Is making pasta the new yoga?

With a pandemic raging in many areas of the world, fires burning in several US states, no-deal Brexit looming, and a hotly-contested US Presidential election only weeks away, it is safe to say that people everywhere are stressed out (except maybe in New Zealand, lucky dogs). Self-care has never been more important, and what better way to soothe and nourish yourself than to make food? Elizabeth Hewson thought so, and she created an entire cookbook about it – Saturday Night Pasta: Recipes and Self-Care Rituals for the Home Cook, set to be released later this month. Good Food (Aus) recently talked with Hewson about her new book.

Hewson, a PR consultant for some of Australia’s most influential restaurants, left the industry last year to have a baby. What she didn’t leave behind was anxiety and a lot of nervous energy. Typical stress-relieving activities like yoga and meditation weren’t cutting it for the high-energy Hewson, but she did find an outlet in making pasta.

The activity turned into a weekly calming ritual. Focusing on the physical aspects of creating, kneading, and shaping the dough was a great outlet for Hewson, who says her book is not about creating the perfect pasta, but describing how she used pasta making as a way to channel excess energy. If you are inclined to try this as a way to relax, the article also includes some tips on pasta making.

Watch for Jenny’s review of Saturday Night Pasta in the monthly roundup. We are hoping to do a promotion for this book later on as well.