To Bake or Not to Bake… That is the Question. But TO EAT is Always the Answer!
Hey Y’all,
Many people have asked me how I happened to write a book about baking, when I don’t bake? Haha. I get it. The irony. But so many factors were involved. There were many different variations of the characters and storyline before I actually wrote anything down. I asked my critique partners and normal beta readers for opinions. Keep reading to see how this non-baker wrote a book about baking.
Terri
“Baking is done out of love, to share with family and friends, to see them smile.”
How it all started…
I am very lucky in that all of my cats have always loved to knead me. Not all cats make you feel needed. (If you’re a cat owner, you understand.)
Abby, my original soulcat of my 20s and 30s, and Oscar (of Oscar and Emmy) especially love to knead my lap. (Emmy does occasionally.)
That got me thinking about the origin of the phrases ‘kneading dough’ and ‘cats making biscuits’, which are some of the phrases used to describe the action of when a cat kneads.
How did I expand a kneading cat character into a book?
There are many theories why cats knead their owner’s lap. Some say they are marking their territory, others say it’s a sign of love and affection, or even to get them in a calm mood before taking a cat nap. I’ll go with the love and affection option.
I came up with multiple storyline ideas about a cat kneading. That concept alone does not make a story. I went back and forth between a cat who was a baker and a chef who was inspired by his cat. When I told one story idea to my critique group, I was told it sounded like the storyline of Ratatouille. I haven’t watched too many animated films, but I definitely did not want my book to look like a version of a popular film. So back to the drawing board.
I settled on a child baker (because the main characters in children’s books are usually similar to the age of the reader). The baker is inspired by the cat’s kneading to make some kind of dough. But which dough?
Since I’m not a baker, I Googled all types of recipes that required kneading. (I don’t recommend Googling recipes when you’re hungry.) Then I looked for those that could be easy enough for me (or a kid) to follow. The name of the bread had to be easy enough to pronounce (unlike ciabatta).
The Loveless Cafe in Nashville is a must-see attraction! In addition to the delicios restaurant, there are many boutiques selling an array of products, including biscuit mix and jams.
How did I come up with the winning recipe?
I selected buttermilk biscuits. Who doesn’t love a hot buttermilk biscuit with melted butter, jam, or honey on it? I always enjoy a biscuit (or two) when visiting certain restaurants, like Cracker Barrel (American chain) or the Loveless Café (in Nashville).
Now, I needed to finalize the storyline and write the story. I figured out there was a boy who was competing with another girl to make the best bread.
But where would this contest be and why? Madeline, the daughter of a very good friend of mine, suggested it was a school contest with the winner getting their bread made in the cafeteria. Voila!
I recently found the post-it note where I had written down the suggestions from my friends for two different books, Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend and Kneading a Winning Idea.
Making the winning recipe
Then I had to actually make the biscuits. Since I wanted to include the winning recipe with the book, I wanted to make sure the recipe worked and tasted good.
I did have to buy a few pastry items (like the pastry knife, the board to roll it on, the biscuit cutters, etc). Then I had to make sure I had all of the ingredients (buttermilk, flour that had not expired, and enough butter).
If you don’t cook, my advice is to ignore the ‘suggested time limit’ on the recipe. When it says 20 minutes to prep, just multiply that by 2 (or 3 in my case). Or is that just me who takes exponentially longer to figure it all out?
How did they turn out, you ask? Actually very good! I even shared them with my neighbors. (And I got good feedback!)
This is actually me kneading dough. I’m baking!
What else could a book about a kneading cat and a recipe be about?
Now that we have the basic premise and recipe, let’s talk about the details of the themes of the book.
If you’ve read my book, “Kneading a Winning Idea”, then you already know the whole book surrounds a baking contest. The main character, Ben, is tired of coming in 2nd place every year, and losing to the same classmate, Sophia, who bakes her family recipe.
There is the competition factor, perseverance, trying new things, and even a father and son relationship.
Bravery is trying new things when you face the possibility of failure
Ben could have easily thrown in the towel and not tried again. But he had his eye on the prize- for the whole school to enjoy his buttermilk biscuits each week.
With his father’s encouragement, he decided to try to tweak his recipe to see if he can improve it.
Ben is very brave. He knew he was facing the possibility of failure, yet put aside the fear and tried his best.
Sometimes we want to do the ‘safe’ thing, because we don’t want to fail. By going outside his comfort zone, Ben demonstrates great bravery.
Notice inspiration in unexpected places
Inspiration can be found in unexpected places.
The protagonist in this story finds this out firsthand when he is ready to give up completely.
He is almost annoyed that his cat is once again kneading his lap. But then, that’s when inspiration hits him. His cat was kneading his leg like he could knead the dough by hand, instead of with his electric mixer.
Ben was open to inspiration, even when he wasn’t looking for it!
Trying new methods can bring big rewards
This story encourages readers to explore new ways to do things they may have done countless times before.
The main character, Ben, has probably baked these same biscuits dozens of times. He knew he couldn’t do the same old thing and expect different results. So he was persistent in trying new things to enhance his recipe.
