Food Network Obsessed

Zoë François on the Baking Staple You Must Make Yourself

Episode Summary

Pastry chef Zoë François reveals what it was like to grow up on a commune in the sixties and how formative the experience was to her personal food philosophy.

Episode Notes

Pastry chef Zoë François reveals what it was like to grow up on a commune in the sixties and how formative the experience was to her personal food philosophy. She shares the lie her parents told her about raisins and the packaged snack that opened her eyes to a world of sweet possibilities. Zoë affectionately talks about the value of knowing where food comes from and the effort it takes to make it because of her childhood living on a commune and how that informs how she approaches her work today. She talks about the first few jobs she ever had and what she learned by starting her own cookie cart in college. Zoë shares how she became friends with Andrew Zimmern and the one thing he would always bring to lunch that was way before his time. She talks about working with Andrew and how he encouraged her to get into teaching, which she has now been doing for over two decades. Zoë shares her journey to the Magnolia Network with her show, Zoë Bakes, the baking mishaps she tends to observe the most, and her love for the culinary community of Minneapolis. She talks about being a guest judge on Silos Baking Competition and why it makes her super nervous. 

Start Your Free Trial of discovery+: https://www.discoveryplus.com/foodobsessed

Follow Food Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodnetwork

Follow Jaymee Sire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaymeesire

Follow Zoë François on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Zoëbakes/

Learn More About Zoë Bakes: https://www.discoveryplus.com/show/Zoë-bakes

Learn More About Silos Baking Competition: https://www.discoveryplus.com/show/silos-baking-competition-us

Find episode transcripts here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/zoe-francois-on-the-baking-staple-you-must-make-yourself

 

Episode Transcription

Jaymee Sire):

Hello. Hello and welcome to the food network. Obsessed. This is the podcast where we dish on all things, food with your favorite chefs, food influencers and food network stars. I'm your host, Jamie SireAnd today we have a pastry chef on the podcast talking about how growing up on a commune in Vermont influenced her perspective and her advice for frustration free baking. She is a pastry chef cookbook, author, educator, and the star of Zoe bakes on Magnolia network. It's Zoë François. Zoe. Welcome to the podcast. How are you doing? And more importantly, what are you baking up today? If anything

Zoë François:

I, yes. Hi. Hi. Hi. Okay, so let me tell you, it's been like a hundred degrees, yes. In Minneapolis, which is so crazy for us. So it's been no baked desserts here. So yeah, trying not to turn on the oven too much, but I am working on a new cookie book. Ooh. So testing lots and lots of cookies. It's been awesome.

Jaymee Sire:

Who are your taste? Testers?

Zoë François:

Oh, well my two sons and my husband for sure. But then I also enlist the entire neighborhood.

Jaymee Sire:

all my friends,

Zoë François:

Neighbors. The neighborhood. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And then I discovered because I've, I, I go to the gym and my eldest son works at the gym that all of the guys that work there eat a lot. and they're the best people to bring baked goods to. They love them. And I'm teaching them how to like give me critical feedback. I love that, but yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's awesome.

Jaymee Sire:

That's great. Well, I mean, your relationship with sweets is a very interesting one that has evolved over time. You grew up in a commune in Vermont, in the sixties, had no idea what sugar even was until you started kindergarten. In fact, your parents told you that raisins were candy. Have you forgiven them yet?

Zoë François:

No, no, no, no. and in fact, my mom is here visiting, so I'm gonna have to, I'm gonna have to remind her of this and we'll have to process that while she's

Jaymee Sire:

Still working through that.

Zoë François:

yeah. And the, I mean, the raisins were one thing. The raisins were bad, but it was the car that was really that's. I don't think that's, I don't think there's forgiveness ahead of me for that.

Jaymee Sire:

Oh, can you talk just a little bit more about what life was like in that community and why that shared, you know, sustainable philosophy of living really appealed to your parents and aligned with who they are?

Zoë François:

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. It's so interesting because it's turned out to be such a formative thing for me and my food philosophy, but at the time I did not appreciate what was going on

Zoë François:

you know, and my dad it was really my dad that drove us going and living in that way. And he was so connected to the land. He was really the person who drove the gardening and it was really his vision and he kept bees and he did the gardening and we had our own animals for the dairy and then also the meat and we everything and canned things. So yeah, it was really quite something and just felt very normal because that was my childhood. So I thought everybody ate like that and lived like that.

