Joy the Baker Cookbook!
29 Feb 2012
I love Joy the Baker. We all do. She’s so ridiculously talented and creative and hilarious. And you just cannot go wrong with her vibrant and flavorful recipes. They are perfection every time. I’ve been really excited for her cookbook
to come out, and I was even more excited to find that she was doing her first book signing in my backyard, at Vroman’s in Pasadena. (Vroman’s is not actually my literal backyard. But it would be awesome if it were). Eric and I headed over there last night to meet her and get a copy of the glorious book!
The crowd was kind of huge, and they actually ran out of books long before the signing started–luckily, my sweet and intrepid husband grabbed one of the last ones for me!
Eventually, tiny and adorable Joy appeared from somewhere deep in the hidden recesses that every bookstore must have, and she waited patiently while she was very kindly introduced. Good posture, Joy! I am sure my mom would kill to find me idly sitting like that instead of all curled up like a question mark!
She spoke for a bit about her inspirations, and then there were lots of really interesting questions, about things like happy accidents in the kitchen, why fondant is awful, and the best bakeries in LA. Fun! Joy then very kindly signed all of our books for us, which took over an hour and, I’m sure, left her smiling muscles exhausted. But she was so very sweet!
I was telling her about how I was determined to have more pie in my life and about how I might never use another chocolate cake recipe again because of the sheer perfection of hers, and while I was blathering on, she was writing this in my book. So sweet.
She even made these bookmarks for us as a thank you gift, featuring her cat! She told me that Tracy from Shutterbean designed them, and that just made them even better!
Eric took this picture of us. It makes me smile. Thank you, Joy, for a lovely evening, and for your book, which is a treasure! I have already been stockpiling all the recipes I want to try in the next few weeks. Carrot cake pancakes! Lavender lemon bars! Avocado pound cake! I can’t wait to get baking!

Feb 29, 2012 @ 09:17:35
Awesome! How exciting that you got to go and get a signed copy of the book! She’s coming to Omnivore Books in mid-March…Maybe I’ll just have to send Kostas as my proxy? 🙂 Although I could live without a signed copy–Carrot Cake Pancakes would be enough.
Feb 29, 2012 @ 10:18:54
She is so sweet and awesome! Maybe Kostas could be your proxy…or you guys could just take a trip to one of the other places she’s signing! Fun! I am always looking for another reason to travel:)
Feb 29, 2012 @ 09:56:22
I’m still in shock that I got to meet her!!! Isn’t she great?!!
Feb 29, 2012 @ 10:17:42
Yes! Totally! 🙂
Feb 29, 2012 @ 11:58:34
Oh wow, how exciting! She seems to be such a sweet person!!!
Feb 29, 2012 @ 13:37:42
She totally is! It was tons of fun!
Feb 29, 2012 @ 12:34:30
So fun that you got to go to her very first book signing! She won’t be coming to New York until end of March. As if I wasn’t excited enough already, you just made me even more excited, and I didn’t think that was possible. Thanks for sharing.
Feb 29, 2012 @ 12:54:01
Oh, thank you! She is seriously the best! You’ll have so much fun, and the cookbook is fabulous!
Feb 29, 2012 @ 18:38:38
She is such an inspiration! I am so jealous that you got to meet her. I wish she was coming to my city!
Feb 29, 2012 @ 20:48:24
It was really fun! I’m so sorry she isn’t coming to your town yet, but hope springs eternal!
Mar 01, 2012 @ 09:28:04
Joy is very perceptive! I think her inscription in your cookbook is spot-on! 🙂
Mar 01, 2012 @ 13:22:38
Thank you! You are so sweet!
Mar 01, 2012 @ 16:45:21
Wow! I can’t believe I’m going to be out there in a week. My taste buds are already watering. I may have to extend my stay just to try all of the great things I’m sure you’re going to bake.
Mar 02, 2012 @ 14:52:10
I’m so excited to see you soon! Hurray! Let me know if there’s anything you want me to have ready when you get here!
Joy the Baker’s Araby Spice Cake with Lemon | Krug the Thinker
May 24, 2012 @ 05:06:33
[…] have been slowly and deliciously baking my way through Joy the Baker’s new cookbook. This is the wonderful cake I have been eating all week, since I doubled the recipe, and it is […]
May 16, 2013 @ 15:57:32
This post gave me joy. I especially love the photo of Joy & Krug the Bakers together.
I’ve gone to a couple of new book tour launches at Vroman’s recently.
How are the recipes coming out – especially the carrot cake cupcakes?!
May 16, 2013 @ 21:37:09
I am sad that I have missed the last few events–I really wanted to go! I think it’s amazing that we have such a world-class bookstore right in our backyard, and I never take it for granted! I haven’t made those pancakes yet, but my friend says they are majestic! 🙂
May 20, 2013 @ 11:24:15
In fact, you may know, Vroman’s was named the bookseller of the year for 2008 by Publishers Weekly or some organization like that. I try to always go at least to support authors I know.
May 22, 2013 @ 11:39:50
Cool! Well, I’m not surprised. It’s definitely my go-to place when I need a book!