When Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith crowned Martin Sorge the winner of the Great American Baking Show in 2023, few would have guessed that his baking journey began with him setting the microwave on fire, trying to make a biscuit. But after years spent in the kitchen, he had become a full-fledged “baking nerd next door.” He is the perfect guide to explain simply how to adjust a recipe for rye flour or perfect your pavlova without bogging you down with too many details.
In this debut cookbook, Great Bakes: Modern Classic Recipes from the Midwest, Martin shares more than 100 recipes for sweet and savory bakes that celebrate the bounty of the Midwest, from modern classics to innovative show-stoppers. These breads, cookies, crisps, cakes, pies, pastries, and—yes—biscuits sneak surprising ingredients into the classics: Super-Soft Malted Cinnamon Rolls that elevate the childhood staple, Glazed Lemon Verbena Shortbread that gets a bit of zing from the window-box herb, and Sweet Corn Milk Bread that highlights the perfection of an ear of summer sweet corn. From the Midwestern flavors of Chicago Dog Focaccia and Michigan Forest Cake to traditional Christmas Stollen and Swabian Soft Pretzels rooted in Martin’s German heritage, Great Bakes welcomes bakers of every level with recipes they’ll reach for again and again.
Martin Sorge will be joined in conversation by the founding editor of Taste, Matthew Rodbard. Martin Sorge is a baker, recipe developer, and food writer who splits his time between Chicago and Michigan’s pinky finger. A native Hoosier, Martin takes his approachable Midwestern roots and his not-too-serious (sometimes corny) personality and combines those with his nerdy technical knowledge to create accessible recipes for the home cook. When he’s not in the kitchen baking up a storm, Martin enjoys board games, jumping in lakes, exploring places near and far with his husband, and spoiling their two cats.
Seating begins at 3:00 p.m. with programming starting at 4:00 p.m. at Traverse City Food & Wine’s tent at the Open Space. Seating is general admission. At the end of the conversation we’ll invite guests to participate in a Q&A with Sorge & Rodbard. This event will not be livestreamed.
Matt Rodbard is a writer, editor, and author of food and culture books with more than two decades of experience working in television, magazines, book publishing, and online media. He’s the author of several cookbooks and the Founding Editor of online food and culture magazine Taste.
