Introducing, The Way of The Baker, a new series
As you start to walk on the way, the way appears. — Rumi
Like many people during the pandemic, I turned to baking to stay sane through those difficult times.
I wasn’t very good at baking. In fact, after a string of disappointing loaves, I almost gave up.
But one day I decided to slow down.
Instead of rushing toward the finished loaf, I paid attention to each step of the process. I watched the dough more closely. I noticed what my hands were feeling. I stopped trying to force the outcome.
To my surprise, I finally baked a loaf that was not only edible, but good.
Something changed that day, there was hope and I started enjoying baking.
Baking gradually shifted from being a hobby to becoming a practice. Every loaf taught me something about patience, observation, and the value of paying attention. I realized baking wasn’t simply a way to make bread, it had become a way to practice mindfulness in everyday life. Also, it is a great way to make something with our hands. For those of us sitting at our desks all day in a digital world, this is a welcomed analog activity.
As I’ve continued to learn, I’ve found that every time I bake, I discover new questions, new opportunities, new skills to develop and every mistake becomes an invitation to slow down and look a little closer.
That’s why I’m starting a new series within Low Fidelity called The Way of the Baker.
Here are a few of my recent bakes
This series is a record of my journey to become a better baker. I’ll document my experiments, my mistakes, my discoveries, and the unexpected paths that open up along the way. Think of it as a notebook about baking, craftsmanship, deliberate practice, and learning to observe with curiosity and wonder.
These are the principles that will guide my journey:
Share both the successes and the failures.
Seek to understand principles, not just recipes.
Treat every bake as an experiment and an opportunity to learn.
Follow curiosity wherever it leads.
Remember that paying attention is the most important ingredient.
My hope is that, together, we can embrace curiosity and craft to become better observers, learners, bakers, and ultimately, better humans, welcome to 🍞 The Way of the Baker.
Until next time, keep baking!
Rizwan