I ushered in the new year by baking bread. There’s been a lot of baking going on around here this past month, but most of it could come under the heading of sweet rather than savory. Tempting and delightful as these delicacies might be, they’re not fodder for the long haul.

Bread is a source of daily nutrition. It’s the comfortable pair of slippers verses the stiletto heels. Not that I wear stiletto heels, but you get the picture. There’s something nurturing about a slice of homemade bread that trumps the sugar high of a cookie every time.

The glitter and lights have softened and dimmed. Soups and salads have renewed appeal after heavy holiday meals, and a steady diet of cookies and cakes. It’s January. Time to re-focus, not just on our diets, but on life itself. Time to open this year’s book on the first page.