It must be all the bread.
I mean, it’s gotta be all the sourdough and focaccia I’ve been eating, right?
In the midst of this whole stay at home thing, I’ve noticed that a few pairs of pants aren’t quite fitting like they used to.
While I’ve heard that I’m not alone in that discovery, I’ve learned that the culprit for this COVID weight gain seems to be the same across the board.
Everyone is passing the pandemic by baking and devouring an assortment of buns, bagels, and baguettes.
I know for the last two months in our house, there’s been a rising increase in experimental yeasts.
My girlfriend has been diligently tending to these gluten goodies, so far mastering flatbread, whole wheat, and sourdough (after a few unsuccessful attempts).
There’s been cinnamon buns and pizza dough; even a bright purple giant with shaved beets baked inside – quite possibly the most daring and undisputed winner of all of her creations.
But where did this trend come from in the first place?
Remember twenty-some-odd years ago, everyone and their mother were gifted a bread maker for Christmas. My family’s is safely tucked away collecting dust in the basement… a position I am sure most of those contraptions are currently also are in.
READ MORE: Ryan’s Regards: Happy Mother’s Day
People could hardly spare the time to have a machine do the brunt of the work.
But this past March when people ran for toilet paper and hand sanitizer, they also ran for flour.
We couldn’t buy any in a Langley supermarket for weeks – having to drive all the way out to Chilliwack to find the right kind.
Certain brands seem to be staying on shelves a little longer now, but it’s still an unpredictable journey to find yeast.
Go online and you’ll find endless snapshots of people’s pumpernickels. Friends who’ve I’ve never known to switch the oven on in their life are now trying their hand at assembling fresh rye.
Was it lack of time that was really holding us back from backing all the homemade bread in the world or are people becoming hopelessly addicted to the ultimate comfort food?
I know the news goes down a little easier when I’m chewing on a fresh just out of the oven ciabatta.
Whatever it is, I’m glad people chose bread as their coronavirus coping mechanism…particularly my girlfriend.
For all of the flack Millennials get about…well…just about everything they do…I’m also glad that a growing number of them seem to embrace the art of cooking and baking from scratch – something I hope will continue.
It’s these little things in life like home cooking that make it all worthwhile, isn’t it?
And now that gyms are opening up again, each bite of fresh, heavenly whole wheat won’t give off such a subsequent feeling of guilt.
Any Langley bakers have recipes or stories of triumphs and failures to share?
_________________________________
Is there more to this story?
Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter
_________________________________