News and Fun Facts   The fun fact for the week is that covid numbers are plummeting.  That means that I can foresee in person classes in the not too distant future.  Until then, join Friday’s online bake class at 3:30.  Feb 19 Crescent Cookies, Feb 26 Milk Chocolate Cookies, March 5 Chocolate Pistachio Cake.

Snap and Cook Photo Drawing  Congrats for this lemon berry tart photographer from a recent class.  I love her heart shaped pan (photo above)!  Send me a photo of the recipe below something you made in class to win a drawing for a free class.

Top Tip  Cooks Illustrated had this great article on Butter Know How.  I’m a fan of European style butter these days but read what they have to say.  Better yet, subscribe to their fantastic magazine.

What I’m Reading  Are you as tired of reading all about the U.S. woes and triumphs as I am?  Satisfy your wanderlust this week.  Here is what’s happening in other parts of our world.  India farmers are protesting. 

France is now allowing workers to eat at their desks. 

What I’m Watching  Here’s another wanderlust option for Francophiles. Éric Kayser, the artisan baker who opened the first of his shops in Paris, teaches you how to make classic French breads, including “la baguette,” on his lively Maison Kayser Academy YouTube channel. Eric Kayser’s YouTube channel Maison Kayser Academy 

What I’m Cooking  I have seen a LOT of recipes with miso so it must be trending.  I’m not a stranger to miso as I’ve enjoyed many bowls of miso soup at Japanese restaurants.  Yet I had never cooked with it until this month in this Miso Salmon Curry recipe.    Try that out.  It’s easy and fun to cook with a novel ingredient.  Want to learn about miso?  Check this out.