baking: the cure for what ails
among other things...
I remember taking my first cooking class at the age of twelve, part of a school requirement in having one choose an elective course as part of their courseload. Nothing in the curriculum for electives sounded appealing at first so I choose cooking, although in today's time I am sure the course outline may say something fancier like "culinary arts". Back then, it was just simply "cooking".
Now to be perfectly honest, we didn't do much cooking, but we did do quite a bit of baking. This class was where I made my first batch of chocolate chip cookies and that recipe, I wrote down and carried with me for many years. It was inadvertently lost sometime in adulthood, but I remember fondly that white index card, painstakingly written in cursive, all the ingredients and all the directions needed to make a perfect batch of chocolate goodness.
Over the years, I graduated to my own kitchen and cooking as well as baking are on the docket. I love tying on my apron, and getting out all the ingredients needed, and a Spotify playlist and I am ready, steady, go.
Baking is one of those things where I just let go. Whatever is on my mind, gets mixed into the process. The Kitchen-Aid starts swirling as do my thoughts. If something is bothering me and I need to hash it out in my mind's eye, I've usually come up with a solution by the time the last timer has dinged. By the time the last batch of whatever I am making has cooled off, well, so have I.
And conversely, I don't need an off-mood to bake. I bake when I am happy, and I bake when I need to feel happy. Being in the kitchen, adding vanilla here, a bit more flour there, I just enjoy the process so much.
Baking makes me happy.
Is there something that you enjoy doing simply because you love it? Let me know in the comments 😊
I like cooking, BUT I love baking! There's something soothing about the process of getting all the ingredients measured and lined up and following the step-by-step process of a recipe.
I am with you! Baking makes me happy too. I've no desire to do anything complicated or fancy, I'm not fussed about how beautiful it turns out, I just really enjoy baking food that is tasty to eat. My favourites are brownies, choc chip cookies, shortbread biscuits and lemon drizzle cake. Mmm, think I might make cake soon!