So many of us like to believe that if we eat right, exercise frequently, practise moderation and stay positive, we will be healthy — physically and mentally.
But I think it’s more honest to admit, in all humility, that we can only do so much.
The rest is — well, serendipity.

Here’s what one of my favourite cooks, Belinda Jeffery, says in her wonderful cookbook Mix and Bake:

As to the health factor, a number of people have said that they feel my writing this book is quite a risky enterprise when there is so much emphasis on obesity concerns these days. However, the words of a dear friend ring in my ears every time I start to wonder if I’m quite sane in doing this. When I told him what I was up to and voiced my concerns, he smiled gently at me and said, ‘A slice of homemade cake never made anyone fat, and it certainly made them smile’. And it’s true — like everything else in our lives it is all about balance, and I would far rather enjoy eating a piece of cake made with love from good eggs, butter and flour (with no preservatives, food additives or colourings) than something bought any day. I have taken these wise words to heart.

As for me, during a recent bout of illness, I began baking again.
I thought: Why can’t a slice of cake be a part of the everyday?

Why not indeed?