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The Roundtable

CulinaryArts@SPAC - Justin Burke's "Potluck Desserts: Joyful Recipes to Share with Pride"

By Sarah LaDuke
Published December 23, 2025 at 11:05 AM EST
single servings of chocolate cake with thick white icing arranged artfully on a table
WAMC
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WAMC
Wacky Cake - baked by Austin Baylis from a recipe in "Potluck Desserts: Joyful Recipes to Share with Pride" by Justin Burke
Book cover for Potluck Desserts by Justin Burke
Countryman Press/Brian Samuels
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provided

Justin Burke is a food writer, recipe developer, queer food activist, and award-winning pastry chef and baker. They have contributed to publications including Eater, Food & Wine, Garden & Gun, Simply Recipes, and Bake from Scratch.

Burke’s debut cookbook “Potluck Desserts: Joyful Recipes to Share with Pride” was released this past summer by Countryman Press. In the book, Burke offers simple, nostalgic recipes infused with personal stories from their life in both the world of baking and the queer community.

On December 4, CulinaryArts@SPAC presented an event featuring Justin Burke and recipes from “Potluck Desserts” prepared by some of the area’s best bakers and pastry chefs.

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The Roundtable CulinaryArts@SPACSPACWAMC on the Roaddessertlgbtqai+potluckqueer foodjustin burke
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Sarah LaDuke
Sarah has worked in public radio since 2006. She grew up in Saranac Lake, New York where she worked part-time at Pendragon Theatre all through high school and college. She graduated from UAlbany in 2006 with a BA in English and started at WAMC a few weeks later as a part-time board-op in the control room. Through a series of offered and seized opportunities she is now the Senior Contributing Producer of The Roundtable and Producer of The Book Show. During the main thrust of the Covid-19 pandemic shut-down, Sarah hosted a live Instagram interview program "A Face for Radio Video Series." On it, Sarah spoke with actors, musicians, comedians, and artists about the creative activities they were accomplishing and/or missing. She is on the board of WAM Theatre and lives in Albany, New York with her husband, Paul, and their dog, Doritos.
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