking with pasta made from beans and legumes.

Pasta made with beans and legumes is higher in protein and so the recommended 2-ounce portion is surprisingly filling. But the texture isn't always the same as traditional semolina or durum wheat pasta. Chef Boni told me, "The nature of legume pasta makes it soak up more moisture than traditional semolina pasta, so you always want to reserve a bit of cooking water to adjust if needed." But when it comes to cooking, he says that with Barilla legume pasta you cook it the same way as semolina pasta. "Boil in salted water for the duration noted on the box and you'll have perfectly al dente pasta." They are all gluten-free.

Chickpea pasta

When I asked Chef Boni about pairing chickpea pastas with sauce he said, "Generally speaking, I prefer olive oil based sauces rich with vegetables, aromatic herbs and spices. Seafood also pairs well with chickpea options. If used with creamy or tomato-based sauces, keep in mind to always have some pasta water handy to adjust the dish in case it gets too dry." He added, "One of my favorite ways to prepare a legume pasta dish would be a simple chickpea rotini with shrimp, diced zucchini and fresh basil. The sauce is light enough to highlight the flavor of the pasta itself, while the natural sweetness helps keep the overall flavor profile more appealing to everyone." I like the Barilla brand because the only ingredient is chickpeas. Banza makes a popular line of chickpea pasta as well although they include pea starch, tapioca and xanthan gum.

Edamame pasta


I tried two different brands of edamame pasta, Seapoint Farms and Explore Cuisine. The Seapoint pasta has a rougher texture than the Explore. With the Seapoint I found the best pairings were earthy chunky toppings like toasted walnuts and sautéed mushrooms. The Explore Cuisine edamame & spirulina pasta is smoother and more delicate, and worked well with an Asian style peanut sauce. I was happy with the Seapoint brand, but would definitely choose the Explore brand instead if it's available.


Red lentil pasta

Red lentil pasta is most similar to semolina pasta. Barilla makes red lentil pasta in a variety of shapes. But for spaghetti, Chef Boni says, "Barilla red lentil spaghetti is pretty flexible and works well with pretty much everything. I love red lentil spaghetti with light olive oil based sauces with aromatic herbs and some small diced vegetables. It also works well with a lean meat protein." I have to admit, I have yet to try red lentil pasta, but I'm excited to try it after hearing how similar it is to semolina pasta. It is made only with red lentil flour, that's it. It's available in spaghetti, penne and rotini.

Penne for Your Thoughts

Do you remember seeing photos from Italian supermarkets where the shelves with pasta were barren except for penne? I too seem to end up with boxes of penne or rotini and not a clue what to do with them so I asked Chef Boni his thoughts on the subject. He told me, "Shortcuts such as rotini and penne pair very well with all kind of ragouts as well as tomato based and chunky vegetarian sauces. One of my favorite ways to prepare a legume pasta dish would be a simple chickpea rotini with shrimp, diced zucchini and fresh basil. The sauce is light enough to highlight the flavor of the pasta itself, while the natural sweetness helps keep the overall flavor profile more appealing to everyone." Thanks chef! When zucchini is in season I know what I will try!

15 Feb 2022 6:46pm GMT

23 Nov 2021

feedCooking with Amy: A Food Blog

A Conversation with Julia Filmmakers, Julie Cohen and Betsy West


Julia is a new film based on Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz and inspired by My Life in France by Julia Child with Alex Prud'homme and The French Chef in America: Julia Child's Second Act by Alex Prud'homme. Julia Child died in 2004, and yet our appetite for all things Julia hasn't waned.

I grew up watching Julia Child on TV and learning to cook the French classics from her books, And while I never trained to be a chef, like Child I also transitioned into a career focused on food, a subject I have always found endlessly fascinating. I enjoyed the new film very much and while it didn't break much new ground, it did add a layer of perspective that can only come with time. In particular, how Julia Child became a ubiquitous pop culture figure is addressed in a fresh way.


