Q+A: Lenny Rosenberg and Adaeze Nwanonyiri on It's a Sweet World
Learn to make international desserts!
A few weeks ago, I met Lenny Rosenberg and Adaeze Nwanonyiri at their N.Y.B.D & Bakery (2216 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica). During the visit, I learned that the husband and wife have a new cookbook called It’s a Sweet World: Recipes from Around the Globe at Bea’s Bakery. Bea’s is a wonderful old-school Jewish bakery in Tarzana that they previously owned.
One truly meaningful and unique recipe in the book is the Nigerian Red Velvet Kola Nut Cupcake — watch the video below to see Adaeze explain how it is a special blessing cupcake that they’ve introduced to the United States, and read on for their Q+A!
Tamara Palmer/Food Book Club: How long did it take to produce your book, and what was the process like?
Lenny Rosenberg and Adaeze Nwanonyiri: This labor of love took two years to produce. Lenny and I would always discuss how incredible it would be to publish a multicultural book that included international recipes and stories that came from the heart.
Our passion is to unite different cultures together through food/desserts with iconic history behind it. We wrote that on our vision board and started baking different multicultural desserts with a multitude of trial and error. We relied heavily on feedback from our customers and family members to ensure that the recipes made everyone feel like they were with their loved ones. We shared our idea and vision with one of our associates who is an author.
She loved the idea and agreed to work with us to create a dynamic proposal to secure a literary agent. Eight months later, after the proposal was completed, we were introduced to Alan Nevins, CEO of Renaissance Literary & Talent. He was absolutely excited and thrilled after reviewing the proposal which contained heartwarming stories that connects to the international dessert. He reached out to us the first day he received the proposal and stated, “Let's roll our sleeves up to bring this book to life.”
I love how you include international recipes and bring different cultures together in the book. Which recipe was hardest to perfect?
Rainbow cookies, because it is a two day process and you have to make sure the cake does not burn due to the thinness of the color sheets. The color sheets have to be created accurately to ensure that the final outcome is successful. In the same process you have to make sure they are thick enough to make sure the cake is moist.
What are the best items in the bakery case at N.Y.B.D & Bakery, in your opinion?
Italian Rainbow cookies, New York Black and Whites and the Flourless Chocolate Cake.
Will you create more cookbooks in the future?
We have received a lot of feedback about making a gluten-free multicultural baking book. This is something that we have on our vision board as well.
Do you have any cookbook or food memoir recommendations (past or present) for the Food Book Club readers?
Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew by Michael W. Twitty
Vegan Baking for Beginners: 75 Recipes for Sweet and Savory Treats by JL Fields
Baking Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum
