This just wasn’t for me. I felt the author was stretching with some of their techniques. Also I found the recipes oddly written. The whole book felt a little pretentious to me. (One example instead of saying simply 2 medium sized potatoes, the author said 2 goose egg sized potatoes. I think I saw my brain I rolled my eyes so hard)

I will say for the most part the author has a way with words that, when not coming off trying too hard, was very calming and helpful.

A lot more recipes than I was expecting, but I really enjoyed reading them and I am looking forward to developing my baking journey. 3.5 Stars

I think this book has an audience that will value it a lot. That audience wasn't me, and I will explain my critiques below, but I do think <i>Mindfulness in Baking</i> can be a cozy edition to some folks' food libraries. It intersperses light reading about the history of bread with recipes and suggestions for combining baking with mindfulness. It's a bit of everything!
Also, I recommend getting a physical copy of this book. The recipes often meander in leisurely and informative ways, which can be very enjoyable, but made it impractical to read as an ebook.

Finally: I think this book would make a great gift for the right person. It feels luxurious to read because it's so slow-paced and indulgent.

Onto the more negative stuff: I have personally found that baking relaxes me, which is why I was drawn in by the title. However, I felt the "mindfulness" concept went too far. We often describe pleasant activities as "therapeutic," which is an overused word that undermines what good therapy actually does. This book felt like that: It took a good thing (baking) and pretended it was a panacea for all individual and societal ills.

Julia Ponsonby opens by telling us that bread-baking is connected to "social change" and "justice." She then goes on to reflect on a childhood memory of her family cleaner teaching her to bake. That's totally fine, but there's this kind of easy oblivion to her own privilege throughout, and that set the tone right away.

There's a section about praising hands and all of the great things that hands can do. I largely stopped baking after I got arthritis in my twenties, and while I was very pleased that the opening recipe involves no kneading at all, it also didn't acknowledge that the no-kneading aspect is a benefit for disabled people. I try not to be sensitive about things like people praising hands, but Ponsonby really went over the top with it. She had a guided meditation in which you are to thank your hands for all of the things they can do for you. She makes falsely universal statements, going so far is to say "the truth is we're all amazing at manipulating things with our hands" (??? How did an editor not catch that?) and "literally and metaphorically, hands hold a large part of our magic [as a species]." Honestly? This made me really uncomfortable.

She also devalues accessibility tools throughout, including break makers. While I do feel there's an emotional difference in baking bread by hand versus using a machine, I felt her approach was one based in judgment and hierarchical categorizations ("this is objectively better than that") rather than considerations for the potential diversity of her audience.

In the hand section, she passes judgment over people who eat white bread instead of whole wheat bread. When she endeavors to explain why so many people do this, she only factors in personal preference, saying that people are just "used" to white bread and so like it more, not acknowledging the socioeconomic realities of our diets. (Commercially made white bread is less expensive, more convenient, and more widely available than her favored artisanal sourdoughs! People are broke, tired, and overworked, and they still gotta eat.)

All of this combined into a book I didn't love. But, again, it has an audience. I'm just not it.

This was one of a trip of “Mindfulness in” titles pre-released for review byQuarto. I actually downloaded one of the other titles and this one was delivered instead. Therefore I downloaded this one, hoping it was switched and I would get my preferred preview copy— but I got “in Baking” again. I DID preview it briefly, but did not become engaged in the text.

Mindfulness in Baking by Julia Ponsonby ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book discusses how the mindfulness of kneading, rolling, and making dough can be good for our mental and physical health. There are many delicious sounding recipes included in its pages, a few of which I’m saving to try.

I felt like the book had more recipes and less about the meditative qualities of baking than I had hoped, but still a good read for my foodie friends!

Mindfulness in general is the key to a happier, healthier life, so if we can use it as a tool in our everyday life, then that’s brilliant. This workbook gives you the skills and techniques to build up and practise through the art of home baking. It features breathing exercises, recipes, history lessons, and more.

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group –Leaping Hare and Netgalley for an eARC of this book to read and review.

This is a wonderful book, full of calm & how to restore your inner peace through Baking. I resonated with the author's childhood memories of baking, but with my Nanny, and the unintentional mindfulness that she taught me. Even now I find myself baking before exams to calm my mind! I appreciate the way Julia has been able to espouse the benefits of slow cooking, natural ingredients and a return to pre 'fast food' shopping & cooking, for instance the huge increase in the popularity of sourdough bread again. This switch to seasonal, homemade and mindful baking is one many of us rediscovered during the pandemic lockdown and that I now understand more of.

