I have a ton of baking memories as a child. Auntie Deh was the baker of the family. She comes over almost every weekend to bake and although I was only there to stick a finger into the batter for a quick taste of raw flour, eggs, and vanilla extract, a memory of the delicious aroma of a chiffon cake topped with caramel drizzle after hours of anticipation fills my heart with beautiful nostalgia.

I remember being anxious about making pancakes when I was a kid. In fact, I have never tried making one on my own. I was always with one of my older sisters, and my single role was to mix the batter. They made it look so easy, and it really is, but it wasn’t to the 9-year-old kid. I’d let you in on a little secret, I have not baked pancakes until now.

Then, there was that one summer when my siblings and I would watch The Food Network all day long. Fun times! You know how your head hurts, and your eyes burn from watching too much television, that’s how much time we spent watching, show after show. Well, at least that’s how I remember it. I could be the only one glued to the television while my siblings have gone to doing more productive things, teehee. Anyway, that’s when I started to think baking can be easy! I’d come home from school and watch her show and often wonder, why is the contessa barefoot? And also, how can Ina Garten’s pantry have anything and everything that the world needs? But oh my gosh, did I wish to bake like her! She does it so effortlessly that I believed I can do the same too!

Then maybe eighteen-ish years ago, my Mom enrolled me in a baking class. I enjoyed the course but I was in college, and just like my other hobbies, I set baking aside to focus on my studies and career more. However, even after years, I’ve not lost interest in baking. Although I never really baked after that class, whenever I find myself daydreaming about baking, I am always filled with excitement and convinced that I will be good at it.

All in good time, they say. I guess, it’s true because on March 2020, my year of baking started!

The first bake of the year was Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. The idea of baking this came to me while I was at work and thought of doing something with my boyfriend’s daughter. I know she loves baking and I thought it would be a nice way to spend time with her. Everything went well except for the overheated hand mixer! LOL. This did not stop me though.

The next day, we baked Sally’s Seriously Fudgy Homemade Brownies. We did not need a mixer for this one, thank heavens. This recipe yields yummy brownies! Mine came out a little dry and we figured maybe the oven was too hot, so we bought an oven thermometer. Along with it, pans, spatulas, and whisks. One by one, with every visit to Superstore and Walmart’s baking aisle.

Before March ended, in the midst of a lock down, we got ourselves a stand mixer, and the baked goods’ list went on and on. I tried baking the Japanese jiggly lemon cheesecake (which was not as jiggly as we wanted it to be but it tasted so good and it brought us so much joy!), corn bread (baked in a skillet), fudge revel bar (took a little bit of hard work to spread the dough but all worth it!), and waffles! For the waffles, I used Sally’s recipe of her Favourite Buttermilk Waffles. When she said in her blog that it is “light-as-air on the inside”, I promise you it is! Topped with Nutella and berries, this recipe has become part of our breakfast traditions.

I still have so much more to share about my year of baking, for now this will do. I’ve filled my baking binder with recipes and each has its story to tell, memories that bring nostalgia just like how my memories with my Auntie, who is now in heaven, has made me feel.