Baking and Books discussion

Am I the only one? I love baking but I shy away from certain things because of fear.

For instance for years I wouldn't make pies, because I was intimidated by making pie crust. But then a Japanese friend asked me to help her learn to make 'typical American desserts" and she decided that Apple Pie was on her list of most wanted recipes.

I couldn't bear to tell my Japanese friend that something she considered quintessentially American... I couldn't make. So I rolled up my sleeves and learned. I made pie after pie and now ... I am very happy I did.

Yeast is one of those things for me. I love fresh baked bread, my husband and son love it... but I have some weird fear of 'doing it wrong'. So, I've determined that I'll do the same thing I did with pies.

Is there anything you fear making?

I avoid pastry, and pretty much anything that involved rubbing-in - I have RSI in my right wrist and I find that aggravates it. A big bowl helps with that, though. Choux pastry terrifies me.

Mostly it's equipment that's been an issue - I haven't made sponge cakes until recently as I've not had a mixer. My kitchen's tiny! But now I have a hand mixer and all is well.

Caroline wrote: "I avoid pastry, and pretty much anything that involved rubbing-in - I have RSI in my right wrist and I find that aggravates it. A big bowl helps with that, though. Choux pastry terrifies me.

Mostl..."

Because I have a lot of physical challenges I've done some work arounds... I've found that my food processor makes lovely pie and other pastry crusts and I don't have to strain myself. I know you may not have one, but if you do, have you tried that?

I don't have one, unfortunately - my kitchen is truly tiny. When we move...aaaah, I can dream! :)

I've been avoiding handmixers since I was eight when my hair got stuck in one. I fortunately got over it last year when I started baking more complicated stuff that required an handmixer. But I always put my hair in a ponytail before using it though.

Theres wrote: "I've been avoiding handmixers since I was eight when my hair got stuck in one. I fortunately got over it last year when I started baking more complicated stuff that required an handmixer. But I alw..."

OMG I knew someone who got her hair caught in a drill. That must have been horrible!

For years, I avoided fixing meat or fish dishes because I was afraid of salmonella, trichinosis and all sorts of other diseases relating to the handling of animal flesh.

Then I started getting free meat and fish groceries and decided to take a chance. I was so delighted with the results; clearly, I didn’t know what I was missing. I’ve even started preparing them for my friends (of course, I leave every such encounter with the stomach-clenching worry that one of them will come down with food poisoning. So far I’ve heard lots of praises but no complaints. Phew!).

So it pays to grapple with your fears. Next up, learning to handle power tools, the kind that require goggles, safety gloves and protective suits!

I avoid any recipe that requires me to work with phyllo dough. Not because it scares me, but because I find the frustration not worth the effort. I also don't do recipes that call for saffron...I don't want to get used to working with a spice that is so expensive!

Jute -- I tend to cheat with my yeast breads! I use a bread mixer to make the dough, then shape and finish it in the regular oven. You can find tons of them in thrift shops nowadays, so if you're ever feeling brave...

Jensownzoo wrote: "I avoid any recipe that requires me to work with phyllo dough. Not because it scares me, but because I find the frustration not worth the effort. I also don't do recipes that call for saffron...I..."

Anything that you'd like to learn to work with that you've avoided so far?

I have a pressure canner that I've only used for water-bath canning so far. I was planning on learning to use it as an actual pressure-canner this summer so I could can low-acid products, but the harvest was not bountiful with the drought, so next summer, I guess.