After two weeks holidays, way too much turkey and a fight with my clothes this morning it's back to reality with a bang. I always look forward to the New Year and all the promise and potential it holds. You never know what each year is going to bring and last year was filled with a few unexpected surprises both good and bad but that's what makes it fun!
2013 though was a fantastic year for food. There were lots of new cookbooks to read, restaurants to try and great new products to sample. BBQ finally came to Dublin with the arrival of Bison and Pitt Bros while it became easier to find good sushi with the opening of OCHA and Zakura. 2013 ended with a fantastic meal in Forest Avenue which has really set the bar high or 2014!
So here's to a wonderful 2014 may it be a year to make your dreams come true.
And to kick off 2014 in style and to cheer us all up on what is apparently the most hated day of the year here's a little competition for you all. Up for grabs is a bundle of cookbooks including Rachel's Favourite Food at Home, Masterchef Everyday, Relish BBQ and eatTweet - A Twitter Cookbook. Hopefully it will provide someone with the inspiration needed to get cooking this year.
How to enter?
- Simply leave a comment on the blog post telling me the one thing you would like to achieve in 2014. This one is mandatory and please only do it once!
- For extra entries like The Purple Page on Facebook and follow on Twitter and RT.
- The winner will be selected randomly and announced here on the blog in two weeks time.
- The competition is open to entrants in Ireland and the UK
- Please do not leave anonymous comments as I would like to be able to contact you if you win!
Would love to win this, might improve my cooking skills! :)
ReplyDeleteThey are all packed full of great recipes so lots of inspiration to be had!
DeleteI hope to achieve top grades in my College Course, "Professional Cooking" so as to enable me to progress to CIT to do my degree in Culinary Studies
DeleteWould love to try new recipes
DeleteWould like to pass my driving test.
DeleteI also want to include my e address pauljackson106@gmail.com for all competitions I enter in 2014 that would be a good start ,!
ReplyDeleteHaha that is always a good start!!
DeleteI want 2014 to be the year where I cook something new to me every week, Ive a new kitchen to help, so all I need now our some inspirational cookbooks and recipes :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a very good plan especially with a brand new kitchen. You couldn't be letting that go to waste!! Good luck :)
DeleteWould be a lovely way to start the year !
ReplyDeleteWinning a competition is definitely a good way to start a new year. Good luck,
DeleteMy New Year's resolution is to cook a fab meal for Kat! I could really do with those cook books, you know... Clare
ReplyDeleteMy New Years resolution is to reduce my cholesterol and the fat around my liver...not terribly exciting, but good for my long term plans! Need to make some changes to the way I eat, so one of these lovely cookbooks would be wonderful :-). p.s. Haven't heard of "eatTweet - A Twitter Cookbook" though...!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a very healthy plan and one that everyone should probably be following. It's the cutest cookbook - it's handbag size and has over 1,000 recipes from the twitter community. Recipes in 140 characters make for some quick cooking!
DeleteHi Kat, I am thrilled to be the winner of the cookbooks! This will be a wonderful incentive to inspire me on my road to reducing my cholesterol and fatty liver! The Eat Tweet cookbook sounds like a lot of fun - love the ideas of the short recipes! Thank you! Kathleen
DeleteMy new year resolution is to cook dishes that my children will actually eat - usually it's just eeuuughhhh I don't like that dinner mammy :-)
ReplyDeleteHaha I remember saying this to my mother so often when I was little. Now as a grown up I totally understand the difficulty of trying to cook something interesting and tasty every night. Must be doubly difficult with kids. Good luck in the competition.
DeleteI decided to be different this year and have a "non" resolution, I ain't changing, because I simply love making people happy, cause it makes me happy too, some might say I'm soft, But I like it like that :D
ReplyDeleteMaking people happy is one of the best things in the world. Keep at it :)
DeleteMy new years resolution is to stop constantly multi tasking. Sometimes it's a good thing but I'm trying to recognise when something should have my undivided attention. Like when I'm trying to hoover and entertain my toddler at the same time, sometimes it's good to put down the hoover and just play tractors for a while :)
ReplyDeleteI think we are wired to multitask it can be hard to stop and just concentrate on one thing. It is definitely a worthwhile thing to focus on because sometimes I think the beauty of life can pass us by and getting to play tractors with your kid is definitely much more fun than housework. Sure the dust will just be back in a week ;)
DeleteMy baby is just starting to eat solids so i hope to introduce as many new foods and taste to him as possible in 2014.
ReplyDeleteThat must be so much fun to watch and experience. I'm sure he will be very quick to make up his own mind about what he likes and doesn't like. Hopefully it doesn't end up on the floor!
DeleteDo well in my studies so that I can get a First Class Honours degree!
