Eat Like a Mother is a micro-bakery located on the north side of Chicago. Heather Reid is the self-taught baker behind an array of spectacular artisan sourdough products. She’s also an enthusiastic bread baking instructor, recipe developer, and food writer. She is available for freelance writing assignments and looks forward to working with you. You can email her here and also check her latest food obsessions on Instagram.
You can see her full resume on LinkedIn, but here are excerpts of a few recent favorites. Enjoy!
Sourdough Pecan Caramel Rolls
As a kid in southeast Pennsylvania I reveled in the regional delicacies. Shoofly pie. Funnel cakes. Creamy white American cheese from our local market. But no treats were more special than the sticky buns my father and our neighbor, Jim, would pick up on Sunday mornings from the now shuttered Minnie’s Bakery in my second hometown of Kennett Square.
Sticky buns originated with 18th century German settlers in Pennsylvania as a pastry called “Schnecken.” Cinnamon rolls get a lot of press, but I think this Philadelphia specialty is due for its own headliner status. My recipe is a nod to those treats but I used sourdough as the base instead of the traditional yeast dough.
The result is a delicious intersection where cinnamon roll meets pecan pie. If you’re lucky, you can steal a warm pecan from the pan before anybody notices. If you’re really lucky, there will be extras left to have warmed up and topped with ice cream that night. (Chowhound, May 2020, Recipe Development, Photography and Videos)
A Menu for Change
I noticed that even though my cookbook shelf was full, it was dominated by white authors and western-European cuisine. As someone who embraces new food, new experiences, I was embarrassed by the glaring omissions of the culinary foundations of American cooking on the shelf. Time for more change. (Fete Lifestyle Magazine, June 2020, Essay)
Pumpkin Banana Muffins
I am a good planner, but my mental pantry inventory is flawed. To that end, I regularly discover extreme surpluses of certain items because I haven’t the faintest recollection that I already have more than is necessary, and I keep bringing more home.
This happened to me recently when I was assessing the pantry situation and stocking up during pandemic preparations. Turns out, I’m set for canned pumpkin for a while. Then the grocery delivery arrived with four pounds of bananas instead of four single fruits. Pumpkin banana muffins to the rescue! I originally developed this recipe to encourage my fruit- and vegetable-averse child to consume any amount of this food group in any form. Much to my delight, he happily devours these. (Chowhound, June 2020, Recipe Development & Photography)
Sourdough Add-In Ideas
to Take Your Basic Loaf to the Next Level
You’ve been using your copious spare time to perfect your sourdough recipe and technique. But now that your gluten is developed and you’re getting a lovely ear…what’s next?
Adding in herbs, spices, and other fillings can be an exciting way to add variety to your standard wild yeast loaf. (Chowhound, May 2020, Technique & Photography)
Bake Soft Pretzels and Win the Weekend
Baking with kids can be tricky: The timing can be challenging to coordinate with the attention span of a budding chef. But these soft pretzels are so fun to make with your little people because you can make it work for almost any age, ability, or interest level. (Chowhound, May 2020, Recipe Development & Photography)
Sourdough Pumpkin Focaccia
Your well-meaning, bread-baking friend gave you some sourdough starter—or you finally decided to create your own. Now what? Tackling a sourdough bread can seem like a daunting first project. Focaccia is an easy way to dip your toe into the wild yeast baking pool while creating a delicious treat that’s perfect for scooping up winter stews. (Chowhound, February 2020, Recipe Development & Photography)
Movie Night Pizza Dough
Every Friday is movie night at our house. And more importantly, it’s also pizza night. For years I bought frozen pizzas, and I tried not to think about the indecipherable list of ingredients on the box. When I got serious about baking bread, I decided that I could do better, and I began to make the pizza crusts from scratch for our Friday Nights In. After a lot of trial and error, I discovered that just like toppings, a simple recipe is the way to go.
With only four ingredients (five if you count water), and in less than an hour, you can make delicious, homemade pizza crust. Top it however you want, but I recommend keeping it minimal to avoid a soggy crust in the middle. This is great for movie night or just about any other time when you need to satisfy a pizza craving—and you can even make it ahead. (Chowhound April 2020, Recipe Development & Photography)
Baking With Yeast: A Beginner’s Guide
For a beginning baker, approaching a project that uses yeast can be scary. In truth, baking with yeast can be a satisfying experience if you follow a few simple tips. Here’s everything you need to know about baking with yeast. (Chowhound January 2020, Technique)