Bistro Newsletter

Last week I touched on being, or not being, June Cleaver. And I’ve been thinking about a woman’s place in the kitchen, the home, the office… the world. A friend of mine sent me this interesting article after he and I were discussing a few different bread recipes (Georgian Cheese Bread to be specific) and he must of went down a bread wormhole and ran across this article.

https://philosophyofmotherhood.wordpress.com/2019/11/06/the-shame-of-the-kitchen-a-short-history-of-a-womans-place/

Although it is fairly conservative and heavy with religious undertones I did agree, or at the very least empathize with the author that we need more “bread bakers” aka nurturers in our world. The heart of the home has always been the kitchen and this role has been left mostly to women for the last century(ies) and yet we STILL have guilt and confusion as to who we are supposed to be.  Whether we stay home and work for our families, or work outside of the home to earn money, we are conflicted. Are we ever enough? Are we doing right for ourselves and for those we love? Honestly, the Barbie movie scene with America Ferrera where she describes womanhood was powerful. Watching it in the theatre, you could feel the energy shift as she spoke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsY9c9WodcE

Here’s where I may disagree with the author or maybe I’m just missing her point. Why can’t we ALL be bread bakers? Why is this challenge to bring back a comforting home left to women? Shouldn’t it be a shared role to give love, comfort, praise and encouragement to our children, to our spouse, or our loved one? Can’t both men and women whether working outside of the home or not show a softer side, a side that “feeds the soul”. Whether you’re baking bread in your kitchen or ordering pizza, can it not be done with pride, attention and intention? Can we not all put our phones down for one hour a day, actually communicate and share? I do not see this role as feminine or masculine. I get the historical facts, men were hunters and earners, women provided love and cared for the home… but with today’s world and expectations I think it will take a new identity for both men and women, because we do need more “good stuff”. We all yearn for bread baked in love and kindness. Additionally, there is a line in her article that says Single young women with no dreams of marriage or family have every reason to shun bread-baking. Who would it be for?


Don’t even get me started on that…
Cheers,
Sharon