I'm not a big fan of resolutions traditionally (usually too vague and easily forgotten), but I've found checklists for specific tasks are a great way to keep myself on track throughout the year. Thus I thought it might be fun to share with you just
a few of the food and blog-related items on my to-do list for this year. Consider it a little peek at what's coming up on
6 Bittersweets =). Plus
I hope it'll encourage you to make and share some of your own foodie goals for 2012!
1.
Make my first: multiple-tiered cake,
fondant-covered cake, batch of
homemade doughnuts,
poppyseed strudel, French
macaron tower, and
choux pastry.
2.
Make a Black Russian (Kahlua vodka chocolate) cake from scratch that's every bit as decadently satisfying as the popular version using store-bought cake and pudding mixes CHECK -- see the post
HERE!
3. Decorate a cake with
gumpaste quilling à la
My Sweet and Saucy
4.
Use my new silicone mold-making kit and edible image-capable printer (awesome gifts from P and his family) to make fun decorations for cakes and cupcakes
5.
Try this unique and scrumptious-sounding cobbler with cherry tomatoes and caramelized onions The season's passed, so I've put this off until 2013...still excited though!
6. Share
more healthy and/or savory recipes on this blog
7. Learn to apply the
brush embroidery technique with royal icing à la the cookies below by Etsy seller
Sweet Ambs
8.
Upgrade my camera to a Canon 50D (my friend who'd agreed to sell his 50D to me changed his mind, so I'll need to save up a bit longer for this) and
expand my photography horizons beyond food/parties
9. Decorate a cake or cupcakes with
French macarons à la the ones below by
Cupcakes Couture of Manhattan Beach
10.
Come up with a reeeeally good tricksy recipe for April Fools Day O;-) Oops -- I ended up too busy to bake this April, but I've got some great ideas for 2013, I promise!
11. Recreate
Laduree's incredible
Orange Blossom French macarons at home
12. Convince as many people as possible of
how awesome the BBC show Sherlock is (FYI, season 1 is on Netflix Instant!) and of
how incredibly talented the actors Benedict Cumberbatch (photo collage top) and Michael Fassbender (photo collage bottom) are! (Yep, I know...not even a tiny bit related to baking or this blog but I regret nothing =D)
Oh and just a bonus tidbit of Sherlock candy...try not to swoon ;p
I think I'm going to check when Sherlock comes on. As for the rest WOW WOW WOW!!!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see your creations Xiaolu! Wishing you all the best this year!
You are really into Sherlock :>
ReplyDeleteCongrats with all the goals! You are super talented so I am sure you can do it
Everything looks delicious including the guests for 12th! :)
ReplyDeleteI am sure you will get all those checked out of your list! I hope I was close so that I could order a multi-layered cake from you for my birthday in April :)
I just want to improve the photography on my site, find more time to practice my writing and cook more. I think I will keep doing one post a week since my work schedule only allows that without killing myself, but still want cook more and have more people over.
And, want to follow the blogs I love more religiously and leave comments promptly! Such as yours! :)
wow..oh..wow!! amazing goals! And do I even need to say that I LOVE your creations and can't wait to see all this in action! I am writing my post about my goals as well..will be up by the end of the week. But I surely do have a long list!
ReplyDeleteLove #10 & #12. i like ur taste in men :) you have very ambitious goals. not to say you cant achieve them but im hesitant to share mine. :( hehe. mine is simply to go back and comment on recipes ive tried. too many great recipes out there without any feedback. excellent post idea and pics.
ReplyDeletebe consistent with posts would be my goal for 2012 and I do share one more of yours Upgrade my camera to a Canon 50D and expand my photography horizons beyond food/parties
ReplyDeletegreat list for 2012 , will be watching this space to see some gorgeous creations HYN Xiaolu !!
Ooooh the quilling is fantastic! I also can't wait to see you make Laduree's orange blossom macarons.
ReplyDeleteI'm so jealous of your silicone molds! They sound like soooo much fun. :D (You should sell the things you make out of them on Etsy!)
ReplyDeleteAlso, I want to try the quilling, too. It's so pretty.
oh my god all those goals would be for 2020 for me. But for you, I'm sure you going to achieve it all and beyond. Best of luck
ReplyDeleteLove
A great list! Fassbender is a great actor, but I have not yet seen Sherlock...
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Rosa
Thanks for ideas!
ReplyDeleteJulia
Good luck with your commitments for 2012! All sounds great and incredible! :)
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with the last unrelated point! (Must find Sherlock's season 1!)
Love this!!
ReplyDelete#2-7 sounds like some things I want to do :)
ReplyDeleteI am sure all these goals will be achieved .. you are one talented lady :)
ReplyDeleteAs for that show .. never heard of it but you convinced me ;)
WOW! That is an incredibly ambitious list! You remind me of my old young self - or my daughter - and we always accomplished our goals. I don't make ones like this anymore as time rushes by me too too fast. Can't wait to see you Make It Happen!
ReplyDelete:)
V
Great post, Xiaolu! Happy New Year & I hope you are able to meet all your goals, especially the last one ;) I will check out Sherlock soon! I've been away from blogging for a while now and can't wait to catch up on all the posts I've missed! :)
ReplyDeletexialou:
ReplyDeleteI think "The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle" has some cookies like this (??).
She may even have a tutorial.
If she doesn't she will know who does.
Her cookies are simply awesome.
Charlie
@CharlesR - Thanks very much! I actually have found tutorials for the method already. Simply gotta make the time to test it out :).
ReplyDeleteXialou: I'm try to wrap my head around these silicone molding clay.
ReplyDeleteCan you explain it more. (I read the write up).
Thank you
Charlie
No problem, Charlie. The kit comes with 2 silicone putties. If you knead together equal amounts of each, this activates the setting of the silicone. If you quickly press an object (such as a jeweled brooch) into the combined silicone putty and leave it there a little over an hour, the silicone will become firm to the shape of the brooch. You can then remove the real brooch, and use the silicone mold to make chocolates or gumpaste cake decorations in the same shape as the brooch. I hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteahaha sometimes i don't even know why I bother making resolutions. i forget about them right after anyway !
ReplyDeleteyou have a great list going on though! i can't wait to see what you come up with!
im most excited for the layered cake dressed in fondant! you should combine that with your gumpaste resolution and make a fabulously decorated cake :)
Thanks Xialou!
ReplyDeleteCharlie
Xialou- we have similar taste! I was just checking Netflix the other day to see if there were any new episodes of Sherlock. Come on Netflix, I need a fix already! That little clip you posted cracked me up!
ReplyDeleteI looooove the series on BBC.I am such a huge fan of both the people that you have in
ReplyDeletethe collage.
The first episode was such a fantastic one. I saw it twice..
You can do it! You can do it! And I'll be reading your posts about them, right? Happy 2012!
ReplyDeleteHappy new year Xiaolu! I know you will achieve all of your goals this year! Most of them look so difficult to make for me but I know you will surprise us. Mine is just simple resolution to live healthier life. Very vague and not so details. =P
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute guy - I should check out Nexflix!
This round up of resolutions is epic - I want to read and eat all of them (including the men, haha!). But seriously, looking forward to reading your posts - hopefully you'll share some more brilliant tips. Here's to an amazing 2012, happy new year!
ReplyDeletei agree with the savory part, i want to see more of those ;-) oh didn't know there's a new version of sherlock...i like the old one though. good luck with all your goals !
ReplyDeleteI just recently watched Shrlock and I love it!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to seeing you complete these delicious challenges!
ReplyDelete