She's My Cherry Pie

Today’s guest is Anna Stockwell, a recipe developer, food stylist, writer, culinary consultant, and video host. Anna has been a senior food editor at Epicurious and Bon Appétit, and is the author of two cookbooks, “For the Table” and her newest, “The Butter Book.” Anna joins host Jessie Sheehan to talk about growing up in a food-loving family, baking birthday cakes with her mom, and how she found her way into the kitchen professionally. She also does a little deep dive into butter—its history, why she loves cultured butter, when the brand really matters in a recipe, and more. Anna also walks Jessie through her Birthday Butter Cake recipe from “The Butter Book.” She explains why she loves the reverse creaming method, why she coats her cake pans with butter and sugar (instead of flour), and how boiling water helps create a glossy chocolate American buttercream. Click here for Anna’s Birthday Butter Cake recipe from “The Butter Book.” Subscribe to our Substack for more baking news and recipes. Click here to pre-order The Game Changers Issue of Cherry Bombe magazine. Click here for tickets to our upcoming Supper Club Series in Miami on June 23rd. Visit cherrybombe.com for magazine subscriptions, tickets to upcoming events, and more. More on Anna: Instagram, “The Butter Book” 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)" Order The Cake Issue 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 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. Order The Cake Issue Jubilee NYC 2026 tickets here Visit cherrybombe.com for subscriptions, show transcripts, and tickets to upcoming events. More on Nicola: Instagram, Substack, “Sift” cookbook More on Jessie: Instagram, “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” cookbook

Today’s guest is Carla Hall. Carla is a chef, cookbook author, TV personality, and all-around culinary force whose career has taken her from the runways of Paris to the sets of “Top Chef,” “The Chew,” and more. She’s the star and executive producer of the Emmy Award–winning series “Chasing Flavor,” a co-mentor on the new show, “Next Level Baker,” and the author of several books, including “Carla Hall’s Soul Food” and two children’s books, “Carla Hall and the Christmas Cornbread” and “Carla and the Tin Can Cake Party.” Carla joins host Jessie Sheehan to talk about her life and career—from her childhood memories of her grandmother’s five-flavor pound cake, to the years she spent in Paris as a model discovering her love for cooking, to the moment “Top Chef” changed everything. Then, Carla walks Jessie through her Gingerbread Cake With Snow Sugar, a deeply spiced, ultra-moist loaf that uses the reverse-creaming method for a very tender crumb. She explains why hot water is the secret ingredient, how to make “snow sugar” that won’t melt into the cake, and why “sawing” is the only proper way to slice a loaf cake. Click here for Carla’s Gingerbread Cake with Snow Sugar recipe. Thank you to Diamond Nuts, California Prunes, and King Arthur Baking 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 Carla: Instagram, website More on Jessie: Instagram, “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” cookbook

We’re dropping a special mid-week episode of She’s My Cherry Pie today with cookie connoisseur Vaughn Vreeland! Vaughn is a writer, recipe creator, and video host for New York Times Cooking. Vaughn also led the charge this year on NYT’s Cookie Week, the annual holiday event beloved by home bakers everywhere, which just dropped yesterday. Vaughn is also the co-author of “Cookies: The Best Recipes for the Perfect Anytime Treat,” a delicious collection of 100 time-tested recipes from the NYT Cooking team. Vaughn joins host Jessie Sheehan for a festive, cookie-packed conversation in honor of Cookie Week and his new book. He shares stories from his lifelong love of baking, including kitchen adventures with his grandmother; his early days making box-mix cakes as a kid; and the Food Network obsession that helped shape his creativity. Vaughn also talks about his path into food media, how he landed at the Times, and what it’s like spearheading Cookie Week this year (plus, he dishes on the recipe he developed, the Popcorn Bucket Cookie). Then, he walks Jessie through his Chewy Brownie Cookies recipe from “Cookies,” which took him months to perfect and achieve the ideal crackly top, fudgy middle, and chewy edge. Click here for Vaughn’s Chewy Brownie Cookies. Click here to join us for our Member Meeting with Vaughn today! Click here for more on NYT Cookie Week Thank you to Diamond Nuts for their support. Pre-order The Cake Issue Jubilee NYC 2026 tickets here Visit cherrybombe.com for subscriptions, show transcripts, and tickets to upcoming events. More on Vaughn: Instagram, NYT Cooking, “Cookies” cookbook More on Jessie: Instagram, “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” cookbook

We’re thrilled to have Erin Jeanne McDowell back on the show! Erin is a baker, teacher, video host, and cookbook author known for her joyful approach to baking and her unparalleled pie expertise. She’s the author of “The Fearless Baker,” “The Book On Pie,” and “Savory Baking,” and hosts the “Happy Baking” YouTube series. She also writes a Substack newsletter of the same name. Erin joins host Jessie Sheehan to talk about her lifelong love of pie—thanks to her grandmother’s kitchen—and some of the very first pies she ever baked. Then, they dive deep into Erin’s Black-Bottom Pecan Pie from “The Book On Pie.” Erin shares her expertise on everything from achieving your perfect butter-piece size (if you know, you know) to rolling, crimping, parbaking, and building that delicious black-bottom layer. Whether you’re prepping for Thanksgiving or simply love learning from one of the greats, this episode is the ultimate pie master class. So, grab your rolling pin—this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Click here for Erin’s Black-Bottom Pecan Pie recipe. Thank you to Diamond Nuts & California Prunes for their support. Subscribe or pre-order The Cake Issue Jubilee NYC 2026 tickets here Visit cherrybombe.com for subscriptions, show transcripts, and tickets to upcoming events. More on Erin: Instagram, Substack, YouTube, “The Book On Pie” cookbook More on Jessie: Instagram, “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” cookbook