In an era where almost anything you could ever want or need can be delivered to your door within minutes of the desire arising, it is an act of bravery to choose otherwise. It is an act of rebellion to work with your hands and learn a skill that can come in handy in day to day life. Something as simple as knowing how to make a loaf of bread from scratch, can not only enhance your personal confidence, but is also a life skill that dates back centuries - connecting us with those who came before.
Don't get me wrong, your girl is quick to DoorDash if I've forgotten to meal prep or if I'm feeling too lazy to endure the rigamarole of prepping, cooking, and cleaning. But the satisfaction that I get from creating something with ingredients that I grew, or at the very least, that I know where they came from, can never be met with the simple click of a button on my phone.
Anthony Bourdain once said (and I'm paraphrasing here), that if you're too lazy to peel fresh garlic, then you don't deserve to eat garlic. I first heard this quote in a TikTok by @deanbosko, where he so poignantly stated that, "We owe it to ourselves to peel fresh garlic. Not because it tastes better, but because the small details that make life worth living, don't come chopped up in a jar." The ritual of peeling garlic, of preparing a homemade meal, is something that each of us deserves to enjoy.
When capitalism asks us to be working so hard that we're disconnected from ourselves and each other, choosing to slow down and do something that will take a little bit more of our time is a radical decision. Because today, time is a commodity. Our time is being bought and sold constantly to the highest bidder. Social media apps are fighting each other daily for our time and attention, and we willingly give it to them. As we swipe from app to app, hoping to fill the holes that a dire lack of community has left us with.
But even though this has become normalized, it doesn't have to be. This penchant for instant gratification is something that we can fight against. Because a homemade life, is a truly beautiful one. A life where there's music playing in the kitchen as you cook dinner every night. A life where the dining table is one you made with your own hands. A life where your most prized possession is the apron that was left to you from your late grandmother, which you ritualistically tie behind your waist every time you're about to cook.
A homemade life is incredibly beautiful. Filled with traditions, memories, and the honor of your ancestors.
This past weekend, I made a delicious berry jam for a cake I was making for my sister-in-law and niece. It all started because she had a bag full of blackberries and blueberries that needed to get used up, so naturally I decided to bake a cake.
I stored the leftover jam in the fridge, and in the morning, while my sister-in-law and I mulled over what to eat for breakfast, she suddenly said, "Oooo, what about that jam you made last night!?" "Brilliant!" I said.
We spread the jam over cream cheese on toast, and enjoyed a delightful, homemade treat. One that was made entirely with ingredients we already had. We mosied about the kitchen eating our toast with jam, gossipping, and making plans for the Summer. And that is the beauty of a homemade life.
Could we have had this same exact experience with jam that we bought from the store? Of course we could. But the beauty is in the ritual. The beauty is in the knowing, that this jam was made specifically for these people. With nothing but love and gratitude for each of them spilling from my hands, into the saucepan.
Fee's Berry Jam Recipe
3 cups fresh mixed blackberries and blueberries, washed and drained well
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 teaspoons cool water
In a medium saucepan, combine fresh blackberries, blueberries and sugar. Cook over medium heat until they release water and start to boil. Carefully mix and mash the blackberries with a fork, and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened. Move off the heat.
In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch into your water until dissolved. Mix the cornstarch mixture into the blackberries. Return the pot to medium heat and cook, mixing constantly, until it boils and thickens to a jam consistency (about 1 minute).
Set aside to cool. Once cooled, store in refrigerator.
So what are some practical ways to begin living a life that's handmade and homemade? Well I can tell you this much, it doesn't have to start with sourdough. (Like we get it people, it's gut healthy.) Easing in to life that's a bit more intentional, starts with the tasks we do every day: cooking, cleaning, baking, crafting.
Start with baking your own bread.
I know, I know, so basic. But I think there's a special kind of magic that happens when you make bread at home. It's infinitely more delicious, it's fresh, it's yours. I made a video on Patreon a few years ago with all of my favorite bread making tips and tricks, which I will link here. And I still remember the feeling of excitement I had when I cut into my first successful homemade loaf of bread. Does it last as long as store bought bread? No. But therein lies the beauty. We can't simply chuck the bread bag to the back of the pantry never to be seen or heard from again. Being more intentional about our daily rituals, means we have to seek out time to use our homemade goods. To truly enjoy them for their elite nature.
Now, make your own sauces.
Another easy way to implement homemade goods, is by making your own sauces and dressings. I promise, making salad dressing is not nearly as complicated as you think. And best of all, you can read and understand all of the ingredients. My favorite salad dressing recipe, is a citrus tahini dressing I whipped up with a few random items in my fridge. It's one of the yummiest dressings I've ever had and I love that I know exactly what's in it. Start with dressing, then maybe try making ketchup, or mayonnaise. It's never as difficult as you think, but it always tastes better.
Grow your own herbs.
You guys know I'm a florist and micro flower farmer. But before I started doing this work professionally, I was just a gardener who loved being able to use what I grew in my cooking. To this day, I still love being able to go out into the garden and pick all of the rosemary, dill and parsley that my heart desires when I need to. There's nothing tastier than fresh herbs in butter over jammy eggs first thing in the morning. And it tastes even better knowing it came from your own garden, and you nurtured and grew the herbs from start to finish.
Choose making before buying.
I'm currently on the hunt for a new dining table. One that matches the design of our new home a bit better. So naturally, I started scouring the internet for a table that looks like what I'm envisioning: reclaimed wood, rugged edges, you know the vibes. I found one on Etsy that is pretty close to what I'm looking for, but my boss encouraged me to make my own...? "Me, make a table?" I said to him. "Yeah! I bet you could do it." So fast forward to yesterday afternoon and my husband and I found ourselves in a lumber yard with what seemed like thousands of slabs of gorgeous reclaimed wood. The owner was so kind and gave us an idea of how to make our own dining table and I have to say, I am so excited for this project! Trying to make something yourself ahead of buying it is really the core of living a homemade life.
The beauty of a homemade life appears in a few ways. It appears in the ritual involved in creating something with your hands. It appears in the joy that making something from scratch brings to your loved ones. And it appears in the knowledge that you are working alongside centuries of wisdom from your ancestors.
Making things from scratch can feel overwhelming, and to be honest, sometimes it can be. But don't let the convenience of quick, override the honor of slow. You can choose to move at a pace that regulates your nervous system. And you can choose to work with your hands as your own form of rebellion.