EP 431: The Shoulds and Supposed-tos of Baking

Buckle up—today's episode was inspired by something that got me really worked up this week: "I think home-baking is one of the stupidest things anyone can engage in," says Rick Easton of Jersey City's Bread and Salt. This episode is about shoulds and supposed-tos, baking at home, and the ways we devalue certain kinds of labor. Whether or not home-baking is your thing, you'll recognize the way value is narrowly defined by culture and, I think, gain new language for the worthiness of work that doesn't fit the capitalist mode. Footnotes:"Leave the Baking to the Professionals" by Hannah Goldfield, New YorkerBread, and How to Eat It by Rick Easton and Melissa McCart"On Bread" via From the Desk of Alicia Kennedy"What could 'food is political' mean?" via From the Desk of Alicia KennedyKing Arthur Baking: Old-Fashioned Oatmeal LoafBreadhead by Greg WadeHistory of Low-Carb Diets on Wikipedia"I love bread!" Weight Watchers commercial"Home Cooking can be a Feminist Act" by Nigella Lawson"Men More Likely Than Women to be Seen as Brilliant" via NYU"When Male Chefs Fear the Specter of 'Women's Work'" by Meghan McCarron, Eater"The Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power" by Audre Lorde, YouTube"The Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power" by Audre Lorde, Sister OutsiderEssay versions of every episode of What Works are published at whatworks.fyi — subscribe FREE to have them delivered straight to you. Or become a paid subscriber for just $7 per month and get access to bonus content, discounts on workshops, and more! Go to whatworks.fyi to learn more.

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