After and incredible amount of nagging, I finally convinced (cajoled) my wife Terri into writing her first guest post for CMR. I am really proud of her!
I Bake Because I Love — Terri Archbold
Similar to the sentiment of my husband and brother-in-law’s motto “We Laugh Because We Believe,” I bake because I love. I can’t count the number of nights I’ve stayed up long into the night because I was creating something sweet in our kitchen. I do it because I love to, but more so because it makes others happy. I love to think of the look of excitement on the faces of my children and their classmates when they see homemade cookies in the shape of football helmets, hearts, or Christmas trees. I will go to great lengths to make up platters of chocolate-drizzled treats for my family and friends. When our new neighbors moved in, my greatest pleasure was to welcome them with a tin of cookies or brownies. What a great way to say welcome to our neighborhood!
Around St. Patrick’s Day, I usually end up making about 2 dozen Irish soda breads just because everyone loves my Aunt Lilly’s recipe. I don’t mind being thought of as a crazy mom for staying up until 5:00 a.m. making a Buzz Lightyear cake for my son’s 5th birthday. That cake made him so happy, and I think it was something he’ll remember for a long time. So will I (for many reasons).
Although I’m not yet the “Cake Boss,” I’ve attempted some more complicated occasion cakes, including my nephew’s christening cake. It was truly a labor of love, as it took me all night to do. If I was getting paid by the hour, I wouldn’t make very much!
Baking is one of my creative outlets, and yes, I love to indulge on my decadent goodies—but not as much as I enjoy sharing them. What a wonderful gift it is when you love what you do and it brings people joy. Granted it may not compare to the impact of an author’s or a painter’s work on their audiences, but in my little world, I can make a small difference to those around me. It can create a bit of magic around a celebration. It can make the ordinary into something special.
God has truly blessed Patrick and I with our five children, and especially through them, He has given me an avenue to serve Him by giving a little bit of myself to the people around me every day in a simple, yet very sweet way. I bake because I love. And they thought it was just about cookies!
December 15, 2011 at 10:57 am
Great post, Terri! As someone else who loves to bake, I very much enjoyed reading this.
December 15, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Love this! Cookies and breads are my thing. My kids tell me, quoting from "Calvin & Hobbes," "No one can spoil you like a mom!"
They get it.
December 15, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Awesome! I'm right with you on this one! Thanks for posting!
December 15, 2011 at 3:09 pm
OH I LOOOOVE THIS POST!
(Nice job, Patrick!)
Question: Do you put an egg into your Irish Soda Bread? What about Baking powder? Some consider it a crime, but I love it. (one grandmother of mine did, the other didn't.)
Realize that it may go against the point of baking for love, but have you ever thought about selling any?
December 15, 2011 at 4:00 pm
Thanks!
I do put an egg and baking powder in my Irish Soda bread. We love it too. I tried many recipes over the years, including those from my grandmothers, and my great-Aunt Lilly's is the best. And yes, I have thought about selling them!
Terri
December 15, 2011 at 5:33 pm
The way to the whole family's heart is through the stomach… they are blessed by you!
December 15, 2011 at 5:42 pm
Let's hear it for the egg and backing powder! (Oh and no fennel – blech!)
Thanks for the great (light) post.
December 15, 2011 at 5:50 pm
You're a kindred spirit, Terri. I also love to bake, and enjoy making beautiful, sweet treats for my family. I'm trying to improve my cookie decorating technique every year!
December 16, 2011 at 12:21 am
Great post! I feel just the same about baking. It makes me feel so feminine 🙂
December 16, 2011 at 11:58 am
Terri, your post reminds me of a fiction novel I read a few years called Eat Cake: A Novel by Jeanne Ray? It's a fun read – even includes some recipes that find their way into the plot!
Here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Cake-Novel-Jeanne-Ray/dp/060961004X
December 16, 2011 at 8:09 pm
I love to bake for my large family too!! Great to hear from you. Mary L.
December 16, 2011 at 11:35 pm
As the sister in law whose son was on the receiving end of the christening cake. Let me testify – IT WAS AWESOME!!!! Better than any cake I could have ordered looks and taste wise. And made with love for my son! And for the record she also made my baby shower cake which was out of this world!
December 17, 2011 at 8:42 pm
Thanks everyone for your nice comments on my first (and hopefully not last) post!