Joanne Chang is a woman after my own heart.  She left her career as a management consultant to pursue her passion in food.  And that passion began as a child.  Joanne is of Taiwanese descent.  She admits that her family was obsessed with eating; it was 24/7.  And this very obsession is what has informed how she creates recipes for her 4 Flour Bakeries and Cafes in Boston. They evoke comfort and good feelings.  One story in particular intrigued me.  When Joanne first tasted pumpkin pie she was completely disappointed.  It didn't taste anything like she had imagined it. She expected it to have a deep rich caramel flavor.  And you guessed it, Joanne took that taste memory from college and created a pumkin pie recipe that would match her taste imagination - one with a deep, warm, caramelized taste by cooking the pumpkin long and slow.

While Joanne's cafes are not to be missed if you are in the Boston area, you can get an insight into Joanne's cafe's though her books: Flour: A Baker's Collection of Spectacular Recipes and Flour, Too: Indispensable Recipes for the Cafe's Most Loved Sweets & Savories . I am obsessed with her mother's hot and sour soup recipe in Flour, Too!  Enjoy the interview!!