Everything I Learned About Baking, I Did Not Learn in Home Ec.

When I was in Jr High, my Home Ec was known for her cinnamon buns. They were light and fluffy and juicy and you could buy them for $.25. And on occasion, you could find a stray hair or a piece of broken nail (so says a sister of a friend of mine). My Home Ec teacher didn't teach me a heck of a lot - we spent most days working on crossword puzzles or word finds. But she did teach me three of my top rules. 

1. Put your hair back!! 

In her class, none of the girls were allowed anywhere near the kitchen unless their hair was in a ponytail. Her rule was so strict that us girls started keeping a spare hair band in the ring of our binder. Her hair however, continued to be styled in a haphazard bouffant that defied the laws gravity. 

2. No nail polish!

I don't know about you, but my nail polish chips if you even look at it wrong. My teacher also had a strict rule against nail polish while her own nails grew nearly an inch long, were greyish in colour and looked like they were about to break at any moment. 

3. Double check the recipe. 

One day, as I was making fudge with my group, I didn't pay enough attention. Instead of putting 1/4 teaspoon of salt, I put in 1/4 cup!! I had to leave the class early that day so I missed the moment when the teacher dug in, took a huge bite and spit it right back out!! I did get a chance to taste it later on. At first it wasn't so bad. Then the overwhelming taste of salt hit me. Oh, so gross. Double check. Every measurement. Every ingredient. And take small bites when tasting. 

This is not to say that I didn't learn anything in Home Ec. I learned how to fold ingredients. I learned that to get flaky pastries, you can't mix the dough too much. I learned that in the winter, your front steps is a great spot to cool off baking. And I learned that if you can make a great tasting cinnamon, you can be forgiven for most wrongdoings.