Quinn on Books: A Taste of Brooklyn for Mother’s Day

Review of “The Margaret Palca Bakes Cookbook: 80 Cakes, Cookies, Muffins and More from a Famous Brooklyn Baker,” by Margaret Palca; photography by Michael Harlan Turkell

Review by Michael Quinn

Baking enthusiasts often cherish memories of the person who first taught them how to knead dough or frost a cake. For baker Margaret Palca, who retired last year after 40 years in the business, that person was her grandmother, who shared the secret to making perfect chocolate chip cookies.

Those cookies were the starting point for a lifelong love affair with baking, which Palca recounts in “The Margaret Palca Bakes Cookbook.” Although this book came out in 2018, I only recently discovered it after a craving for her baked oatmeal bars led me to search for the recipe online. When I found she’d written a whole cookbook, I felt like I hit paydirt. This book is a treasure trove of time-honored recipes and personal anecdotes that will resonate with any South Brooklyn resident, baker or not.

More than just a collection of signature bakes, Palca’s cookbook is a culinary memoir, tracing her path from humble home-baker beginnings to the bustling commercial kitchen she eventually commanded. She relays her story with simplicity, humility and charm.

Though Palca initially studied art as an undergraduate, baking was her true passion. She hustled to find places to sell her creations after college. Her father (“my champion, who believed I could do anything”) tasted many unsuccessful batches of her madeleines (“too dry, too hard, too rubbery!”) before championing her delicate cakes to the then-new Soho gourmet shop, Dean & Deluca.

Another pivotal moment came when Palca secured a job at the Upper East Side gourmet shop Fraser Morris. Impressed by her baking, the management created a professional kitchen for her. Here, she developed many of her signature recipes, including her renowned rugelach, a point of personal pride. Fraser Morris also marked the beginning of her love story with her husband, Paul.

Encouraged by a friend to explore Brooklyn for baking opportunities, Palca and her family settled on Carroll Street in 1985, where she set up her professional kitchen. Eventually, they moved farther west to a garbage-strewn, rat-infested “no-man’s land”—known today as the Columbia Waterfront District. While this new location looked less than ideal to outsiders, neighbors soon made Palca and her family feel at home, and her baking quickly gained a loyal local following.

As her reputation grew, Palca’s creations found their way onto the shelves of gourmet shops and grocery stores throughout New York City, earning accolades from prestigious places like The New York Times and WNYC. Her brownie was even dubbed “the best on the planet” by Disney in 2004. Palca ultimately moved her business to 191 Columbia Street, with a café in the front and a kitchen in the back. Hers was often a familiar and gentle presence behind the counter, clad in an apron, hair tucked under a colorful bandana.

Palca’s cookbook reflects her straightforward approach to baking, offering clear instructions and practical tips. Her recipes, which include vegan and gluten-free options, are accessible to all. While most call for common, easy-to-source ingredients, the baked oatmeal bars require ambrosia. Palca sourced this dried fruit-and-nut mix from Sahadi’s—you can get it there, too.

What shines through most in Palca’s cookbook is her unwavering commitment to her craft and her deep connection to the neighborhood. Instead of grouping her recipes by type, she organizes her creations by the places they were born and credits each person who helped develop them. In Palca’s world, there’s no distinction between employee and customer—they are all family.

Dedicated to her mother and daughters, Palca’s cookbook is a testament to the enduring legacy of family and food. With Mother’s Day on the horizon, let Palca’s culinary journey inspire you to create sweet memories in the kitchen with your loved ones.