As COVID-19 spread into a worldwide pandemic, most governors issued quarantine orders for their state, mandating everyone to stay at home. All non-essential businesses were forced to close. Restricted travel orders and mandatory mask requirements were instituted. What do you do with that? You can’t leave your residence, can’t go to work, can’t see family, can’t go window shopping at the mall—what do you do? What do you do to stay sane? 

With no apparent end in sight, a lot of people took up baking. When I say a lot, I mean A LOT! In fact, there was a huge flour shortage. #QuarantineBaking was trending in the spring and summer of 2020, and for good reason. 

Now, for me, as a professional pastry chef for over a decade, baking is not just my profession but also my passion. I was excited to see so many other people spending some serious time in the kitchen baking cookies, cakes, bread, bread, and more bread. So much bread! Baking is VERY soothing and therapeutic, which came in handy with so much turmoil going on everywhere. 

Baking bread from start to finish, in the professional sense, is highly rewarding, and being an amateur baker—or even just a sweets enthusiast—brings a lot of satisfaction. Regardless of the results, the feeling you get as you watch what you made come out of the oven—and you take that first bite—is heaven on earth. I call it: “Fourth of July in a bite.” Fireworks of flavor! Consuming something like that will make you scream: “I WANT TO DO THAT AGAIN!”

I definitely took advantage of #QuarantineBaking to do some recipe testing with doughnuts, bread, and cookies. Yes, I know… the three items with the highest number of calories. Did I gain some weight?? You bet your bottom dollar I did! Was it worth it? ABSOLUTELY! Give me a chocolate-covered doughnut, and I’ll finish it in 4.125 seconds (actually tested!). I’m trying to get under four seconds in 2021. 

As we begin the new year, and stay-at-home orders begin to go back into effect, I think #QuarantineBaking will be on the rise again. I have a few friends and colleagues that have launched full-fledged businesses after being furloughed from their pastry chef jobs. With hardship, there is always opportunity.

With the undoubted turmoil of thousands of restaurants and hospitality establishments closing, it brings me joy to see some innovative businesses start, some by people I know personally. Contactless pick-up, doorstep delivery, virtual cooking classes, the list goes on. I’m looking forward to some more POSITIVE and exciting things to come in 2021, stemming from #QuarantineBaking of 2020.

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