What Captivates Me?

Addison, March 14, 2022

Have you ever loved doing something so much, that it makes you lose all track of time? Well, I feel the same way about baking. I have been baking ever since I was little. My great-grandmother even had her own bakery, and I’m certain that I acquired my love for baking partially from her. In 2019, my family and I moved to Europe as missionaries for two years. Living in Europe, my love for baking flourished because of all the unique desserts. Another huge reason I bake is to share with others, I love watching them enjoy what I make.

I have loved to bake ever since I was a little kid, whether it was excitedly baking my birthday cake, or helping out with a bake sale. Making Christmas cookies together, my family and I bonded over this tradition of cookie dough and frosting. When my birthday arrived, it was always special to bake my cake with Mom, which I always insisted on doing. Cakes were my favorite. Surprisingly, I still remember how proud I was when I showed off my baking expertise by baking my first cake independently. The 9×3 cake was vanilla, with blue icing and snowflake sprinkles, the latter because it was winter at the time. Although I burned my arm taking the cake out of the oven, I was incredibly proud, and I still am. Being a little kid did not keep me from my love of baking.

Living in Europe for two years, my family and I were able to taste copious amounts of different desserts. Each country’s cuisine was unique. Personally, I love French desserts, especially Paris-Brest. Paris-Brest is a dessert made from a ring of choux pastry cut open and filled with delicious praline cream, sandwich-style. While experiencing many different styles of desserts, my love for baking multiplied. In Europe, I was inspired to be more of an ambitious baker because of all the fancy sweets and unique styles, which I love to recreate. Learning about different countries’s desserts while living in Europe has greatly widened my horizons.

I do not bake because it is my hobby or because I love to eat. While those are both true, I bake so that others can enjoy eating with me. I love baking for others. Noticing faces light up when they eat my dessert is my fuel for baking.it makes me incredibly happy to experience others enjoy something I made. Whether it’s cupcakes for a party or a novel recipe I am trying on my family, which occurs often, baking for others is much more fun than baking for myself. Since my mom and I have common food allergies, I constantly bake allergy-friendly creations. Personally, I know how hard it is to find allergy-friendly desserts that taste splendiferous but at a reasonable price. That is why my dream is to revolutionize allergy-friendly baking. Because I am dairy-free, and my mom is gluten-free, I have experience modifying recipes so that everyone can eat. When I bake desserts for others to enjoy, I always make sure that everyone can eat them.

In summary, I have loved to bake ever since I can remember, living in Europe, and for others to enjoy. In retrospect, living in Europe changed the way I bake, and the things I bake. It expanded my knowledge and I experienced innovative flavors and desserts that changed my perspective of American desserts. When I am baking something new and fun, or even my own recipe, it captivates me and I lose all track of time.