I’m having trouble with how fast time flies…this is the last show for November and next thing you know it’s Christmas!
My guest this week is Heidrun Metzler with her new book German Heritage Baking, a perfect book for holiday entertaining or gift giving.
German Heritage Baking has excellent and extensive sections on ingredients, and techniques, for all the background information you could need. The recipes are then ordered into three sections, Cookies, Cakes, and Mürbeteige (broadly speaking tarts and pastries), and there is also plenty on toppings and fillings and the like. It all adds up to a treasure trove of baked goodies.
This book brings authentic German flavors into your kitchen with clear instruction, cultural insides, and stunning photography. Whether you’re seasoned bake or just starting out these time-honored recipes will connect you to a rich tradition of baking. It’s as if Heidrun is right there in the kitchen with you.
Each recipe is crafted to perfection in this must-have companion for your kitchen. The level of detail ensures novice bakers can bake confidently, creating successful recipes, and seasoned bakers will appreciate the variety of recipes to deepen their art. Dive into the tradition of German desserts. Indulge yourself into the deliciously flavorful world of German baking with Heidrun Metzler. With over three decades of experience and a rich family baking tradition, Heidrun simplifies European baking, making it accessible to everyone. Through her book, you’ll master everything from delectable Traditional German Cheesecake to refreshing Strawberry Yogurt Cream Torte and festive Spekulatius Cookies.
Heidrun guides you with step-by-step instructions and tutorial video resources, making it easy for novice and expert bakers to create mouthwatering European desserts. Order your copy today!
Heidrun’s debut book, German Heritage Baking, Volume I, has been recognized with multiple honors, including the National Indie Excellence Award and the American Legacy Book Award. These accolades reflect her dedication to quality, authenticity, and the art of baking. The companion volume, German Heritage Baking, Volume II, will be published in 2026.
Heidrun Metzler is a German-born baker and author with a social pedagogy and early childhood education degree. She learned baking from her mother, aunt, and grandmother and has been creating recipes since trying out her own crust for a fresh fruit tart at the age of ten. Travels to countries like France, Austria, and Italy and relocating to the United States gave her even more baking inspiration. When she’s not baking, Heidrun enjoys spending time with her horses and practicing natural horsemanship and trick training. She’s also a published children’s book author and photographer. All photographs in this book are by the author unless otherwise noted. Heidrun Metzler currently resides with her husband on a farm in Hawaii.
Connect with Heidrun on her website and her Vimeo channel, where bakers can find videos for successful baking.
Later in the show my good friend Marty Johnson joins us to talk about the Garden Centers transitions to a true WINTER WONDERLAND of decorations and seasonal fun. There are many holiday workshops avaialable, and some of the freshest Christmas trees in town.
Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Tawney Porto
Lovely aromas of flan, caramel and egg custard with a hint of toffee. Medium-bodied, with a light sweetness and a refined, clean finish. Tastes older than 10 years. An exceptionally fine old tawny blend, aged for 10 years in oak casks. Elegant and smooth, combining delicate wood notes and rich mellow fruit, it is bottled for immediate drinking. A superb dessert wine, particularly with dishes made with chocolate, coffee or almonds, Taylor’s 10 Year Old Tawny may also be served at the end of the meal in the same way as Vintage Port.
Taylor Fladgate today is the namesake property of the Fladgate Partnership, made up of three of the most historic and highly regarded Porto houses: Taylor Fladgate, Fonseca and Croft. Partnership Portos are produced with the attention to quality that is the standard to which all other Port wine houses aspire. It is a family-run company, with the present members representing the eighth generation of the Yeatman family, originally from the Port house of Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman, now with more than 300 years of history. The group owns several of the best-known wine estates in the Douro Valley—including the famous Quinta de Vargellas and Quinta do Panascal—totalling more than 290 hectares of A-classified vineyard. It also has interests in tourism and catering.
93Robert Parker, 93James Suckling, 91Wine Spectator, 90Wine Enthusiast
Get yours today at Jacob liquor Exchange on N. Rock Road
Jennifer Wall is the Head Winemaker for Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, a role she has held since 1995. As of late 2025, she is celebrating her 30th anniversary with the brand. Under her leadership, Barefoot has grown from producing just four wines to a diverse portfolio of more than 30 labels, becoming the world’s most-awarded wine brand with over 10,000 medals!
Good Life Guy’s WINES of the Week:
