By Tori Lubin ’18

While the art of eating sweets may not be a challenge for most, the art of baking is a technique perfected by a select few. Seth McCoy ’19, Agnes Holm ’19 and Abby Turner ’18 are among those in this exclusive group of the baking elite.

Seth McCoy

“I was cooking from a young age—just making scrambled eggs with my dad—and from there I just really liked making food,” McCoy said with a smile. “I graduated on to baking with my grandma. She is kind of well known in our family for making complex desserts.”

Over the past two summers, McCoy catered for breakfasts, lunches and parties, where he has had the opportunity to showcase both his baking and cooking skills.

“A lot of people say it’s more of a science. I’ve never thought of it like that,” McCoy said. His repertoire of sweet and savory dishes is extensive, including, but not limited to,  meatballs, kosher for passover biscotti, eggs benedict, poached salmon and bread pudding french toast.

“Not a bit left afterwards,” McCoy said  about  his french toast that he made for a catering event.

McCoy’s aptitude for baking has served him well at home. He is the only member of his family, besides his grandma, who can successfully bake the old family recipe for Russian tea biscuits.

“My mom grew up in a kosher household… We don’t use a lot of non-kosher ingredients,” McCoy said. “It’s how my grandma cooked and how I cook now.”

Agnes Holm

Holm has also found inspiration for her baking through her family.

“I got into baking when I was  really little and I got to always help my mom when she was baking,” Holm said. “My grandpa was a baker so I guess the love for it runs in the family.”

Holm has been baking independently at home since she was 10 years old. She has since participated in “Aux Delices” baking camp over the summer to perfect her culinary techniques.

At “Aux Delices,” Holm learned how to make a variety of different desserts, including chocolate crumb cake muffins, crepes and cupcakes.

“At the camp I got to learn how to work together as a team to bake,” Holm said. “This  helped me realize how useful and fun it is to not only work individually.”

“Aux Delices” camp enhanced Holm’s culinary technique, allowing her to effectively feed her sweet tooth.

“I love making mini chocolate chip cookies because I make them bite size and you can get away with eating fifteen at a time with little guilt,” Holm said.

Abby Turner  

Turner doesn’t consider chocolate-chip cookies to be her specialty like Holm, but instead enjoys baking cupcakes and macaroons.

“I think anytime I successfully make something that people enjoy it’s an accomplishment” Turner said.  “But I do feel really accomplished when someone tries something I made, and they are surprised by how much they like it.”

Turner uses her culinary talents to treat the people around her. “My favorite people to bake for are my family and friends,” Turner said. “I usually bake on the weekends because that’s when I have the most time.”

While all of the students enjoy baking as a pastime, none of them  plan to pursue baking post-graduation. According to Holm however, “I don’t really want to make baking my career, but I definitely will have a lot of fun with it anyways.”