Foodie Resolutions of 2011

After reading Sally's foodie resolutions for 2011, I was inspired to create my own list and after some thinking, here it is below!

1- To conquer pie-making!

I've had numerous attempts at making pies and tarts but for some reason, they NEVER turn out right. Either it breaks in half when I remove it from the pan or the filling is just not right or something! I remember I made a lemon meringue pie once and forgot to add the milk to the lemon filling.... I only realized once I bit into the pie and cringed because of how sour it was.

2- To experiment in cooking foods from different cultures.

I want to move away from my comfort zone of Italian and stir-fry. I love cooking Moroccan and Indian food, so I'd definitely want to do a lot more of those as well as more regional dishes like Persian, Turkish, and Lebanese.

3- To improve my foodie writing skills.

One thing I need for this is to make time. And I somehow need to get a foodie muse. The imagination is there but just needs to be tapped!

4- To take better photographs!

I share this resolution with Sally. I think it's high time I experiment more with my camera and try different layouts and exposures.

5- To do lots of amazing things with Famished in Arabia!

6- To branch out into using more exotic ingredients and to find little-known-0f ingredients in the GCC.

7- To be able to invent dishes and to minimize my reliance on recipes!

One cooking show I'd love to watch was called "Chef at Home" where this guy would open his pantry and cabinets and pick out whatever ingredients he'd feel like using and he'd just make something amazing right there and then. I've invented a few of dishes of my own but I always think it's a lot easier inventing a savoury or main course dish than it is with inventing something related to baking. So I'd definitely love to make my own cake recipe from scratch. I can imagine very interesting mornings in the kitchen in lieu of this...

8- To go vegetarian. Yes, I'm serious.