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I'm not all that inclined towards making New Year's Resolutions, mostly because I'm forever resolving to do things (and fairly often succeeding), and it seems silly to dignify a particular set of resolutions with more than usual importance by making them on New Year's Day.
However, I did want to note some distinct progress on a non-New Year's resolution that I've had for a little while now, which is to cook more new recipes. I've been cooking just as often as usual these past few months, but had fallen into a bit of a rut of tending to make the same dozen reliable recipes over and over. (Or in some cases non-recipes: I'm not sure if "Stir Fried Random" and "Clean-Out-The-Crisper Veggie Soup" can truly be said to be recipes.) So, I'm making a bit of an effort to try new things and break out of the rut. As is often the case, experimenting with a new cooking technique seems to get the juices flowing. On Sunday, I braised flank steak to make Ropa Vieja. This evening, I've got a pot of lamb shanks on the stove. If I can keep this up, I'll have braised my way through an entire barnyard by spring. (If the lamb turns out well, I'll post the recipe. I can already say that it makes the house smell divine.)
Another semi-resolution inspired by my recent reading is that I'd really like to see some Elizabethan or Jacobean plays this year. It's been a few years since I've gotten out to see some Shakespeare. I'd really like to see something by Middleton or Jonson, or Marlowe, but such performances are undoubtedly rarer.
My other current ongoing resolution is to clean up my desk. This is proceeding in fits and starts. More fits than starts, alas.
However, I did want to note some distinct progress on a non-New Year's resolution that I've had for a little while now, which is to cook more new recipes. I've been cooking just as often as usual these past few months, but had fallen into a bit of a rut of tending to make the same dozen reliable recipes over and over. (Or in some cases non-recipes: I'm not sure if "Stir Fried Random" and "Clean-Out-The-Crisper Veggie Soup" can truly be said to be recipes.) So, I'm making a bit of an effort to try new things and break out of the rut. As is often the case, experimenting with a new cooking technique seems to get the juices flowing. On Sunday, I braised flank steak to make Ropa Vieja. This evening, I've got a pot of lamb shanks on the stove. If I can keep this up, I'll have braised my way through an entire barnyard by spring. (If the lamb turns out well, I'll post the recipe. I can already say that it makes the house smell divine.)
Another semi-resolution inspired by my recent reading is that I'd really like to see some Elizabethan or Jacobean plays this year. It's been a few years since I've gotten out to see some Shakespeare. I'd really like to see something by Middleton or Jonson, or Marlowe, but such performances are undoubtedly rarer.
My other current ongoing resolution is to clean up my desk. This is proceeding in fits and starts. More fits than starts, alas.
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