Viewpoints
Viewpoints is a blog in which different writers express their views and opinions on current topics. A new blog post is published about once every four weeks.
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Hey, let's bake - sharing with the family
Rush and chaos, busy evenings after work and shortage of time are familiar to my family, too. How to show your family that you care about them? Words and actions do not always match. I've found a good way, very typical of the Marthas, to solve the problem: baking together.
Hey, let's bake! ambassadors Marianne Heikkilä and Aki Wahlman (left) pictured with Henrik Liimatainen.
Baking is easy today - the internet provides simple recipes and ideas. Just stop for a moment and clear out space for doing something together. You don't need a fancy kitchen or the latest equipment to get started. All you need is some yeast, sugar, salt, oil and flour. And people who want to do and learn something together. Small things can create great memories, a sense of togetherness and a good life which provides the basis for the future.
I believe that baking together is a concrete proof of the warmth between family members and the joy of sharing something. Baking makes family members feel the joy of success regardless of their talent. Baking and cooking together is also one of the best ways to promote a safe and healthy world view as well as respect for other people. Giving time to your own family members is a concrete way of showing that everybody's competence and contribution to the family is appreciated. As a mother, I believe that this is an important factor for the wellbeing and the formation of self-image.
While all of us just cannot keep up with the traditional image of a parent surrounded with the smell of home baking (though many of us may spread the delicious smell around when baking with the family), fortunately, there are grandparents, whose value cannot be underestimated. I think that passing baking skills to the next generation is extremely important. My children have learned much from their grandparents who, in their Nurmijärvi home, have buns, rolls and cakes fresh out of the oven, baked together. When grandchildren and grandparents meet, baking together creates nice experiences, which increase the feeling of closeness and confidence. At the same time, everyday skills and favourite family recipes are passed to the next generation.
Food prices will increase at the beginning of 2011. Home baking and cooking are eco actions that save money and increase the family's respect for food. A bread or roll dough is an excellent use for many leftovers, including porridge, mashed potatoes and grated carrots.
If I should teach just one thing to children, it would be this: someone has always prepared the food you are eating.
A small action, a great opportunity – baking. And the life tastes good.
Marianne Heikkilä is the Executive Director of the Martha Organisation. Hey, let's bake! is an annual campaign, which encourages baking enthusiasts of all ages to share their knowledge and dough bowls. This year, the national baking week is from 11 to 17 October.
