Bread Therapy

In late October, my friend Lynett surprised me with a loaf of her homemade bread.

Everything about it was unique and unexpected. Instead of the classic rectangular shape, the bread had been baked in an oven-proof glass bowl. When I accepted it, I was surprised by its warmth. She must have pulled it from the oven close to my visit. And by the distinctive yellow-gold crust punctuated by a deeper brown, I wasn’t sure of the flour combination.

Once home I took the bread from its simple wrapping and shared it with Solomon. Absolutely delicious. We loved it and loved her for sharing.

Lynett’s loaves reminded me of my love for bread baking. Not only have I worked briefly as a professional bread baker, for many years I routinely baked bread in my home kitchen for my family.

Last Sunday I spent baking bread from the cookbook Lynett used.

The bread could not have been easier to put together. If you love baking bread, you’ll love the simplicity of the instructions, and the deliciousness of the loaves.

In just a few hours I was pulling from my oven four mini rounds of crusty bread.

As an added bonus, baking this bread reminded me that there’s a therapy in handmade.

Creating those simple loaves, lifted my spirit, reinforced my optimism, and gave me pride in creating something so organically beautiful.

What’s your therapy? What are some small things that are therapeutically joyful for you?

Share in the comments.