Zoë François:

And then I went to kindergarten and realized that there was a whole world in all those other lunch boxes that I knew nothing about that was quite an education just in the lunchroom. So,

Jaymee Sire :

Yeah. I'm sure. I mean, do you remember that realization kind of hit you, I guess, like, was there a specific treat or something that somebody else had? Oh

Zoë François:

Yeah. I, one of my friends opened his lunchbox and there was a Twinki and I was like, first of all, it was wrapped in plastic, which I don't think I'd ever seen before. And then it was just like this golden cylindrical thing with this white cream in the middle and it smelled sweet. I don't know. I must be a better salesperson than I thought because I got, I traded him like probably an all grain

Jaymee Sire:

Zoë François:

Banana and home, home ground, peanut butter sandwich for that twinky. I mean, I think he probably regretted it.

Jaymee Sire:

I think that sounds like a great trade as adults, but yeah, as a, as a five year old

Zoë François:

No, I mean, today, I love that, but you know, we're talking the days of wonder bread and you know, people were not grinding their own peanuts to make peanut butter. Now, now that's a, that's a thing, but that's in the sixties that was just not being done. So, yeah, so that was my first and I went home and I'm like, what are you people trying to, you know, raisins are not candy

Jaymee Sire:

Zoë François (05:33):

There are twin out there and I am gonna find all of them.

Jaymee Sire  (05:38):

I mean, now that you have the benefit of, you know, looking back at that time, what principles from that way of living have stayed with you in, in what ways have you evolved?

Zoë François (05:48):

Okay. So here's the secret and I know my boys are gonna grow up to tell this story, so I might as well just put it out there. I did did the same thing to them. I did not give them candy. I did not give them sugar until they were like school age. So even though I resented my parents for it, and I like made a career out of eating as much sugar as I possibly could, I ended up doing the same thing as a parent. Hilarious.

Jaymee Sire  (06:16):

That's amazing. I mean, how overall, how did it, you know, shape your food perspective that you have today?

Zoë François (06:24):

Yeah, I mean, I think that I have such an appreciation for where food comes from. Like I grew up always knowing that, you know, I, I sat under the Ving tomatoes in a garden and I knew exactly where that tomato came from. I watched my dad plant that seed. So, I mean, I feel like I had this understanding of what went into growing food and making food. We made our own butter, we would sit around. I mean, it was a commune, so there were lots of us and we would, it's probably the first thing I remember making as even a toddler. I had my turn at churning the butter it sounds like little house in the Prairie, but it was, you know, that's how we got there. That's, you know, so I think I just have this deep appreciation for where food comes from, how it's made, just an unending curiosity about how all food is made and how, you know, other cultures of food. And I'm just always looking to sort of figure that out and learn from it. And it really sort of shaped my career choices, but also who I am as a chef.

Jaymee Sire  (07:44):

Mm-Hmm I mean, your, your first career choice was at Ben and Jerry's as an ice cream cake maker. Do you feel like this is where that love for beautiful sweet treats started to bloom.

Zoë François (07:57):

Okay. So can I just tell you the honest truth? My very first restaurant job was actually Wendy's.

Jaymee Sire  (08:04):

Oh, really?

Zoë François (08:06):

So not sexy, but I did run the frosty machines. Okay.

Jaymee Sire  (08:11):

Well, there you go.

Zoë François (08:13):

So it is a trend I did, it is from Wendy's Frosty's to, to Ben and Jerry. So Ben and Jerry's was the first place that I got to cake decorate because I was the person, not only was I a scooper, but I also made the like bur the ice cream cakes and they put a piping bag in my hand and said, decorate this. I feel so bad for that first person who got the very first cake that I had to write happy birthday on the top with a piping bag and whipped cream. Oh, I dunno if they could even read it . But but I loved it. I think that was the moment where I was like, this is like a thing, this is a job. So yeah, that was my first real love.

Jaymee Sire  (09:04):

Yeah. And then you had a, you know, an entrepreneurial venture in college as a business assignment. Can you tell us what you learned through Zoe's cookie cart?

Zoë François (09:14):

Yeah, I mean, I have to say that academics in school were not the most exciting thing for me. So when I, I took this business class and he assigned us to write a business plan and it was the time of like famous Amos and Mrs. Fields cookies and all of these sort of new gourmet cookie companies were sprouting up. And so I wrote Zoe's cookies as my business plan and decided that seemed a whole lot more exciting than sitting in this business

Jaymee Sire  (09:48):

.

