Baking and chemistry

Though we lived in the U.S. for over a decade, I never baked cookies or cakes, or pizza there. I was not fond of this kinda food also. But now, as a mom of a teen who loves bread, cakes, pastries, and pizzas, I have now learned to make every kind of pastry. I can say that I even enjoy the process of Baking.

Baking is similar to chemistry in that you add the ingredients precisely and do exactly as per the lab manual, but at the end of the experiment, you and your family get to eat yummy stuff. So, like any good experimenter, I head into the kitchen to add random stuff and hope that at the end of it, there will be something edible.

Usually, things come out pretty well. I have started loving cooking and in particular baking. For a person like me, once I get into something, I will obsess and go deep into it, until I find the next thing to obsess. It is a blessing and a curse. Novelty keeps everything interesting and I hate routines.

This past month, I have baked two chocolate cakes, dozens of chocolate chip muffins, mango cake, mango bread, wheat bread, white bread, and tutti-fruity bread. I also made malai broccoli for the first time at home last week. Today I am baking veg pizzas (two large ones) for the kids.

My younger daughter helps me a lot while baking. We enjoy bonding over these things. My elder one is busy with her studies these days but I am glad that I have this opportunity to bake yummy stuff that she enjoys.

As long as I keep learning, my mind feels happy. As long as the kids eat my food with a smile, I feel satisfied. I just love cooking for my children and seeing them smile. It makes everything worthwhile. 🙂