365 New Days = 365 New Challenges

Hello foodies,

It's been a while since I last blogged and as always, a lot has happened!

I think it would crash blogger if I tried to explain it all in one post, so expect a few posts reminiscent of 2014, just to bring you up to speed.

So it's a new year and after days of thinking of the 365 ahead, or should I say 341 now, I have finally chosen a few inspiring resolutions.

To help me choose these cheeky challenges, I reflected heavily on some of my favourite moments of 2014. I'd say my top three were:

• Disneyland Paris for my 21st birthday - who doesn't enjoy the magical kingdom?!
• Teaching culinary arts in the USA and meeting the most beautiful friends
• Celebrating my graduation, with delicious food, plenty of drink and my incredible family

So a pretty amazing year! How could I top those incredible experiences?

Well, the past few years I have been learning, leaning on others, absorbing information and setting myself up for my future. 2015 is now a year for growth - using the knowledge and learning to progress myself, my business, my career and my aspirations. So five top resolutions to inspire 2015 would have to be:

• Appreciate every day - not only because I love the film About Time, go watch it NOW if you haven't seen it, but because whilst I was in the US, I had plenty of time to reflect on what mattered most to me. Family, friends and of course - food! Don't let anything come between those all important F's.
• Share - it's incredible how social our society has become, but yet what we are sharing is so fickle. I haven't shared enough with you guys, I owe a little more time to sharing not only fantastic recipes and pictures of tasty food, but my passion and enthusiasm for life and yet again, anything edible.
• Explore - I've always been a bit of a home girl and although it's not a problem, over the last year I've learnt that a house is but a shell and it's the people that make it a home. Those people will forever be with me, wherever I go, so I want 2015 to be all about new adventures. Some may be small, like to visit my new camp besties around the UK and others may not even be physical journeys, but small steps exploring new ventures. So watch this space.

I promise this year to be my best blogging yet. It's like the all important light bulb has finally been switched on and I'm ready to begin a new journey, with all the wonderful and exciting challenges ahead.

What's your New Year's resolution? Make it count!

Keep calm, we are all in this journey through time together.

Love

Jess xo

Back & Meaning Business...

Hello again my fellow foodies!

I guess you can say long time, no blogging and I am sorry for my lack of food support over the last few months. It really has been a hectic few months, with starting university and moving out etc - but it's a NEW YEAR, now, and a better time than any to get on with spreading my love and passion for all things foodie :).

I hope that you have spent a lot of time cooking up Christmas and New Year delights! Over the next week I will be posting some of my favourite little miseltoe muffins and deliciously dark chocolate roulades, for you guys to try at home and develop into family favourites over the course of this wonderful year ahead.

Christmas and New Year have been the most exuberant yet, this year - I think people are really going all the way with food, celebrations and SPENDING! I mean I can honestly say that my first Christmas as a student, has been by far the most expensive!! How ironic! But...I did get some beautiful gifts; including a blow torch (how unberlievably exciting...can you wait for creme brule?) and a new Whoopie Pie book. Do not fear, I shall be sharing my exciting new kitchen experiences with you guys too!

Also, this Christmas, I finally bought my Dad a mini blender thingy, for shreding stir fry vegetables and making pestos and soups. It is amazing, however, within a few days of having it my Dad has already managed to slice his hand up!! Be careful in the kitchen kids! Even spoons, these days, seem to cause some form of damage, aha!

As for future blogging plans...I think it's fair to say you'll be hearing a lot more from me :). I can't wait to get baking and experimenting and would love to hear your feed back or recipe responses - so get messaging! Any ideas or requests are also welcome. In the next few months I am subjecting myself to a little further food educating, hoping to master the art of chocolatiering and branch out in to the wonderful world of artisan breads. I have read many articles on baking schools but if you're familiar with any super schools - get messaging too.

As for now i'd like to hope you've all made some epically original and spicy New Year foodie resolutions and would love to wish you the best with baking this 2012.

Keep calm and eat a cupcake kids and lets get baking,

with love,

Red Velvet <3