The One Where I Talk About Stuff

Hi there.

Thank you for your warm response regarding my last post. I’m so keen on the topic of getting to know your food, it’s great to hear you found the post interesting and (hopefully) useful, encouraging. That’s the goal, to get the dialogue going. So thank you for listening and responding!

Ben and I have been gallivanting across South-Eastern Tasmania this past week. We're having a rocking time. There’s been cider and cherries and oysters and hiking. As well as beach days requiring eager evening application of coconut butter, and then more cider as we cook local produce barefoot in our accommodation. It’s finally beginning to feel like the Australian Summers I grew up loving. Sandy toes, salty skin and the smell of fish and chips...

While hiking the mountains and cliffs we've had some solid life discussions. It’s a new year, after all. And while I’m not a fan of setting big resolutions, I do appreciate the opportunity to reflect and redirect. Ben and I announced some goals for this coming year, both professional and personal. And then I journalled our gems and he took notes on his iphone.

Since my personal goals largely relate to food, I thought I’d share them with you today (as I did a few years ago). Some intentions for 2014... They start off quite momentous and then appear to teeter out to trivial but do not be fooled, friends, I place true importance on things like cinnamon rolls and indeed I deem them worthy of a place on my 2014 intentions list.

1. Continue to see every meal as an opportunity to try something exciting in the kitchen. During the second half of last year, I tried my best to not get stuck into a rut, especially with week-night meals. And we’ve never eaten so well, consistently. I’d like to keep this up. Even something as small as a new vinaigrette for a salad, throw some capers in there and mix things up.

2. Challenge myself and my food consumption habits with my intention to continue to find local producers who I can fully support.

3. Be the best granddaughter, daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, aunty, wife, friend, food counselor to my clients I can.

4. Throw an Easter party with our families. We will use our spit and make lamb. It will be amazing.

5. Make a cherry pie before the season is out. On the topic of pie, keep that shiz up. There’s always an excuse for pie.

6. Continue on my homemade ice-cream path. Next up will a berry gelato and something with nuts (almonds? Pistachio nuts?).

7. Practice yoga once a week. I’m new to this yoga life and just adore my solo sessions at home along online videos. In my mind I'm also very good at it and look incredibly elegant in all poses. There are no mirrors in my lounge room, however.

8. Read in bed. Every night. I love to read (and doing so before bed helps me to sleep better) but I struggle to get started. It’s so easy to reach for the computer and watch something on abc iview…No more! Every week night I will read at least 3 pages. It sounds small but I don’t like to set myself up for failure, 3 pages is achievable even when I'm tired. Oh and this ties in with the book club my friends and I are starting. First up is Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food. Guess who picked that one?…

9. Find some more hiking trails near my home.

10. Perfect my spaghetti aglio e olio skills.

11. Make brioche. Since admiring Leah’s brioche skills I have been super excited to make it myself. I see jolly brioche brunching in my future and it's exciting.

12. Increase the frequency with which I make cinnamon buns. I adore these soft beauties but they take time to prepare and rise and I tend to revert to familiar breakfast goods such as pancakes. But a homemade cinnamon bun is a beautiful, irreplaceable thing. These are going on the Easter breakfast menu.

13. Try not to get addicted to coffee. Based on my consumption in 2013 I don’t see this ending well...

14. Find the perfect croissant in Melbourne. Since returning from France and even San Francisco, I have not been able to eat a croissant with untaimed glee. I have sampled some but after a few bites have dramatically cast them aside, chastising them for not living up to my buttery flaky crescent dreams *sigh*. Please, dear readers, baseball pitch your croissant recommendations my way. I need them in my life.

Phew! Such wordy posts these past couple of weeks. I promise to return with recipes and frivolity.

Heidi xo