I don’t do the resolution thing. I’ve found in the past that they are simply a way for people to make themselves look good to friends and family, but in the end it’s all empty promises. If you’re going to make a commitment you should stick to it. And who says you can only resolve to start or change something on January 1st. that’s why rather than make some cooking resolutions, I’m just going to try and make adjustments. I’ll try to make sushi at some point at home, a task I’ve only done on a few occasions to the horror of my eyes. I’m certain I’ll be throwing out some new recipes that get away from my safe fare of meats and pan sauces.

But it’s bread that I look to tackle in 2009. Not just bread, although that’ll be a big portion of my baking movement. I simply have to bake more. Let me get this out so we’re clear: I hate baking. I hate measuring and weighing out ingredients, tossing them together and then praying it all works out. Despite my success with cookies and cupcakes in recent months I still despise the process of baking. The problem is I hate being told what to do, and with baking you should strongly consider listening to the rules and instructions. If I could bake bread by just throwing things in until it looked about right and tasted how I want I’d be fine. But baking is a scientific process that takes far longer to improvise on.

With that said I think homemade bread is going to become a staple in the house. I’ll of course rely on the No Knead recipe everyone is so fond of. But I also plan to tackle other styles of bread. I hear people like banana bread, and you can put nuts in it. I have a fondness for nuts. Tarts, cakes, pastries, and at some point I absolutely must make homemade pastry dough. This isn’t a resolution to bake more, I’ll just consider it an option from time to time. Perhaps this time next year I’ll be a baking freak, walking around with flour dusted all over my clothes and an apartment that smells warm and inviting.