Baking is a joyous activity, and no one exemplifies this better than Joy the Baker herself.
Raised in a laidback California household, Joy Wilson grew up in a free-spirited environment.
Her dad baked on the side; her mom decorated cakes.
Credit:Joy Wilson
It’s so funny, I was thinking about this and I don’t have any.
I’m pretty laidback.
What are you doing here?
Q: Are you always in the kitchen when you have people over, just cooking away?
I feel like I spend my entire life in the kitchen.
I work there;I clean there.
Everything is happening in the kitchen.
Like, let’s change the scenery.
I’ll put the coasters out.
I’ll light the candle there.
So it’s already kind of set to be a natural place where people can gather.
And then I will also forcibly be like, Let’s go to the living room.
Let’s leave the kitchen.
Also, there’s often not enough seating in the kitchen, and I’m definitely standing.
Let me sit down, kindly!
So I set up a space, and I’m like, Lets go to the comfortable space.
Q: I feel like that could be considered a rule?
Get out of the kitchen a little bit?
That is kind of a rule.
I’m also very conscious of parties where the host is constantly in the kitchen.
I feel like that’s not really the tone that I want to set for a gathering.
Like, I would rather be done cooking and just hang out.
So I have a go at have all my food done.
And also, people don’t really want to stand around and watch you cook.
They sometimes need you to facilitate conversations, introduce people to one another.
I find that I can’t do that if I’m looking at what’s in the oven.
It’s a hugeVictorian housethats still standing but needs so much attention.
I mean, it’s epic.
Theres a stained glass window.
It requires a lot of care and upkeep and attention.
But this house is like a lifetime of work.
Also, I’m learning that living in an old house like this, people just pop by.
Like keep the candle burning, keep the first floor clean.
Joy Wilson
Q: Did you grow up with any house rules?
I don’t think so.
We were a big family with a bunch of kids.
Our family home growing up, there was always a hugespread of foodwhen people were coming over.
We were just a food family, so I maintain a food-forward household.
Q: Do you think that’s also kind of the Californian way of doing things?
Yeah, its a little bit laidback.
Its unmatchedit’s not to say that the hospitality in California is not good, but it’s different.
It’s so much more laidback; its cultural.
And [in the South, the people are] so warm.
Im definitely trying to incorporate that without the rules when people come to my house.
Q: So you grew up in a food-forward family.
Did you start baking as a kid?
Yeah, I started baking as a kid.
Both my parents worked at the post office, but they had other passions on the side.
My dad is a baker.
My mom was a cake decorator.
She had this side hustle where she woulddecorate cakesand sell them at the post office.
So, yeah, I started baking really, really early.
My parents were also big health nutslike, we didn’t have Oreos.
Like, all I would want is an Oreo.
But if we could make it from scratch, we could have it.
So I was like, I’m gonna learn how to make this immediately.
I feel like baking can be really intimidating for people, and I just always wanted to debunk that.
You don’t need to be so bound by a recipe if you understand how it works.
Q: Do you remember the first thing you baked?
Then I tried it, and I was like, No, I am not eating this.
How did chocolate get so bad?
Q: How would you say you’ve evolved as a baker since you started?
I feel like baking can be really intimidating for people, and I just always wanted to debunk that.
You don’t need to be so bound by a recipe if you understand how it works.
It’s not that scary.
There are rulesbut you’ve got the option to wing it a little bit.
Q: Do you have a favorite flavor combo or an underrated one you love?
I was just writing myThanksgiving menusweet potato pie and coriander go really well together.
Coriander is usually a savory spice, but it works really well with sweet potato.
A passionfruit cheesecake with a chocolate crust is obviously lovely.
And then white chocolate and raspberrywhich is so 90s, right?
But I used to work at the Cheesecake Factory, and they have a white chocolate raspberry cheesecake.
Q: Did you make the cheesecakes at the Cheesecake Factory?
No, the cheesecakes are actually made in a literal factory.
New Orleans and Louisiana have amazing food.
Its all Cajun and Creole.
Its simple but its great.
Houston and Texas are kind of different food scenesHouston has almost everything you could imagine.
And then cowboy food: barbecue,Texas chili.
So its not diverse, but its great food.
Q: Are you the designated host for holidays?
No, this is myfirst year being designated host, and I’m scared.
I feel like this is the year, especially now that I have this big house.
I don’t know if I want it, but they’re like, You have this big house.
We’re all coming to Texas for Thanksgiving.
You have to plan everything, buy everything, grab everything, cook everything, clean everything.
And Im a little bit particular about the food that’s going to be served.
So Im thinking, If people offer to bring things, what am I going to say?
So I have to remember that and not complain about it.
Im not putting Tupperware on the serving tablethats just not me.
I wasnt intending on buying a house thats so old.
After a year, I was like, I wanna live in Bellville, Texas.
Then over the garage is a little apartment.
Its on an acre of land with a pasture and pool.
I just fell in love with it.
Its not just my house.
People want to come in and look at the light fixtures and the wallpaper.
Seeing people experience this house like I first did, like, amazed by itthats really special.
This house hasnt had many owners; I think Im the fourth.
So it feels like I am just trying to uphold the history.
I didnt come here feeling like I wanted to change much about it.
I wanted to just honor what it is and be a part of its history.
The room were sitting in now is the Bakehouse room.
This would be where I have classes a couple times a week.
So it feels like my house, but its bigger than that.
People come knocking on the doorthe town is amazing.
Its not just my house.
People want to come in and look at the light fixtures and the wallpaper.
Seeing people experience this house like I first did, like, amazed by itthats really special.
Q: Is there anything thats been a surprise with moving in?
People always ask me if the house is haunted, and Im like, No.
I cant think that its haunted; I cant let my mind go there.
Do you know something I don’t know?
But so far, it doesnt feel spooky at all.
How much is that gonna be?
Its just a really big commitment.
It scared me at first, but now I think I can handle it.
Q: Is there advice youd give someone looking to buy an older house?
I feel like as long as I live in this house, my life will be devoted to it.
Its not the kind of house it’s possible for you to leave alone.
It needs a lot of attention.
I lived in an old house in New Orleans too, and theres something spiritual about old houses.
You cant leave them alone, and you dont want to.
Theres something really beautiful about the fuss of maintaining an old house, its like a practice.
Q: Do you have any design plans or a certain aesthetic youre going for?
Downstairs Im trying tokeep to the roots of the houseand keep it a classic Victorian.
Things like that, Im trying to stay close to home.
In the Bakehouse room, all of the colors are from theBenjamin Moore Historical Collection.
But I took the historical colors and did a modern take on it withcolor drenching.
Im trying to have my own personality but also keep it classic.
Canned pumpkin, dates, olives and mulling spices.
Q: Is there a holiday dessert you think deserves more love?
My recipe fortwo giant chocolate chip cookies.