ReplyDeleteStudying for a degree is such hard work but it is totally worth it in the end! Good luck and no doubt you will get that 1st Class Honours with an attitude like that :)
DeleteThis year i would like to get fit, i've said it so many times but this year i will do it!
ReplyDeleteI'm doing exactly the same thing and trying to take up running by doing the couch to 5k. Always been a bit of a sporadic jogger so hopefully this will kickstart me. Good luck.
DeleteI want to learn how to swim. I live on island so think its about time i learned so this year i am going to take classes and take my first dip in the sea for my birthday in the summer:)
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely aim. There is nothing nicer than a good swim and it's a good skill to have too. Good luck.
DeleteThis year I want to eat a lot healthier then what I did last year, no more take out and lots more home cooked meals.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a very good plan but nothing wrong with the odd takeout especially if it is to treat yourself to a night off after all that homecooking :)
DeleteWould love to win
ReplyDeleteGood luck :)
DeleteI hope to achieve top grades in my College Course, "Professional Cooking" so as to enable me to progress to CIT to do my degree in Culinary Studies
ReplyDeleteGood luck with all the study. Who knows you could be Ireland's next big thing!!
DeleteFab competition. Would love to win.
ReplyDeleteOops.. What I want to achieve this year? Make tasty and healthy food for my dad who is on a restricted diet. I need inspiration!
ReplyDeleteYour lucky dad having you to cook for him especially since it is so hard to cook for someone on a restricted diet. That's inspiring in itself! Good luck in the competition.
DeleteI would like to change one person's life :)
ReplyDeleteThat's a fantastic aim even small changes can help - 'even a smile might change someone's day' :)
DeleteSome great books, would love to improve my cooking skills this year!
ReplyDeleteIt's all about practice and of course the best bit which is eating it all afterwards :) Good luck
DeleteMy company is closing this summer, so I'll may have lots of time at home....at least for a while...which would be nice :-). Would be lovely to spend time cooking new recipes, and inviting friends over to try them out :-)
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you have a very productive time off planned! I hope you enjoy it. You can't beat good food and good friends. Good luck in the competition.
DeleteI would lobe 2014 to be the year i get the big kitchen iv always wanted! Some new cookbooks would complete it <3
ReplyDeleteI would love that too! Good luck
Deletei would love this as im starting to cook
ReplyDeleteNever too late to learn how to cook. Great habit to get into and much cheaper too! Good luck.
DeleteWould love to win this, especially now in the beginning of the year!
ReplyDeleteStart as you mean to carry on and all that :) Good luck
DeleteLove cookbooks, would be great addition to my collection!
ReplyDeleteGood luck
DeleteTo cook more myself
ReplyDeleteFabulous aim for 2014. Good luck
DeleteWell, only the weekend is available to cook, so the plan is:
ReplyDeletea) to make time to cook a new recipe every couple of weeks, especially if the kids can help, and
b) to try a new bread recipe EVERY week from the bread book I got LAST year and have only tried twice or three times
Sounds like a good plan especially if you can get the kids involved. It's a great way to get them interested in cooking. Good Luck
DeleteI am going to cook from scratch more often so these would definitely help!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great aim and very achievable. Make sure you have a well stocked store cupboard and you will be flying. Good luck
DeleteTo tick more things off my big TO DO list :)
ReplyDeleteSame here!! Good luck
DeleteI would like to complete my CELTA course with a high pass grade.
ReplyDeleteGood luck Sarah I'm sure you will do fabulously well in your course.
DeleteA happy family!
ReplyDeleteAwww that's so sweet. Good Luck.
DeleteGreat competition. Would love to stretch out my cooking skills.
ReplyDeleteReally like Rachel Allen's cookbooks, simple to follow
ReplyDeleteMy new years resolution is not to be so wrecked on Sunday (ie hungover) that I am only fit for a takeaway and have the ingredients in the fridge to cook something nice on Sundays - hard....yes!
ReplyDeleteTruthfully I'd like to start a baking business, have a white collar boxing match, do a 5k swim & do the Galway triathlon! Considering I've had a hip injury for 3 months, this will make most of challenges all the harder ;o)
ReplyDeleteI hope that I will eventually finish my education and finally get a job where I'm educating others :)
ReplyDeleteBake more!
ReplyDeleteI hope to cook more creative dishes rather than my usual 'go-to' meals especially as I'll be starting college!
ReplyDeleteThis is a lovely prize!
ReplyDeleteMy new years resolution is to make more time to catch up with good friends and also to learn how to cook some more exciting dishes to have when they are over for dinner :)
ReplyDeletemy goal is to try new foods so these are perfect
ReplyDeleteto loose a stone by more healthy eating
ReplyDeletereceived a 1.1 grade in my ordinary degree and studying towards the same for my higher degree
ReplyDeleteTo have more courage in everything I do with less resistance ;]
ReplyDeleteThis is so generous! The person who won this is very lucky!
ReplyDelete