Duff's Deli, Holiday Baking & Russian Tea Cakes with Duff Goldman

On this episode of Taste Buds with Deb, host Debra Eckerling speaks with celebrity chef, cookbook author, and TV personality Duff Goldman, Charm City Cakes, in honor of baking season!

"There's so much more baking that happens than other times of the year," he says. "It's our time to shine!"

He also has a bunch of new projects. A few months ago Duff, who is known for making ginormous cakes that come alive, started the Topanga Woodworks Etsy shop. " I built cakes that move, which got me into building toys," he says. "Working with wood, things don't fall apart as much."

Plus, he also just opened his first restaurant, Duff's Deli + Market, in the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The chef, who is constantly working and traveling, saw the need to put a restaurant representing familiarity into an airport hub.

"As somebody who grew up in delis, [there's something] centering that happens when you get a nice bowl of chicken soup or a pastrami sandwich or a brisket with tiger sauce on it and a Dr. Brown's black cherry soda," Duff says. "It's not the thing you expect to find at an airport, but it's the thing you want in an airport."

He adds, "Travel can be stressful, and I find that [having] something good and yummy really helps; it's nice."

Duff Goldman talks about Duff's Deli + Market, Topanga Woodworks, and his thoughts on life, learning, and kindness. He also shares the recipe for his great-grandmother's Russian tea cakes, which you can get at JewishJournal.com/podcasts, along with other baking tips.

"If you have the time, it usually behooves you to try to bake it once before you bake it for the big show," Duff says. "If everyone's coming over for Hanukkah, if you're going to make sufganiyot, make them once by yourself; make the mistakes."

You will be confident in your ability to make them when the time comes.

Learn more at Duff.com, check out Topanga Woodworks on Etsy and subscribe to @Duff-Stuff on YouTube.

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