How Am I Doing?

It's time for a chat.

You probably remember I had a loooooong list of New Year dares up back in January. I thought this was the time to do a short recap of how I'm doing on that list, because, you know, I've had all of my summer holiday to get stuff done, there's only four short months left of the year and - maybe, just maybe, I need a literal kick in the behind to get back in gear. So:

• Do more comparative cooking and, especially, baking.

Well, it started out great! But since that fight, not much has happened. I've done quite a lot of comparative tasting, like organic vs. regular cucumbers (couldn't tell the difference, except for a slight difference in texture), and mayo (homemade wins, no doubt) , but other than that. Meh. So I can't quite cross that of my list, yet.

• Cook Osso Buco.
  

I actually did do this, quite a while back, but it just wasn't worthy of a post. That may have had a lot to do with the recipe, which I sorta winged, drawing on a couple of insprations. I absolutely lovede the gremolata thing, and I haven't given up on Osso Buco - come autumn, I'm sure I'll find an excuse to try again.

• Make pasta/to use my Kitchen Aid attachments more often

I have done pasta a couple of times, since that first encounter on New Years Eve. But the other attachments haven't been put to the good use they should. Sausages, really, c'mon Zarah!

• Enter the Indian kitchen.
  

Nope. Well, and then again, There was a probably-not-so-authetic version of Chicken Tikka Masala. Which was tasty. But I need to get my groove on, here....

• Cook Chicken Parmesan, a classic Wienerschnitzel and Cordon Bleu.

Martin's done saltimbocca a couple of times! But, no, none of these, either...

• Make puff pastry. And then bake me some fine Danish "Wienerbrød" with it.
  

Who on earth put this on the list? Who?? Geez... A no on that one, too.

• Thrash less food because it's gone bad.

This is actually going quite well better than expected. That is to say, it's become more present in my mind and thus in my everyday shopping and eating habits that I need to use some of the stuff I already have. Also, I've made lists of what I have in the freezer and cupboards that hangs on the fridge door, which helps with me knowing, at any given time, what's available (and what needs using). I update them regularly, 'cause even though I try to remember to cross things off when I use them, something always slips.

Mostly, though, this is going well, because (pat on shoulder) I've gotten better at substituting - no, you don't HAVE to buy buttermilk because you need two spoonfuls - soured milk or creme fraiche or yoghurt, that you already have in the fridge and that is very near expiration, just might do the trick- and improvising with the stuff that's already there. In fact, it's become somewhat of a sport to do a fridge clean-up cooking whenever Martin's out for the night and I just have to cook for myself.

• Find the recipe for Ranch dressing I've been looking for...

Any suggestions??

• Make stock! Vegetable, veal and chicken - and maybe fish. And actually keep some handy, throughout the year. Shall this be the year of the death of Touch of Taste? (a liquid stock thing)

Well, it has been the death of Touch of Taste (read: I'm substituting water and wine), but I haven't quite, shall we say, kept stock handy. There is a small stash of chicken stock in the freezer as I write, and this is one thing I am adamant about. Besides, chicken salad is gooooood!

• Cook fish, at least once a week.
  
  
  
  

Wo-hoo, one thing that's actually going well!! We've had tons and tons of fish and shellfish, and we're enjoying it, too. Sometimes, they're classics, other times, we're doing new and adventurous recipes - it's all good.

• I'll try not to buy any cookbooks.

I thought this was going to be the hardest one of them all. Seriously. I've bought at least 10 cookbooks a year for the last 5-6 years. And even though my Amazon Wishlists are ready to burst at the seams, I haven't bought a. Single. One. Yes, I've been blessed with three (all courtesy of Mom - Mom, I love you!)

Two Danish ones: Noma, from the restaurant, which is gorgeous, but has totally inaccesible recipes (for an everyday meal, anyways) and FISK by Nikolaj Kirk, our version of Jamie Oliver, only better (Take THAT, J.O!) Fisk means, as you probably guessed, fish, so this one has come in quite handy.

Also, I got Heston Blumenthal's In Search of Perfection. I like it, but it was more of a nice read than anything I suspect I'll ever cook anything from. But time will show.

That's it. I'm so proud of me. Yes, there are still three cooking magazine subscriptions (gastro, a Danish one, and Gourmet and Saveur) and I love them for the thrill of them dropping in my mail box ever so often. They probably make the longing for real cookbooks easier to resist. I've also re-discovered the library - did you know they actually have pretty cookbooks there, and they let you have them for a month, and you don't even have to PAY for it?? Amazing, that.

What we have been doing with regards to cookbooks, is putting the ones I (we) already have to good use. Like, we've been using them. Like, we've cooked recipes, straight out of the books, only using our good judgement to adjust etc. Every Sunday, we picked out three cookbooks, then picked a recipe from each, and cooked it during the following week. It's brought us lovely treats such as Thai fishcakes, croquetas and pappardelle with scallops. The project has been on the backburner over the summer, but we're counting on getting in back in gear, now that I'm starting school again.

So that's how I'm doing - how are you doin'?