Nudged: Spend 15 mins./day going through recipe books

A year or so ago (okay, early-pandemic), I set myself up with a project to go through all of my recipes–books, cards, clippings, scribbled notes on napkins–and get them organized.

I’m still working on it.

So, this week, I’m going to set aside time every day to work on this. This Nudge is part decluttering, but it’s also a big part inspiration, as I hope I will find the energy to try a few new tricks in the kitchen and/or revisit some old favorites.

What neglected project might you resume this week?

What Happened: Was gonna write “FAILED” for this Nudge, since I spent time sorting through recipes only twice this week, but Life surprised me.

I had a chance conversation with a friend while we were out walking our dogs. I told her what I was trying to do (mostly go through old cookbooks and then share them), and she said, “Don’t give them all away just yet. Let’s do something fun first.” Okay…? She suggested we partner up this, each pick a favorite cookbook, and cook or bake our way through it for a set period of time. Kind of like Julie & Julia by Julie Powell (who famously cooked her way through Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 365 days), but not that intense. (And, btw, no one will ever convince me that aspic is a good idea.) More like I’ll take a look at all the recipes I’ve tagged in a certain book and make a plan to try one, two, or three a week, maybe between now and Christmas.

And I am totally pumped!

We haven’t yet confirmed our plans, but I might know my book. Life surprised me again when I made it to the top of my library’s wait list for Nigel Slater‘s The Kitchen Diaries. Anyone who writes recipes that include things like “a thick slice” of butter “a small handful” of herbs is my kind of home cook. In this book, he cooks seasonally and writes “It is impossible to remain unmoved by the sight of the local farmers’ market at harvest time.” YES! I’m inspired to explore our local market tomorrow.

Here’s my favorite line so far, in which he describes a baked lamb: “On the face of it, the dish appears awkward, chucked together even, and in a way I suppose it is. But it is none the worse for all that, and just the sort of casual, hearty food to restore your faith in the pleasures of plain, simple eating.”

The Ah-Hahs: Just thinking about our plans to try new recipes makes me sooooooo happy. I haven’t felt this excited about a project in a long time. Cooking and baking–for myself, family, friends, neighbors–is what I love to do, and I’m looking forward to doing more of it in the next several weeks.

The other ah-hah is how much more fun things like this are when I partner with a friend. I’ve got this image in my head of us cooking together, then sitting down for a tasting meal and/or divvying up our creations in Tupperware for meals at home. I know that having a partner will keep me accountable for whatever goal we choose.

How’s all that for having my faith–and passion–restored?

Bon appetit, indeed!

P.S. Wait…did I just…? Yes, indeed. For a Nudge to clear out recipes, I actually added a few! Ha! Oh, well. The fact remains that I enjoyed myself this week by allowing myself to dig into one of my passions. Onward.