Zoë François (09:49):

So I actually went, took out a little business, a little loan from the bank, started this business and made cookies and sold them out of this beautiful cart that my then boyfriend now husband built for me. Aww. And it was I mean, I had no clue what I was doing. Like zero. I didn't actually know how to bake. I didn't know how to run a business. And I just learned so much from doing that. Especially I learned how much I love to bake and sort of figure that stuff out. It definitely taught me mostly that I needed to go to culinary school.

Jaymee Sire  (10:35):

I mean, is that, is that the moment that you kind of realized that you wanted to pursue that as more of a like professional career?

Zoë François (10:45):

I would say, you know, I did that, I did take a semester off of going to UVM the university of Vermont, but, you know, I had gone overall. I went to 16 different schools, but the LA the high school that I graduated from was a private boarding school. And I always envisioned myself in an office. Like I thought I would have this like suit because I grew up in a commune. I was like obsessed with people in suits

Jaymee Sire  (11:18):

Zoë François (11:20):

And I always like envisioned that for myself, which is hilarious. And so I didn't really see this as like a legitimate career yet. And it was really later when I was working in an advertising agency and just working in a cubicle, not at all happy with what I was doing, and I would come home and obsessively bake. And it was actually my husband, who I was probably driving crazy who suggested, why don't you go back to school and study, you know, go back to, to culinary school. And so he really saw it before I did. Aw. And that's exactly what I did.

Jaymee Sire  (11:59):

So, during your time at the culinary Institute of America, you also crossed paths with Andrews, Mer, who we just had on you became his pastry chef. How did you guys initially become acquainted?

Zoë François (12:11):

Oh, well, I was at the CIA and he apparently contacted them, looking for pastry students and put me in contact. So my very first initial contact with him was over the phone. He hired me over the phone. Boy, did I not know what I was like showing up to . Oh, wow. He was, you know, I mean, you know, Andrew, he's a huge character. Yes. I have no clue from that phone conversation, what I had just entered into and it was fantastic. So I left school. I didn't graduate from the CIA. I went into basically the education of Andrew

Jaymee Sire  (12:55):

I feel like that's a pretty good education, right?

Zoë François (12:57):

Oh yeah. Oh yeah, yeah. Yeah. Because I would have to say that, you know, at the CIA I was learning the culinary arts and the craft of what I wanted to do, and it was, ah, it was amazing. And I only studied baking. I wasn't there for the full culinary side of it or the savory side at the time, because I think that they have really changed the curriculum, but at the time they weren't teaching chefs how to run a business. They weren't teaching that end of things. And Andrew was brilliant at it. So not only was he an amazing chef, but also he understood how a chef could sort of parlay this into a living because it can be a rough business to get into.

Jaymee Sire  (13:44):

It seems just from the little that I've, you know, known and interacted with Andrew that, I mean, he is just a wealth of knowledge across a lot of different topics. 

Zoë François (13:53):

So else, so smart.

Jaymee Sire  (13:55):

What, what else have you learned from Andrew over the years?

Zoë François (13:58):

Okay. I'm not sure he's gonna love this story, but we . We used to go to lunch all the time and he would take a cam quarter. Do you remember those things? They were like, probably as, you know, massive, I think you needed two hands to hold them. This is like way before iPhones and he would record himself eating lunch seriously. yeah. And we'd just be sitting in a restaurant he'd randomly pull out this massive camera and start recording it. And we all thought he was just ridiculous and hilarious and crazy, but he was, he knew he like, he, he had a vision of what he wanted to do and he was rehearsing and he's brilliant. I mean, he just, he hones his craft and he's just, like you said, he is, is such a wealth of knowledge in so many things, but that was, he knew exactly what he was doing. He also thought he was doing before

Jaymee Sire  (14:58):

His time. Yeah. Oh, totally.

Zoë François (15:01):

Before his time. Yeah. Mean now,

Jaymee Sire  (15:03):

Now you go out to eat, everybody's doing it right

Zoë François (15:05):

Now. You can't go out to eat without your phone.

Jaymee Sire  (15:10):

What about,

Zoë François (15:10):

I thought he was way before it,

Jaymee Sire  (15:12):

He was what were some of your first learning experiences working in a kitchen after the training at CIA?

