2015 Culinary Bucket List

2015 Culinary Bucket List

2015 Culinary Bucket List

2015 Culinary Bucket List

For the past few years, I’ve posted a Culinary Bucket List. This is simply a list of recipes I’d like to tackle in the upcoming year. Whether it’s an exercise in frustration or inspiration depends on your outlook. I rarely make all the items on the list. Some years I don’t make even half. But the list isn’t a set of goals. It’s a creative, “What About” process that gets me thinking beyond the usual seasonal/holiday fare. I pull out long-ignored cookbooks to see what new dishes, new techniques catch my fancy. While I eventually tick a few items off the list, I also end up making dishes I hadn’t heard or thought of. So I figure it all evens out in the end.

This past year I accomplished only the Portuguese Custard Tarts and the pot stickers. However,  I had no idea I’d be making old-fashioned treats like Sugarplums and Sticky Toffee Pudding. But I’m glad I did. So is my sister, who has requested Sticky Toffee Pudding, complete with the Bailey’s Caramel Sauce, for her birthday dessert. When experimenting with the barbecue, I created a recipe for Smoked Sugar Ice Cream that my husband still mentions on occasion with a wistful voice. For my mother, I cooked up a batch of black currant jam that actually tastes like black currants and reminds her of the intense preserves of her youth. I even made some apricot sherbet to go with it in a frosty homage to a baked Easter treat. For myself, I made light-as-air Crostoli.

This year? I’m playing fast and loose with flour and sugar. And butter. Lots of butter. Probably too much butter. But since I never make all items on the list, it’s a safe bet I won’t exceed my butter quota.

My 2015 Culinary Bucket List

  1. Kouign Amann
  2. Chiffon Cake (flavour to match my mood)
  3. Homemade Raspberry Liqueur
  4. Chicken Lababdar
  5. Homemade Nutella
  6. Orange Olive Oil Cake
  7. Sourdough Bread – with homemade starter
  8. Salted Caramel Cake
  9. Lasagna totally homemade — noodles and filling
  10. Lemon and Ginger Marmalade
  11. Bûche de Noël
  12. Homemade Fortune Cookies
What items would you add?

12 Comments
  • Emily @ Life on Food
    Posted at 15:38h, 04 January

    I will be waiting on that lasagna. Good luck!

  • Robin
    Posted at 17:37h, 04 January

    So glad you remembered i really want that Sticky Toffee Pudding for my B.D. I would be very happy to volunteer to try numbers 2, 3 (in Xmas trifle), 6 ,7, 8, 9, and 11! Anything for a family member.
    Love,
    Robin

  • Teresa
    Posted at 22:06h, 04 January

    Your list is amazing. I’d like to try making croissnts. From scratch! Trifle from scratch.

  • Charmian Christie
    Posted at 22:08h, 04 January

    I think everyone will be waiting on the lasagna. I’m debating whether or not to make it vegetarian. Could do a meat one AND a veggie one? In for a penny, in for a pound (of lasagna!)

  • Charmian Christie
    Posted at 22:10h, 04 January

    I know you’d love #1 as well. 🙂 Guess the curry, marmalade and fortune cookies are mine, all mine!

  • Charmian Christie
    Posted at 22:13h, 04 January

    I actually had croissants on this list and then took it off since the kouign amann is based on croissant dough. Perhaps I should do both?

    Trifle from scratch would be a fabulous addition. I admit, that while I make my own filling, I do use store bought cake. Great Bucket List addition!

  • Redawna
    Posted at 21:44h, 07 January

    Soufflé, both chocolate & cheese!

    I created an amazing Lime Chiffon cake a couple of years back! It is published in a Taste of Home cookbook. It has a luxurious lime curd filling! hmmmmmm perhaps I need to make one on Saturday! I just put limes on sale at the store.

    Love your list!

  • Cat
    Posted at 17:10h, 10 January

    So, from YOUR 2014 productions, I am going to try to re-make the Deconstructed Baklava again, but see if I can keep the sliced phyllo dough separated a little better. But, I also would like to try to make my own pasta. Maybe from lentils.

  • Carolyn
    Posted at 17:34h, 21 January

    Kouign amann is on my 2015 bucklet list, too. I’ve been looking at different recipes to decde which one I’ll use… I’m not sure if it’s just because I’m tuned into this new treat, or if it’s a treny thing, but kouign amann has been appearing a lot the days!

  • Charmian Christie
    Posted at 10:54h, 25 January

    I thinks it’s a case where a forgotten classic is becoming trendy. It’s a laminated dough and I’m trying to see it I can create a cheaters version – like with puff pastry. Wish me luck!

  • Carolyn
    Posted at 18:41h, 02 February

    I sucessfully made these. I followed the recipe in Dominique Ansel’s book (aka the Cronut guy). The recipe was very well written and detailed – I think it helped with the success.

  • Charmian Christie
    Posted at 19:18h, 02 February

    Good to know! Details would help I’m sure. Bonus points to your for following the instructions. I’ll have to give this a try! Thanks for letting me know your source (and success).