28 August 2005

I like to bake when I'm stressed out or when I have a lot of work, because it makes me feel like there's actually order and accomplishment in my life.
Baking, like cleaning, is soothing in a way that academic work rarely is: you put in a certain measure of time and energy, and within a short while
you've created something to be proud of and happy about.  And, also unlike most academic work, people are actually interested in the products of your labor. 

I have a lot of pressure-ridden deadlines coming up, so I baked twice this week.  The darker brown cookies with the pecans on top are honey gingersnaps,
and the lighter ones topped with sliced almonds are chewy orange almond cookies.  They were both easy to make and turned out quite attractively,
but alas, neither is a particularly memorable cookie.  The gingersnaps smell like heaven and were dreamily delicious hot out of the oven, but their
texture deteriorated within an hour.  The orange-almond cookies taste like standard-issue macaroons.  Too bad. 

But they did accomplish their purpose.  My stress level is feeling pretty okay.

return to art page