Emily Dickinson Gardener, Baker, and Poet

jr81568

Aug 17

3 min read

Poet Emily Dickinson Sourc En. Wikipedia

A Passion For Baking

Emily Dickinson the poet in her time was known for baking, gardening. and not her poetry. A recluse she did not have any poems published until after she died.

Emily loved to bake breads, cakes, cookies, pies, and tarts. In fact, she baked all the bread in the family household because her father liked only her baking. The housekeeper quit her job, and Emily took on the task of making the bread for the family daily. Even after they hired a new person she continued to bake.

Emily baked corn cakes and rice cakes for visitors, The rice cake was baked on thin sheets and cut into squares. It was seasoned with nutmeg or mace a popular treat with family and friends. As Emily baked, she often wrote poems on the back of wrappers, recipe cards. and kitchen paper.

Emily Dickinson's Coconut Cake Source: William Manor Blog

The Rye and Indian Round bread she made won second prize at the 1856 Amherst Cattle Show. Her sister was a judge in the contest. Another favorite recipe of Emily's was coconut bread. At Cutlers General Store she purchased fresh coconut from the Caribbean and French chocolate for her baking.

Emily spent most of her time at home. She sent food gifts to friends, family and associates. They were called care packages. She lowered baskets of gingerbread and other baked goods to neighborhood children. They knew her for her baking and gardening.

As a student at Amherst Academy, she studied botany and compiled a herbarium or scrapbook of plant species. She cared for exotic plants in the conservatory added to the family home in 1855.

Woman That Likes Baking Animation Source: BREW/Giphy/ Shutterstock

Gardening Flowers, Fruits and Vegetables

Emily Dickinson Homestead Photo Source: Flicker: Emily Barney

In the orchards she learned to grow heirloom apples, pears, and figs. She learned from her mother and father. The vegetable garden grew asparagus, corn, beans and other vegetables. The family filled the conservatory with 19th century flowers and plants. The flower garden had lily of the valley, sweet peas, peony hedges, daffodils, snow drops, roses, crocus, tulips and exotic plants.

Emily seemed to like the traditional female role. She enjoyed baking and gardening. She worked in the garden at night to avoid her nosy neighbors and due to the fact she was reclusive.

She like working in the kitchen and talking with friends and family when they entertained. She wrote recipes on the back of baking chocolate wrappers and paper that she wrote recipes on. Emily attended Mount Holyoke Female Seminary too. She helped her mother plant food and floral crops. She became responsible for managing the flower garden later in life.

Her mother is credited with giving Emily and her sister a love of gardening. Emily organized a book of over 400 plants labeled with Latin names. Her poems often show her love of baking and gardening two domestic activities she enjoyed doing at home.