Zoë François (15:20):

Well, okay. So when you go to culinary school, you learn all of the techniques and you learn, you know, so much about, I would say probably most profoundly the, for me, was the food science, but you don't get the repetition that you get when you are in a restaurant because you're making something, you know, maybe a few times, but in a restaurant you really hone your craft. You really get your 10,000 hours in so that you are proficient at what you're doing. I mean, cooking and baking is like any craft. It's like any art form you have to practice. And there's no better way to do that than working in a restaurant or a bakery and just doing it over and over and over again. And tweaking things and learning new little techniques and working with other people who are just brilliant at what they're doing.

Jaymee Sire  (16:23):

I mean, on that note, you know, when you're in a kitchen, working with a team, what would you say your leadership style is like?

Zoë François (16:30):

Well, I have to say that, okay. I have a balance between being very much collaborative and in control.

Jaymee Sire  (16:42):

, ,

Zoë François (16:45):

You know, it's like I have a vision and I sort of know where I wanna take this dessert, or I see it in my head. Like I see where I want this to go, but then if somebody has an idea, that's gonna make it better. I for sure. Listen, and I am willing to like work with them and, and try new things. And I'm always looking to learn things. So it's the only place in my life that I would say I'm a bit anal retentive of a type, you know, it's like, I really have a plan that I like to stick to, but, you know, and, and working on the show I know we haven't talked about it yet, but there's a, a big team and we're all working together and it just makes everybody better. You know, I don't think working in isolation is necessarily the most creative way to be mm-hmm so I love working in a team.

Jaymee Sire  (17:48):

What do you love about educating?

Zoë François (17:51):

Oh, okay. So this is something, this is, again, I would say Andrew pushed me into this, like the first week that I was working with him as a pastry chef, he brought me to a class. He was teaching and he said, you need to do this because you have a way. And he must have seen how I was working with my team at the restaurant. You have a way of explaining things to people. That's gonna be a natural for teaching lay people, how to bake. I was terrified. I'd never done anything like it, but he saw that. And he brought me to this class. And I'd love to, I, I think that as I get older and deeper into all of this, one of the most satisfying things to me is showing people, something that they think is gonna be so intimidating and so difficult and stepping them through the process so that it's relatable to them.

Zoë François (18:53):

And then watching them do it like, and that I have to say is one of the best things about Instagram and social media as a whole is just, I get to show them something. And then almost instantly they're posting pictures of what they made mm-hmm and they're like, they're so excited because they just never thought that they could do that. Even a simple loaf of bread, you know, it's like, so that's really like, there's, I'm getting goosebumps just talking about it. Like just watching other people embrace this craft that I love so much is probably the most satisfying thing that I do.

Jaymee Sire  (19:34):

What's it like when you kind of can see that, that light bulb going off that moment, where they get it?

Zoë François (19:41):

Oh, I get that all the time. It's like people saying, I didn't think I like to bake. And I think the problem is that people assume baking is all science, it's all math and science and rigidity. Like you have to do this and there's no creativity and no art in it. And that's just not the case. There's some basics. But you know, I think when I step people through the process, they're like, Ugh, I could totally do that. And they do. And then it's like, I think it's just, you know, one step in front of the other until you get to this beautiful end and then they feel the freedom to do more and take on more. And so it's so amazing and satisfying. And I really think at this point, I enjoy the teaching even as much as the baking. Mm. Like, I, it's just so satisfying to see all of these other people taking the recipes and making it their own too, like feeling that freedom to like add something of their own and then share it with me

Jaymee Sire  (20:58):

Coming up next. Zoe tells us all about her series, Zoe bakes on Magnolia network and gives us her best baking tips. You bring that passion, that talent for teaching into your show on Magnolia network, Zoe bakes, where you walk the viewers through everything from flaky pie crust to quick fold biscuits. Can you share with us how the show came about and what was really important to you to include?

Zoë François (21:27):

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So again, oh, Andrew's just gonna keep coming up in this. Yeah.

Zoë François (21:33):

Andrew probably way back when he was holding up that cam quarter said, I think you're gonna be on TV. And I was like, wow, that's so crazy. And like, no. And then I had my boys and he kept bringing it up over the years and I was just not ready. I didn't have the confidence. I was like, you're crazy. This is, you know, you are brilliant at it, but not for me. And then my boys got to a certain age and he brought it up again and I'm like, okay, let's try this. And we did a project together and I actually had so much fun. And then the production company came to me and asked me to do a sizzle for a different show. And then I found out about the Magnolia network and I was like, that is where I wanna be.

