There is nothing sweeter then kinship

There’s something really soothing about baking: The heavenly aroma of vanilla, the warmth of the oven, the smiles of familiar faces crowding you as you gently remove baked goods from their respective trays.

I spent last Monday evening with friends, making Funfetti cookies with ridiculous amounts of sprinkles and canned buttercream frosting. It might not sound like an ideal weeknight for a student, but I felt fulfilled.

But I can see why professional chefs and bakers feel stressed and often appear unhappy: They’re working for customers, most of whom don’t appreciate the level of difficulty these culinary artists work with.

When contemplating owning my own bakery sometime in the future, I always return to a question – why would I put myself through all the hard stress and labor to not be thanked or appreciated? Why does any pastry chef put him or herself through the trouble?

Generally, I am not a morning person, and as a baker I would have to wake up early – probably around 3 a.m.

Combined with the fact that customers aren’t always so nice when they walk into a store and budgeting money has never been one of my strengths, this makes me feel unsure of what I want.

My heart feels a tug-of-war between passion and common sense. I love the chemistry of baking, the smells, the texture of the dough and the feeling of accomplishment after I take perfectly golden-brown cookies from the oven. 

But none of this beats the satisfaction of seeing the reactions of those who smell my handiwork.

Both nights I baked this week I received compliments from many people because they recognize the comforting scent of freshly baked cookies. I was happy to give the cookies to anyone who asked.

Maybe it’s just the shy, insecure girl in me who wants to be liked by everybody.

I don’t think it’s bad to feel great about myself each time I bake. There have been very few instances where I have screwed up recipes, but when mistakes occur, friends seem appreciative of the hard work just the same.

The look of joy on people’s faces has to be a reason for pastry chefs to pursue their passion. After all, what chef wouldn’t feel fulfilled after bringing a twinkle to the eye of a young girl who picked out a cupcake?

Perhaps there is the occasional strange individual who enjoys waking before dawn to make a pot of coffee and begin a whole menu’s worth of baked goods.

I might never get to own my own bakery, but that won’t stop me from buying ridiculous amounts of vanilla and cookbooks.

I want to make people happy, and I know that even the simplest chocolate chip cookie, made from scratch with a heaping serving of love, can erase frowns and make people feel at home. 

After all, is nothing sweeter than kinship?