Food Resolutions for 2009

[Peter the eater]

It's almost that time of year again.

The eGullet Society has a solid tradition of sharing culinary resolutions for the upcoming year.

I ask you to fill in the following blanks (which I have swiped from 2 years ago with permission from Pontormo) . . .

In 2009,

I will eat_________________

I will make_______________

I will find________________

I will learn_______________

I will teach_______________

I will read________________

As always, please feel free to ignore or add blanks.

Edited December 17, 2008 by Peter the eater (log)

[Dave the Cook]

I admire your positive agenda, Peter. But I'd add:

I will not _________

As in, "I will not assume that the UPC labels on fresh fruit are food safe."

[nakji]

I'll play.

In 2009,

I will eat more Pierre Herme macarons while I have the chance.

I will make that no-rise bread stuff that's such a phenomenon. Once. When I have access to an oven.

I will find some %@! Ras al Hout, a spice I've been scouring Asia for over the past two years.

I will teach my husband where I keep the pots for the umpteenth time.

I will read something by that MFK Fisher lady everyone is so keen on.

[Dave Hatfield]

I admire your positive agenda, Peter. But I'd add:

I will not _________

As in, "I will not assume that the UPC labels on fresh fruit are food safe."

←

I too admire the agenda & the addition, but would add:

I will NOT eat .............

As in I will not eat food which is out of season and comes from a long ways away.

[HungryC]

I will eat less meat and more bitter greens.

I will make more jams, jellies, and pickles.

I will find more space in my garden for asian greens.

I will learn to properly sharpen my knives.

I will teach someone to bake bread.

I will read more of Escoffier.

I will not buy supermarket roasted chickens.

[Shoom]

Great topic!

I will eat more oysters.

I will make a five layer coconut cake from scratch.

I will find real Madagascar vanilla, and splurge on it.

I will learn how to truss poultry.

I will teach my boyfriend to make anything he wants, and to feel more comfortable with his abilities in the kitchen.

I will read The United States of Arugula, and more cookbooks than you can shake a stick at.

[Ktepi]

In 2009,

I will eat food, mostly plants, not too much.

I will make chocolate-free coffee brownies using Caffe Acapella's coffee-bean bars; homemade cola to be proud of; another home-cured country ham; various things combining coffee and orange flavors; as many tomato sandwiches and tomato pies as I can stand as soon as they're back in season.

I will teach my Alton Brown obsessed nephew that there's more than one right way to cook anything.

[K8memphis]

I admire your positive agenda, Peter. But I'd add:

I will not _________

As in, "I will not assume that the UPC labels on fresh fruit are food safe."

←

Wow I'm over here to enjoy the energy of others putting it out there willing to do something. Thinking maybe some will rub off.

And I never even thought of the food safety-ness of those labels--oh geez--I just came to be refreshed and I've come across something else to do/worry about.

Wow the ink & stuff could contain lead?.

(or worse yet sugar )

[Peter the eater]

I admire your positive agenda, Peter. But I'd add:

I will not _________

As in, "I will not assume that the UPC labels on fresh fruit are food safe."

←

I can assure you I grow more cynical and surly each winter, but it's been such a popular format -- I hate to tinker with a hit.

I'll need at least three fortified eggnogs before I fill in the blanks.

[EmilyG]

I will pack my own lunches instead of eating disgusting, overpriced cafeteria food.

[Kouign Aman]

In 2009,

I will eat - more vegetables

I will make - a breakfast casserole; a meal of the new vegetable.

I will find - a good meatloaf recipe (w the ketchup baked on top) & a better mac'n cheese recipe (currently have Alton Brown's).

I will learn - how to make ravioli

I will teach - the munchkin to scramble an egg

I will read - nothing in particular

I will grow - at least one vegetable I have never grown before

[dividend]

I'll play:

In 2009,

I will eat at 10 restaurants in Kansas City that I've never been to.

I will make homemade pasta, and can some homemade spaghetti sauce to go with it.

I will find at least 3 ultimate recipes for something. You know the recipe you turn to over and over again as being the best bang for your buck for a certain thing? This year I think I need to find them for sweet hings: from scratch roll-out butter cookie dough, brownies, and chocolate cake.

I will learn how to properly make gravy for biscuits and gravy. It's still my albatross and has been for years!

I will teach bread baking to the kids at church for Healthy Kids Camp again.

I will read my Gourmet every month. I love laying on the couch with the new issue and spending a leisurely hour reading it. How sad was it that I just found 4 unread issues? I need to make time to relax. Seriously. (I guess to add to the above, I will also make at least 1 recipe from Gourmet each month.

I will not give in and go out to lunch when I've packed a beautiful lunch in my Mr. Bento. Or at least try to do it less. And only when someone else is paying.

[Darienne]

I will eat dark chocolate every day.

I will make bread. I've never made it from scratch.

I will find my Mother's recipe for Beaver Pudding somewhere on this earth.

I will learn how to make proper pastry.

I will teach my neighbour up the road how to work with chocolate although I really don't want to.

I will read Peter Greweling's excellent chocolate book every page out loud to my DH who loves to be read to.

I will grow my own ginger to candy

I will not well, I don't know what I will not do or be or think.

Edited December 23, 2008 by Darienne (log)

[Chufi]

In 2009,

I will eat everything I want, sometimes in moderation, sometimes not. I will keep trying to only eat things that give me joy, happiness, and fulfillment in every possible sense.

I will make more time cosuming things like stocks and braises.

I will find a way to make round meatballs instead of ones with flattened sides.

I will learn something every time I'm in the kitchen.

I will teach at least ONE of my friends not to store their tomatoes in the fridge. Although I've been trying to tell them for years... no one listens.....

I will read more books that are not about food. I'm craving good novels.

