In the beloved French novel, In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust, a madeleine cake famously leads the protagonist on an oneiric journey of memories. American painter Wayne Thiebaud put sweet treats at the center stage of his colorful canvas that gathers rumination from the ordinary and ubiquitous.
From Proust’s madeleine to Thiebaud’s confection, a piece of baked treat has the evocative power that touches us on an emotional level - a sweet hint of childhood, the joy of indulgence, an invitation to relax - introducing a welcomed shift of pace into daily routines for us to slow down and savour the present. During the brevity of a pastry break shimmering with coziness, one experiences the elasticity of time and the pleasure of a small ritual as the mind wanders aimlessly with the sweetness encapsulated in simple ingredients such as flour and water.
From Proust’s madeleine to Thiebaud’s confection, a piece of baked treat has the evocative power that touches us on an emotional level - a sweet hint of childhood, the joy of indulgence, an invitation to relax - introducing a welcomed shift of pace into daily routines for us to slow down and savour the present. During the brevity of a pastry break shimmering with coziness, one experiences the elasticity of time and the pleasure of a small ritual as the mind wanders aimlessly with the sweetness encapsulated in simple ingredients such as flour and water.
