Looking Back, and Then Forward.

Time is quite a funny thing, isn’t it? It often seems to me that the days crawl by but the year just goes by in a snap.

2010 was somewhat of a bittersweet year for me; a year of change and constant, of utter bliss and of heartbreak.

I started the year with my boyfriend and best friend finally no longer thousand miles away, saw parts of the world for the first time, had my siblings return home to Singapore for good (good bye, empty quiet house!), ran in a 10km run with my best friend, worked harder than I ever imagined I could and lost a friendship I once treasured.

Throughout the year, I didn’t quite spend as much time as I would have loved to in the kitchen but the time I did spend in it, I cooked, baked, ate and loved every minute of it.

So given that this is a site with a strong focus on food after all, what better way for me to say adios the year just past and welcome the brand new year by paying tribute to my ten favourite food from my very own kitchen in the year twenty ten?

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One

If chocolate could solve all of life’s problem, putting an end to all the violence in this world would be an easy feat for this light, moist and intensely chocolate torte.

Of all the chocolate cakes I’ve had in my twenty four years of existence, this little baby is firmly in my top five. [Recipe here]

Two

Asking me to choose between chocolate and lemon would like be asking me to choose between Christmas and Easter (ie. impossible).

And this madeira cake, in all its lemon and almond goodness, certainly doesn’t make it any easier. It’s a good thing I’ve never had to choose yet (when in doubt, have both is incidentally my mantra and it has certainly served me well ). [Recipe here]

Three

Spaghetti vongole is the one dish I cannot resist ordering each and every time at Italian restaurants the second I spot it on their menu.

This was the first time I’ve ever made the dish at home- it was utterly delicious and the luxury of being able to use fettuccine instead of spaghetti (yay to cooking!) and adding a generous sprinkle of parsley took it over the top. [Recipe here]

Four

The only (and most delicious) way to deal with living in a country where the sun shines strongly and brightly three-quarter of the year- making and eating ice cream every chance I get.

Not a hard feat at all, especially when it involves raspberry ripple as easy to make as it is delicious to eat. [Recipe here]

Five

Another ethnic favourite of mine- Thai papaya salad. I couldn’t believe how incredibly easy this was to make and was completely thrilled that the papaya used in this salad came from my very own garden. [Recipe here]

Six

Ah, banana cakes- where do I even start to proclaim my love for you?

I’ve had my fair share of banana cakes both out of love and necessity (thank you, unhealthy compulsive to buy a bunch of bananas every time I go near them) but roasting the bananas and adding a generous splash of rum sure made this one stand out. [Recipe here]

Seven

I’m not by any stretch of imagination a morning person but who knew the trick to getting me to leap out of bed only took a delicious combination of toasted oats, nuts and cinnamon, served with natural yogurt and a drizzle of honey.

True and utter bliss. [Recipe here]

Eight

These hotcakes? The only reason why I ever have ricotta (yes, ricotta- you read me right) in the house. [Recipe here]

Nine

I started the year admittedly not much of a Jamie Oliver fan but within the year, I was a convert thanks to his Jamie at Home show and food.

This carrot and lamb salad even had my little sister- a self-proclaimed carrot hater- exclaiming how good they were. So between good recipe and good recipes, this definitely falls into the latter category. [Recipe here]

Ten

Nothing says Christmas to me like baked goods spiced with ginger. And these crisp, spicy cookies certainly hit all the right notes in this Christmas just past. [Recipe here]

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Just before I head off to enjoy what’s left of the first day of this brand new year, I just want to say a huge thank you for taking time to drop by this little site in the year past and here’s wishing you and yours a fantastic year ahead!

Posted by thecoffeesnob on January 1, 2011

http://eatandbehappy.wordpress.com/2011/01/01/looking-back-and-then-forward/