The Simple Beauty (and Therapeutic Value) of an English Muffin

I became more and more discouraged as I was browsing the aisles of our local supermarket in search of “suitable” English muffins.

The selection was slim and the ingredient lists read like a college chemistry text book (a class I disliked both times I took it). It then hit me…"Make them yourself, idiot!" (my inner-self can be rude sometimes).

I ceased my shopping banking on the dimmer of a hope that I had all of the ingredients necessary in my pantry. This time, luck was on my side. I flipped to the required page in Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s “Vegan Brunch" and found that it called for only 6 ingredients (not counting the one flowing from my kitchen sink tap).

I almost stopped as I “felt” I didn’t have the time to assemble the dough and then (gasp) wait for it to rise, let alone all of the other steps (2 more after the dough was ready).

It was at this time that my inner-self made his presence known again…this time he used an explicative that I choose not to repeat. “I” decided it wasn’t really that much time so I soldiered on.

The dough came together quickly and I spent the next 6-10 minutes kneading it. It’s funny how words can tell you more than what you assume. Only a minute into this process I realized just how much I “kneaded” this.

I wouldn’t say that I had a particularly bad day but I felt this day just wore on me a little more than others. As I was working the dough I felt a sense of calm come over me. It felt good…in a lot of ways. I was focused on the dough, yet my mind was a million miles away. I thought about calling my sister up and sharing with her that I finally did what she’s been doing for years.

I was actually proud of the finished product and could not wait to make some more (which I plan on doing tonight).

When it was all said and done I had an English muffin tastier and “prettier” far beyond what I could have purchased in the store. I also felt that I had shed most of the day’s worries away as well.

Before I thought I didn’t have the time. After, I felt that the time had sped past me in a blur.