Though I thoroughly savored my culinary exploits in the year 2010, I look forward to more learning, cooking, and enjoying in 2011. Here are some of my anticipated achievements:
1. Declare at least six weeks “no-recipe” weeks.
Or use only recipes of my own devise or adaptation. Attempting familiar foods or recipes from memory is allowed.
2. Use fennel, winter greens, and other newly discovered fabulous vegetables more often.
Fennel is an extremely versatile and vibrant vegetable that’s great in salads, braises, and even lasagna! I’m sure I can devise a fennel casserole of sorts. Same with winter greens such as kale and swiss chard — they offer assertive flavors and textures that hold up well in soups, sautés, and baked dishes.
3. Continue to make homemade chicken stock, and add veal and fish stocks to my stock repertoire.
Alas, this will be challenging with limited freezer space . . .
4. Make at least one home meal of fresh mussels.
I must go beyond frozen shrimp and scallops! Fresh lobster? Er, maybe in 2012.
5. Carve or cut whole poultry into parts with confidence.
I estimate at least a dozen more chickens will be badly butchered before I can do this with finesse.
6. Buy a “real” chef’s coat or apron.
I’m in the kitchen more than ever now . . . I need proper coverage!
7. Try at least five new restaurants.
New to me, that is. Plain or fancy. Pricey or cheap. At least two new cuisines or variations of familiar cuisines.
8. If in a pricey or quality restaurant and something is not OK, don’t tell the waiter that everything’s fabulous.
If a simple roasted chicken is throat-clogging dry, someone in the kitchen should know about it. And if the black beans that caught my interest in the entrée description turn out to be barely a garnish, I want someone to know I am not happy about it.
9. Make several voluptuous cakes or fancy pastries and enjoy these experiences to the max, without one shred of guilt.
Génoises? Tortes? Dacquoises? I cannot decide; maybe I’ll make them all! But I shall start with éclairs and my own white-on-white birthday cake. With frosting flowers! Yum!
10. Keep counting those Weight Watchers points!
Ah! There’s the rub!
Photo credits: “Fennel” by Rolf Krahl, “Mussels @ Trouville Fish Market” by Claude Coro-Farchi, “salle2″ by efaucon, “Chocolate Torte at Nino’s Tuscany in NYC” by Ralph Daily.