Zoë François (22:23):

Like, I just love I love chip and Joanna's way of expressing their passion for their craft. And it was all about the craft. I mean, you really learned how their process was. And I just felt so such a kinded spirit in that way. Like they really were all about the craft and if it was entertaining awesome. But it was really craft first. And so I just loved that about them. So anyway, we put together the sizzle and it just kept going to the next set of people to watch it. And then all of a sudden chip and Joanna were watching it. And then all of a sudden I was making a pilot. It was amazing. I mean, sort of a dream come true.

Jaymee Sire  (23:17):

Absolutely. And I, I feel like you make these recipes feel so easy and accessible for the viewer. Where would you suggest someone start out in their baking journey so they don't get discouraged?

Zoë François (23:28):

Yeah. I mean, I think, okay. So if you want something really easy and fun and delicious cookies, I mean, it's, you don't need any special ingredients to make a really ingredients or equipment to make a really spectacular chocolate chip cookie mm-hmm and everybody loves them.

Jaymee Sire  (23:50):

Of course,

Zoë François (23:51):

, you know, I, and it's like, but I have to say that really. I would just start with something that you love. I mean, if you love pie, let's start there. If you love cake, let's start there. And that's the thing is that I feel like the beauty of the show is that I get to bring people through a recipe all the way through it. I like show every little step and try to explain enough about how things go together and maybe just a teeny bit of food science so that they understand why we're mixing a certain ingredient together or using a certain piece of equipment and just make it all make sense. Cuz once it makes sense, it's not scary anymore.

Jaymee Sire  (24:39):

What, what are some of like the common mishaps in baking that you've observed and how do people avoid them?

Zoë François (24:45):

Okay. So I would say one of the common ones is ingredients not being at the right temperature. So like if you are making a cake and you have to whip a lot of air into your butter and sugar, if your butter is cold, it's not gonna whip up into this nice fluffy, beautiful creamy butter. And so what I always suggest is that people just read the recipe before they start like, just go all the way through the recipe, that way, you know, what temperature your butter and your eggs are supposed to be. And you'll have them all out. There's this technique that you learned first day in culinary school called setting up your Meum plus. And that just means putting everything in its place. I have all the ingredients weighed out that way. There's no surprises when you start your recipe, like you have your flour right there, you have your eggs at room temperature, you have your oven preheated and your pans set up. It's just like just having everything right there. Then you're not scrambling, then you're not scrambling around and like nervous that you're missing something. So just an easy read through

Jaymee Sire  (25:59):

When it comes to say like splurgy versus saving on ingredients, where can you really taste a difference in that extra investment in quality?

Zoë François (26:09):

Well, okay. So I would say there's two things that come to mind automatically and that's vanilla. I always use pure vanilla extract. Mm-Hmm I actually always make my own because wow. I just find it. That

Jaymee Sire  (26:24):

Just that's that's on brand

Zoë François (26:26):

Yeah. It's so easy and so good. So basically all you need are vanilla beans that you can get. I think online are probably the best source for them. You get vanilla beans and vodka and that's it. And you shake those two things together. You cut the vanilla beans open, put it in the vodka, shake it up. You do have to let them sit for quite a while, but then you have the most extraordinary vanilla extract because it has all those beautiful seeds in it, which give you more flavor. But if you don't have it or you're waiting for yours to mature use a pure vanilla, don't use the imitation vanilla because it really will make a big difference in your recipe. And then the other place that I would splurge is chocolate. Okay. And chocolates have really it's like coffee or wine. They have such a different flavor profile depending on where they're from. So do a little chocolate tasting and see which chocolate you really love the most. There's no right or wrong chocolate. It's just really which one that you love,

Jaymee Sire  (27:37):

Which one do you love?

Zoë François (27:40):

Okay. So I'm a big fan of Valona. And they have in their line probably 20, 30 different varieties. Wow. So some are from Trinidad, you know, they're, they're just from all over the world. And then they have some flavored chocolates like passion fruits and guava. And some really wild, fun things to play with.

Jaymee Sire  (28:09):

What about baking tools? What are some that are like absolute must or just make things easier?

Zoë François (28:15):

Yeah. Okay. So I don't know that there's any absolute must. I was just talking to my mom about this recipe. That's been in my family since 1910. That's like where we can date it from it's probably from even earlier than that. My great, great, great grandmother was baking this without even measuring cups. So the original recipe was three handfuls of flour. Wow. You know, and she, she had no special equipment. So I don't know that there's anything that you can't do with a whole lot of muscle

Jaymee Sire  (28:52):

.

