A Dream List

[osprey_archer]

I’ve never like the idea of making a bucket list - the built-in reminder of one’s looming mortality just put me off - but one of the blogs I follow recently suggested the idea of a dreams list, which has no implied (and depressingly literal) deadline, and I’ve taken to it like a duck to water. It turns out that it’s very useful to have a place to write down things like “Have brunch at Milktooth” (I for one want to try to sourdough sweet potato doughnuts with the cranberry curd), because otherwise the idea will simply recur to me fleetingly at times, generally when there’s nothing to be done about it

The list has also alerted me to a hitherto-unrecognized brunch obsession, because I keep sticking brunch places on it. What can I say? Everyone loves breakfast food, it’s cheaper than dinner, often there are salmon eggs benedicts, and I still dream of finding a place to buy the perfect cinnamon roll.

Although I could always add “learn to bake cinnamon rolls” to the list. Baking bread is already on there, and I’ve been waffling about whether to add pastry.

Comments

[kara_mckay]

I like the sound of that, too. Like you, I've always been put off by the idea of a bucket list.

I bake bread, and I'd be willing to try making cinnamon rolls, but I find pastry shells intimidating. If you're interested in the former two, I think you should give it a shot. I know that with the bread, at least, it really doesn't have to be the complicated science people make it out to be, though you certainly can move on to more precise and complicated recipes if that's what you want to do after figuring out the basics.

[osprey_archer]

I've done simple yeast doughs before, for things like calzones where the dough doesn't rise long at all, so theoretically bread is well within my bailiwick. I think it just intimidates me a little because there's a certain bread ~mystique~, although given that people have been making bread for thousands of years with very simple tools it can't really be that hard.

[rachelmanija]

I've never made a bucket list because while I am comfortable with my own mortality, the name itself sounds cutesy and annoys me. A dreams list is much better, and I applaud the idea of it being largely a brunch list.

I am currently working on baking bread. Join me on the baking dream list!

[osprey_archer]

There are also some bigger items on it ("visit Japan," "visit France," etc.) but I thought it would be good to have lots of more small-scale goals so I can use it as a "I want to do something fun and different this weekend. What can I do?" list as well.

I will be watching your bread experiments v. attentively! If you find the perfect foolproof bread for beginners I may just give the recipe a try myself.

[littlerhymes]

Huh! A dream list sounds cutely aspirational rather than grimly laborious.

Brunch is the best meal! Perfect for weekends.

[osprey_archer]

And if you don't finish everything on your dreams list, no one expects you to fulfill all your dreams. Whereas with a bucket list it's like I WILL COMPLETE THIS OR DIE TRYING.

Brunch is the best meal! Something for everyone.

[asakiyume]

I learned to bake cinnamon rolls when my book group read a book that featured cinnamon rolls. One woman shared her recipe, and I loved it and have used it ever since.

I owe you a letter (thank you for the film suggestions! Frances Ha! I've been meaning and meaning to watch it--but more on that by paper mail), so I'll pop the recipe in it. It's a fun thing to do on an afternoon.

[osprey_archer]

Ooooh. Yes! Maybe I could plan to bake cinnamon rolls to eat while watching Frances Ha... I don't think the movie has any actual cinnamon roll connection, but there's no reason that should get in the way of eating cinnamon rolls.