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Time for more Fork You (Scott’s really churning them out these days – they’ll be another up next week!). This one is a favorite of mine, because I’m a huge fan of homemade jam and pickles. There’s something lovely about making these things yourself instead of simply picking them up at the store and during the peak of summer (something I’m longing for at the moment) it’s so easy to put them together. When you’re in the midst of winter, there’s nothing better than having the ability to open up a jar full of summer (it’s all that’s keeping me going through these 27 degree days and 19 degree nights).

In other Fork You news, I never did post about the episode we filmed last fall with Scott Grzybek of Zukay. In Fork You: Ferment Everything, we make a fermented apple/pear condiment, sauerkraut and pickled daikon radish. All delicious!

I spent the last couple of days out in California, on my very first press trip. It was sponsored by Sunkist and was intended to offer up a whole mess of good information about the wonders of lemons (Which it did. I’ve been totally brainwashed to the virtues of lemons and even managed to smuggle a few handpicked specimins back to Philly in my suitcase).

We stayed at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, which was (oddly enough) located next door to a boarding school at which I attended summer camp when I was 15. The first day I was there, I spotted Bill Paxton having lunch with his kids. I tried not to be too starstruck, although I was dying to take a picture and tell him how much I enjoy Big Love. The Inn was absolutely beautiful and there were moments while I was there that I truly struggled to remember why people live outside of California.

At the moment, I’m quite silly with exhaustion, but I’ll be writing more about the experience of touring the lemon groves and learning about the many uses for lemons both here and over at Slashfood very, very soon.

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The latest episode of Fork You Live is edited and ready for your hungry eyes! I was happy that we were able to sneak another installment in before the year turned over. The recipes aren’t posted to the Fork You site yet, but I will get them up over the weekend (the Napa Cabbage Slaw we make in that episode is particularly tasty dish).

Additionally, for those of you in the Philly area, we’ll be at Foster’s (399 Market Street) tomorrow at 2 pm, recording in front of a live audience. We’re making oven-roasted salmon, braised kale and an orange-y couscous salad. As always, the eats will be delicious and tastes will be free.

Most years, I do a sort internal battle with resolutions. On one hand, I’m a bit disdainful of the idea that there’s one time of year that is better than any other on which to determine to change your life. But the other side of that coin appeals to me, the one that offers a fresh year upon which to etch new habits and ways of being in the world. So, while I haven’t done a year-in-review, gazing at my navel post yet, I’m going to skip over it for now in order to lay out some of my hopes for this new year. Because the freshness of the cosmic page is too much to resist.

• This year, I want to clean all the unused condiments out of the fridge, so that I don’t have aging sample jars of jam and mustard taking up valuable real estate. The same goes for the bottles of oils, vinegars and exotic flours that are cluttering up my kitchen shelves. It seems that no matter how much space I have, I always end up filling it, until the counter is swimming with bags, jars and bottles. It drives me nuts and I want clearer spaces!
• The need for clearer spaces extends to most areas of my life. I need to clean out the sock drawers, the piles of cookbooks and tee-shirts that are only appropriate for exercise.
• Speaking of exercise, that’s something I’d like to bring back into my regular routine. I have dreams of once again running the Broad Street Run. It’s been four years since I’ve done it, but it gave me such satisfaction when I accomplished it.
• I declare that this is the year of finding contentment in the place that I am, as opposed to the place I want to be. I am often highly critical of my life, focusing on all the little spots of unhappiness as opposed the the large swaths of delight and joy that make my existence sparkle. I want to bring the joy into focus more often.
• On a more technical level, I think this year will be the time when I finally learn to use my camera with some level of technical proficiency, as opposed to just pointing it as stuff and hoping for the best. I have such admiration for my friends who make lovely images and I would love to learn how to do one tenth of what they’re able.
• Finally, I want this year to be the year I publish a book. It makes me sort of nervous to declare that goal to the world, because what if I fail? However, I’m a big believer in the power of declaration and sharing hopes with others, so that are mutual energy of creation might help bring those hopes into tangible relief.

With all that said, I’m declaring 2009 the year of awareness, of learning, of less stuff and of the increased ability float on the tide of life.