You Have a New Memory [About Bagels]
"You Have a New Memory" is probably the eeriest official notification to receive on your iPhone, yeah? You think Apple could have phrased it in a way that doesn't connote they're in your head and heart managing the things you can and can't remember, but then again, maybe that's exactly what they're trying to aggressively message. In any case, my phone flashed one of these unsettling notifications a few days ago and generated a whole sentimental photo montage marking the fourth anniversary of the first time I baked bagels, complete with sweet kitchen pitbull. Goddamnit OK, you got me, iPhone.
(while I kept the photos in the order my iphone decided I should remember them, I did take the liberty to change the music from the default "Sentimental" to "Epic")
I forgot until now how scrappy and overproofed (though still delicious!) that first batch was. I also forgot about that short-lived brunette me (never again). But while I've been relatively quiet for a long while, I haven't forgotten this project! 2016 and 2017 were pretty formative years for me, and I actually can make the argument that starting this project helped me find a sense of self, helped me make decisions for myself, and somehow led me four years later to living in Seattle. It may be a little Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon-y but I should probably make a chart sometime...
Anyway, howdy, hi, hello! I'm still living in Seattle, I still hate gray and cold and I complain about it maybe a little bit too much, but life [and my hair] are leagues brighter since I last wrote on here. I'm baking for fun, I love my job, I have some lovely people in my life, I have a new sourdough starter, and I'm feeling good about 2020.
Planning to post more this year, I think the key is fighting the precious overplanner in me and hash out quick posts and pictures more often. Of course, I'll also stay true to my type-a bulletpoint-loving self too... so, with that, I'll close out here with a list I scribbled this morning of food resolutions for the season. FOOD RESOLUTIONS FOR WINTER 2020, IN NO ORDER
Roast leeks. Make something with leeks. God leeks are so good. I keep eyeing this tart.
Avoid food waste, freeze things when possible. I'll be away from my apartment for most of this week, so feeling like a real champion after packing up a bunch of lacinato kale into my freezer for some future soup or pesto making. Oh and by the way, it wasn't until 2018 that I learned it's LACINATO and not LACINTO. This development was almost as shocking as learning there's two Rs in TURMERIC.
Take off eye makeup every goddamn night (ok this isn't food related but it bears repeating in my 30-something life, so I'm just gonna publicly shame myself about this)
Try a totally different New York style bagel recipe than my usual go-to.
Make Montreal style bagels. Please don't yell at me about this.
Try more flours. Bite the bullet and buy some fancy locally grown and milled stuff.
Unapologetically eat full fat yogurt and fuck 90s low-fat/low-cal diet culture for making this still be an anxiety you have to talk yourself through.
Successfully keep my newly gifted starter alive.
Make something else with my starter other than sourdough bread.
Make sourdough bagels again (this doesn't count as the "something else").
Make a savory bagel that is not an everything, poppy seed, sesame, sea salt, or plain.
Read three cookbooks cover to cover.
Organize my kitchen in a way that ... has an actual organization system. - OK, knowing myself this is overambitious for one season, organize *a* thing in my kitchen. - Setup my spices in one easy to access place. There we go.
Host at least one dinner for friends (maybe that leek tart can be involved?).
Happy New Year <3!
