John W. Foster, a British essayist, was quoted as saying, “One of the strongest characteristics of genius is the power of lighting its own fire.” Rose Levy Beranbaum sparks a creative flame when she introduces a collection of new recipes. Cake—its flavor, its texture, its essence, all wrapped up in a detailed package of measurements and words—is her calling.
The Rose I know is a devoted chemist, mixing, baking, and responding to batters with precision, and an author eager to enlighten. In fact, she has the ability to translate the chemistry of those batters into a delicious art. Her depth of knowledge, coupled with an inherent sensitivity, impresses, just as does her Southern (Manhattan) Coconut Cake with Silk Meringue Buttercream: That dessert could be considered the perfect expression of her professional style. The cake, silky of crumb, moist, perfectly fine grained, and concealed by an ethereal buttercream, is a skillful balance of flavor and texture. I want to dive right into it with fork in hand (actually, I have). It’s like a sweet comforter.
