Baking and the Meaning of Life: How to Find Joy in 100 Recipes

We're delighted that Helen Goh has provided signed bookplates for this book!

Helen Goh has spent decades thinking about what baking means—not just how it works, but what it can do. In this deeply personal collection, she draws on her Malaysian roots, Australian upbringing, and years working alongside Yotam Ottolenghi to offer recipes that are both generous and inventive.

Sweet or savory, simple or celebratory, each dish is written with the kind of warmth and precision that helps home bakers feel capable and curious at once.

The flavors reflect a broad, multicultural imagination: challah served with artichoke and bean hummus; grissini dusted with shichimi togarashi; red bean and walnut praline crepes; and a blackcurrant and champagne cake perfect for marking something big. Even familiar ideas—like vanilla cupcakes or plum bars—get thoughtful updates.

Though its chapters are organized around themes like memory, nurturing, and community, this is less a guide to life than a reflection on the ways baking can shape it. There’s comfort here, and creativity too—for bakers who sense there’s a whole world of flavor still to explore.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.