Charlotte Welch
Introducing our third artist, Charlotte! She is a baker and lover of food. Cooking is definitely an art-form and one that takes incredible skill!
What did you bake for Artists and Alice and Awareness?
“So, I decided to bake three different things. Oreo chocolate chip cookies as not only are they delicious they are also very visually appealing to the eye with the contrast of textures and tones. A sourdough loaf as I have been trying to perfect the art of sourdough baking and finally a chocolate fudge cake as who doesn’t love a good chocolate cake.”
How much practice and time goes into baking?
“Personally, I think it depends on what you are making. For instance, cookies are probably the easiest thing to make if you have a good recipe and so it’s just a matter of following it. Whereas with sourdough where you’re dealing with a live culture there are more elements at play which makes it very finnicky to deal with and is very time consuming. Pastry is the same especially puff pastry as it takes one wrong fold, and you could end up with croissants that resemble pancakes instead of the usual fluffy and flaky pastry that you’re used to seeing.”
Did you enjoy your experience with Artists and Alice and Awareness?
“Oh for sure! I would be lying though if I didn’t say it was a little stressful as I wanted everything to be perfect. That’s the thing with baking as it can be considered a science and hence some recipes need to be followed to a tee to achieve the best result otherwise it can go south quite quickly. I found out the hard way with my sourdough when I decided to wing it and in return got a pancake of a loaf. This experience also allowed me to be more creative with my baking in terms of decorating and creating an appetising visual.”
Where did you get inspiration for your baking and other cooking techniques?
“Recently, I have been loving using recipes from a food blog by the name Jane Patisserie both the cake and cookies that I made are her recipes. I have found her recipes rarely disappoint. I’m also quite fortunate with having quite the library of baking and cookbooks at my disposal where I learn new techniques, treats as well as a source of inspiration.”
What emotions do you feel when you bake?
“For the most part baking makes me feel happy and is a massive stress reliever for me. There are times especially when baking for someone or a special occasion I tend to feel more stressed because I want everything to be perfect and I don’t want them to be disappointed.”
Who do you love to bake for the most?
“That’s a hard one. I love baking for my family and my best friend as it’s a little less stressful and I know that they’ll appreciate what I make them. Personally, I think there’s nothing worse than baking or making something for someone who then doesn’t appreciate what you’ve made them. I think baking is how I express my love or appreciation for someone so it hurts a little more if someone doesn’t like it or I feel that I didn’t make a good enough bake for them as I don’t want them to be disappointed.”
Why do you think baking is an art-form?
“Actually, prior to artists and Alice and awareness I wouldn’t have classified the baking I do as an art. However, with professional bakers and pastry chefs, the creations they make are literally works of art. After this experience where I put greater emphasis on the presentation, I had a greater realisation of how baking and cooking can be classified as art. The visual aspect of food is so important in making it appetising to eat. As the saying goes you eat with your eyes.”
Interview
Awareness Project: Animal Conservation – Rhino’s
Below is the interview I did with our third artist Charlotte Welch where we discussed her baking, animal conservation and Rhino poaching.
Acid Lake Collaboration
100% of the profits from the Artists x Alice x Awareness collection are donated to charity! Check the product description of each design to find out which charity it supports. To buy a shirt click here!