I reached out to the filmmakers,Julie Cohen and Betsy West to find out more about what inspired them and why Julia Child still holds our attention.



Julia Child died over 15 years ago and has been off TV for decades. Why do you believe we continue to be so fascinated by her?

In some ways Julia is the Godmother of modern American cooking - and eating. Her spirit looms over cooking segments on the morning shows, The Food Network, and all those overhead Instagram shots the current generation loves to take of restaurant meals. Beyond that, though, Julia's bigger than life personality and unstoppable joie de vivre are infectious. People couldn't get enough of her while she was living, and they still can't now.

There have been so many Julia Child films and documentaries, what inspired this one?

Well there'd been some great programs about Julia but this is the first feature length theatrical doc. Like everyone else, we adored Julie & Julia, but a documentary gives you a special opportunity to tell a person's story in their own words and with the authentic images. This is particularly true of Julia, who was truly one of a kind.

The impact of Julia Child how she was a groundbreaker really comes across in the film, are we understanding her in a different light as time passes?

People understand that Julia was a talented television entertainer, but outside the professional food world, there's been an under-recognition of just how much she changed the 20th century food landscape. As Jose Andres points out in the film, almost every serious food professional has a sauce-splashed copy of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" on their shelves. We also felt Julia's role in opening up new possibilities for women on television deserved more exploration. In the early 1960's the idea of a woman on TV who was neither a housewife nor a sex bomb but a mature, tall, confident expert was downright radical. She paved the way for many women who followed.

The food shots add an extra element to the film and entice viewers in a very visceral way, how did those interstitials come to be part of the film?

We knew from the start that we wanted to make food a major part of this story, not an afterthought. We worked with cook and food stylist Susan Spungen to determine which authentic Julia recipes could be integrated with which story beats to become part of the film's aesthetic and its plot. For instance the sole meunière is a key part of the story because it sparked her obsession with French food, and the pear and almond tart provides an enticing metaphor for the sensual side of Julia and Paul's early married years.

Note: Susan Spungen was also the food stylist for Julie & Julia

Julia is in theaters now.

23 Nov 2021 11:30pm GMT

05 Oct 2021

feedCooking with Amy: A Food Blog

Meet my Friend & Mentor: Rick Rodgers of the Online Cooking School Coffee & Cake


Rick Rodgers

I met Rick Rodgers early in my career as a recipe developer and food writer when we were both contributors to the Epicurious blog. Not only is he a lot of fun to hang out with, but he has also been incredibly helpful to me and is usually the first person I call when I'm floundering with a project, client, or cooking quandary. His interpersonal skills, business experience, and cooking acumen explain why he's been recognized as one of the top cooking instructors in America. Literally.


You built a career as a cooking instructor and cookbook author. How many cookbooks have you written?

I was asked recently to make an official count, and It looks like an even hundred. Many of those were collaborations with chefs, restaurants, celebrities, bakeries, and business entities, such as Tommy Bahama, Williams-Sonoma, and Nordstrom. I made it known that I was available for collaboration work, and my phone literally rang off the hook for quite a few years with editors and agents looking for help with novice writers or those that wanted a branded book.


Which cookbook(s) are you most proud of?

There are three books that I get fan mail for almost every day: Kaffeehaus (where I explore the desserts of my Austrian heritage), Thanksgiving 101 (a deep dive into America's most food-centric holiday and how to pull it off), and Ready and Waiting (which was one of the first books to take a "gourmet" approach to the slow cooker). These books have been in print for 20 years or more, which is a beautiful testament to their usefulness to home cooks.


How did you get started as a cooking instructor and what are some highlights of your teaching career?

