Food Resolutions for 2008

[Peter the eater]

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 a year ago with permission from Pontormo) . . .

In 2008,

I will eat_________________

I will make_______________

I will find________________

I will learn_______________

I will teach_______________

I will read________________

[Peter the eater]

I'll go, and please feel free to ignore or add blanks.

In 2008,

I will eat more, but better

I will make duck breast prosciutto in my fridge

I will find wild ramps on my own

I will learn to spatchcock an emu in five minutes

I will teach my kids to make bread

I will read Turning the Tables!

[prasantrin]

In 2008,

I will eat more vegetables

I will find a Greek restaurant in my area, but should that fail

I will make my own Greek food

I will learn to make xiao long bao from Dejah's upcoming tutorial

I will travel to Vietnam, just to eat

I will not give in to my craving for convenience store nachos if I go home next summer

[shellfishfiend]

In 2008,

I will eat more produce from the farmer's market

I will make more food to give away to others (it puts a smile on my face and theirs)

I will find a Japanese restaurant with good food and good service (have yet to find one with both in the area-but still hopeful)

I will learn_how to make the baby octopus salad I love so much (found a local source for the baby octopus today-now I just need to develop a sauce recipe)

I will teach my sister anythign she wants to know about cooking, but will not force it on her

I will read more books by people in the food industry and not just cookbooks, but I won't stop reading cookbooks

[foodie52]

In 2008,

I will eat mostly vegetarian.

I will make cassoulet one time.

I will find time to go to the farmers' markets.

I will learn how to pass on dessert.

I will teach kids how to cook.

I will read more about wine.

[eskay]

I will eat lots of new things

I will make my own coffee

I will find an asian grocer

I will learn not to underbake things

I will teach anyone who asks me something

I will take advantage of the library 5 minutes away and read every cookbook I can get my hands on

[purplewiz]

I will eat at one new restaurant a month. This is a carryover from 2005 or so, and it works so well I keep on resolving it.

I will make one new recipe a month. (See above.) I will give myself credit for months going forward if I make 2 or 5 new recipes in a previous month, because life has a way of getting in the way of cooking as much as I would like.

I will find a decent butcher, a local source of King's Cupboard Sugar Free Chocolate Sauce if one exists, and the local Penzey's (which I know exists, it's just not close and it keeps snowing when I keep meaning to get there).

I will learn several more Southwestern dishes.

I will teach my husband to cook something other than stir fry and soup out of a can. I'll probably involve the crock pot.

I will read food magazines in the month in which they are dated.

[heidih]

In 2008,

I will eat more thoughtfully

I will make a simmered and roasted pork hock & enjoy it with like-minded folk

I will find a take-out place that is really worth while

I will learn how to make naturally fermented things like kimchee, sour dough starter

I will teach my son how to cook some simple things. We did bread (Julia's master baguette recipe when he needed to feel he could accomplish something and it was a big deal). There is room for growth on both our parts.

I will read - re-read Madeleine Kamman When French Women Cook, both of Marlena De Blasi's books, and my entire Time Life Foods of the World series.

[Pierogi]

Ok, here goes..........(doing the Girl Scout pledge to swear honesty.......)

I will eat something I've never eaten before, no matter what my initial, knee-jerk reaction to it might be.

I will, when I go to the farmer's market, try a new vegatable every time I go.

I will make a confit of some sort, ideally duck. But a confit for sure.

I will find more reasons to share my food with those I care about. Or I will find a real, fresh, honest-to-God truffle and use it with abandon. Or both.

I will learn, finally, to make decent bread. Currently a work in progress.....

I will teach myself to be more frugal, use my leftovers (and *not* by feeding them to the dogs...... ) and waste less food.

I will read the classics I have heard about, but not experienced; Beard on Food, Brillat-Savarin, MFK Fischer and Calvin Trillin.

[Daniel Rogov]

Forgive me, but I cannot resist:

I will eat lobster Thermidor at least once a month

I will make a promise not to eat more than a eighteen oysters at a single sitting

I will find or try to find the world's best chocolate truffle

I will learn or try to learn how to make beignets as good as those one finds at the street-side stands on Paris' Rue de la Huchette

I will teach to all who listen that the best wine in the world is the wine you like the best

I will read, in addition to all else, and as I do now, one chapter of Escoffier every night

[moreace01]

I will eat less meat, but better quality

I will make my husband go to that wonderful middle eastern restaurant up the street no matter how much he kicks and screams

I will find a good supplier of free-range chicken and grass-fed beef in my area without resorting to Whole Foods.

