I definitely found myself more interested in cooking in 2020. Some of that may be attributed to the circumstances of the year, but my interest was burgeoning even before quarantine. As a result, I received three cookbooks for Christmas: one from my work Secret Santa, one from my parents and one from my husband. My mouth was watering as I flipped through the various recipes.

D 26869165 © Arne9001 | Dreamstime.com

As this is typically the time of year for setting resolutions, I’ve instead decided to set a challenge for myself. Once a week for the foreseeable future, I want to challenge myself to craft one new recipe, using a different one of my new cookbooks each week, and then rotating through again every three weeks. Resolutions can be difficult, but I like to cook, and I want to improve my skills, so this challenge feels more like a fun game rather than an arduous resolution. And along with the challenge comes many positives: eating better, trying new things, seeking out new ingredients, forging new traditions and bettering myself. It will also give me something to share with you here — the recipes that worked, what needed tweaking and much more.

In 2012 I challenged myself similarly as I wrote my thesis for my master’s degree in Writing Studies. I picked several of my favorite dishes I’d eaten around the world and recreated them in my own kitchen, and those recipes became a focal point for my travel memoir-inspired thesis. Nine years later, my kitchen and cooking skills have greatly evolved, but I still enjoy culinary challenges.

Of course, as restaurants still struggle in the pandemic, I’m also happy to keep up with ordering out/going out (when restaurants can safely reopen or when nice weather once again returns) once a week!

How are you challenging yourself this new year? Happy New Year to all our readers, and cheers to 2021!

— Kim Krol Inlander, editor in chief