A batch of sourdough starter can live indefinitely, but it also requires a certain amount of care and feeding. In Sweden, bakers jetting off for vacation can leave their precious starters in the care of a sitter at the airport. iStockphoto hide caption
"It's sunshine on a plate," says pastry chef and cookbook author Gesine Bullock-Prado, of her Mango Key Lime Pie. Tina Rupp/Stewart, Tabori and Chang hide caption
Susan Tannewitz-Karnes grew up eating Mrs. Lawrence every Christmas. The tea cake was so beloved that Tannewitz-Karnes and her siblings would argue over who received more than their fair share. Courtesy of Susan Tannewitz-Karnes hide caption
Slovak language instructor Julia Vrablova sought out women who could teach her to make the dough for tahana strudla, which can be made with ground poppy seeds, apple or sour cherries. Courtesy of Sasa Woodruff hide caption
Engineering the perfect cookie: You can control the diameter and thickness of your favorite chocolate chip cookies by changing the temperature of the butter and the amount of flour in the dough. Morgan Walker/NPR hide caption
Sweetness: Kathy Plaisance and about 50 other bakers use their skills to bring sweet treats to people who might otherwise be overlooked. Emilie Ritter Saunders for NPR hide caption
The author pauses to photograph the St. Honore cake before she digs in. Deena Prichep hide caption
Beware of throw-away aluminum roasting pans, burn doctors say. James Bo Insogna/iStockphoto.com hide caption
A daguerreotype of Emily Dickinson, taken in 1846.
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections hide caption
The Bondkakor Courtesy of IKEA hide caption