Stress Baking: SPEED!

Whatever you do, do not let this oven go below 375°!!!

When I am stressed I tend to do one of three things; clean every square inch of my apartment with a Q-Tip, stare at the wall until I go into a trance, or I drag my weary bones into the kitchen and bake treats. Baking treats is how my neighbors and local friends prefer me to manage my stress, because they get to reap the benefits of my neuroses. I sometimes wonder if the dreadful things that my friends tell me are happening in the world are in fact actually outrageous fabrications meant to scare me into cranking out a few dozen cranberry apple scones. Perhaps my mother is fibbing about her blood pressure so I'll make her another batch of coconut shortbreads. Maybe I’m getting so paranoid trying to make a joke out of this, that I need to stop typing and go make a god damn croquembouche! Pardon my spiral……..and we’re back! As much as I prefer to maintain a calm nervous system, I do my best baking when I am tense. I also enjoy baking when I’m not in the throes of panic, but my edginess is…