I was a theater major at San Francisco State College (now University), so getting in front of a crowd held no terrors for me. When more brick-and-mortar cooking schools opened in the eighties, I was ready for prime time. During that period, there were at least twelve cooking schools in the Bay Area, so I made quarterly trips here a year from the east coast, where I had moved. My Thanksgiving classes were so popular that I taught every day from November 1 to Thanksgiving, with a couple of days off for laundry and travel. The absolute pinnacle of my teaching career was being named Outstanding Culinary Instructor of The Year by Bon Appétit Magazine's Food and Entertaining Awards, an honor that I share with only a handful of other recipients, including Rick Bayless and Bobby Flay.

Flódni
Flódni


How have cooking classes changed since you started?

Because there are so many classes available, I can teach at any level of experience. At the cooking schools, we tended to walk a fine line between too difficult and too easy. The exposure to different cuisines and skill levels on TV also has seriously raised the bar. Unfortunately, students want to walk before they can run. They want to learn how to make croissants when I doubt that they can bake a pound cake correctly. It is best to build on your skills instead of going right to the top. That being said, in my online classes, I am concentrating on the more challenging recipes because that is what the market demands of me.


Tell me about your baking school, coffeeandcake.org

As much as I loved my cookbooks and in-person classes, I knew there was a more modern way to reach people who wanted to cook with me, especially since so many cooking schools had closed. I retired the day I got my first Social Security check. But…as I was warned by my friends who knew me better than I did…I was bored, and wanted a new project. I heard about online classes through other teachers who were having success. I found an online course specifically for cooking classes (Cooking Class Business School at HiddenRhythm.com), got the nuts and bolts down, and I finally entered the 21st century!


How do you decide which recipes to teach?

I felt there were plenty of other places to learn how to make chocolate chip cookies and banana bread-just take a look on YouTube alone. I had a specialty of Austro-Hungarian baking thanks to my Kaffeehaus book, so I decided to niche into that category. I have branched out to a few other locations, but my goal is to expose students to something new and out of the ordinary. I also survey my students on what they would like me to teach, and those answers are amazing. People are truly interested in the more difficult desserts. Perhaps it is because so many people discovered baking as a hobby during the pandemic?


For students who have your cookbooks, what are the advantages of taking an online class?

There is no substitute for seeing a cook in action. Plus you get to answer questions during class. In a recent class, I made six-layer Dobos Torte in two hours' real-time to prove that you can do it without giving up a week of your life. And we don't have to travel to each other to be "together." My classes are videotaped so you can watch them at your convenience.


What are some highlights of your upcoming schedule of classes?

Honey cake
Honey cake

In October, I am teaching virtually all Hungarian desserts, things that will be new to most people. I am making one of my absolute favorites, Flódni, which is a Jewish bar cookie (almost a cake) with layers of apple, poppy seeds, and walnuts between thin sheets of wine-flavored cookie dough. San Franciscans in particular will be happy to see a master class that I am teaching with the delightful Michelle Polzine, owner of the late and lamented 20th Century Cafe and author of Baking at the 20th Century Cafe. We will be making her (in)famous 12-layer honey cake on two coasts, with me doing the heavy lifting in New Jersey and Michelle guiding me from the west coast. That is going to be fun! In November and December, I am switching over to holiday baking and a few savory recipes for Thanksgiving, including my fail-proof turkey and gravy, which I have made over 300 times in classes over 30 years' worth of teaching. It ought to be perfect by now




Head to Coffee and Cake to sign up for classes or learn more.






05 Oct 2021 3:56pm GMT

03 Dec 2014

feedVincent Caut




!!!



Changement d'adresse !

Maintenant, ça se passe ICI



!!!

03 Dec 2014 8:12pm GMT

16 Jul 2014

feedVincent Caut

16 juillet 2014

16 Jul 2014 6:08pm GMT

14 Jul 2014

feedVincent Caut

14 juillet 2014

Après presque un mois et demi d'absence, deux bouclages d'albums et plein de projets, je trouve enfin le
temps de poster quelque chose sur ce blog ! Ces jours-ci, je vais avoir pas mal de choses à vous montrer !
On commence tranquille avec un petit dessin aux couleurs estivales.

14 Jul 2014 4:25pm GMT