I will learn to use up what I have in my pantry instead of constantly buying new stuff.

I will read MFK Fisher, the omnivores dilemma (yes, i have issues - I'm currently blaming it on Bourdain's Holiday Show), and that book by the woman who left microsoft to learn to cook (can't remember the name right now - something about a knife being sharp)

[rconnelly]

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 a year ago with permission from Pontormo) . . .

In 2008,

I will eat more slowly and with a greater appreciation of what I am eating.

I will make more food at home.

I will find a way to write full time.

I will learn Italian so when we go to Italy this summer I will look and sound liks a native, sort of.

I will teach my readers more about food.

I will read The Omnivores' Dilemma  and maybe even Barbara Kingsolver's book.

←

[Marlene]

I will eat pretty much what I feel like.

I will make duck confit for the first time

I will find time to cook with my son

I will learn to really make bread

I will teach anyone who wants to learn, the absolute joy of cooking for friends and family

I will read the backlog of all my food magazines.

[Teri Everitt]

I was going to make the standard replies to this thread, when I realized that most of my replies did not have to do with me, but with the eating habits of my son. My son has autism, and has had some issues with food over the years, but I have also come to realize that part of the problem was me. I had responded to his picky eating habits the way parents usually respond to picky eating habits...by making fairly bland food. This for a kid who used to eat Dijon mustard straight from the jar with a spoon! I have since discovered that he loves vegetables (but only raw, or roasted...I've even roasted brussel sprouts after a quick toss in garlic butter...he loved them). He also likes meat, which is a surprise since previously he had only seemed to like mushy fast food meats....nuggeted or in burger form. Rub a pork chop with olive oil, garlic and herbe-de-provence and a generous sprinkle of pepper, sear well and he'll eat three of them.

Despite all these exciting developments, there is still room for improvement, therefore:

I WILL continue to learn how to cook good food for my little guy.

I WILL find a kick-ass salad dressing that Gordie likes, so that bottled crap can stay the hell out of my fridge. (Feel free to pm me a recipe if you have one, kid loves garlic and dijon mustard).

I WILL find a way to get him to drink water at least some of the time (he's been know to suck back a litre of juice all on his own, and does not recognize milk that is not chocolate). This one is a little tough for me personally, I hated drinking water as a kid, it felt really heavy and sat in my belly like a brick.

ETA: in response to a pm I got asking why I would want my son to drink water when I didn't enjoy drinking water as a child:

It's a health issue. He is on a medication that causes weight gain, and all the juice he drinks add too much sugar to his diet.

I WILL find a non-fast food restaurant where he feels comfortable and enjoys the food. Not that I begrudge him the occasional Subway or McD's, but he makes almost constant demands for fast food. He is becoming old enough and well behaved enough that this almost seems doable.

That seems like enough on my plate for 2008.

Edited December 14, 2007 by Teri Everitt (log)

[Kouign Aman]

In 2008,

I will eat ..... Oh yes, I will eat!

I will make that persian lamb & cherries dish the tenor likes so much

I will find a new 'favorite' vegetable / veg preparation for the family, or at least for the munchkin

I will learn how to plan ahead for a special recipe, since the tenor does all shopping and how to cook spicy garlic eggplant because I like it so much

I will teach the munchkin more about cooking

I will read ... nothing in particular comes to mind

And

I will grow vegetables we like to eat and cook. And yeah verily, the munchkin shall help me. And we shall look for the unexpected, like red carrots, purple potatoes and black tomatoes

[GordonCooks]

I will have more sex in the kitchen

[Stefferdoos]

In 2008,

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

I will make a terrine (or two or three)

I will find a Turkish restaurant in my area or at last resort at least find a middle-eastern one

I will learn to make sausage

I will teach my nephew how to make soup

I will read all the cookbooks and other cooking related books I asked for at Christmas

Edited December 14, 2007 by Stefferdoos (log)

[Barry Foy]

I WILL EAT hanger steak and pommes frites at least once a month, even if it means giving up hanger steak and mashed potatoes once a week.

