After the year that Taylor Swift has had—wrapping the 51 city-spanning, highest-grossing world tour in history, writing and recording an album inspired by it, and meticulously plotting its unveiling—we wouldn’t dream of asking her what she does with her “downtime.” But miraculously, the megastar has found some time to herself—and that’s when she’s baking sourdough.
Yesterday, Swift appeared on New Heights (a football podcast hosted by her NFL all-star boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and his brother Jason) to officially announce her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. During the two-hour-long episode, she dove deep into her behind-the-scenes experience during the Eras Tour, sharing details about her professional-athlete-level recovery routine following each 3.5-hour performance, her on-the-road relationship with Kelce, and the immense gratitude—and relief—she feels now that she’s able to recuperate at home(s). Specifically, she’s embracing her “granny” side.
“I would say all my hobbies could be categorized as hobbies you could have had in the 1700s,” she said.
Among those nostalgic pastimes, Swift lists sewing, cooking, and painting—but her cyclical baking obsessions clearly have the strongest grip. Currently, as seen in her recent gift basket to Selena Gomez, she’s on a serious sourdough kick.
“The sourdough has taken over my life in a huge way. I’m really talking about bread…60% of the time now,” she said.
Swift is motivated by an intimate sense of consideration for her fans—both in her music and her baking. Swifties revisit her famous chai sugar cookie recipe every fall, she’s been known to surprise her crews with homemade holiday goodies, and several members of the Kansas City Chiefs (including head coach Andy Reid) have praised her pre-game cinnamon rolls and homemade Pop-Tarts. On New Heights, Swift shared that she sent two loaves to Travis (the self-described “luckiest man in the world”) while he was away at training camp, and is currently workshopping a Funfetti sourdough recipe to try out with Jason’s rainbow-obsessed daughters.
While Swift confessed to texting her friends for feedback on new loaves––blueberry lemon, cinnamon swirl, cinnamon raisin, et al.—we’re hopeful that the overwhelming response to the podcast episode will inspire her to share a recipe or two. If you need a Taylor-approved obsession to fill your days until The Life of a Showgirl drops on October 3, here’s an on-theme starter kit.
Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Bread Oven
Anthropologie Calla Cotton Dish Towel
The Perfect Loaf: The Craft and Science of Sourdough Breads, Sweets, and More
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Grace McCarty is a freelance Associate Digital Editor at ELLE Decor, where she covers design trends, shopping, and culture. She previously held a staff position at SELF Magazine, where she focused on beauty, style, and wellness. Her work has also appeared in Glamour and Parade.