Baking for Blokes

BAKING FOR BLOKES:

DIY in the Kiwi Kitchen

By Steve Joll

Ingredients:

Flour
Butter
Eggs
Chocolate chips
One bloke

Who said baking was limited to the ‘missus’? Steve Joll, author of Baking for Blokes: DIY in the Kiwi Kitchen, believes that if men can take pride in the BBQ, then they can easily muster up some baking winners in the kitchen, by following his simple, step-by-step recipes.

Just over a year ago, radio host and busy dad Steve Joll, started his own website, blokeswhobake.co.nz, for Kiwi blokes to share their proven recipes. Through the website, it turned out that Steve wasn’t the only bloke who baked and now the book (and website) is set to show that baking isn’t just a woman’s domain or for the metro-sexual types! Baking for Blokes is a collection of Steve’s own best recipes, some friends suggestions, old family favourites and the rest contributed through his website.

As the sub-title of the book spells out, DIY in the Kiwi Kitchen, Steve explains, ‘Baking is just like DIY: it’s precise and takes a steady hand. It’s about building and sharing the results of your labour, it means following a strict set of instructions and yet it’s also about being creative.’ And for Steve, it is about using the ingredients already in the fridge or pantry rather than having to make that special trip for a fancy ingredient list.

However, Steve has no intention of becoming the chef in the house or spending hours in the kitchen. Most of the recipes in the book can be made quickly and easily and he rates his recipes with his ‘DOD’ system (degree of difficulty), pointing out which ones are for the hungry right now guys – or the recipes that are slightly fiddlier. And with his ‘tool kit,’ he points out the essentials needed to make the masterpiece.

And although the book can also be used by the wife or girlfriend, she’ll have to deal with the no-nonsense straight-to-the point instructions in Baking for Blokes – and Steve’s stories! And as Steve reminds us – and the point of his book – the best thing for blokes about baking is this: you get to eat the results!

The Author: Steve Joll is a former journalist, children’s TV presenter and author. He is the breakfast host on The Breeze radio station in Wellington and a regular guest baker on TVNZ Good Morning. ‘Baking in the real world happens between hanging out the washing, unblocking the drains and getting the kids to bed’ he says.

User comments from Steve’s website, blokeswhobake.co.nz:
Tan Square: Jon ‘I love it more than me wife.’
Shortbread: Matt ‘Bloody good. Even the fiancée liked them (and she’s hard to please).’
Chewy Choc Chips: Wattsy ‘Bloody superb mate!’
Banana Cake: Brad ‘Best banana cake I ever tasted.’

Publication date: 6th August 2010 | RRP $29.99 Flexicover
**New Zealand author** **Wellington based**

ENDS

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