Saturday, January 11, 2014

The Wonders of Bread Dough- My Kids In the Kitchen

   My youngest son wakes up, comes in the kitchen and asks to help make baguettes with me. The kitchen is toasty with a fire burning, aromatic flavors are filling the air and with his cheery little face looking at me for an answer.  How can I deny his request.  It is truly a welcomed and marvelous gift he is giving me

The early morning hours are a fantastic time to be together and bond. Chatting about the day's activities, his siblings, and solving all the problems in the world that are important to him seem to be our early morning topics.  I think the simple, repetitive movements of kneading are almost hypnotic to him  and his mind begins to wander and the questions begin to form..

I find baking with my children to be such a gratifying and productive activity.  Working together to produce a product from beginning to end, is such a rewarding process.  Using these opportunities to have difficult, funny, or everyday discussions is allows us to stay in touch with each other's worlds.  Kneading bread, or rolling it into shape is so fun for them that they lose themselves in the activity.  I also have found that using bread dough  helps calm them at times too.  All their frustration in taken out on the dough. and in the end we have something delicious to eat.