Year in Review

Okay. This is the last day of 2009, so let me assess the past year.

It was a rough one. I quit my waitress job just before the recession hit hardest. I spent months afterwards scrambling for employment, and learned that pride and impulsive decisions pay a higher price than stability. But they also keep you fighting.

However, good things came out of that situation. Learning to live close to the belt, or at the very end of the buckle, is an excellent test of discipline and character. A year of eating ramen and mac and cheese has given me a whole new appreciation for food, but also an interest in learning how to eat well on a limited budget- something a lot of us could use help with.

I learned that sometimes it is worth it to just barely get by, but to truly enjoy the work that you do. I taught cooking at an after school program in the Bronx with about 100 amazing kids who roused my curiosity in the kitchen, which had become comatose. I wrote more. I learned to rock climb, and fell into a world of adventurous spirits and new friendships. My old friendships deepened tremendously. I went to California for two months. I did a lot of soul searching. I learned a lot about my father through an epic move. I started blogging. And I'm reinventing my New York experience.

I have no idea what is in store for the next year- if things will get easier, if my career will clearly define itself, if I will get it together and make the right choices. All I know is I will trust that the path is my own. I will try with all my might to keep approaching food, pastry and life with a sense of curiosity and adventure. I hope you do the same as we embark on this new year together.