[Stefferdoos]

So I had to go back and look at my 2008 resolutions first to see how I did.

In 2008,

I will eat less Adirondacks High Peaks Ice Cream with Hot Fudge Sauce - pass

I will make a terrine (or two or three) - fail

I will find a Turkish restaurant in my area or at last resort at least find a middle-eastern one - fail but I did cook Turkish for my family instead

I will learn to make sausage - fail

I will teach my nephew how to make soup - fail (but we made other stuff)

I will read all the cookbooks and other cooking related books I asked for at Christmas - more or less pass

OK, so lets see if I can be more realistic this year.

In 2009,

I will eat more Japanese noodle dishes

I will make a dinner comprised entirely of French Laundry recipes

I will find a Middle Eastern restaurant near me (this quest will not die)

I will learn how to debone a chicken quickly

I will teach my nephews how to make whatever they wish to learn

I will read all of my magazines cover to cover and not let some just sit there on the coffee table

I will grow tomatoes successfully (this year they were such a failure for me)

I will not eat so many chocolate enrobed Biscoff cookies dipped in Nutella at the Delta Crown Room club when my flights are delayed

[Marigene]

I will eat less "white" foods.

I will make a turkey dinner more than once a year.

I will find a way to use everything in my pantry this year.

I will learn to make decent pie crust!

I will teach myself to use a pastry bag the proper way.

I will read all of the cookbooks I have recently acquired before adding more.

I will not panic if my husband wants to use the kitchen!

[purplewiz]

In 2009,

I will eat foods I like. I have no room for foods I know I dislike. There is no single source for any nutrient my body needs, so I am not required to eat anything.

I will make one new recipe a month, and eat at one new restaurant a month. I've had this resolution for about 5 years now, and it works really well for me to keep me out of ruts.

I will find more foods I like. That's what all those new recipes above are about.

I will learn not to go to trendy restaurants on Saturday night without a reservation. When I do anyway, I will learn not to be surprised that there is a 2.5 hour wait. I will learn to be grateful we always have a fallback plan because I have never in my life eaten at a restaurant whose food was worth a 2.5 hour wait.

I will teach my husband to make something other than stir fry.

I will read my foodie magazines within a month from when they arrive, and drop any subscriptions for those from which I haven't cooked or even wanted to cook anything for six months.

And as long as we're adding an "I will not..."

I will not feel guilty because my food habits and practices do not live up to the expectations of others. That was never one of my goals.

Marcia.

[Genkinaonna]

I will eat one new fruit or veggie every week. There's too much to try to limit myself to the favorites. I will also visit one new restaurant per month with my husband, sans children. Budget be damned!

I will make my own sausage, bacon, or cheese (or all three).

I will find a local supplier for lemon verbena and a mexican grandma to teach me how to make tamales.

I will learn to cure my own bacon and make perfect macarons (this is a continuing resolution I have yet to master).

I will try to teach my 2 1/2 year old to make pancakes and my 14 month old not to throw them on the floor.

I will read The Omnivore's Dilemma and all the cookbooks I will hopefully get as late Christmas presents.

I will not stress about what I eat and I will not feel guilty about the occasional dinner of blueberry muffins or homemade chocolate cake.

Happy Early New Year!

[KatieLoeb]

I will eat less meat and more fish - doctor's orders.

I will make more homemade meals and eat less expensive and unhealthy takeout.

I will find more fresh fruits and vegetables at the market and make sure I eat them before they spoil.

I will learn about a new cuisine (not sure which yet) and spread the gospel.

I will (continue to try to) teach my less food adventurous friends to try more things.

I will read more about sustainable agriculture and try and incorporate this into my life through my purchasing habits and support of farmers that are subscribing to this belief.

I will not eat "bad" food if I can avoid it. And I know enough to try...

[LindaK]

My turn:

I will eat more raw vegetables

I will make more soup

I will find more time to entertain friends at home

I will learn to make pho, nuoc cham, and other vietnamese basics

I will teach myself to make a double batch of everything so my freezer is always well stocked

I will read Michael Pollen

I will not buy canned chicken stock

[barolo]

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has taken up the eGullet resolution challenge here:

Foodie Resolutions

Here's an excerpt:

It's that time again when we all re-evaluate the year gone by and look to the next. With some help from the eGullet Society, we at Food Bytes have come up with our own culinary resolutions.

Andree Lau:

In 2009, I will eat more fruits and vegetables.

I will make more dinners at home.

I will find a way to make white fish exciting.

I will learn how to bake chewy cookies.

I will try quinoa and durian.

I will read Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper by Fuchsia Dunlop.

[Peter the eater]

Well if the people at the CBC have taken the eGullet resolution challenge, I had better do the same.

I will eat_________________ more things near the bottom of the food chain

I will make_______________ Foie gras au torchon

I will find________________ ramps

I will learn_______________ some MG techniques

I will teach_______________ my kids to make pancakes

I will read________________ Hervé This

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has taken up the eGullet resolution challenge here:

Foodie Resolutions

[mattohara]

I resolve to:

Go to Cajun Kate's more,

Get to Bell's Market more,

Find ways out to West Philly more,

Finally get out to Fuji,

Experiment with making my own Char Siu Bao and similar treats,

Perfect a couple of beer recipes.

Anybody else?

[davidbdesilva]

Very simply: MORE WINE IN '09

[zeffer81]

-Finally join a CSA

-Eat at Vetri

-Try making homemade dog treats again

-Bring lunch more, buy lunch less

-Become a regular somewhere besides my local coffee shop. Perhaps Izumi?

-Try geoduck clams

-Host monthly Sunday Suppers for family and friends

With the exception of bringing lunch, all of these will be somewhat difficult as I'm saving for a wedding.