In the Kitchen with Lovie

Baking is supposed to be precise, with carefully measured ingredients, dry and wet components gently folded together just until moist, and baked to a golden brown finish. Well, sometimes I bake like that, but I really prefer being in the kitchen with Lovie. If you haven't had the pleasure of making brownies with a 4 year old, you are truly missing out on one of the great experiences of life. Baking with a toddler requires that all standards of cleanliness and protocol be tossed out the window. Flour is not only a thickener, but also a building material to be used like sand. Chocolate chips are for eating, never for adding to the recipe. And as long as most of the ingredients end up in the bowl, we are doing well.

When I was growing up, I always remember baking with my mom and my Grandma. Standing on a chair with one of my Grandma's aprons tied under my arms, I helped to bake, frost and eat many a rainy day masterpiece. But I wonder if in our time poor stuff intensive world, people still take the time to throw caution to the wind and flour on the floor and bake with their kids.

When Lovie and I bake, it takes all afternoon. We start with the cookbooks, looking at the pictures, bargaining back and forth over what to make. When we finally decide, we start the oven and begin our mis-en-place. This consists of many different components, each being wobblingly spooned into measuring cups.    

Try as we may to be careful, things are always spooned halfway into the measuring cup, or poured kind of into the bowl. Sometime all of the eggs make it into the bowl, but not always. We share the privilege of licking the bowl and beaters while our stuff bakes. We always burn our mouths on cookies that have just left the oven, and Lovie always asks for seconds and thirds and sometimes fourths.

The days I'm in the kitchen with Lovie are great days. I get to hang out, act silly, talk about things that are important to a four year old, toss some flour around and remember why I love to bake. It's not about precise measurements, it's about making something with and for someone you love.