Today’s guest is Tanya Bush, a writer, editor, and pastry chef. She’s the co-founder of the indie magazine Cake Zine and the author of the new book “Will This Make You Happy: Stories and Recipes from a Year of Baking.” Her work has appeared in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Eater, and more, and she’s also the pastry chef at Little Egg and Table of Contents in Brooklyn.

Tanya joins host Jessie Sheehan to talk about the year that changed everything for her—living through the pandemic, losing her job, starting an anonymous baking Instagram account, and deciding to become a pastry chef—and how it inspired her debut book.

The duo also walk through Tanya’s Toasted Poppy Seed Cruller with Lemon Curd recipe from the book. The author explains why she adds a touch of whole wheat flour for texture, why freezing the crullers before frying is key to a crisp exterior and custardy center, and how glazes are the ultimate blank canvas for creativity.

Click here for Tanya’s Toasted Poppy Seed Cruller With Lemon Curd recipe.

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More on Tanya: Instagram, Cake Zine, “Will This Make You Happy” book
More on Jessie: Instagram, “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” cookbook

Today’s guest is Spring Council, a chef, cooking instructor, former restaurateur, and the daughter of legendary Southern chef Mildred “Mama Dip” Council of Mama Dip’s Kitchen in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Spring just released her debut cookbook, “Southern Roots: Recipes and Stories from Mama Dip’s Daughter,” celebrating four generations of Black restaurateurs and the community her family nourished through food.

Spring joins host Jessie Sheehan to talk about growing up the youngest of eight in a family of cooks, learning through “dump cooking” and oral recipe sharing, and watching her mother build a beloved restaurant with just $64.

She also walks Jessie through her Chocolate Bread Pudding with Candied Bacon from “Southern Roots.” This dish features grated bread for a tender, almost cake-like texture, plus bourbon, maple syrup, chocolate, and salty-sweet bacon. Spring explains why she uses breadcrumbs instead of cubes, how baking powder changes the structure of the pudding, and why the inclusion of bourbon makes this dish unforgettable.

Click here for Spring’s Chocolate Bread Pudding with Candied Bacon recipe.

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More on Spring: Instagram, website, “Southern Roots” cookbook
More on Jessie: Instagram, “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” cookbook

Claire Saffitz is back on our show! Claire is a beloved baker, dessert authority, and the author of two New York Times bestselling cookbooks—Dessert Person and What’s For Dessert. She also hosts the hit YouTube show, “Dessert Person.”

Today, Claire walks host Jessie Sheehan through her Molten Chocolate Olive Oil Cake recipe from What’s For Dessert. It’s a decadent dessert that’s deceptively simple. She explains why she uses olive oil instead of butter in the batter and how to get the center perfectly molten.

She also tells Jessie about the baked goods she ate and baked growing up, her mom’s recipe collection, her love for Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts book, and how the “Claire Recreates” series came to be.

Click here for Claire’s Molten Chocolate Olive Oil Cake recipe.

Pre-order our Mom’s the Bombe Issue

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More on Claire: Instagram, YouTube, “What’s For Dessert” cookbook

More on Jessie: Instagram, “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” cookbook

Today’s guest is Mia Castro, a chef, cookbook author, and TV personality based in New York City. She’s been on “Chopped,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” and “Beat Bobby Flay,” and she’s releasing her debut cookbook, “Cocina Puerto Rico: Recipes from My Abuela’s Kitchen to Yours.”

Mia joins host Jessie Sheehan to talk about growing up in Puerto Rico, trailing her abuela through the kitchen, and spending afternoons at neighborhood panaderías. She shares how long calls with her grandmother became the foundation for her book, the challenges of translating “a ojo” (by eye) cooking into written recipes, and more.

Then, she walks Jessie through her Milkiest Tres Leches cake recipe. Mia shares smart tips on soaking, poking, and baking to get the perfect texture, and her two toppings of choice: a silky Italian meringue or a fluffy coconut cloud whip.

Click here for Mia’s Milkiest Tres Leches recipe.

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More on Mia: Instagram, “Cocina Puerto Rico” cookbook
More on Jessie: Instagram, “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” cookbook

Today’s guests are Christiani Pitts and Sam Tutty, the stars of the Broadway musical “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York).” The show is a joyful, funny, and heartwarming story about chance encounters, unlikely connections, and one unforgettable day in New York City.

