Every January, we are filled with renewed determination to be more organized, stop smoking, or lose weight. While I make plenty of common New Year's resolutions, since food and cooking are such an important part of my life, I make culinary resolutions as well. Whether it's sharpening my knife skills, learning an unknown kitchen technique, or experimenting with exotic cuisines, I always feel like I have something new to learn.
After reading Michael Ruhlman's Elements of Cooking, I've been wanting to make my own veal stock from scratch — a long, drawn-out process that takes more than a day. But the famous author and Next Iron Chef judge has made so many arguments about veal stock adding depth and body to sauce that I simply have to try incorporating it into my dishes.
What kitchen accomplishments are you determined to make in 2009?
Development
Elemis
Diane von Furstenberg
I have to start a gluten-free diet for the new year (and keep it up for life), so my new ways of eating are going to be pretty strict. Celiac disease is pretty unfriendly, it's going to be tough to give up normal breads and cookies and such - but I'll manage.
1my culinary resolutions? i think that these may be the only ones that i make
1) try to eat more organic and locally grown foods
22) take cooking classes
3) not get on my man's case for what he eats! (since i'm a veggie and he's not)
I want to become friends with more chefs, learn how to make delectable homemade pasta (since rustic Italian cuisine is so in), get to know cheese better, and experiment with more exotic cuisines.
3I don't have any culinary resolutions. But I have started to eat healthier a few weeks ago. Sometimes I get in a hurry and end up ordering what I call quickie food. And almost none of it is healthy for anyone.
4I am doing a whole series of posts on this over the next week as I have a lot to be resolute about in the kitchen in '09! Here's the short version, all starting with Rs because I am being too cute by half:
51. Resourcefulness - using up the weird ingredients I bought over the past year.
2. Repetition - stop being seduced by the novelty of new recipes and get good at a select few by doing them a lot.
3. Research - learn more about the science of cooking.
4. Restraint - stop doing these giant cooking projects and focus on one thing at a time.
5. Readiness - help myself stick to health eating by having stuff made in advance.
6. Reward - keep practicing my ice cream making skillz!
I'd like to start using more exotic ingredients, and I need to learn how to cook healthy food that my husband and children will actually eat!
6Make one new recipe a week. I did this last year and now have a whole new list of favorite recipes!
71. Eat more whole grains and less "bad fats".
2. Bake more cookies to send in care packages to relatives away at college and working abroad.
I might have to work a second job to pay for the postage. LOL 
8More of the same.
9Karelynn, you can do it and find yummy stuff you'll adapt to. Nigella Lawson's mother is celiac and she has some great stuff in her recipe collection. I love her Clementine Cake. I have ubiquitous food allergies and have had to do adjust, but it gets easy over time.
My food goal this year is to tackle Bouillabaisse. My husband has wanted it every year for his birthday but picks something else closer to the date. This may be the year.
10My boyfriend and I have a growing list that includes making gumbo, chocolate mousse, and brining a turkey. We decided that we want to cook more and eat out less.
11Karelynn - I don't know how much you use a slow cooker, but crockpot365.blogspot.com is almost completely gluten free recipes since the author's daughter has Celiac.
12Learn to make more Japanese dishes.
13Actually get my butt to local produce market instead of just thinking about it every now and then.
Cut back on the dairy.
I want to pre-cook and can some basics. Spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, salsa, jams/jellies, beef/chicken/veg stock etc. I also have a two-pound bag of semolina that is begging to be made into pasta.
I want to try recipes and not always make dinner up as I go along.
I want to actually go to the local farmer's market instead of just thinking about it every week.
14To start using my kitchen more. I love to cook, but cooking for one is such a pain in the rear. So this year, I resolve to find more 'for one or two' recipies to start cooking at home. Plus, I'll be healthier for it too!
15Heres mine: To actually hand make every meal.
No more frozens!!!
Its so hard to live alone and cook meals for one (for dinner, mostly, i make my breakfast and lunch.) If i cook an actually dinner i make too much and i HATE being wasteful like that, so i usually make whole wheat pasta or mac and cheese... i'm 20, so its ok, right?... haha
16Invest in some better equipment of my own since the ex kept our kitchen. Poo head
17To lose weight. Which means I should eat less. So I guess I have to stop eating random junk and just the good stuff.
18I definetely want to get away from recipes and start creating my own dishes. That'll be quite hard since there are so many fun and tasty recipes out there, but I'll sure try. Oh, and be more resourceful with my money when grocery shopping :]
19make more then half of what i eat vegan
20how can i start gluten-free diet
21My resolution is to try a lot more new dishes when I cook. Lately, I've been rotating the same things over and over again. Now that I have a new mixer and a subscription to Bon Appetit, I'm dying to try out a few new dishes for my husband. Oh, and I also want to plant an herb garden this spring...I really want fresh herbs to use!
221) hunt and kill my own game and prepare it myself.
232) eat more local foods
3) not to eat one block of ramen in 2009
1- Eat mostly local/seasonal/sustainable foods
2- Learn to love meat/poultry/seafood again (11 years as a vegetarian is a loooong time,lol)
3- Cook more and eat out waaay less
4-Invest more time and money into healthier foods (no more frozen nuke-em meals and definitely NO MORE skimping on cheap food but splurging on new shoes I don't need but really want).
Oh, and CaterpillarGirl...I'm oddly on board with the whole hunt my own food thing (mostly after reading omnivore's dilemma)
24Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.