Sometimes, when the world starts to get me down, I just have to go into the music room and play piano. Music is a sweet salve to my soul. Other times, I need to hit a nature trail or lose myself in the woods to find solace and balance.

And then there are those times when I wake up at the crack of dawn, head to the kitchen and start baking bread. I love to take my time mixing the ingredients – to find the perfect meditation only a practiced kneading rhythm can bring – to hum along to Eva Cassidy while cleaning the kitchen as the dough rises – to wait with eager anticipation as the oven does its special alchemy… and finally, to share the finished loaf with people I love and who bring me great joy.

And for a blessed moment, the world doesn’t seem so bad after all.

“Mark — Love your mom’s bread cookbook. It is full of great recipes that I’ve made over the years. I am impressed with all of her accomplishments; she sounds like I woman that I would have liked to know. The fruits of her labors continue to inspire!”

…a reply to a comment I made on Cooking with Barry & Meta.