What started out as a spontaneous adventure, turned into a new favorite hobby: baking. I have never been a big fan of cooking or really any involvement in the kitchen. My earliest memory in the kitchen is with my grandmother. Growing up, I would often spend afternoons with grandma, and those are some of my favorite memories to this day. She would pick me up after school some days, and I loved nothing more than getting to spend time at her house. She would often make me something special to eat after school; one of her most famous treats being her homemade chocolate chip cookies. I remember that she often did not use many measurements in her recipes. Some of her best dishes came from memory and simple repetition in the kitchen. She taught me that nothing you make in the kitchen needs to taste the exact same every time, and that it’s okay to have some fun experimenting with ingredients and making new recipes. These memories go back over a decade in time, but the values and lessons still stay with me today.
Recently, I have become very intrigued and drawn to baking as a hobby. As I mentioned, I never did much baking or even cooking in previous years, but for some reason it has become a new routine for me this year. The first thing I baked from scratch was chocolate chip banana bread. After looking up countless recipes online, and of course calling my mom for some tips, I landed on one recipe in particular. I was very impressed with the final product, as this truly was something new for me. All my friends loved the banana bread and were eagerly waiting for my next sweet treat. Fast forward ten weeks and I had added pumpkin oatmeal cookies, peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, a chai tea inspired bread loaf, and much more to my recipe list. I love finding a recipe and then adding my own spin to it and making it my own. Something I learned while spending time baking is that I like baking for other people more than for myself. Whether it be for a friend’s birthday, a meeting with coworkers, or just something to surprise my roommates, baking has been more enjoyable when doing it for others.
Baking not only has been something that has been fun for me because of the obvious finished product at the end, but it has also been a form of self care. Setting aside a couple hours of my evening to bake has been enjoyable, as it is a time that I get to spend with myself and reflect on my day. From shopping for ingredients, to mixing it all together, to tasting the final product, baking has been a fun new hobby for me that I have learned so much from. It has taught me to be patient, to be creative, and to try new things. I never thought that I would have found so much joy in this hobby, but now it is one of my favorite parts of my week. So, if you are in need of a new hobby, might I suggest the sweet satisfaction of baking.