Julia Ponsonby's entertaining and enlightening book "Mindfulness in Baking: Meditations on Bakes & Calm" expertly integrates mindfulness with baking. Ponsonby's examination of baking as a practical form of meditation and well-being is instructive and encouraging. The book is full of tasty dishes that feed the body and promote mindfulness in the kitchen. "Mindfulness in Baking" is a must-read for anybody looking to combine mindfulness with culinary pleasure.

In conclusion, Julia Ponsonby's "Mindfulness in Baking: Meditations on Bakes & Calm" is a pleasant and educational read that brilliantly shows how mindfulness transforms baking. Ponsonby's experience and love show through as she smoothly integrates baking with mindfulness, helping readers comprehend the fundamental relationship between food, self-care, and inner quiet. This book invites us to bake mindfully and reminds us of the joy and nourishment we may find in making and sharing handmade goodies. "Mindfulness in Baking" is a pleasant companion for anybody wishing to integrate their culinary journey with mindfulness, savouring the present moment one delicious bake at a time.

4/5 Stars from me.

***A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.***

This series shows how mindfulness can be found in every day tasks. I previously reviewed the entries on gardening and knitting. Here is one for the bakers among us.

While each title is unique, all offer a chance to connect more deeply while doing something familiar. Here readers spend time with Julia Ponsonby who has been baking fr over 25 years. Clearly, she has had time to think about the topic.

Chapters include Simplicity, Using Our Hands, Baking for Well-Being, Baking for Enlightenment, and an Afterword. There is also a section on resources.

The timeless quality of baking and its long history are acknowledged right off. Through baking it is noted that we focus completely on an activity in the present and may therefore have that “beginners’ mind” that is a part of mindfulness. Also, the author notes that all of our senses are engaged.

I very much enjoyed spending time with this author. I liked that she shared personal anecdotes. Also, there are some mindfulness activities to practice and even some recipes.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

If you're interested in the concept of living slowly whilst baking, then this is for you. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me. And I was a little disappointed by the lack of recipes, images, and advice.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book but it felt less like a book on mindfulness or baking and more of a self-help book. It felt heavy-handed at times in a call back to "traditional" ways of life and slow living. There's nothing wrong with slow living, but I was expecting recipes and photos and tips and this book has very few recipes and no photos.

There's meditations and instructions on baking bread. Each chapter has mindfulness ideals and suggestions along with some meditations and suggestions. It's less a book about fitting mindfulness into modern life and more about living a life focused on mindfulness.

Mindfulness in Baking
Julia Ponsonby is a delightful combination of recipes for delicious baked goods and an introduction to meditation practices.

The author's approach to baking is unique in that she emphasizes the importance of mindfulness and intention in the kitchen. She encourages readers to slow down, be present in the moment, and connect with their senses as they bake. Each section contains recipes and a meditation exercise that helps readers cultivate mindfulness and gratitude.

The diverse recipes range from simple breads to more complex cakes and food for entertaining. The ingredients are wholesome and nutritious, focusing on whole grains, natural sweeteners, and healthy fats. The instructions are clear and easy to follow, making the recipes accessible even to novice bakers.

Overall, "Baking with Mindfulness" is a wonderful cookbook for anyone who loves to bake and wants to incorporate more mindfulness and intention into their kitchen routine. It's a beautiful book that will inspire readers to slow down, savor the process of baking, and nourish their bodies and souls. Highly recommended!

This book is part history (or maybe storytelling) part recipe. It reminded me of reading classics but in recipe format (if that makes any sense). My only criticism is I wish there were photos. I think it would have had added to the reading experience.

While I don't enjoy cooking I love to bake, and I am always interested in the spiritual life and mindfulness, so this was a great read for me. It provides insights on the way in which the preparations for baking are naturally meditative. There are also recipes and notes of wellbeing. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. #MindfulnessinBaking #NetGalley

Great recipes and great ideas about how our energy affects our food.
Really enjoyed reading about mindfulness while baking and got some new ideas to try on the fam.
I received a copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Is mindfulness an issue with you? There are dozens of books out there on the subject, and if you’re a baker, a book written especially for you: Mindfulness in Baking: Meditations on Bakes & Calm, by Julia Ponsonby. While this book’s main focus is on mindfulness, there are a few recipes, including casseroles, tarts, breads, scones, and desserts that will most likely appeal to bakers.

