Three Festive Recipes for Chinese New Year from Baking and the Meaning of Life
As Chinese New Year approaches, bakers seeking meaningful culinary traditions can turn to a unique new cookbook that blends psychology with pastry arts. Baking and the Meaning of Life by Helen Goh offers three distinctive recipes perfect for celebrating the lunar new year while exploring the deeper connections between baking and human experience.
The Therapeutic Power of Baking
Helen Goh brings a rare perspective to the culinary world as both a practicing psychologist and an accomplished pastry chef. In her first solo cookbook, she explores how baking serves as more than just a culinary activity, describing it as a therapeutic practice that can bring profound meaning to our lives.
"Baking requires focused attention that pulls you out of rumination and worry," explains Goh. "It hits that sweet spot where the activity becomes genuinely therapeutic without being overly stressful."
This psychological insight forms the foundation of her cookbook, which she developed after co-authoring two successful books with renowned chef Yotam Ottolenghi. Her journey to understanding baking's deeper significance began during a 2023 bake sale for Turkey-Syria earthquake victims, where she witnessed firsthand how baking can create powerful community connections.
Three Special Chinese New Year Recipes
The cookbook features three particularly appropriate recipes for Chinese New Year celebrations, each reflecting Goh's multicultural background and culinary expertise:
- Baked Asian Pears with Five-Spice: A warm, comforting dessert that combines the delicate sweetness of Asian pears with the complex flavors of traditional Chinese five-spice powder.
- Peanut and Black Sesame Sand Cookies: These crumbly, nutty cookies incorporate classic Asian ingredients in a modern interpretation of traditional baked goods.
- Pistachio and Kumquat Amaretti: A fusion creation that blends Italian amaretti techniques with Asian-inspired flavors, featuring bright citrus notes from kumquats.
Cultural Connections Through Baking
Goh's personal journey informs her approach to baking traditions. Born into a second-generation Chinese family in Malaysia, she grew up in Australia before moving to London, where she joined the Ottolenghi group of delis and cafés. This multicultural experience helps her appreciate how baking traditions connect communities across cultural boundaries.
"Everything had a story," Goh reflects about the recipes in her book. "When you make these dishes, they speak to you in some meaningful way, connecting you to traditions and people."
She notes that baking plays a unique role in marking significant moments throughout our lives, whether during Chinese New Year, Eid, Rosh Hashanah, or Christmas celebrations. These baking traditions endure because they represent something beyond mere taste, serving as tangible connections to cultural heritage and community.
Beyond the Recipes
Baking and the Meaning of Life is organized into seven chapters, each exploring a different way that baking brings meaning to our daily existence. Goh draws from thirty years of baking experience, sharing stories that range from creating allergen-free chocolate cakes for her son's classmates to baking apple pies for friends undergoing chemotherapy.
The book represents more than just a collection of recipes; it's an exploration of how the simple act of baking can create connections, provide comfort, and mark the passage of time in meaningful ways. As families prepare for Chinese New Year celebrations, Goh's recipes offer both delicious options for the holiday table and food for thought about the deeper significance of our culinary traditions.
