I have no idea what is going to be "hot" this year. Actually, I can barely tell you what was hot last year. From memory, I made a lot of bread, ate a lot of dark chocolate, drank gallons of tea and grew a lot of chillies. I expect 2012 will be much the same (not least because last week we planted some Thai Dragon chillies in our new garden). Apart from the occasional blip I achieved my 2011 goal of making all the bread we eat and I can't imagine going back to the bought stuff. I haven't chanced upon a similar goal for this year yet, but I do have a set of resolutions that I want to share with you:
1. I will learn to sharpen knives, because we have three amazing knives that were wedding presents and they have never been sharpened. This is ridiculous. And they are getting a little blunt.
2. I will learn to carve a turkey/chicken/poussin/quail properly, because it is 2012 and I do not want to spend next Christmas Eve trying to speed-read a Martha Steward tutorial on turkey carving, only to forget it all the next afternoon.
3. I will buy a slotted spoon, because there is no need to add stress to my life by using a fish slice and a pen/teaspoon/knife/whatever else comes to hand when removing a poached egg or bagel from boiling water.
4. I will wear gloves to do the washing up and remember that wet teatowels are of no use whatsoever when handling hot oven trays, because my hands are wrinkled enough already and the Small Girl does not need to hear a string of increasingly colourful curses as her mother burns her fingers (again).
5. I will delve into the piles of recipe cuttings and cull them ruthlessly, because I am well on the way to becoming a mad old lady with drawers full of recipes.
6. I will buy a tart tin with a removeable base so we can eat more pies.
7. I will sit down to eat.
8. I will not sit down to eat at my desk, if I can help it.
9. I will just say no to the enormous glace cherry-topped macaroons sold at the supermarket (after I've bought one to show you, just once, how amazing they are).
10. I will remember how lucky I am to be able to have food in my fridge and family and friends to share it with.
Do you have any culinary resolutions for 2012? Go on, inspire me... Pin It
Oh these are good ones Lucy...two I have, are to have a go at making fresh pasta and sour dough...I'm determined to do so this year...Oh and not to be lazy and make elderflower cordial before all the flower heads get brown so I can make lots of bottles to use all winter...but I could do with adding a number of yours to my list too..
ReplyDeleteHope it's a happy year for you and accomplish all your resolutions.
Deb
Brilliant resolutions Lucy- a few I feel very inspired by (not least last year's bread baking challenge- Yep, I will do my utmost to bake a loaf each Sunday evening). My other resolution- try an expand on my savory repertoire!!
ReplyDeleteGreat resolutions Lucy! I'm going to try tackling de-boning a chicken. I'm a little daunted, but hey, there's a whole year to spend procastinating. Happy new year and good luck staying strong with those macaroons!
ReplyDeleteLucy, baking ALL your own bread? Respect! Love the post
ReplyDeletemy one culinary resolution is to post a recipe for those enormous glace cherry topped macaroons so you can stop buying them and start making them!... oh and start a new sourdough... some chick send me some and i've been too lazy arsed to bring it to life!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on achieving your goal of making all the bread you eat. That is very impressive. I don't have any kind of talent in breadmaking, although I know that the gene is present in my family as my mum has it.
ReplyDeleteI don't really know how to sharpen knives, but I live around the corner from a knife shop so I just drop them off there once a year to get sharpened. When you do eventually get your knives sharpened – however you do it, it will make cutting a real pleasure.
I don't do #4 but I don't have a Small Girl to judge my colourful curses. Maybe when we have little ones, I'll invest in oven mitts.
I haven't really thought of 2012 resolutions. I make food/cooking related resolutions every 3 months so I've always got new season specific things that I want to try like trying making sushi, grow mint and make mojitos, go strawberry picking etc.
I'm with you on wearing gloves to wash up. I get ecxema if I don't but for some reason I continue to flagilate myself but not doing so. I too have a 'crazy recipe clipping lady' thing going on which needs to be sorted out and I'm with Debby on the fresh pasta resolution (this has been on far too many previous lists!).
ReplyDeleteWe just got given a knife sharpener! After hosting christmas and all my family bemoaning our blunt knives (also wedding presents, never before sharpened). My food resolution for 2012 is definately to find more bean recipes I can incorporate into regular/weekly family staples.. also recipes using quinoa, pearl barley etc. Great blog, cheers xxx
ReplyDeleteWell done on the bread - once you start, it's hard to go back to bought bread! And I wish I could sharpen knives...in the end I bought a good knife sharpener ( The Chantry, if you're interested) which does a great job. Though I still wish I could whizz my knives up and down a steel! My resolution is to stop being a slacker and write more! Happy (very belated) New Year!
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