A New Year

Here’s something you need to know about me: I take New Year’s very seriously. As someone who really struggles to be “in the now” and “in the moment”, New Year’s is the time for me when there isn’t a present – there is only the year that came before and the year to come, only past and future. I can reflect on where I’ve been and where I’d like to go. This is the time when I indulge in major introspection and evaluate my life and its direction.

That said, I don’t care for resolutions. I mean, why set myself up to fail? Rather, I make a list of goals…because I’m just that anal-retentive. I’m *such* a list maker! I like a list that I can check off; it helps me feel like I accomplished something when I see a list of crossed-off things.

So after some reflection, here is the list of my current goals for 2009, as they pertain to children’s literature and food*:

- Host a dinner party. A proper one. None of this “hey, dudes, come on over!” sort of willy-nilly thing I do. But a real event. Something coordinated and planned. I want multiple courses. I want ironed table linens. I want candlelight. I want a coordinated playlist on my iPod. I want eight people – enough that I have to put the leaf in my table. Hell, I might even bake. I’m already formulating my invitation list…and you may just be on it (though you will have to trek to Queens)!

- Delve into some other international cuisine. I know, “delve into” is vague. But I can’t “master” anything…god knows I’m far from mastering anything. But I want to explore and become familiar with some other cuisine. This French…Italian…pseudo-Spanish thing I have going needs to be put on pause. It’s not so much a rut as it’s a…habit. I was thinking Indian initially, but more and more I’m thinking Latin America. I just love the flavors, particularly on these dreary cold NYC days. Any cookbook recommendations or chefs I need to be aware of?

- I want to be a little more serious in my reading. It was embarrassing talking to Betsy yesterday: I told her I hadn’t read The Underneath…or any other book in Newbery contention. She said, “Well, you’ve read Chains, right?” Um…negative. “Graveyard Book?” Yeah, no. Her eyes bugged out of her head. How embarrassing to admit that I’ve spent all my time reading foodie books, The Luxe, and Georgia Nicolson. Particularly when I have Newbery Committee aspirations. I’ve got no street cred among my peeps. Again, this goal is kind of vague…but I’ll work on it nonetheless.

- Master the soufflé. It will be mine. Oh, yes, it will be mine. Even if I have to go All The Way to Brooklyn and make Ellen teach me.

- Finish the article I’m working on for a children’s book review publication. It’s meant for a particular journal, but I don’t feel comfortable sharing that here. But I do want to submit it for publication. The key is that I have to…you know…actually write it if I expect to finish it.

- Re-read some classics. I spend so much time forging ahead with my books that I don’t often go back and revisit some books I have loved in the past. Some ideas: The Neverending Story by Michael Ende, Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (I actually hated this in high school…I’m hoping I’ll appreciate it with an adult perspective), Nothing’s Fair in Fifth Grade by Barthe DeClements (I loooooooved this as a kid – I thought it would be fun to re-read it). And for heaven's sake, I will read my first Roald Dahl book this year.

- Be more active in the blogsphere. Join Barefoot Bloggers. Or do Poetry Friday. Or go to a Slow Food NYC event. Get more involved.

- Try more foods. I will try foie gras this year; I’m ethically opposed to it, but I still want to see what the fuss is about. And I have never had a brussel sprout – must do. Haven’t had a beet either so I’m doing that this year as well.

- Continue to combine my love of food and books. In particular, plan an outing. I talked with Andrea about it…and now Molly and I have talked…and I want to get my foodie book friends together for food adventures in the city (or outside of it...road trip to wineries on Long Island, anyone?). Starting with Calexico in Brooklyn…I’ll make the trek for a mission-style burrito, especially one Andrea swears by. And I want to eat at Union Square Café since I’ve never been…and I’ll invite my foodie book friends…we’ll channel Ina Garten who says it’s her favorite restaurant in the city.

- Split a CSA box with friends this summer. Really, there is no excuse in the world why I shouldn’t.

And those are just a few of the things I want to do this year…

Eat, drink, and make the most of every year…and every moment.


* Because you don’t need to know about the other ones, like go to the dentist (you couldn’t begin to guess when my last visit occurred) or declutter my closet.

Joie de vivre and all other things French

I wrote on Fuse #8 this morning that Inga Moore’s illustrated version of The Secret Garden was the best thing to see while stuck in an office on a sunny Friday.

I was wrong.

The best thing to see is another one of Lucy Vanel’s market posts over at Lucy’s Kitchen Notebook. Today it’s La Marche de la Croix Rousse, and the photos are stunning (as usual). Lucy took a picture from the top of a hill, looking down on Lyon, and it actually makes you feel, if only for an instant, that you are in France as well. Feeling like some armchair travel today? Go visit Lucy.

This naturally fueled my fire for all things French, being a confessed Francophile. Last week, the New York Times Dining section had an interesting article, “There’ll Always Be a France, Especially in New York,” about the rebirth of old school French restaurants in NYC. For awhile it appeared that traditional French dining was dead in the city, doomed to cookie-cutter “bistros” where the same French warhorses are served year-round (steak au poivre, mussels in broth, frisée salads with lardons and poached egg, etc.). But there seems to be a resurgence of traditional, lovingly created French dishes, like cassoulet. We’ll see… My favorite part of the article, though, is when Alain Ducasse says, “[French cuisine] has never been trendy. That’s what makes it last.”

My latest issue of Bon Appètit (May 2008) is dedicated to travel, and much of that travel involves France. There’s an article, “Ten More Things We Love About France”, that lists, among other things, duck-fat fries! Did I ever post the picture of the duck-fat fries I made at home? Hmmm…I’ll find out and get back to you on that. But the best article was Molly Wizenberg’s “Cooking Life: Everyday Soufflé.” It’s a lovely article that tries to discredit the myth that soufflés are temperamental and difficult and argues that every home cook needs to have a soufflé in their repertoire. Having never tried to make a soufflé, this article completely inspired me to give it a try. I haven’t had time yet but it’s high on my list. Imagine my surprise when I called my best friend and fellow lover of all things French-related (though I speak French and she does not*) to tell her all about this soufflé thing and she nonchalantly says, “Oh, yeah. I’ve done a soufflé.” “You have?!” I asked her, incredulous. Apparently Ina Garten has a blue cheese soufflé that’s a cinch to make. Of course she does. Because Ina is not only a goddess, but the savior and inspiration for all us home cooks. Well, the home cooks I know anyway…

Last, but never least, La Tartine Gourmande has a beautifully photographed blog post up about mackerels. But since this is my French-related post, I have to point out the two phrases on her post: J’leur ai fait leur fête and J’suis cuit. I have never seen the j with the apostrophe like that before a word starting with a consonant. What is that? So I’ve written both phrases down and will have to ask my French professor next time we have class on April 28th. Unless someone can solve the mystery for me before then?

It’s such a stunningly beautiful Friday. Bon appètit, everyone!


*I only feel it necessary to point this out since she has made a soufflé and I have not.