A Love Letter to January
January arrives, and suddenly we’re told to swear off baking altogether—cue the cleanses and new gym memberships. But I see it differently. While January is often the slowest month of the year, I’ve come to believe it might also be the best.
The cold air is refreshing on your face during a walk. The gray, rainy (or snowy!) weekends are the perfect signal to actually stay in and do nothing. January is a time to reflect, to rest, and to focus on what truly lights you up—without the pressure to produce.
This is when I love to experiment: trying something new in the kitchen, building technical skills, and exploring flavors just for the joy of it. Lately, I’ve been working with whole grains and less butter in the weekly bakes I love—aiming to make them more heart-healthy. This still feels funny for someone who truly loves to eat what she bakes, but I also have high interest in living a very healthy life in balance. (I’ll report back as I learn!)
That said, if you’re feeling the pull to bake something cozy and familiar, I’ll suggest having the perfect vanilla buttercream frosting in your back pocket. Or, perhaps experimenting with a new-to-you French bake like the Classic Canéles de Bordeaux (make sure you have the molds, it’s worth it!). There’s always a perfect snacking cake for a cozy winter Sunday like a French Chocolate & Apple Cake (try it with pears!).
A kitchen reset in January is always a good idea too. Maybe you’re like me and are looking to curate your own dining sets instead of the ones your mother handed down (not the heirloom quality 😉). Or, you’re in the mood to start cooking and baking with higher quality olive oils. If you don’t have a proper dutch oven, then I highly recommend opening your world to so much goodness in the kitchen.
I’ve found that these little kitchen projects encourage so much joy—and that joy almost always spreads, whether through a slice of cake, a mid-winter dinner party, or even a simple conversation about what you’ve been baking (this happens to me often and I love it!).
In the darker days of winter (some heavier than the early sunsets), the kitchen can be a place where the light comes back on for all of us. Don’t you think?
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