Christiani and Sam join host Jessie Sheehan to talk about their journeys to Broadway, what it’s like to carry an entire show as a two-person cast, and why “Two Strangers” has been described as a love letter to NYC. They also dive into the role cake plays in the show (yes, there is a real cake), the production’s partnership with Magnolia Bakery, and their personal dessert favorites—from red velvet cake to banana pudding to caterpillar cakes.

"Two Strangers" audio clip courtesy of "Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)"

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Pre-order our Galentine’s Day Issue
Bombesquad Bazaar tickets here
Jubilee NYC 2026 tickets here

Visit cherrybombe.com for subscriptions, tickets to upcoming events, and more.

More on Christiani: Instagram
More on Sam: Instagram
More on “Two Strangers”: Instagram
Get tickets to the show

More on Jessie: Instagram, “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” cookbook

We’re kicking off our 2026 season with Justine Doiron, the beloved creator behind Justine Snacks. Justine is a cook, recipe developer, and the author of “Justine Cooks,” a New York Times bestselling cookbook.

Justine joins host Jessie Sheehan to talk about the path that led to her creative career, her childhood baking hobby, how she made her own wedding cakes, and her early days on TikTok.

Then, Justine dives into her “obsessive” chocolate chip cookie behavior and the four recipes she developed for her book, specifically her Tall Rye Guy recipe. She explains how analyzing ingredient ratios changed the way she thinks about texture, spread, and flavor; why ratios matter more than technique; and why she believes cookies are best eaten warm and slightly underbaked.

Click here for Justine’s Tall Rye Guy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.

Order The Cake Issue

Pre-order our Galentine’s Day Issue

Jubilee NYC 2026 tickets here

Visit cherrybombe.com for subscriptions, tickets to upcoming events, and more.

More on Justine: Instagram, website, “Justine Cooks” cookbook
More on Jessie: Instagram, “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” cookbook

We’re celebrating 2025 by re-airing our top episode of the year—host Jessie Sheehan’s interview with Nicola Lamb! Nicola is a London-based pastry chef and the author of “Sift: The Elements of Great Baking.” She has a pop-up bakery, Lark, and writes the popular Substack newsletter Kitchen Projects.

Nicola joined Jessie earlier this year for a deep dive into one of the world’s most loved pastries: the croissant. She talks about the complexities of adapting her recipe for home bakers after years of producing 10,000 croissants a week in a professional bakery. The duo get deliciously nerdy about technique—from lamination to honeycomb structure—and what it really takes to perfect this baked good at home. Nicola also opens up about her winding culinary path, from being “the office cake lady” to honing her craft at Dominique Ansel’s famed NYC bakery.

For Nicola’s croissant recipe, check out her book, “Sift.”

Click here for Nicola’s French Toast Cinnamon Buns recipe.

Thank you to Diamond Nuts & California Prunes for their support.

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Jubilee NYC 2026 tickets here

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More on Nicola: Instagram, Substack, “Sift” cookbook
More on Jessie: Instagram, “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” cookbook

Today’s guest is Skye McAlpine. Skye is a food writer, cookbook author, and stylist based in Venice, Italy. She’s the author of several cookbooks, including “A Table in Venice,” “A Table for Friends,” “A Table Full of Love,” and her latest, “The Christmas Companion.” Skye also writes a monthly recipe column for The Sunday Times, contributes to publications like Vogue, Vanity Fair, and The Guardian, runs a Substack newsletter called The Dolce Vita Diaries, and is the founder of Skye McAlpine Tavola, a tableware and homewares brand.

Skye joins host Jessie Sheehan to talk about her life and career—from moving to Venice as a child and growing up between British and Italian Christmas traditions, to discovering her love of cooking and entertaining at university with nothing more than a toaster oven, to teaching herself how to cook and turning a food blog into a book deal. Then, Skye guides Jessie through her Chocolate and Chestnut Yule Log from “The Christmas Companion.” It’s a whimsical, showstopping holiday dessert made with a light chocolate sponge, chestnut cream filling, bittersweet ganache, and meringue mushrooms.

Click here for Skye’s Chocolate and Chestnut Yule Log recipe.

Thank you to Diamond Nuts and California Prunes for their support.

Order The Cake Issue

Jubilee NYC 2026 tickets here

Visit cherrybombe.com for subscriptions, show transcripts, and tickets to upcoming events.

More on Skye: Instagram, “The Christmas Companion” book
More on Jessie: Instagram, “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” cookbook