Happy New Year! Hopefully everyone had a safe and exciting night, and is now well on the way to recovering now that it is Sunday and almost back to the work week, sadly. :( Now is about that time when everyone is mulling over their goals for the year. As for me? I’ve already put a few requisite and cliché things on my list — those are, lose weight and get back to the gym — as well as some not-so-cliché things — finish up my MBA (6 credits this Spring!), learn German and/or French (Duolingo has been simply the best; I’ve picked up quite a few things already, and also have used it to keep my Spanish fresh), and try to take a nice vacation. And then there are my Foodie Reservations, which I was really proud of myself for starting and not totally failing in 2015. It was a fun exercise in learning how to do new things in the kitchen that I think I’ll be making a tradition in some capacity each year. Here’s the final recap on how I did with my foodie reservations in 2015, and a look at what’s ahead for 2016. The Verdict for 2015 See original list here and progress recap post here. Make homemade bitters and/or cordials – Done! I made three varieties earlier last month — lavender, coffee, and lemon — using the general guidelines / recipes from The Kitchn. They have been sitting for a few weeks now, so they should be good and ready to start using soon in cocktails. I also made homemade Irish cream and a few different varieties of shrubs in December, so as far as cocktails and this goal is concerned, I’m chalking this one up to a big success. Make homemade ravioli – Failed! Just didn’t get around to doing anything for this one. Read at least two food-related non-fiction books – Failed! Already discussed how I failed this one a few months ago, and the extra time didn’t make a difference, between transitioning jobs and the general craziness of the holiday season. I’m not sure if I’d have the interest to turn this one around in 2016, so I’m going to drop it for now. Make at least five pantry raid meals and document each recipe – Failed! Had all good intentions, and certainly did a lot of cooking and freezing meals in advance, but documenting it all didn’t happen. Make all 10 drinks on Liquor.com’s list of 10 Bourbon Drinks to Try Now – Partially Completed! I give myself credit for getting through a few of this early into the year and blogging about it, too. After that, I can say that I made quite a few rye-, whiskey-, and bourbon-based cocktails as the year went on, so that must count for something… ;) Make homemade mustard – Big Success! And, in fact, I made a few different kinds of mustard this year: spicy honey mustard, cranberry mustard (my favorite of … Continue reading Foodie Reservations: The Final Verdict for 2015 and What’s Ahead for 2016 →