Easy Baking

It sat in the back, the way back of my brothers' closet. Covered in dust and in its original, if not faded and forgotten, cardboard box. It was an Easy Bake Oven. One of the many cast-offs that revealed itself in new-found mystery to me as the youngest of three. Even after the glory was gone from this once, cherished Christmas gift (yes older brother, I am outing you publicly as the original requester and receiver of the oven), I spent many afternoon baking tiny deserts with a lightbulb and sending them flying out like shuffle-board pucks.

One batch of peanut butter fudge was particularly memorable due to a small, yet significant oversight on my part. I mixed up the measurements for teaspoon and Tablespoon when adding the salt.

Uh, gross.

I think I need a glass of water just writing about it.

And I learned my lesson. Actually I lived in fear of repeating this mistake. And truthfully, until recently I have shied away from putting salt in any confection. Muffins to layered cakes, if the recipe called for salt, I called upon creative license and skipped to the next ingredient.

You probably would have never noticed.

Until one morning a month or so ago, I was watching a certain billionaire-homekeeping-expert-who-once-did-time-for-insider-trading and she admonished all would-be bakers to always use salt in their sweets. I don't remember her words exactly, but the idea was that the salt only served to intensify the true flavors of the other ingredients. It should not make the cookies taste necessarily salty, but instead more like the finished product is supposed to really taste.

So I'm back to using salt, and I'm finding that the layers are more complex, the flavors intensified. You may not notice, but this baker appreciates the addition.

Now I have to admit that my cookies are not the only place I've been tasting a little salt. It seems that this past year has brought so much bitterness and pain that I'm ready to go running in the direction of anything that looks sweet or safe. I'm ready to douse my little personal struggles and run from anything "salty." But I think the art to living well is developed in the midst of pain.

And one day I trust that the physical pain, fear, and frustration of these past few months will only make me more into the person I'm supposed to be. To deepen my character, adding beauty and complexity to my spirit.

And you may not notice, truly, that's fine. But I'm sure My Creator will appreciate the addition.