The Shikha la Mode Best of 2013

Well y’all, it’s December 31^st, and the year that is will soon turn into the year that was. Instead of getting too mushy into what these past 365 days meant to me (I’m terrible at keeping emotionality concise), here’s a visual look back at what made this year delicious:

3^rd Coast Eats

Growing up means close friends move away, oftentimes a little too far away for my preference. But I’ve had opportunities to visit and eat amazing food in places like Austin, TX. From breakfast tacos, multi-course sushi menus, fantastic desserts, and breakfast tacos (yes, they are that important), the Lone Star state grew up and on me, and I ain’t the least bit mad.

Friend Restaurant Dates

Trying new restaurants is only as fun as the people you dine with, and lucky for me, I have some pretty hungry friends. Eating out with them means asking for two orders of house-made pull-apart rolls or destroying a deep-dish pizza. I’ve rarely felt as full as I have this year, and it’s all because of them.

Recipes, Recipes

Writing, testing, and editing a recipe is no quick and easy task, but I knew that I had to get my hands dirty and work hard on perfecting what I love so that y’all can be inspired to cook and eat your own homemade sugar rushes. My favorites were the holiday-inspired desserts, cookie butter cookies, and of course, cheesecake, because cheesecake makes everything better.

Brunch

A sport, a meal, a mélange of everything that is great about San Francisco. Call it what you want, but brunch is no joke. From neighborhood eats, soul food, and my own birthday bash, I can only hope for the brunch drunk love to continue in the New Year.

Ecuador

International travel has a way of opening your eyes into a world full of new food and a new way of living. Ecuador was that experience for me. My stay there changed the way I think about South America, and I’ve managed to meet some amazing new people to share new memories with. Plus, now that I know what an empanada tastes like, I’ll never go back to any old pastry.

Here’s to new tastes, new culinary adventures, and the continuation of this blog, all of which I could never, ever have done without any of you reading, commenting, or simply eating out with me. I can’t wait to see what 2014 brings for Shikha la mode, and I hope y’all can join me!

Happy New Year!