Don’t be afraid to open to your mind to new ideas, and where those ideas might come from. There’s usually more than one way to do the same thing.
Trial and error brings about new discoveries
Not every idea turns out to be the best idea. As you see in the book, Ben gets frustrated when he alters his recipe and it doesn’t turn out well. But he doesn’t want to give up. Each failure helps him find something else to try.
Sometimes we don’t know a new idea is a good idea until we test it out.
Entering competition with confidence builds character
Leaning on others who support you while embracing your confidence in your skills leads to growth in your character. Ben has a supportive dad who encourages him to keep trying. Of course, he volunteers to help taste the different creations, because who doesn’t like tasting things in the kitchen.
Ben also has the unspoken support of his cat and dog, who are always nearby.
Losing well is a skill that will take you far in life
It is important to lose with grace. A good loser accepts the loss by showing respect for all competitors.
Sofia and Ben are classmates in the story, and also competitors in the yearly contest. At first, Sofia even makes a little dig at Ben for entering the contest with the same biscuits.
But when he is announced the winner and she tastes his biscuits, she agrees that they were better tasting this year and was impressed. She even took it a step farther and congratulated Ben.
More importantly, Ben was not a ‘sore winner’. He did not brag or rub it in Sofia’s face. They were both gracious and respectful in their competitive places.
Did you know I have young bakers in my life?
My niece (who made an appearance in my book, Oscar and Emmy’s First Christmas) loves to bake. Mary makes so many things from pancakes to desserts. And she has from an early age. Both my brother and sister-in-law love to make things from scratch in the kitchen.
Mary has made me countless treats over the years. When we discovered that one of my friend’s son, Sean, loves to bake, we decided to have a bake-off! They were both coming over for a day of swimming and dinner. Each of them would bring a homemade dessert. The judges would get to sample both. Yum!
Though, since I didn’t have any ribbons, and there wasn’t any prize (since both desserts would be eaten by everyone), neither was declared the winner this time. The judges would also be biased since everyone was related to one of them.
Sean with his fruit tart and Mary with her orange zest Texas-shaped cookies
How to encourage young bakers in your life… because we all need more delicious food in our lives!
Be proud if your little one is a blossoming chef. May these inspiring Little Chef Quotes from foodtruckempire.com help you and your children bond in the kitchen and create lots of yummy edible things to share.
When you dream of your child’s successful future, don’t just dream of them being a CEO, a lawyer or a doctor. Dream of them being a chef too.
You can tell if your child has a future in becoming a chef when they spend more time in the kitchen helping you cook than playing outdoors.
Little ones can make a mess in the kitchen. But that’s only because they enjoy cooking with you.
If you have a little chef in the making, encourage them.
Teaching little ones how to cook requires a ton of patience but the rewards are great.
Cooking with your little ones lets them learn about basic math.
Little chefs play a big part in the kitchen. They may not be the ones doing the cooking but they’re the ones teaching you about the value of patience.
The chefs you look up to now were once little chefs too.
Teach the unspoken of love by allowing your little ones to help you out in the kitchen.
Nurture a child’s love for cooking by getting them involved in the kitchen.
Inspiring young minds can result to big changes.
Teach little chefs the basics and they’ll grow up to master the art of cooking.
Impart your recipes to your children so they can carry on the tradition of homemade cooking.
Teach your daughter how to cook. Not for any man but for herself.
If you have a daughter, teach them that enjoying how to cook doesn’t mean they’re weak. There is nothing weak about knowing how to handle knives and fire.
Teach your sons how to cook so they can learn what it means to be tender and loving.
A man that grew up cooking in a kitchen will learn that every little thing in life is important just as every ingredient plays a part in the dish.
Sons make great chefs too.
Let your son learn at a young age that cooking food is meant to be shared to others so that he’ll understand what love is.
It’s great to follow a recipe but also teach your son to follow his instincts on what makes a dish taste even better.
Let your son know that failing once doesn’t mean you have to give up. It just means that the first try was only part of the lesson. The learning continues.
Teach your son that the secret ingredient to cooking the most delicious meal is to cook with love and care.
“Of course, the best part of cooking with kids isn’t the STEM skills or even the life lessons. Cheesy as this might sound, it’s the memories you make together in the kitchen. ” – Molly Birnbaum
“MasterChef Junior for me was about working closely with these kids and getting them to reeducate their parents to understand that food is as important educationally as Math and English and it’s important that we don’t take it for granted.” – Gordon Ramsay
“Cooking with kids is not just about ingredients, recipes, and cooking. It’s about harnessing imagination, empowerment, and creativity.” – Guy Fieri
Look what I made! You can too using the recipe in my book, Kneading a Winning Idea.
Check out Kneading a Winning Idea on Amazon if you want an ebook, paperback, or hardcover delivered really fast. Go to OakieBees for a discounted and signed hardcover. Or you can purchase a personalized and signed hardcover at terrisabol.com plus lots of digital options to go with the book.
I hope I have inspired you to either get in the kitchen to try a new recipe, or visit an old one. Or at least encourage others in your life to bake so you can reap the benefits.
Come to think of it, I think it’s time for another bake-off!