Author Description

Discover how the Midwest refined the nation's sweet tooth through a delicious mix of immigrant traditions and American ingenuity. Chef Jenny Lewis dips a spoon into generations of homemade desserts and examines the cogs and wheels of some of the biggest brands of the baking industry. Pull your chair up to a history in which Midwest beet sugar, vanilla cream and evaporated milk are mixed into a narrative of wars, social shifts and politics. Learn how to make Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, witness the rise of Red Star Yeast, plumb the secrets of the Kraft Oil Method and encounter a rich medley of other true stories and irresistible recipes from Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.