"The real distinguishing element of cooking (and in this case baking) competitions is the timer. In real life, you bake with leisure. It is not your job. It is maybe a chore, or something you enjoy. If there is a deadline looming over you, it is one of your own creation. Maybe you agreed to bring something to a potluck, or want to make a cake for a friend's birthday."
"No, most of cooking and baking is for either survival (where the deadline is only your stomach rumbling) or pleasure. Often, I make bread from my sourdough starter. This is a leisurely process. I leave it to rise overnight. In the morning, when I feel led, I turn it out and shape it. Sometimes, I forget about it for too long. That's fine. The only real consequence is that sometimes the bread is a little flatter than I would like."
Competitive baking relies on strict timing that forces urgent, prioritized action, unlike home baking which is leisurely and forgiving. Home deadlines are often self-imposed and flexible, serving survival or pleasure rather than mandatory schedules. Sourdough bread illustrates a relaxed process with overnight rises and minor consequences for oversight. In contrast, competition environments make the clock the master, creating persistent tension as tasks and time diminish. Short tasks like cookies can deceptively feel quick but become high-pressure challenges under strict time constraints, producing stress and a longing for more time.
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