Hello!
Well it’s been a while, ey!
Over the past few months life has thrown a few spanners in the works, which is why I am SO behind on writing this monthly newsletter. Life, as I’m sure you know, has a tendency to throw you a lesson or two, make you doubt your career choice and rid you of all creative energy when you least expect it. Thanks Life!
Well, before all that happened, I had the idea of writing all about fruit. You know, all those beautiful candy coloured ones that grace us with their presence throughout the warm months. Peaches, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, nectarines, ok, ok, the list can go on but you get the idea. ‘How would I write a recipe for this?’ I thought. ‘Maybe an ice cream or sorbet or jam. I could include info about Brix, pectin, sugar. Yes, this sounds great! I can’t wait to get testing.’ And then, every time I sat down to write and or test, nothing came up. I felt as if all my creativity was drying up. I decided to do some research by flicking through other people’s work and dog earring recipes in my favourite books. The work I saw inspired me but it also made me feel like giving up. I couldn’t see the point in writing a recipe that someone had already written, as it was probably ten times better than the one I was going to write anyway. Hello Self Doubt, welcome to the party!
For months I sat in this perpetual cycle. Maybe you’re familiar with it? You think about something, you set yourself a goal to do it, you go to do it, you distract yourself, then you feel bad about yourself when you don’t complete it and then you repeat it all over again. I think someone named this procrastination…
Now that the seasons have changed, so has the fruit and so has my mind. My Dad helped me with this. I asked him for advice on what to do when you’re not feeling very creative and he said to eat cheese on toast as it diverts the subconscious. So, I did and now I feel cured! Sometimes you need a bite of home or to cry over a cake you’ve made five times (because all the fruit keeps sinking to the bottom) to realise that having a goal is great but if you put so much pressure on yourself to create something, it’s never going to work. Sometimes, you’ve just got to take a step back, breathe and go for a walk (or eat cheese on toast).
So Instead of giving you a recipe, I'm going to share with you some things I’ve made over the last month. Things I’ve wanted to make, not what I’ve felt I have to make. And, well, they tasted a whole lot better for it!
What do you do when you’re not feeling very creative?
… xo
Can totally relate Cissy. I think you are an incredible pastry chef so please don’t doubt yourself. I have also cried over many a bake, we all get those moments. Hope you feel better soon. Everything you have made looks beautiful ❤️
Hey Cissy, Oh my goodness, I find everything you have written here so relatable, the self-doubt, the lack of creativity and inspiration and the thought that 'if someone else has done it pretty well already, what's the point in me doing it too'! I think your Dad's advice is just the best - cheese on toast is a wonder drug and I'm going to employ this method for diverting the subconscious more often!
It goes without saying that I'm in awe of your work and love to see everything you write and share on here (even things you may think have been done before).
Hope you have a nice weekend planned,
Steph x