A Half Baked Idea cover art

A Half Baked Idea

Winner of the Fortnum & Mason’s Debut Food Book Award

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A Half Baked Idea

By: Olivia Potts
Narrated by: Olivia Potts
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

At the moment her mother died, Olivia Potts was baking a cake. She was trying to impress the man who would later become her husband. Meanwhile, 275 miles away, her mother was dying.

In the grief-stricken months that followed, Olivia came home from her job as a criminal barrister miserable and tired, and baked soda bread, pizza, and chocolate banana cake. Even when it went badly (which was often), cooking brought her comfort. So she concocted a plan: she would begin a newer, happier life, filled with fewer magistrates and more macarons. She left the bar for Le Cordon Bleu, plunging headfirst into the eccentric world of patisserie. Interspersed with recipes ranging from passionfruit pavlova to her mother's shepherd's pie, this is a heart-breaking, hilarious, life-affirming memoir about dealing with grief, falling in love and learning how to bake a really, really good cake.
At the moment her mother died, Olivia Potts was baking a cake. She was trying to impress the man who would later become her husband. Meanwhile, 275 miles away, her mother was dying.

In the grief-stricken months that followed, Olivia came home from her job as a criminal barrister miserable and tired, and baked soda bread, pizza, and chocolate banana cake. Even when it went badly (which was often), cooking brought her comfort. So she concocted a plan: she would begin a newer, happier life, filled with fewer magistrates and more macarons. She left the bar for Le Cordon Bleu, plunging headfirst into the eccentric world of patisserie. Interspersed with recipes ranging from passionfruit pavlova to her mother's shepherd's pie, this is a heart-breaking, hilarious, life-affirming memoir about dealing with grief, falling in love and learning how to bake a really, really good cake.

Baking & Desserts Cooking Culinary Adventures Food & Wine Law Professionals & Academics Marriage Witty Funny

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Critic reviews

A heart-warming book about death and new beginnings that will delight cake lovers; it manages to be moving, funny and mouth-watering in equal measure - a difficult literary confection to master
I laughed, I cried, I baked gingerbread biscuits. Potts is a writer who clasps you to her floury bosom and wraps you in your apron strings. There is wit and warmth on every page. This is a book of courage, consolation and more custard than you can shake a whisk at
Tender . . . filled with the comfort we all seek when dealing with grief
An honest, brave and funny account of what it is to love, to lose love and how to make macarons
I cannot express how much I adored this book. It made me laugh, cry, salivate and, on no less than four occasions, resolve to learn patisserie and leave the criminal Bar. Olivia Potts has delivered a tender and beautifully written tour-de-force on the four tenets of the human experience; love, grief, hope and cake. If this is not the book of the summer, I will eat my wig. An absolute triumph
A heart-wrenching yet humorous portrayal of grief, a delicious collection of recipes, an inspirational tale of changing careers, and a feel good love story
I loved it so much. It's funny, sharp, sad and full of clear observations about food. I laughed so much (and I cried)
A brilliant, brave and beautiful book: funny and charming; utterly inspiring and life-affirming. I loved it
Potts writes powerfully about the nature of grief, yet she has the lightest of touches with her sensuous descriptions of food. A delightful read - and there are some terrific recipes in it, too
Uplifting . . . tender
All stars
Most relevant
A beautiful memoir that consistently brought tears to my eyes (much to the bemusement of commuters I passed on my walk home) as well as laughter at her honest and brutal self-awareness.

Moving, funny and rather mouth-watering all rolled into one book.

Moving, funny and delicious

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Beautifully written. Warm, smart, touching and funny, Olivia Potts does a fabulous job of telling this very personal story of transformation, grief and personal growth. Gripping. Couldn't put it down.

Fabulous. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

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It was a very different read for me, but one I was pleased that I took. A fascinating take on love, loss, and the effect that both painted the journey Olivia takes and altered her life forever. This will sit with me for a while.

A journey through grief, courtrooms,and culinary

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I absolutely adored this book. Just so so good. great book and wonderfully read. I am recommending this to all my friends and family.

I Adored This Book

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one of the most enjoyable audio books I have ever listened to. Olivia Potts story is sad, funny, heartwarming and wonderful. I will definitely listen to it again, and try some of her scrummy recipes and buy the book to read. Amazing woman, clever writer, fab story.

What Can I Say. It's Wonderful!

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