The Secret Ingredient for Baking is the Same for Writing
What I learned in my year of new hobbies
Have you ever thought about bread as much as you did last year? I had to bribe the local bakery for a spoonful of yeast. They put it in a little plastic bag like a contraband substance. Racing home, I couldn’t wait to start baking.
That’s where the problem started.
One thing I’ve learned about baking this year is I’m terrible at letting the bread rest once it’s out of the oven. I like to eat it too hot. And I always burn my tongue.
There are a few minutes where the bread is still cooking. It needs to rest and let the flavors combine. When it’s not yet bread, it’s still half dough. But I can’t let it rest.
It’s not to boast. It’s not a competition for the world’s toughest tongue. I am far too impatient to hang around an oven. Didn’t I have time to wait for the bread to rest?
I never had so much time in my life. I could have set up an all-night bakery with all the time I had. Like most bakers, I was awake at ungodly hours.
Other than baking, there were other new hobbies. But most of them are as equally frustrating if you are impatient.
