I’ve been baking

Baking has become a regular part of my weekly routine. This morning, while mixing the batter for spiced pumpkin muffins, a thought came to mind. Lately, my baking hasn’t felt performative. Let me explain. In the past, while I truly enjoyed baking and did it out of joy, there was always a slight element of performance to it. Whether I was baking with the kids during the holidays (to fulfill “good mom” duties) or sharing my homemade bread on Instagram (performing for social media), there was a subtle desire to showcase.

There’s something about baking from scratch that gives off a vibe of “I’ve got it all together” or “look how wholesome I am.” I suppose that’s part of why people are so drawn to the trad wife trend on Insta. There’s a fascination with that image of a domestic sweet, slow life .

There’s none of that for me any longer. I’m simply exploring in the kitchen, flipping through physical cookbooks, and baking for the pure pleasure of it. Just because I want a sweet treat or learn how to perfect a pizza dough.

Maybe it’s because I’m off social media and don’t feel the need to perform, or perhaps it’s because I’m the one mostly eating my baked goods, making it an audience of one. Either way, it feels different, more authentic and like a lasting part of my weekly routine.

Anyway, cheers to reclaiming our daily activities without the gaze of social media.