Kitchen Therapy

I love to cook, to bake, to try new recipes.  I have a friend who was fearful of yeast dough recipes so I gave her a certificate for "classes" for Christmas.  Since then she's been over a couple times for some basics.

Yesterday I was in the mood to play in the kitchen and challenge myself with something I hadn't made before.  I found a Danish Pastery recipe.  That was perfect since I had volunteered to bring something to a brunch this morning and it was a more advanced yeast dough. 

I called up my friend to see if she wanted to come over and play too.  So for a couple hours on a Sunday evening we visited and mixed.  Chatted about life and watched bread rise.  Talked about kids and rolled dough. Watched HandyMan finish up projects and shared memories.  We all gathered around the table for a shared dinner combined on the spur of the moment from both our kitchens.

We had a great time and we made some really good Danishes. (And I'm sure they would have been absolutely phenomenal had I remembered the almond extract-oops!)

Everyone has their space they find therapeutic:  the mall, the hair salon, the spa.  For me, a kitchen with friends will do it just about every time.