This is one of my favourite bread in Germany, its name is Hefezopf. Traditionally, in the area I live, Hefezopf is for breakfast or tea time during the weekend. It is also for the special event like birthday party or having guest.
Since I am no more living with my adopted German family, if I want to eat the Hefezopf that hot and fresh from the oven, I need to do it myself. And the baking experience is quite philosophical.
Follow the guidance exactly in order to bake the Hefezopf successfully. Not doing it “my way”, when there is a good recipe to follow. I am reflecting on many things in my life, I thought I know things better, and insisted my way instead of following His way. And baking Hefezopf have brought this Bible verse to my mind:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9
The waiting time is really long. First, 30 minutes waiting time until the yeast rise. And then make it into dough, wait for another 60 minutes. After that, another 40 baking time in the oven. It is unwise to reduce the waiting time just because I am lack of patience. Keep looking at the dough would not help the yeast rise faster, it needed its time.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
Ecclesiastes 3
Be prepared for failure because yeast is very sensitive, the chances of failure is high, at least I learned it from my experience. I would then ask different people to tell me, where did I go wrong, what should I need to be aware of.
“May be you opened your window? The room temperature has to be warm.” A friend said.
“I don’t really remember if my window was open.” I replied.
“Hmmm… There is another explanation, quiet true but not so scientific. If you bake the Hefezopf for certain purpose, like as a gift or for a big party, it would usually failed.”
“Oh… It was for mother’s day! I wanted to bring Hefezopf to visit my adopted family and celebrate mother’s day together!”
Bake it because of loving it but not for other purpose. I need to exam my motive when I am baking Hefezopf. It was a very good intention to make my adopted family happy with Hefezopf. I might already imagining all the appreciation that I would get with the self made Hefezopf as I was baking. And that has annoyed the Hefezopf, because my motive was not so pure. And it failed.
Another time, I was longing for the smell of yeast and the taste of Hefezopf, and baked it. It turned out to be beautiful and delicious. Usually I will bake two Hefezopf at the same time. One for eating now, and the one for later I would freeze it. After I put one in my freezer, my mobile phone rang. A friend was inviting me to her birthday party on weekend. My heart whisper: “How does she know about I just baked a Hefezopf?” Anyway, I was so happy that I have a stage to present my wonderful Hefezopf!
Note:
Baking Hefezopf also related to my musical experience.
Due to COVID19 social distancing regulation back in March and April, I found a new interest in organ playing. I mentioned my new interest in a blog post on 19th of April 2020 – Because they exist. I said “I have 3 books to start with”. In April it was totally uncertain when performance would be possible again. However we just keep practicing, obediently followed the restriction of no more than two people.
The Dvorak Op. 99 has to wait until I see my mezzo-soprano friend again in UK.
With the violinist, I described it in another blog written on 12th August 2020 – Chamber Music . We performed all 6 pieces of Rheinberger Op. 150.
With the recorder player, initially the chamber orchestra supposed to accompany her, and it was impossible for chamber orchestra to rehearse under the COVID19 restriction. But I am the orchestra when I accompanied her on the organ. We were experimenting new sound together. It was well received when we played together in the Stunde der Kirchenmusik on 26.9.2020. The piece was “La Notte” -flute concerto in G minor, RV 439, Antonio Vivaldi.
Not only the stage, but also the audience. My mentor told me, only 2 seats left to call it full house. Moreover, my mentor secretly invited the music director of German Württemberg Church Matthias Hanke to come, and he came! “Together with my wife, we played Rheinberger Op. 150 too! She is a violinist.” He said.
So, just focus on getting the Hefezopf (music) done, the stage and the audience will follow.