How many times have you wanted to cook that someone special a dinner or dessert, you find that perfect recipe, but it serves 6 to 8 people? Finally, there are best selling cookbooks that are easy to follow for small batch cooking. The editors at Elucid Magazine discovered these delicious cookbooks and the author behind them.
Christina Lane is the innovative bestselling author of Cooking for Two, and Dessert for Two which guides couples to create delicious romantic dinners. The cookbooks also lay the foundation for cooking skills and Small batch cooking. if you are going to make mistakes, it is much better for make mistakes cooking a recipe for 6 cookies than make a mistake on a recipe for 24 cookies.
We encourage our readers to try some of Christina’s fabulous recipes from her books this holiday season!
Christina did an informative Q and A with our editors.
When did you start having an interest in baking/ cooking?
Baking and cooking have always been a part of my life. When I was a baby, my mom would always put me up on the kitchen counter so that I could cook with her. In addition to cooking with my mom, my Great Aunt Rose ran a hamburger restaurant in Dallas that she bought in 1940 and ran for 63 years. I have fond memories as a kid helping in that restaurant. Then as I got older, I just started reading and cooking through cookbooks. I read cookbooks like most people read novels. I love to go to the library and pick up a new cookbook, come home, sit on the couch, and read it cover to cover. Then I’ll bookmark recipes and try them.
Explain why you started developing "desserts and meals” for 2?
While I was doing my undergraduate degree at Baylor University, I fell in love with growing food and I decided I wanted to pursue that further. I was accepted to UC Davis outside of Sacramento, California (but just outside of Napa Valley) I was working on my Master’s degree in Agronomy and I was thousands of miles from home and I missed my momma’s cooking. But when I would make her recipes, they were just way too many servings. So, I wanted her cooking but on a smaller scale for my single college girl self. That’s when I started scaling down her recipes.
How long does it take you to develop a new recipe?
It usually takes me a few days to develop a new recipe. It was a little longer in the beginning, with a lot more trial and error, but over the years my experience has helped me. I will begin with the initial recipe, make it, taste it, then adjust it. Maybe it needs an extra egg white, maybe another tablespoon of butter, and I test again. Then, when I think the recipe is done, I make it three times, and I ask my mom to make it, so then I know the recipe works.
Your book Dessert for 2 is a massive success, can you share a favorite recipe from the book that our readers can make for the holidays?
I always get torn between two recipes for the holidays. The classic is One Dozen Cut Out Sugar Cookies, you roll out the dough, cut your favorite shapes, then top with icing and decorate. It is such a great holiday family activity decorating cookies. The other perfect recipe is Christmas Fudge, it’s easy, chocolatey, and delicious.
Are these recipes anyone can follow?
I strive to have a full range of recipes from very simple to more advanced. My passion is to teach people how to cook and bake. I think it is such an important skill to have to be able to feed yourself, your friends, and your family delicious food. One thing I tell people to remember is that the tenth time you bake cookies will be better than your first and the 50th time will be better than your tenth. The beauty of my small recipes is that if you make a mistake, you can try again, and you won’t be throwing away that much food.
What media did you appear on promoting the book?
I was very lucky promoting Dessert For Two. I was invited to QVC where I got to be on the air with David Venerable, who is such a warm and sincere person. I love his books and it was so great meeting him. I was also invited on the Today Show for Valentine’s Day where I got to make a special dessert for a lovely couple that got engaged on the show. It was such a great experience, I was six months pregnant with my daughter and my husband got to be on air with me.
What is next for your career?
I am definitely not planning to slow down. My fourth cookbook will be released April 9, 2019 and I believe we have decided on the final title, “Dinner Just For Two.” I will also continue to pursue my dream of being on TV and teaching the world to cook through small recipes. Then of course I will keep posting on my blog and social media, bringing new recipes and videos as often as possible. I have been doing Dessert For Two for nine years now and I absolutely love it!
You can learn more at: www.DessertForTwo.com
www.Instagram.com/DessertForTwo
