Mise en plas.

Tonight I am attempting something I dread, baking by myself.

While I hold a natural talent for cooking, baking eludes me. I studied pastry in addition to culinary arts in general, but baking was not my thing. I assigned baking to students, oversaw that it was being done properly, and taught the techniques. But I hated, (loathed, even) when I had to wait for some roll or bread to rise. I am impatient, to say the least.

Cooking is natural- I prep, I plan, I follow though, I instruct, I manage, and things all come out on time, hot and fresh. With correct mise en plas, everything works. Done.

Baking is measurements, restriction, and time consuming (also, slave labor in my opinion). I am a slave to weights, measurements and the time each step takes. No thank you.
I am more apt to assist in baking, I will stir or mix, craft a chocolate ganache or ribbon for decoration. I am more likely to be there for the finish or the start than the middle.

As a child I loved 'helping' my mother bake cookies or the like.
Why? Because I didn't do much!
I was able to crack a few eggs, stir in some of the flour and scoop out dough onto a pan.
Flash forward an hour and the cookies had been finished while I played Barbies in the next room. All reward, little work.

As a student, I made my required list of items as quickly as possible and never revisited them again.
As a Sous Chef I assigned other students to bake the required item for that dinner, party, or catering event and all I wanted to hear back was "yes chef".
Ahh the good ol' days when I could make some 18 year old bake me french rolls at the snap of my fingers.
Alas, here I am now, having to make things by myself. I consider this my re-education on the subject.

While I am less inclined to bake, it is for a few very good reasons;
1: baking requires a recipe, while cooking is techniques committed to memory and executed.
2: baking is restrictive to creativity, cooking encourages it.
3:baking is a waiting game, cooking can and will bring swift results.

While I am not so sure I will ever forget how to roast a chicken, cook a curry, or saute perfect asparagus- I know I have forgotten the 15+ ingredients for making brownies from scratch, not to mention the steps or in what order they go.

This is my dilemma, and while I loath the wait- family, friends and loved ones are a good reason to work my baking muscles back into shape. Is this what they call personal growth? It better be.