Today’s guest is Lisa Donovan, the award-winning writer, pastry chef, and food columnist for The New York Times. Lisa’s culinary career has redefined what it means to be a Southern baker and her acclaimed memoir, “Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger,” is a must-read.

She joins host Jessie Sheehan to talk about her childhood as an “Army brat” traveling around Europe and the U.S. and how she fell in love with food from a young age. She discusses her culinary career, what Southern “church cakes” are, and why she loves long-form narrative writing. Then, the duo dive into Lisa’s strawberry layer cake—a simple, colorful dessert that carries the sweetness of nostalgia in every bite.

Thank you to Nordic Ware for supporting She’s My Cherry Pie. Use code CherryBombe15 for 15% off your order. 

Click here for Lisa’s Strawberry Layer Cake recipe.

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More on Lisa: Instagram, recipes, “Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger” memoir
More on Jessie: Instagram, “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes” cookbook