Zoë François (28:54):

But on the flip side of that, I would say a stand mixer, if you have the space for it and you have the budget for, it makes life so much easier, you know? Yes it does. I mean, it's just for whisking things and creaming things and just getting things together efficiently, a stand mixer is, is definitely my suggestion.

Jaymee Sire  (29:18):

Yeah. And you can have it for a very, very long time as well. it's a good investment

Zoë François (29:22):

I had when I started my Zoe bay Zoe's cookies company in college, I bought a stand mixer that I still have and still use wow today. And this is this is dating me, which is fine. I'm but it was 35 years old, that standard.

Jaymee Sire  (29:41):

Wow. That's incredible. I love that. Another key element of your show is really, you know, paying homage to Minneapolis and the history and the food community there. How much does having this dedicated culinary community around you affect your own work and your creativity?

Zoë François (29:59):

Yeah. I mean Minneapolis was built on the food industry where milling come we're, we're a milling town. So the entire river is covered with mills. You know, mm-hmm so gold metal flower was from here. Pillsbury was from here, you know, all of these big milling companies that we know today, but we also have these locally grown, single source, tiny, tiny little producers of wheat that are just doing crazy, beautiful things. We grow everything. We are one of the largest apple producers in the country. Oh wow. And the university here has developed. I think I may, I think we've developed more varieties of apples than anywhere else. It's just amazing. We produce so much sugar beets here. It's funny. I don't know that many people know that a lot of the sugar that you eat comes from beets. We grow corn. It's just, it's just such a lush, beautiful agricultural community here.

Zoë François (31:13):

And not only that, but the baking that comes from it. I had no idea this sort of baking culture that I was moving into this sort of Scandinavian and Germanic baking cultures that landed here. There's so much. And the restaurant community has really sprung up even since I've moved here. So I have so much that I get to go out and explore. And it's really a generous food community. We're a really tight knit group and we share with each other and we support each other. And it's just, it's such an amazing group of people. And so I am honored that they let me come into their restaurants and their bakeries, even their homes. And and I get to hear them tell their stories and it's really, and church basements. I mean, I'm going everywhere to get the stories of this town. It's really, it's been really special to me.

Jaymee Sire  (32:26):

I love that. And you also get to be a guest judge with your friend, Andrew on silo's baking competition where home cooks are a challenge to perfect, a favorite recipe for a chance to have their treat featured at Magnolia silos, baking company. How is your experience, you know, tasting and giving feedback to these, these cooks?

Zoë François (32:48):

Okay. So I have to admit that baking competitions usually make me so nervous. like the anxiety of like having this ti you know, limited amount of time and being in this weird kitchen that you've never baked in before. And you know, it's just, there's so much, this was such a joy. I mean, these people were baking these recipes that a lot of them came from like family recipes and they loved, there was so much love. I swear, they were like rooting each other on more than they were worried about. And this is such the heart of a baker. All of them were delicious. It's like, it was so I loved . I had so much fun. I thought it was gonna be so stressful and I loved it. It was so fun to watch them. And it just, they just were such bakers at heart, you know? Yeah. They were just so much like joy and they were just so compassionate and generous with each other, which is just not what you're supposed to do during a competition.

Jaymee Sire  (33:59):

A competition. Yeah. They're like cheering each other on yeah, they

Zoë François (34:03):

Total, they were like visiting each other and we're like, what is happening? They're just such bakers.

Jaymee Sire  (34:09):

Were, were you introduced to like any flavors or recipes that you hadn't experienced before or, or maybe any that reminded you of your own?

Zoë François (34:17):

Yeah, I mean, I think that it was more how they were combining things and what they were doing. And there was one who just was like all in on the sunflowers and I was really nervous that because sunflowers can get heavy and oily and, you know, and, and this contestant, he made the most beautiful cupcake and it was like, you really got the sunflowers, but it was still light and, and delicate and beautiful. And I was shocked. was not expecting that. And then another one was like juicing a banana, which I was just like, what are you up to over there? And it was like such a creative way to get the flavor out of a banana . So these were like, you know, it's just like things I hadn't thought to do, but will certainly try. Yeah. You know, this is the lovely thing about, you know, getting to watch other bakers is like, I get to pick up tips and try them at home.

Jaymee Sire  (35:22):

Yeah. And I, I also love how the, the contestants really weave in their family stories to create these recipes that they're presenting. Is there a recipe that you have that kind of embodies your own journey and story?

Zoë François (35:36):

Yeah. I mean, mean, I love that you can. I always say that you can taste the joy and love when you're eating something. That really means something to somebody else. And I had mentioned this recipe from, you know, that's been passed down in my family. It is the simplest poppy seed lemon cookie. It means so much to me. I was just telling somebody about it and started crying. It's just like this recipe has seen so much and has heard so many stories over the decades that it's been in our family. And you know, every generation has had it and enjoyed it and lovingly passed it down. My grandmother was the first person to write it down when I asked for it. And I didn't even know that until very recently that before she wrote it down for me, it was only told orally. Wow. And so it had never been put on paper before. And you know, that just, it's really something very significant, this simple, simple cookie just has so much history to it.

Jaymee Sire  (36:59):

Has it been, has the recipe been tweaked along the way or is it the same exact one that's been made for, for decades?

Zoë François (37:07):

I think it's probably been tweaked because

Jaymee Sire  (37:10):

, is it the handfuls flower?

Zoë François (37:13):

Yes, because everybody has different size hands. And so for one person, three handfuls of flour is gonna be very different than the next. So I will probably be the first one because I'm obsessed with baking with weights mm-hmm and getting everybody to bake with a scale just because it's more consistent and it's the same each time. So I will be translating this family recipe into that. So up until now, it's tweaked every single time it's made

Jaymee Sire  (37:51):

. So will this, is this going in the new cookbook then?

Zoë François (37:54):

Oh, yes. Yes. It for sure will. And there's a couple of, other of my family recipes that will be in there as well.

Jaymee Sire  (38:03):

Ah, well, I'm looking forward to, to seeing how that all comes out.

Zoë François (38:07):

Yes. Thank you.

Jaymee Sire  (38:08):

And you know, even as an expert in your field, a teacher, how do you challenge yourself to stay curious and continue to be a student?

Zoë François (38:17):

Yeah, such a good question. I actually just went to a class and learned from, it was a class full of pastry chefs from all over the world. Wow. And it was, my mind was blown, not only at the techniques that were being done but also just the level of passion and curiosity. And it's like, especially, you know, in the last few years when, you know, I've been baking a lot at home alone, to be in this room full of all of these people, I think it's so important to just keep honing your craft and, and really getting out in the world and keeping myself you know, learning and inspired by other people.

Jaymee Sire  (39:14):

I love that, that you're continually, you know, learning and, and trying to be better. And, and all of that as you continue to, to help others do the same, this has been so much fun. We are gonna finish off with a little rapid fire around, and then we have one final question for you here on obsess. Okay. All right. Favorite Ben and Jerry's flavor.

Zoë François (39:33):

Oh, cherry Garcia.

Jaymee Sire  (39:34):

Yes. Love

Zoë François (39:36):

Jerry Garcia. Love, love, love. It's a

Jaymee Sire  (39:38):

Classic favorite breakfast pastry.

Zoë François (39:42):

Okay. It's not sweet, which is so weird. a Bali.

Jaymee Sire  (39:46):

Okay.

Zoë François (39:46):

You know what a Bali?

Jaymee Sire  (39:47):

Yes, I do.

Zoë François (39:48):

Yeah. Yeah. For anybody that doesn't, it's kind of like a cousin of a bagel, but it has like onions and poppy seeds baked into it. Mm-Hmm

Jaymee Sire  (39:57):

, it's delicious. It's also delicious as a vehicle for a breakfast sandwich.

Zoë François (40:02):

Yes, it is agreed.

Jaymee Sire  (40:04):

Favorite fruit to bake with.

Zoë François (40:07):

Okay. So I would have to say apples just because there's so many varieties of them and you can do so many different things with them.

Jaymee Sire  (40:18):

Okay. Most underrated sweet treat.

Zoë François (40:23):

Okay. baked Alaska.

Jaymee Sire  (40:25):

Oh, okay.

Zoë François (40:26):

I'm on. Yes. I've been on a quest for a couple of decades to bring back the baked Alaska. I think I'm, I'm making headway.

Jaymee Sire  (40:34):

Okay. Well you'll you have to come hang out with Caroline Schiff. She's got a pretty famous one here in New York that we talked to

Zoë François (40:40):

About I, and I've had it

Jaymee Sire  (40:42):

And I love it. It's so good. It's so bad.

