Magnolia Bakery, New York City
2009 was a pretty big year for me. It was the year I started a blog, learned how to use my fancy schmancy camera and took my love of baking from casual hobby to serious obsession. I probably spent 5% of my salary on butter, but it was worth it because I had a whole lot of fun.
January
This little blog started! I hadn't found my writing voice yet, my HTML skills were elementary (OK, they still are), I had the fancy camera but no clue how to use it properly. But I knew I was having a blast. This brownie puddle tart from Rose Levy Beranbaum was one of the first half-decent photos I showed here as well as being one of my favourite desserts. I urge you to add it to your 'baking resolutions' list for 2010!
February
February brought a snow day which shut down the whole of London! It also brought this favourite coconut cake of mine and Edward's, with which we celebrated his 30th birthday in juvenile style.
March
In March, after reading about the process at Chocolate & Zucchini, I used a bottle of vodka that had been sitting in our cupboard unopened for over a year to make my own vanilla extract. Cheap and easy (note to self: this would make a great edible gift for a food lover next Christmas), this is probably one of simplest but most satisfying things I made this year.
April
April is the best month of the year. After all, none other than yours truly brought sunshine to its rainy days when she blessed the world with her presence nearly 30 years ago! But my baking highlight for this month actually came a week after my birthday when I had a crack at making my own pizza dough, something my sister had been doing for months. Now this Mark Bittman recipe has become a staple in our house.
May
May was filled with holidays, to Suffolk and New York City. The culinary high point was visiting my cousins' uber cute and stylish kitchen store in the Williamsburg neighbourhood of Brooklyn, Whisk. I also got a huge number of visits to this post about my version of Clinton Street Bakery's blueberry pancakes, after they were featured on Throwdown! with Bobby Flay. It's still my most popular post by a mile.
June
Weatherwise, June in England was glorious. (It was all downhill from there.) For me there is no better summer drink than refreshing elderflower cordial, and this year I managed to raid a tree near my house and make my own. It's so simple, I can't wait to do it again this summer.
July
By July summer was officially gone but we still had to keep up the pretence, right? I loved the colours in this blueberry frozen yogurt. I think it's one of the prettiest desserts I've ever made.
August
In August I launched my shortlived but impassioned one-woman campaign to encourage everyone to bake by weight! As you may know, I'm a huge fan of using a scale in the kitchen. If you feel kind enough to indulge me, go back and read my manifesto on this important issue! :)
September
September brought good things: a trip home to visit family, a friend's wedding and a stay in lovely, leafy Vermont. It also brought my best baking highlight of the year. This gluten-free lemon, polenta and almond drizzle cake instantly became a new favourite and the cake I made most in 2009.
October
My mum's nomination for my recipe of the year was this autumnal All-in-one holiday bundt cake from Dorie Greenspan. (Dorie even commented on my post!) It combines all the traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas flavours into one moist cake so it's perfect for serving throughout the fall.
November
November hails the start of the long, dreary, wet British winter. That means comforting, cold weather foods, hopefully using as much as possible that's in season and local. I try to cook vegetarian as much as I can, and this pumpkin, spinach and goat's cheese tart is a fantastic 'vegetarian company's coming' dish. The colours make it look so special!
December
I didn't get a lot of blogging done this month, but I was glad I got to share my traditional stollen recipe with all of you (the lady in the coordinated sweater-apron combo was my sister, by the way. I can't take credit for such stylishness.) This year's batch turned out a little drier than I like, but it was still fantastic toasted and lathered with butter.
So, that was the year in my kitchen. What's your favourite thing you cooked this year?
