The kitchen is the latest nirvana space. Lockdown is witnessing some baking surprises. Banana bread is having a moment. Alia Bhatt’s banana bread broke the internet this week. Over the past three weeks, Google Trend searches for “bread” have hit all-time high, #breadmaking has garnered nearly half a million posts on social media and grocery stores are facing flour shortages. Bread making is one of simplest yet satisfying acts. Chef Akshay Malhotra and his wife Aditi are innovating easy yeast-free bread recipes. Says chef Akshay, “Everyone is feeling a reduced sense of control in their lives. Baking your bread gives you a feeling of self-reliance, there’s manifestation of control. Baking your own bread makes you extremely self-reliant. It goes back to the world where everything was done in the home kitchen. The act of bread making soothes the nerves. It’s about taking survival in your own hands. Baking your own bread is therapy.” Experts advise, if you can’t meditate, bake your own bread.
BBC Good Food said visits to the website started increased to 7.8 million page views in one day – beating Christmas, Easter and Pancake Day. Bread recipes are rising, with the video ‘how to make bread’ up nearly 700% in the last two weeks. Take this: #bananabread has 1.3million posts on instagram, isloation loaves are trending on twitter and instagram. Stephen S. Jones, director of Washington State University’s Bread Lab, believes baking bread is akin to a spiritual experience.
The act of kneading required in making bread is systematic, it leaves you with a feeling of order during these uncertain times. It’s also the ultimate act of self-isolation yet being extremely busy. There’s no bigger high than creating something from nothing. Says life coach Gagan Sidhu, “Making your bread provides a combination of distraction, comfort and something to look forward to.”Make your own bread to find some respite from chaos around.Here’s a return of old activities that are back besides baking:
banana