Zoë François (40:43):

So good.

Jaymee Sire  (40:44):

So amazing. Your boy's favorite treat.

Zoë François (40:48):

Okay. Henry. My oldest is cheesecake and Charlie. My youngest is flan.

Jaymee Sire  (40:56):

Oh, okay. Yeah. You have to assign a suite to embody each season, spring, summer, fall, winter. What would they be?

Zoë François (41:05):

Okay. spring for sure. Rhubarb pie. Mm, summer peach Melba. Yes. okay. Fall apple tar to 10. Mm. Winter sticky toy pudding.

Jaymee Sire  (41:26):

Oh, okay. I like that. Kitchen appliance. You could never part with,

Zoë François (41:31):

Well okay. Ki my stand mixer.

Jaymee Sire  (41:36):

I was gonna say that probably was the, the choice stand

Zoë François (41:39):

Mixer. Your scale. Can,

Jaymee Sire  (41:41):

Can you conflicted? Yeah.

Zoë François (41:42):

Well, cause I was gonna say scale, but the stand mixer, but the scale both, but the

Jaymee Sire  (41:47):

Scale both you can do both there's there's

Zoë François (41:49):

No good. Okay.

Jaymee Sire  (41:50):

Good place. You'd love to visit that. You have not been to.

Zoë François (41:54):

Oh I think Vietnam.

Jaymee Sire  (41:56):

Hmm.

Zoë François (41:57):

Yeah.

Jaymee Sire  (41:58):

I like that. All right.

Zoë François (41:59):

I love Vietnamese food.

Jaymee Sire  (42:01):

Yes. What about Vietnamese sweets?

Zoë François (42:05):

Well, okay. So yeah, I, I, the first thing that comes to mind actually is Flawn. So Flawn, and then the, the, I, I always make a Vietnamese ice, like based on the ice coffee of yes. Co

Jaymee Sire  (42:22):

Okay. With

Zoë François (42:22):

The coffee and the sweet and condensed cream. And

Jaymee Sire  (42:25):

I love that.

Zoë François (42:26):

Yeah. But I'm sure that there's a world of sweets in Vietnam that I'm so not aware of yet that I would love to dive into. All

Jaymee Sire  (42:37):

Right. Well, we'll, we'll be on the lookout for that trip. Okay. Final question is not rapid fire. This is a question we ask everybody at the end of each episode, and that would, that is what would be on the menu for your perfect food day. So breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert. There are definitely no rules on this question. You can travel time, travel, spend as much money as you want. Okay. You know, whatever, what the, the world is your oyster. So we wanna hear what you're eating for all three of those meals and dessert on a, on your perfect day.

Zoë François (43:07):

Okay. Okay. So it would have to start in Paris with the, the perfect quant mm-hmm and coffee. Yes . And then I, I would probably go to New York and hit the lower east side. So cats is for a hot pastrami sandwich. Yes. . And then next door to rest in daughters for a little oh,

Jaymee Sire  (43:29):

Perfect.

Zoë François (43:29):

Like smoke fish situation.

Jaymee Sire  (43:32):

Yes. I love a smoke fish situation.

Zoë François (43:37):

And then okay. And then to Italy for any pasta for dinner. Yes. I just crazy for the pasta. And then I would go to Brooklyn and have Carolyn Schiff's baked Alaska.

Jaymee Sire  (43:53):

Oh, oh, perfect.

Zoë François (43:54):

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's how I would like to end my day.

Jaymee Sire  (43:58):

All right. Well, it sounds perfect. And

Zoë François (43:59):

She's, so she's such a dream too. So she,

Jaymee Sire  (44:02):

She is she's the sweetest mm-hmm yeah, no, it, it, it makes sense that you would end your day there. And, and thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us about your life, your shows and everything you have coming up. We are looking for to seeing what's next.

Zoë François (44:16):

Thank you so much. What a treat

Jaymee Sire  (44:22):

You can watch Zoe bakes on Sundays at 2:00 PM, Eastern on Magnolia network, and you can stream the first two seasons on discovery plus, and the, the Magnolia app. You can also stream silos, baking competition, exclusively on discovery plus, and the Magnolia app. Thanks so much for listening and make sure to follow us wherever you listen to podcasts. So you don't miss a thing. And if you enjoy today's episode, please rate and review. We love it. When you do that, that's all for now. We'll catch you foodies next Friday.