Why baking helps me think and recharge my creative thought processes
I am on a break from daily chores, duties and responsibilities and am able to reconnect with people, places and things I have neglected for some time now. Into the first couple of days plus a fast-paced yet fun-filled weekend with friends spent away from home, I feel like I am still on the rollercoaster ride and unable to get off it. My head is spinning, my thoughts racing, I can’t sit still, relax and just be. If I don’t do anything, I panic. And when I panic, I can’t think, and when I can’t think I can’t create. Eventually, whilst opening cupboards and recipe books, measuring cups and grams, I feel myself slow down, my thoughts concentrating on the tasks ahead. As the monotone whirring of the kitchen aid goes on, I feel calm and peace enter my thoughts and I am able to let go of the stresses from months and even years of non-stop working. Baking has magic powers over me and my racing thoughts. It can make me feel grounded, connected and gives me a sense of achievement that can only be surpassed by the feeling when writing goes well. Maybe it is because it brings back childhood memories, familiar smells and noises, the warmth of the oven and the anticipation of the making or breaking of hours spent mixing ingredients. Maybe it is the sweet (or sometimes savoury) reward of sneaking a taste, savouring that first bite as it dissolves and travels down the throat, taste buds tingling with delight. My belly and brain refreshed and nourished I am writing a bit quicker, with a bit more gusto and new purpose. Creating food is my food for thought. Bon appétit!
Chameleon in High Heels 