BAKING
Tradition, Labor, and the Sweet Memory of Yeast Rolls
Baking isn’t just about flour and heat—it’s about heritage. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how baking connects generations, nourishes communities, and preserves the emotional rhythms of rural life.
I grew up in a family that baked. My mother came from a farm family where baking was a necessity. To keep a farm going, you had to have either a passel of children or a group of farmhands. Cows do not milk themselves, and in the early 1900s, no milking machines existed. You sat on a three-legged stool with a bucket on the floor and milked each cow by hand. Then you poured the bucket of warm milk into a large milk can with a fabric filter on top to strain out any odd bits floating in the milk.
Milk cans were made of galvanized metal and had an odd shape. The bottom was a perfect tube about 30 inches tall, with a top that narrowed and flared out again. The thing was probably 10 to 12 inches in diameter. The cap was like an inverted soup bowl. I am sure this shape had a purpose, but I cannot think of what it might be.
Milking a cow is an intense job. I remember being in elementary school and spending a weekend with my cousin and his wife on a big dairy farm. She rose early to start cooking an elaborate breakfast so that when the farmhands came in from the barn, the table was filled with ham, bacon, biscuits, eggs, and beans. A hearty breakfast for grateful workers was always waiting. This scene repeated every day: early morning and late afternoon. Dairy cows get milked twice a day—every day of the year. A dairy farmer doesn’t take long leisurely vacations to the Bahamas to soak up the sun. If they do, their herd will die in the field.
Feeding a crew required baking. The main bake was biscuits. Biscuits and gravy were staples; of course, the gravy was chipped beef. To this day, I cannot stand chipped beef gravy. But I love to bake, and one of my favorites is yeast rolls. These were always present on the table, and even though they took a few hours to create, they were worth the effort. The entire process from flour to mouth is about 3.5 to 4 hours. You must have the end goal in mind and a few things to read while parts of the process are resting or rising. Trust me; the product is worth it.
While waiting for the rise, you can always make cakes and pies. Fruit pies were easy because farms often had fruit trees and berry bushes. The children picked apples or peaches and gathered gooseberries or blueberries. Have you ever had gooseberry pie? I imagine few of you have heard of it, but it is delicious. The berries are plump green orbs that cluster together and can be quite tart before they are ripe and turn pink. Some states have outlawed gooseberries because they spread white pine blisters, which damage trees. Nonetheless, if you ever have the chance, give gooseberry pie a try.
Want to explore how baking fosters emotional connection and family tradition? Visit Also the Crumbs Please’s guide to baking traditions, Cooking School Guide’s reflections on baking and memory, and TableSTL’s insights on baking and happiness.
If you’re reflecting on tradition, emotional memory, or the joy of creating, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional insight and creative healing.
By Dr. Gloria K Vanderhorst
