Newsletter: 🍞 The beauty of a loaf of bread + cheesecake for Shavuot 🍰

14 May 2026 · ckbk newsletter

Let them eat bread

“My vision was always for readers to start with foundational formulas, master the process, and then gradually explore alternate applications and creative variations. Once the fundamentals are understood, the baker can begin introducing personal twists and discovering entirely new outcomes. That is when baking becomes truly rewarding.” Ciril Hitz

We are thrilled to have a new Behind the Cookbook feature celebrating the arrival on ckbk of two books from leading figure in artisan baking, Ciril Hitz. With a philosophy and techniques honed over decades teaching and at the stove, Ciril’s books are an essential and inspiring guide to getting started, then honing expertise and having creative dough-based fun.

Baking Artisan Bread: 10 Expert Formulas for Baking Better Bread at Home, the first book looks at the loaf, and all the foundational techniques you could need—such as this formula for Challah Dough. The second Baking Artisan Pastries & Breads: Sweet & Savory Baking, for Breakfast, Brunch and Beyond, follows on, bringing enriched doughs and variations on a theme into the mix—such as this recipe for Stollen.

Together the books add up to an artisan baking course par excellence. And if you want more bread, do explore our bread bookshelf.

Click to read Ciril Hitz's new feature

Pictured above: Formula One: Baguette Dough from Baking Artisan Bread by Ciril Hitz

The Ultimate Cheesecake Book for Shavuot

The Jewish holiday of Shavuot, celebrating the Torah, runs from May 21 to May 23. It is traditionally celebrated with dairy foods, which makes cheesecake a popular choice for dessert.

Look no further than The Ultimate Cheesecake Cookbook: Recipes from Around the World. The book's 75 recipes contain the classics—think Honeyed Basque Cheescake or this Cheesecake, Israeli Style—and many exciting and even unusual variations—try a Smoked Salmon Cheesecake, or this Baklava Cheesecake.

And for the holiday, there’s the perfect Shavuot Cheesecake Made Easy.

Irish home cooking from Neven Maguire

“I hope that this book will give you plenty more ideas in order to eat well every day. Now that many of us know how to cook, my focus here is on giving you even more inspiration for what to cook.” Neven Maguire

Newly added to ckbk, Neven Maguire’s Midweek Meals: Simple Recipes for Everyday Eating is the second book on our shelves from the renowned Irish chef. It joins The Nation’s Favourite Food: 100 Best-Loved Recipes Tried, Tasted, Perfected.

This new book contains 100 recipes to ensure you never run out of delicious, nutritious, family-friendly food to eat every day.

Try a Superfood Salad, some Chipotle Beef Crunchy Tacos, or this Honey and Soy Glazed Salmon with Green Quinoa.

Find all the recipes in Neven Maguire’s Midweek Meals

Tech tip: Pin recipes for easy access

Do you often wish you had an easy way to flip back and forth between recipes? ckbk’s pinned recipe feature is designed to let you do just that.

Click the ‘pin’ icon on any recipe to add it to the list of recipes at the top of your screen. When you’re done, you can easily clear the list with a single click.

Ingredient focus: fava beans (broad beans)

Fava beans (broad beans) have been cultivated for so long that their origins are untraceable. They are now common across the world, and are a mainstay of Mediterranean cuisines.

A little starchy, but more verdant in look and flavor than other legumes, fava beans have a sweet nutty taste.

Preparing the beans is a bit of an effort, they need to be removed from large pods, then each bean individually shelled of its skin—which is edible if you don’t care quite so much about refinement and if the beans are young enough it is still tender.

For recipe ideas look at our collection of 12 Ways with Fava (Broad) Beans. Try a Fava Bean Salad with Mountain Ham and Mint, this French country dish of Fresh Fava Beans with Bacon, or this Salt-Cured Pork Belly with Fresh Fava Bean Ragout (pictured above).

6 of the best pickles

Pickles, those salt, sweet, sharp, condiments that make everything else on your plate zing. It is International Pickle Day on May 16, so dig in!

Newsletter: 🍞 The beauty of a loaf of bread + cheesecake for Shavuot 🍰

Let them eat bread

The Ultimate Cheesecake Book for Shavuot

Irish home cooking from Neven Maguire

Ingredient focus: fava beans (broad beans)

6 of the best pickles

Garlic Pickle with Fenugreek and Black Gram

Sweet Green Tomato Pickles

Long-Fermented Kosher Dill Pickles

Refrigerator Pickle, 7 Ways

Red Onion & Sumac Pickle

Pickles