Fort Wayne native Martin Sorge will bring the flavors of the Midwest back to his hometown this summer to promote a new cookbook that puts a modern twist on regional baking favorites.
From Northrop High School to national baking stage
Sorge, who graduated from Northrop High School in 2003 and won The Great American Baking Show in 2023, said returning to the region sharpened his appreciation for Midwestern culture and its often overlooked food traditions. His new book, Great Bakes: Modern Classic Recipes From the Midwest, compiles the recipes he says he has made most and refined over years of testing.
The cookbook "will release Tuesday," according to interview material provided to The Journal Gazette, and Sorge is scheduled to promote the book in Fort Wayne on Aug. 8. The local appearance gives fans and home bakers an opportunity to hear directly from a baker who balances creative technique with long-practiced favorites.
Recipes that mix practical and playful
The collection ranges from everyday staples to deliberately ornate constructions. The book includes breads, cakes, tarts, cobblers and turnovers, along with a section labeled "Needlessly Complicated" that contains items such as a S'mores Croquembouche. At the simpler end, Sorge highlights a Whole Wheat Toast Bread he describes as possibly not the most flashy, but perfect in execution.
- Examples of recipes named in advance materials: Coconut-Caramel Brownies, Strawberry and Tarragon Shortcake, Fresh Strawberry Pie in a Pretzel Crust.
- A recurring theme: classic Midwestern recipes reworked with small but impactful twists, such as cinnamon rolls made with malted milk powder.
- Techniques and long-tested recipes: Sorge said he is publishing his flaky pastry formula for the first time after making it so often that he has it memorized.
Sorge told the newspaper he approached the book by testing and tweaking recipes until they were "just right," and that the recipes included are his go-to preparations — those he has refined over years.
“The recipes in this book are the ones I’ve made the most and saved,” Sorge said. “Some of these recipes I’ve worked on for years and years and years … but they’re my favorite, so I wanted to save them for this book.”
Professional background outside the kitchen
Beyond baking, Sorge holds a master’s degree in public policy and economic development from Indiana University. He has worked for organizations that support small businesses and currently provides consulting for nonprofits and local governments on small-business economic development. Sorge and his husband split their time between Chicago and Leelanau County, Michigan, near Traverse City.
He also maintains a newsletter under the same name as the book, where he has published other food writing. The cookbook appears to consolidate those efforts into a single volume intended as a practical resource for home bakers who want both dependable everyday breads and more ambitious showpieces.
| Category | Representative Recipe |
|---|---|
| Breads | Whole Wheat Toast Bread |
| Cookies & Bars | Coconut-Caramel Brownies |
| Pies & Tarts | Fresh Strawberry Pie in a Pretzel Crust |
| Showpieces | S'mores Croquembouche (Needlessly Complicated section) |
The Fort Wayne appearance on Aug. 8 will be the most immediate chance for local residents to meet Sorge and hear about the book directly. For home bakers and fans of regional foodways, the book aims to preserve familiar Midwestern flavors while offering inventive, often surprising, variations.
Local readers looking to attend the promotion should check event listings and local bookstore announcements for time and venue details tied to the Aug. 8 appearance.
