What I've Learned from Baking
What I've Learned from Baking
For most of the year I spend as little time as possible doing anything in the kitchen. (Members of my family are nodding a vigorous agreement as they read this.) It hasn't seemed satisfying to put so much time and energy in to something that was eventually consumed in less time than it took to create it.
Oddly enough, that aversion goes out the window when the holidays roll around and the kitchen becomes my creative workshop. I usually end up baking at least a dozen different varieties of tasty treats. Everybody has their favorites and I always want to try a few new recipes.
Between this apparent disparity in my attitude toward culinary pursuits and an ongoing exposure to reality baking shows, (particularly Great British Bake Off, which highlights individuals' creativity, baking techniques, and gentle competition in the kitchen), I've been reevaluating my long held prejudices. With the judges' "feedback" to bakers on these programs, I'm gaining an appreciation for the standards by which they evaluate a product's success, the complexities of the processes involved, and the essential art of trouble-shooting. Rather than just churning out cookies, I'm trying to bring more consistency to the "bakes" in taste, form, color, execution, etc.
Of course, focusing on the quality of my baking inevitably has an influence on other creative endeavors. Once you hold yourself to higher standards and practice them in one area, it becomes a desire and goal that spills over to other areas. Happily, these qualities can be applied to anything we pursue. The habit is transferable.
Humbly, I admit that I'm still learning because there is so much to learn! But, there are two things I would like to share about baking:
1) It's not as easy as it looks,
2) It would be a lot easier if I did it more regularly!
And that last point is most significant. Everything gets easier with practice. The more familiar we are with a subject the more confidence we have to explore and experiment in that medium, and express our individual creativity.
What started out as an effort to create a tradition filled, homey, happy holiday season for the family has become a vehicle for new lessons on the joys of mastering skills and applying creativity in fresh ways.
For most of the year I spend as little time as possible doing anything in the kitchen. (Members of my family are nodding a vigorous agreement as they read this.) It hasn't seemed satisfying to put so much time and energy in to something that was eventually consumed in less time than it took to create it.
Oddly enough, that aversion goes out the window when the holidays roll around and the kitchen becomes my creative workshop. I usually end up baking at least a dozen different varieties of tasty treats. Everybody has their favorites and I always want to try a few new recipes.
Between this apparent disparity in my attitude toward culinary pursuits and an ongoing exposure to reality baking shows, (particularly Great British Bake Off, which highlights individuals' creativity, baking techniques, and gentle competition in the kitchen), I've been reevaluating my long held prejudices. With the judges' "feedback" to bakers on these programs, I'm gaining an appreciation for the standards by which they evaluate a product's success, the complexities of the processes involved, and the essential art of trouble-shooting. Rather than just churning out cookies, I'm trying to bring more consistency to the "bakes" in taste, form, color, execution, etc.
Of course, focusing on the quality of my baking inevitably has an influence on other creative endeavors. Once you hold yourself to higher standards and practice them in one area, it becomes a desire and goal that spills over to other areas. Happily, these qualities can be applied to anything we pursue. The habit is transferable.
Humbly, I admit that I'm still learning because there is so much to learn! But, there are two things I would like to share about baking:
1) It's not as easy as it looks,
2) It would be a lot easier if I did it more regularly!
And that last point is most significant. Everything gets easier with practice. The more familiar we are with a subject the more confidence we have to explore and experiment in that medium, and express our individual creativity.
What started out as an effort to create a tradition filled, homey, happy holiday season for the family has become a vehicle for new lessons on the joys of mastering skills and applying creativity in fresh ways.
Used a technique from the baking shows for the decoration
on last year's Christmas dessert... making progress.
Now if I could only muster up the same enthusiasm for cleaning up after myself!
😏
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