Culinary Poll #23: Food-related resolutions for the New Year

[Daniel Rogov]

I suppose a great many of us go along with the tradition qua superstition of making resolutions to see us into the new year - promises that we hope to fulfill in order make our lives more aesthetic, more moral or more pleasant. Our culinary habits are no exception to this rule. Two questions in this poll:

1. Are you going to make any such resolutions with regard to your culinary life and if so, what are those?
2. Being as honest as possible, do you believe you will live up to those resolutions?

After making your comments see the related wine poll at viewtopic.php?f=29&t=21067

[Shel T]

My only resolution is not to make any resolutions!

[Matilda L]

1. Cook more.
2. Experiment more.
3. Eat well.


Matilda

[Daniel Rogov]

My culinary-related resolutions:

1. To increase my consumption of raw oysters
2. To re-enter into my search for the perfect lobster Thermidor
3. To do late evening cheese platters more frequently
4. To enter into a personal search for the perfect knockwurst
5. To write another denouement of molecular gastronomy
6. To dine exclusively at bistros and in wine bars when in Paris this year
7. To continue on my crusade to convince people that before placing the foie gras on their toast they should generously butter that toast
8. To shed 5 - 6 kilos


My chances at success in keeping those resolutions

Changes are very good for 1-7. Chances are pretty weak for #8.


Best
Rogov

[Carrie L.]

Daniel, I got a kick out of your list. As I'm sure you know, several of them are mutually exclusive with #8!

Mine is simply to get a little more "out of the box." I'm going to change things up a bit this year--trying some new flavor and ingredient combinations.

Also want to recreate the Bolognese sauce we just had at Circo in Las Vegas. The best we'd ever had. Also want to find the perfect Fra Diavolo sauce.

[Jo Ann Henderson]

Resolutions for 2009
1. continue to improve my exercise regemine in an attempt to find my old body, started in 2008
2. continue to increase my repertoire for experimental, quality, fine food preparation despite the limitations of my spouse's palate
3. make more wine
4. entertain more frequently
5. plan at least one trip off of American soil
6. joie de vivre

[Carl Eppig]

To make greater use of our new favorite vegetable, fennel.

[Patti L]

Carl, I love fennel! I roast it with winter root vegetables, black olives, whole garlic cloves unpeeled, and shallots. Seasoned with whatever herbs I have on hand.

It's good with chicken, pork, lamb, you name it.


My Resolutions

1. Eat and cook using more local ingredients. I do pretty well, but could do better. We have a beautiful winter farmer's market here now, and I need to get there more often!

2. Do more baking, now that I've invested in a new KitchenAid mixer

3. Learn to make a really good pie crust

4. Make preserved lemons and not be afraid to use them. I threw out the jar I made. They didn't look right. Of course, I had absolutely nothing to base that on. I have since purchased them and now that I know what they should be like I think the ones I made were fine.

5. Eat more fruit. I'm terrible about eating fruit. Other than bananas, I'm just not interested.

[Shlomo R]

Stop eating due to stress.