From G's to Chefs - Taking Stock

I came by blogging in a rather roundabout way.  It all started about four years ago when Stacia heard about David Bach’s finance book Smart Couples Finish Rich, and decided we should read it.  We did, and we became interested in getting a better hold of our money.  That led to different books, a mini seminar at the bank, and eventually, personal finance blogs.  We followed these religiously for a few years until we both simultaneously but separately decided we’d heard it all, had absorbed some good money habits and would move on.  I started my own blog about nothing, added cooking later on, and have been pretty happy since.

But there was one thing that I liked a lot from the personal finance realm, and the season makes it even more pertinent – the new year’s goal.  PF bloggers are quick to point out that these are different from the commoners’ resolutions, in that they have actual measurable targets rather than obscure and often unattainable desires.  Whatever you call them, and as cliché as it is to start them on January 1^st, I thought I’d try my hand at making some goals this year.  Unfortunately, that also means you’re going to have to read about them.

Before I launch into what I want to achieve this year, let’s look back at last year to see what progress I’ve already made.  2009 was the first year of this blog, which I started in the hopes that I would someday become a creative writer.  I flailed at that, struggled to come up with post topics, until I realized that for me, writing was a secondary pursuit to cooking.  Once I started writing about cooking, it seemed I could churn out a post for every meal if I wanted to, and I never really looked back.  It surprises me to look at where I am, knowing what I want to do, and realize that it was only earlier this year that I even settled on cooking as a hobby, or more accurately a passion.

Other highlights of the year lie in a similar vein to that discovery.  I learned about sustainable food and put a new focus on shopping at the Des Moines Farmer’s Market.  I threw out my old inhibitions and found that there were many new dishes that I liked, from chicken curry to snails (deserving of their own post, which may be forthcoming).  I held back my initial squeamishness and learned new techniques, starting with such simple things as handling raw meat, and ending up cleaning sardines for a dinner.  At the end of the year, I don’t feel like much of an expert, but I look back at all that was new to me in the past year, and I can’t help but be a little proud.

New really is the key word in that last paragraph.  As I transitioned from prepared-food fan to Stacia’s sous chef to someone who actually might know a thing or two about cooking, each step required taking a deep breath, and trying something new.  And with so much more to learn, I plan to head into 2010 with the overarching goal to surround myself with as much new information or instruction as possible.  People often say the first step is the hardest, and maybe it was, but without taking other steps after it, you aren’t likely to get anywhere.  So here, finally, are the specifics of my goals for the year.

1)      Keep up the meal plan – Ok, this one isn’t new, but it is revised.  At the end of each week, I make a plan for the following week’s dinners, consisting of one each of: red meat, white meat, seafood (alternating oily and non-oily), vegetarian, and one wild-card from any one of the categories.  The rest is made up of leftovers, dining out, and occasional quick and easy prepared food.  In 2010 I plan to make a point to do this every week.

2)      Gain exposure to other new ideas – I’ve written before about my mixed feelings on dining out, but recent events have pushed me a bit toward the positive side.  The Des Moines Register put out a list of the top 100 restaurants in town, and I couldn’t check off more than a handful that I’d been to.  If these top chefs in town have new ideas or preparations that could inspire me, I should give them a try.  In 2010, I want to dine at one or more of the restaurants from that list each month.

3)      Learn new techniques – This is really the most important.  In Des Moines, the Kitchen Collage downtown and the Williams-Sonoma at the mall both offer periodic technique classes.  I took a knife skills course at Kitchen Collage and learned more about cutting and chopping than I had from any other source.  And the Williams-Sonoma ones are free!  If I work on knowing essential techniques, I am sure to become a better cook.  In 2010 I will keep abreast of the class calendars and go to as many offerings as possible.

4)      Learn to make something right – I know how to follow a recipe, and I know a few basic techniques.  But what separates me from a real cook is my inability to craft my own recipe-less meals.  Getting there requires a lot of experience, and probably just giving it a try.  But my plan to become less apprehensive about it is to choose one dish that I will research, find recipes for, find their common threads, and really learn how to make it from scratch.  In 2010 I want to do this for one “classic” dish per month.

That’s all I have formally for right now.  There could certainly be late additions, and if you have any suggestions, I’d be open to hearing them.  Naturally, I also plan to try new recipes at home and new menu items out as much as possible, but that’s more a mindset than a definitive goal.  Overall, I think these goals are manageable, and if I manage to achieve them consistently, I may be able to learn even more this year than I did last.  They are big plans, but they are exciting to me, and I can’t help but feel curious about what I’ll post next year at this time, as I keep moving forward.