March Worthy Stuff
Cynthia Edition
My version of March Madness…

My version of March Madness has never involved a basketball. This March it has involved (no surprise, given the state of the world) lots of cake, especially chocolate cake. For months now I have been baking this Matilda cake on repeat (seen in above pic, but with this frosting.) My other favorite this winter has been this single layer cake when I need cake now. I collect chocolate cake recipes like some women collect handbags.
As an empty nester who mostly is alone when I am in my kitchen, cooking has become a meditative practice for me. Sometimes I listen to music, or a podcast, but lately I’ve been doing it in complete silence, focusing on each task at hand with heightened awareness. Sift. Fold. Stir. Zest. Melt. Mince. Am I finding God in my kitchen? Yes, yes I am. It reminds of a fave quote from a fave writer—
“God can be found at the seashore, in a sunset, in the gardens we plant, at home, in the work we do, in the games we watch or play, in the stories that entertain us, in good food and good company, when we eat, drink, laugh, and even make love. People who identify as ‘spiritual but not religious’ or religiously unaffiliated use a vocabulary of theological intimacy, as do many who identify with more traditional faiths. Although some still worship a distant majesty and others deny divine existence, many millions of contemporary people experience God as far more personal and accessible than ever before.” —Diana Butler Buss Grounded: Finding God in the World-A Spiritual Revolution



