Circling back to resolutions/goals before we get too far into January. I rarely sit down and read books. Occasionally I wish I read more books but I have just accepted it’s not something I really enjoy. My attention span is short and my brain processes words *differently* causing me to have to reread things two or three times before I fully retain what I just read.
If I am going to read something from start to finish it has to be in short format. Newsletters, essays, or short articles. Cookbooks with short excerpts I am into. Books of poems even! On a weekly basis, I actually read a lot, just never from long traditional books.
Along with a few cookbooks, I received Crying In H Mart for Christmas. I listened to Michelle Zauner on podcasts, watched everyone rave about it on social media this year, and I want to read it! Last Sunday I read the first (very short) chapter and then dozed off on the couch. When I went to place it in my nightstand, to revisit later in bed, I had nowhere to put it…because there were three half-read books in there. Then when I went to move those half-read books out of the way and onto the bookshelf, I found more half-read books. A number so ridiculously high I’m not going to share it.
Apparently, this is a thing I do. I start books, get into them, and then abandon them and never return to finish them.
So here is another goal I’m setting for 2021: finish all of the books I have started that are waiting for me on the bookshelf. Then I will read, and finish, Crying In H Mart.
I am happy to share I already finished one book this week! It only had 50 pages left and I finished it in one quick sitting but it was nice to finish it.
The other thing I have been doing, and want to continue doing, is reading cookbooks. Really reading the writing in addition to the recipes. As someone who wants to write a cookbook, I have become fascinated with the structure of them, the different types of cookbooks, and of course the recipes. It’s really interesting when you study how a cookbook is put together. I have quickly learned what style I like and what I definitely do not like. You can feel when there is a lot of personality in a cookbook and when it is more of a simple manual for cooking. Try it out! Read a cookbook from start to finish instead of just making a recipe. I think you will enjoy it too.
✨ICYMI✨
I made Baked Penne this week (just for fun no recipe yet) and made a fun Reel. Watch it, here.
I love ACID! Two acids are better than one and sometimes three acids are better than two. Here is a simple salad dressing I make often:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
1 garlic clove, grated
1 shallot, minced
2ish teaspoons dijon mustard
1/4 cup avocado oil or any neutral oil
1/4 cup good olive oil
Pinch of salt and a few cracks of pepper
In a jar and shake!
The subtle treachery of 'Emily in Paris' *Love Haley Nahman
This $22 microphone that plugs into your iPhone. I use it for all my voice overs and Ollie loves to chew the cord. I just ordered my third one…
The queen of bed washing day, everyone’s favorite, our cross-eyed beauty…
Thanks for reading! I’m leaving you guys with a question today:
What’s your all time favorite cookbook?!
Talk to you next Sunday! M
Too many faves over the decades to choose just one, but most recently it's Salt Fat Acid Heat.
Crabtree & Evelyn Cookbook: A Book of Light Meals and Small Feasts