Owning the goal
Annie & Alison Newsletter #5
When this project began in late January, I knew I had one goal that felt too risky to announce: to make all 225 recipes in just 365 days.
I was afraid to say it because I was worried I’d let myself down if I didn’t meet the goal. Not to mention feel somewhat embarrassed. I currently have the capacity and energy to be cooking and writing every day. But what if that changes? After a lot of thought, I’ve come to the conclusion that to not put this goal out in the open would be silly, and ultimately I would disappoint myself more for caving to worry about the future. No good thing was ever faced without any doubt at all, right? Good stuff is made when passion and risk shake hands, right? I think so.
From now on, I’ll keep you all, dear subscribers, updated with how many recipes I’ve cooked, and how many are left to go. A weekly tracker. (I’ve also started placing these stats at the bottom of each recipe entry on the blog.)
Alright, with that housekeeping note out of the way, here’s this week’s reviewed recipe round-up:
Olive Oil Fried Lentils with Cherry Tomatoes and a Chile-Fried Egg
Pot of Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Chorizo Breadcrumbs
During this week of cooking…
I learned… that harissa packs the perfect amount of heat, that I need to have looser pie-jiggle standards, that splattered tomato paste on one’s face can really sting, and that frying lentils is superior to all other lentil-cooking methods. In other words, I learned a LOT this week.
I listened to… The Paper Kites’ new album, “Roses.” This is probably their slowest, most introspective album yet. It’s not my favorite one, but I still love it. My top Paper Kites albums are probably “Twelvefour” and “On the Corner Where You Live.” I walked down the aisle to their song, “Bloom.” I’ll go right out and say that I love melancholy music. The kind that makes you remember to breathe deeply and reflect on your life. I’ve loved it since I was in middle school and had my first iTunes account. The music indulged my teenage moodiness, and now I just find it comforting. Other melancholy music favorites include Novo Amor, Ben Howard, Norah Jones, and Bon Iver. My friends give me flack for this. But just because I listen to sad music doesn’t mean I’m sad! (And for the record, it’s okay to be sad.)
I read… kenpom.com, sportingnews.com, epsn.com, sportsillustrated.com, etc. That’s right, it’s March Madness, baby! I’m in two pools, the rewards of which are pie, an ice cream sundae, a trophy, and plenty of pride. Yesterday’s Ohio St. and Purdue losses will sting. But I’ve got Illinois winning it all — so far, so good.
Have a wonderful week ahead.
xo,
Annie