I WILL MAKE Keira Knightley a crusty loaf of my best no-knead bread, and insist she come around and pick it up in person.

I WILL FIND a publisher for The Devil's Food Dictionary, which is, dammit, the most creative food writing being done in English at the moment.

I WILL LEARN to stop eating when I've actually had enough to eat. Well, maybe not.

I WILL TEACH all vegans I encounter that the sanctitude they're pursuing is illusory.

I WILL READ the riot act to chefs whose presentation resembles the work of Paul Klee.

[feedmec00kies]

I will eat less meat and more veggies again, like I was in the habit of doing only a year ago but managed to completely shift from.

I will make dinner more often again (which should fulfill resolution #1), and get over the fear that my boyfriend will dislike what I make.

I will find all the good tasty (and affordable) food around me in my neighborhood.

I will learn to make more things, and not be scared off because it involves something I'm not used to doing (like baking).

I will teach my boyfriend to cook more things and become more comfortable cooking.

I will read all those darn books I have on food that I keep acquiring but not reading... Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerers (need to finish that!); The Omnivore's Dilemma; It Must've Been Something I Ate; Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World; Salt: A World History; The United States of Arugula

[HVRobinson]

In 2008,

I will eat more in line with my diabetic needs (heavy sigh).

I will make smoked trout for brunch.

I will find a butcher who will supply sweetbreads!

I will learn how to do bread in a dutch oven when camping.

I will teach my Lutheran wife what Kosher means (I should live so long....)

I will read the proofs of my cookbook.

hvr

[binkyboots]

In 2008,

I will eat more locally produced things and try to cut my reliance on the supermarket

I will make more time to experiment with new recipes

I will find a lovely patch of mushrooms!

I will learn the basics of cheesemaking

I will teach mike some basic baking skills

I will read everyday!

[theisenm85]

In 2008,

I will eat better on an everyday basis but worse (better) on special occasions

I will make 10 classic dishes from 3 largely different cuisines.

I will find a fish guy and develop a relationship. (for the fish people)

I will learn to make homemade stock and always have some on hand. (I know "how" and that it isn't particularly hard... just haven't had the time to take the plunge)

I will teach someone to like something they've refused to try.

I will read Elements of cooking, marco pierre white's book "The devil in the kitchen" and at least 3-5 books on brewing/fermenation science

Edited December 18, 2007 by theisenm85 (log)

[Margo]

I will bake more cookies.

I will find out for myself whether making ganache is as easy as everyone says, and if so, I will make my own chocolate truffles.

And to balance those two,

I will get back in the habit of making a salad to go with supper.

(re. the dressing query above: crush a clove of garlic into a bowl, add a dollop of Dijon, add olive oil and red wine vinegar in a proportion you like, and whisk to combine. Salt and pepper to taste. I used to make this all the time. It even keeps a day or two--or longer, I cannot lie--in the fridge. You can get fancy and mince shallot instead of the garlic.)

[MarketStEl]

In 2008,

I will eat at least once each month at an interesting restaurant within the Philadelphia city limits but outside Center City or South Philadelphia. Preferably, it will be one I've never heard of, not even from someone else on the Pennsylvania board. I've already found a candidate (Zagat-rated, no less) walking down North Broad Street near Girard last night.

I will make confit, finally. My Crock-Pot's been begging me to ever since I bought the new one.

I will find someone else who shares my passion for spicy foods and hot sauces. I'm dying to cook dinner for that someone.

I will learn how to prepare a wider variety of dishes suitable for my diabetic roomie with failed kidneys.

I will teach any Philadelphian willing to lend me outdoor space and a smoker (or grill with a lid) how to make bangin' ribs.

I will read The Omnivore's Dilemma at last, The Elements of Cooking, and all those issues of Gourmet I've been letting pile up while catching up on The Atlantic Monthly.

[Chris Hennes]

I will eat more sugar (seriously... I am not a sugar kind of guy, and my wife wants me to make candy! Can I put salt on all of it? And pork?)

I will make many things from Chocolates and Confections

I will find a new city to live in. A real city! Yes! So long, East Nowhereville!

I will learn how to make a killer ganache

I will teach my fish to do tricks. OK, this is a stretch...

I will read "Chocolates and Confections" over and over again

And the most important one: I will finish my degree so I can have more time to cook!