I think I could survive just by eating strictly from the middle layer of the food pyramid. I love dairy and all of its delicious dairy relatives. I’m talking to you ice cream! If I was Bubba from the Forrest Gump movie, I could list everything dairy that I like. Cheeseburgers, cheese fries, nacho cheese; I’m from Philly so I naturally love cheesesteaks! And don’t get me started on macaroni and cheese or pizza.
Until one day in November 2024, when after indulging in my favorite food group, my stomach twisted like a Philly soft pretzel. The pain was unlike anything I had felt, radiating to every bone and muscle in my body. ER doctors and primary physicians were at a loss. I was tested for all kinds of causes, poked and prodded, blood drawn and analyzed. Eventually, I was diagnosed as lactose intolerance. That didn’t sound too bad and there were certainly millions of other humans facing much more daunting ailments. Although, intolerance did not aptly describe what I felt; it was more like lactose torture.
Then came the dietary restrictions. No one was playing a violin for me because I had to forego parmesan cheese on my spaghetti nor was it really all that consequential to me. However, I quickly became that person—the one whose friends and family say with glee, “let’s go out for ice cream”, followed by sideways glances and not-always-subtle head nods in my direction. The narratives quickly changed to “oh, never mind. I’m not really in the mood for ice cream”. I felt something much worse than a Dorito induced wrestling match in my stomach, Meta-guilt, the guilt from making others feel guilty. I was ruining people’s social plans, because they too felt guilt-ridden for enjoying certain foods within my purview. I felt on the verge of being left behind, black-balled.
No way, not me! We live in the land of plenty and the innovation mecca of the world. So, I started to research substitutes and alternatives. I found all kinds of delicious morsels that I too could enjoy. However to avoid lactose, I had to make them from scratch, which led me to baking.
A whole new world opened to me. I researched, mixed, cracked eggs and blended. Smoke detectors screaming became the norm in my kitchen and I garnered more than a few battle scars and burns. I failed many times, undercooking and overcooking, somehow at the same time. Still, I persisted and honed my culinary skills, always with an eye toward that mouthwatering picture that accompanied the online recipe which I was trying to emulate. As Sherry Yard, a renowned pastry chef, once said, “Baking is both an art and a science” and the kitchen was my lab.
I enlisted the help of friends and family, turning baking sessions into joyous gatherings with laughter and the occasional food fight. I organized lactose free baking competitions with members of my high school marching band. We would each concoct a dessert, load them in a car and drive around, serving other friends while pandering for their bake-off votes! Members of my band even became known as the “XXXdoughs?”. I began to see the positive results that baking creates. Gone was my fear of being ostracized for making others feel guilty. My band mates developed a bond that carried over from the parade grounds to the kitchen. Now, I not only bake for myself, but I bake for family, friends, and charity. With this newfound love, came an accumulation of recipes. It dawned on me that there were many other people that faced the same challenges that I did. So, I created a website, (include website address), that serves as a repository of baking tips and recipes as well as my journey. I include links to my favorites and encourage others to submit their recipes. Most importantly, I don’t shy away from discussing the mistakes that I’ve made to show followers that it’s okay and to keep trying. I also learned valuable lessons about cyber security, legal disclaimers, and copyright laws to protect both myself and site users.
Baking opened a whole new world for me. It has taught me to experiment, fail, learn and improve. It has helped me foster lifelong friendships and instilled in me an entrepreneurial spirit as well as an appreciation for what it takes to host a responsible website. No matter where college takes me, baking is my superpower…I just wear an apron instead of a cape!