If you have not completely unplugged during quarantine you’ve most likely seen #breadbaking storming across Instagram and Twitter. Across the globe users are posting a range of impressive creations from brioche burger buns to sour dough with an image of their dog scored into them. Among the deluge of new hobbies being shown off across social media it is surprising to see perfectly baked bread a sour dough loafs thrown in the mix. Prompted by empty shelves at the grocery store and too much free time, bread baking has been called a return to our heritage. In a period when all our daily comforts are cut off, like enjoying a meal in a restaurant, it is easy to place ourselves back in the time of our ancestors. Originating as far back as 8000 BC, baking bread is an integral facet of human history. The ingredients needed to bake your own are simple. At its core you will just need flour, water and yeast. There are plenty of beginner bread recipes out there that anyone could try. The process though requires patience and a good amount of skill. Which is why so many have found it to be a calming and fulfilling hobby. There is no rushing the process. Waiting for the dough to rise takes us out of our own schedules puts us on its time, and watching the yeast activate and your dough-baby grow is like a science experiment. The tactile act of kneading the dough provides the satisfactions of working on something with your own hands. A feeling hard to come by in a technologically optimized world. You don’t need to appreciate the scope of breads history to understand the satisfaction of creating it. Chiefly the final product is something to be proud of. It may come with some mistakes (and several YouTube tutorials), but the outcome is well worth the effort. A new experience for those newbie bakers who were inspired by the trend to pick up the hobby, and surely a sign of more creations to come.
To both our past and present #breadbaking has shown us the power of staying connected. Even while cut off from family and friends it is important to remember those in need. Bakes for Breast Cancer is continuing its fight in the current crisis and will continue to find safe ways to continue our mission. It’s amazing that so many are discovering the joys of baking. We’d love to see some of your creations and recipes, so please share them with us at info@bakes4bc.org.
