Honestly, I rarely stick to my new year resolutions…who does, really? I’ve made all the stereotypical ones before: go to the gym more (I HATE the gym), eat better, blah blah blah. But after getting married this year, and deciding to go freelance full-time, I know 2017 is going to be more different than any year before, so I’m making a concerted effort to stick to following resolutions.

Cut the cheese

I plan on making my own cheese. I’ve never done it before, but I was given a cookbook so I’m going for it! If I could eat one thing for the rest of my life, it would be cheese, so knocking out a few pounds of paneer, gouda and feta from The Art of Natural Cheesemaking by David Asher seems like a great way to kick off the new year!

Try more weird things when travelling

Sometimes when you’re tired and travelling, you just want to eat McDonald’s. Even though I’m an adventurous eater, there are times I get lazy, eating what’s comfortable, only to regret it when I get home from my travels. In 2017, I’m heading back to Turkey and visiting Thailand for the first time, so my goal is to push myself to try everything put in front of me! What’s the weirdest thing I can eat in Bangkok? We’ll find out in March.

Around the world in 12 plates

2017 is going to be a wild ride in the kitchen.  In 2013, I spent the year completing the Food & Wine Cover Recipe Challenge, cooking the cover recipe from each issue every month. This year I decided to expand my horizons — and the palates of my friends — even further! I’m going to cook a meal from a different country each month, challenging myself to try new dishes, techniques and ingredients. I’m currently creating the calendar, so if you have any dishes you think I should make, let me know!

Stop stressing about the tweets

I spent a lot of 2016 stressing about my social media presence. I’ve grown too concerned about the slow growth of my Instagram following or the likes my carefully curated photos are getting. It’s way too stressful, and so not worth it. In fact, I think it’s been affecting my writing. In 2017, I plan to focus on the quality of my writing, not the quantity of my tweets. I will also be producing more exclusive content for The Food Girl in Town newsletter, so subscribe at the bottom of the page if you want in!

What are some changes your making for 2017?