National Bake For Family Fun Month, celebrated all of February, provides a reason to put down the Domino’s menu. Baking, nearly as old as humans, is steeped in tradition, both familial and communal. Tactile teachings passed down for generations serve as cultural markers and historical signifiers. Eschew the growing trend of takeout food, and enjoy another opportunity to be near your loved ones as you bake together this month.
National Bake For Family Fun Month - History
1843
Baking powder invented
Alfred Bird creates it for his allergy-prone wife.
1828
Cupcakes invented
A recipe includes instructions for "cup-sized cakes."
1300
Norse start baking
They were baking centuries before the first appearance in any English text of baking.
168 BC
Pastry chef guild established
It becomes established as an occupation in the Roman Empire.
29000 BC
First oven found
It was used primarily to cook mammoth.
National Bake For Family Fun Month Activities
1. Involve the kids
Baking is for anyone willing to do it, so celebrate this inclusive value as you recruit your younger siblings, cousins, or kids to help you cook more basic recipes such as pancakes.
2. Challenge yourself with sourdough bread
The wild yeast present in sourdough bread makes it one of the least acidic varieties of bread to consume, and thereby one of the easiest on your stomach. Cultivating wild yeast is tough even for an experienced baker, though, but succeeding in spite of this makes the loaf even tastier.
3. Take it easy on yourself
If you’re determined to make this February the best Bake For Family Fun Month but have minimal baking experience, buy a cookbook and pre-packaged ingredients for your first few runs, branching out as you become more comfortable.
Why We Love National Bake For Family Fun Month
A. Baking is sacred
For Passover, those of the Jewish faith eat unleavened bread. While your family’s tradition might be a touch less biblical, you still have your way of making cookies, brownies, cakes, and everything in between that no other family does. Embrace your nostalgia.
B. Baked goods are delicious and cheap to make
To make enough sugar cookies to feed a family of four, you need butter, sugar, baking powder, salt, flour, vanilla extract, and an egg. If you spend more than $10 on that, you’re probably importing the world’s finest sugar from the Palace of Versailles’ kitchen.
C. It’s a time to turn off electronic devices
As you and your family dig into making bagels from scratch, you’ll inevitably get your hands covered in flour, raw dough, and other fun ingredients. This means *gasp* that the phones will have to remain in the chef’s pockets as conversation abounds between family members.
