By: Shruti Jha
We all have days where we feel off, whether it be from hearing a devastating piece of news that day or just simply where you feel pessimistic about everything. I get it. Sometimes life really isn’t a cakewalk and when these times come we all need something that will ground us and remind us why we are so lucky to be in this world. Sometimes that process takes longer than we think so we just need something, anything, to take our minds off of life and its ups and downs.
Recipes soothe the soul
Baking can be the therapy that we look for in these troubling times. Theres just something amazing about working with your hands, feeling the dough, and knowing you worked hard and it came out looking beautiful and delicious. Clear instructions give us order and kneading feels like mediation as if you’re releasing all your stress onto the dough, not too much though ;). The absolute reward it feels to take a bite into your desert and think, “Wow! I made that!”, doesn’t parallel to anything else. Baking can bring out the joy within us even at our darkest days.
Baking as a kid
As a kid I was absolutely mesmerized seeing my mom cook and bake, it looked like a stressful but an exhilarating process, and so when the chance came for me to help my mom bake I took it immediately. My favourite recipes to make with my mom were Indian sweets native to our homeland, especially rose-flavoured fried dough balls called “gulab jamuns”. It was heavenly, and to this day it’s still one of my all-time comfort food. I was never really good at it in the beginning, I struggled a lot and there were even times the oil from the pan would burn me, not fun trust me. But, the way it helped me escape the troubling thoughts in my mind and gave me a place that felt like I was isolated from the world. It became my safe space and I know many people feel the same way I felt. Baking allowed me to build a special connection with my mother and to my culture. It allowed me to build peace within myself and for that I will forever be grateful.
Bake your heart out
Want to try that new chocolate brownie recipe? Do it. Want to finally indulge in your cravings and have something soft, squishy, and familiar? Make bread with your friends and family. There’s just something about baking that provides exactly what you’re looking for. I can promise it will provide the comfort you need right now. Whether you want life to slow down, or you just love the smell of cookies in the oven, baking is there for you whenever you need it.