Hi, I would like to introduce myself. I am something that is almost an anachronism this days: a baker. A real life, professional baker as well as an author of cookbooks on baking (A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking, Doubleday, l998 and the upcoming Best of Better Baking, 2002, Ten Speed Press; Random House in Canada).

I also am a contributing writer to the Washington Post and L.A. Times Times (you can find me online, either place, sometimes). When I am not wearing my chef's whites, my (3) sons see me simply as the best baking mom on the street (see my Back to School Bakesale Apple Squares). That is fine with me but I do come by my baker's and pastry chef's stripes honestly, having gone and graduated from chef's school, , have run my own cake business , Cuisine d'Or, supplying cafes in Montreal, as well as miles and miles of apple peelings to become a better baker. Which......incidentally, is the address of my own website, www.betterbaking or Baker Boulanger Online Magazine.

I am delighted to share some of my thoughts and recipes as a guest baker and columnist. I am equally thrilled to be learning about the incredible rolodex of apple varieties my friends at Apple Journal are introducing me to. Who knew? I will also be mixing it up with cherries, peaches, pears and anything else you can find in a cornucopia but we start with apples.

Baking with apples (as well as cooking – yes – we will be covering that as well) is a natural. It is the first fruit I think of when I think of baking. You might call it my default fruit because it is wonderfully available, adaptive, homey and frankly, show me someone who protests apples in baking and I will show you a culinary curmudgeon. Baker meets apple – it's a natural paring…..pairing!

Over the years, in fact, almost daily (and especially around harvest time), I am always inventing, (or learning) something new about baking with apples, as well as other fruits (see the luscious Cherry Foccacio coming up). It is a journey of a baker through the orchard and you will share some unique recipes, ranging from pastry to classic home baking to even a wonderful apple sourdough-based bread.

Each month, check back with me here (or register on our mailing list) and you can savor something new, usually married up to the season at hand or interesting trend. You can also send on your baking questions and I'll do my best to answer them.

In the meanwhile, visit with me here or there (editors@betterbaking.com) or print out a recipe or two, (or check out my books which have more apple recipes per capita than most), stock up on cinnamon and sugar, get out your favorite parer (I'll be chatting on apple accoutrements too) and get thee to a kitchen – there's going to be a whole lotta of bakin' and shakin' going on.