Julia Duda
School
University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign
Expertise
Baking, Cake Decoration, TikTok Trends/Recipes
- Julia is an amateur baker who is always crafting in the kitchen. She makes custom specialty cakes and especially enjoys the decorative aspect/aesthetics of baking.
- While her interest in baking (and cooking) stems from childhood, she got real-life experience by working in a cafe in college. Here she learned the basics of working in a kitchen, making pastries, crafting coffee, and doing so, so many dishes.
- Her favorite dish to prepare is actually a dish that requires no cooking at all: a charcuterie board. Julia loves experimenting with different types of cheese and wine pairings, and unsurprisingly, she particularly enjoys designing the boards to look just as good as they taste.
Experience
Julia has been a professional writer and content creator since graduating from college in 2019. Her first foray into the field was through ghostwriting, in which she wrote mental health-focused blogs. Wanting to hone in on her pop culture chops, Julia began contributing at POPSUGAR, publishing essays, food reviews, and recipes. She realized that she thrives at the intersection of pop culture and food and thoroughly enjoys writing about both topics. Nowadays, you can find her testing the latest trendy TikTok recipe in her kitchen, decorating ornate, heart-shaped cakes (they're just more fun when they're heart-shaped), or enjoying Chicago's diverse and never-ending culinary scene.
Education
Julia has a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in anthropology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
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Stories By Julia Duda
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We tried two new flavors from Tipsy Scoop, Kraken Ship Wrecked Ice Cream and Mozart Chocolate Pumpkin Peanut Butter Cup, and here's what we think.
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While Trader Joe's has plenty of returning fall items on its shelves, it's also graced us with some brand-new ones for 2024. Let's rank them worst to best.
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Starbucks' seasonal Guatemala Casi Cielo whole bean coffee is back for its 20th year. Does this brew live up to its heavenly name? We tried a bag to find out.
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Real-deal Champagne must be from its namesake region in France; any other bubbly is sparkling wine. We tried and ranked a few cheap bottles of the latter.
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Crumbl is known for its rotating cookie menu, but not all cookies will make a comeback. Here are some of its graveyard cookies that should be resurrected.
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The selection of frozen snacks available at Trader Joe's is impressive, but did you know that some of them turn out best when cooked in an air fryer?
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Among the many popular store-brand products sold at Trader Joe's, there is a wealth of assorted tea types. We tried and ranked a wide variety of them.
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Coffee Mate's newest seasonal flavors are bound to spruce up your cup. We tried each of them with hot coffee to see which ones are worth stocking up on.
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Trader Joe's offers delicious "dupes" of name-brand products, including its Simpler Times lager. How does this beer stack up to Budweiser? We did a taste test.
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Trader Joe's offers a wide variety of fruit spreads, but some are better than others. We tasted and ranked several popular options in a quest for the best.
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Frozen foods can be convenient dinner options when making the real thing just isn't doable. Here are frozen lasagnas from Costco and Trader Joe's, compared.
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If you've never stuffed pancakes before, start. From sweet fillings like cannoli to savory ones like bacon, these are the best stuffed pancake fillings.
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Upgrade a beloved side dish into a dinnertime star with loaded scalloped potatoes. We offer a variety of ingredient additions that will make it happen.
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The convenience of Trader Joe's Everything But the Bartender canned margaritas can't be beat, but how does the drink taste? We tried it so you'll know all.
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Korean brand Samyang offers up a strong lineup of Buldak ramen flavors, all of which boast a hot or spicy chicken base. Which one is the best of the best?
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Honey mustard seems like a simple condiment, but not all brands are created equal. We tried and ranked a variety of popular options in a quest for the best.
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If you're seeking a diverse selection of juices, Trader Joe's has you covered. But which taste the best? We tried and ranked a wide variety of fruity beverages.
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Hard iced tea can be just as refreshing as a classic non-alcoholic one. To pinpoint the perfect summer beverage, let's rank spiked tea brands worst to best.
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Trader Joe's has its fair share of breakfast items. We did a taste test to narrow down the best ones for a convenient and delicious start to your day.
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Starbucks has rolled out a new line of canned cold brews, but are they good? We tasted them to break down the pros and cons of all three flavors.
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The new bottled Starbucks Oatmilk Frappuccino line offers non-dairy coffee drinks flavored with caramel and chocolate. We tasted them both for this review.
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In a voyage of creamy discovery, we tried and ranked every Trader Joe's yogurt variety we could get. Some flavors sailed with grace, while others ran aground.
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Chocolate lovers can breathe a sigh of relief because this thorough list will guide you toward the best chocolate treats that Trader Joe's has to offer.
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Enhancing your oatmeal cookies can be as simple as sprinkling in spices and adding chocolate chips, or as complex as toasting the oats and browning the butter.
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Chicago has a range of bakeries, from a century-old neighborhood hangout to numerous trailblazing shops. These are the best bakeries in the Windy City.
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Load up on vegetables or go full plant-based with your breakfast casserole. Our recipes will give you all the inspiration you need to whip up a winning meal.
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Nothing sets a cake apart like crunchy elements as a frosting topper or to complement the soft center. Here are creative suggestions for adding crunch to cake.
