The Great British Baking Show

Edward and I have been watching The Great British Baking Show. We started with the most recent season and after we finished that one, we moved to season 1 to make our way through the entire series.

I love baking.

I love creating food that pleases people.

Watching this show has renewed my passion for cooking. I am now thinking of all kinds of interesting things to bake.

Scones.

Rough puff pastry.

Chocolate Babka.

Tarts.

Eight-strand plaited bread.

Victorian sponge cake.

I love the planning of a creation. It is fun to shop for the ingredients, purchasing those that will make whatever I am baking just a little bit more special. Some ingredients don’t really matter but some do.

I began cooking when I was young. My grandmother loved to cook and lit that passion in me to create foods that make people happy. As a child, I found that the more I cooked, the better I became at it and the more I was praised for my cooking skills.

I liked that.

I was a shy child and having something I felt like I was good at helped build my confidence.

As I got older, I did not need the praise from people, I simply fell in love with the creation part of baking. It kind of made me feel like a scientist, putting together ingredients and creating something magical.

Now, more than the magic of creating, baking is relaxing for me. It helps to center me and helps me to focus.

The smells are comforting. They remind me of times cooking with my grandmother. The repetition of baking gives my mind a break. When I bake bread, I can totally zone out and find peace. Baking has always been a meditation for me even when I didn’t know it was one. When I bake, I am completely focused on what I am doing.

So, bake.

And let the stress go.

Bake.

And remember the smells that remind you occasions and people.

Bake.

And help create more memories and joy to share with others.

Let me know if you decide to bake and what you create!