This book is mainly centered on different kinds of mindfulness in different steps of baking such as kneading and using your hands, simplicity, baking for well-being, baking for enlightenment, and baking for friends. As you can see, this is more of a self-help book as opposed to a cookbook.

The recipes are written in the traditional manner in that they have a list of ingredients followed by step-by-step instructions on preparing each dish.

Whether readers are interested in the mindfulness points or the recipes, they will all be disappointed to see that there are no illustrations or photographs of the recipes.

All told, this book may appeal to anyone looking for mindfulness, but with no photos and very few recipes, it is not recommended to mainstream bakers and readers. While the prose is fairly well written, it is a subject that many aren’t really interested in and many would find a bit boring.


Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

I used to do a lot of baking before I became ill, and now I do a lot of mindfulness (or I try to), so this sounded like a good crossover for me. I used to bake whenever my emotions got too much. When I was grieving, angry, sad, happy - there would inevitably be cake.

I think where baking can really help with the mind is the concentration. I am an experienced baker, and can often do things without really paying attention, but generally, you have to really focus on weighing out ingredients, mixing them and cooking. And so there's not much time for anything else to think about.

I loved the historical elements in this book. I still try to bake from scratch when I'm well enough to do so, but I am also not averse to a quick meal if time or health demands it. But I knew next to nothing about the origins of baking or bread making, and it was really fascinating. It's also interesting to see the boom of home baking and bread making, partly due to the COVID lockdowns. It's like we're rediscovering our roots, what was once important to our lives that we've lost due to busyness.

I liked the addition of simple recipes to compliment the historical elements, and there's definitely a few in there that will be going in my recipe folder to try.

I do wish there was more information about other types of baking. There's recipes for breads and cakes and pastries, but the bulk of the historical narrative is based on dough kneading and bread making, which is fine as a start, as that was probably man's first foray into baking, but I'd have liked a bit more about the other types of baking mentioned in the recipes.

You have to be really open to the way mindfulness is used in this book. If you think it's a bit too airy-fairy for you, then you won't get the most out of it. If you take it for what it is - an introduction into mindfulness using baking as a medium - then it's enjoyable.

Nothing to shout about or rave over, but at 144 pages, it's a nice little thing to read one evening.

I meditate daily, and bake weekly for my family’s and my own nourishment and enjoyment. I’ve baked bread at least once a week since my youngest child was diagnosed with severe food allergies, about 14 years ago. I only started meditating late last year.

I use my hands for kneading - I and over the years, I’ve definitely found mindfulness in my baking process and was hoping to find more in this book.

While a worthwhile cookbook, I’ve been doing most of these suggestions without forethought - I think they’re a fairly natural extension of a consistent baking mindset.

If you’re completely brand new to baking and mindfulness, I’d borrow this one from the library before buying.

Synopsis: (from Netgalley, the provider of the book for me to review)
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The Art of Mindful Baking is a delightful insight into how the act of baking is a practical meditation by its very nature. Julia Ponsonby, head of food at Schumacher College, looks at what it means to use our hands and why kneading promotes well-being and explores the true and enduring value of eating real food. Containing a wealth of mouth-watering recipes that highlight how you can incorporate mindfulness into your baking, this book demonstrates how baking with awareness provides benefits for not only you but also those around you.

Mindfulness apparently means not multi-tasking while doing something and really concentrating on it...what a waste of time. Seriously. How they make bread commercially is outlined which is often scary ... almost as scary as the profits of Weston-held companies in Canada but how they make it does not scare me as I rarely eat bread. (Hubby loves his Wonder Bread...I am more of an artisanal rye kind of girl when I do eat it!)

By using laser focus and concentrating on each step of the bread-making process, one is supposed to be more connected to their food and how it is made: in fact, we are to thank it and all the baking equipment we use. The recipes are full of extra steps of meditation, focus, and wisdom ... it completely turned me off from even thinking of making anything with this book. (There are also books on Mindfulness in drawing and gardening in this series and I will not read them either now...I don't have time for blessing and thanking dirt and pencils and sticks of butter!)

I can think of patrons who would love this book...the self-help book junkies all into self-care, being in the moment, etc. etc. and I will recommend it to them. Anyone wanting to learn to bake or looking for a new baking book will not be recommended this book as it is...silly. Inane. And other words I won't add here. (HEY, I did promise to be honest in my reviews...it can backfire!)