In My Kitchen October 2016

What a lovely thing to be back with an IMK post.  Maureen from The Orgasmic Chef has been recovering from an operation, so has been unable to oversee IMK for a while. But now thankfully, we have Liz from BizzyLizzysGoodThings taking up the helm as of this month.  You can well imagine that I have a few new bits and bobs to show you, starting with books of course.

a few new additions to my cookbooks over the last few months  

Mr P. bought me most of them for my birthday in June, but I couldn't resist buying myself Sophie's book recently.  (See my review here.)  Alison Holst the Kiwi cook and writer has long been a fave of mine, and I have a couple of her recipe books in my library already.  Ruth Reichl needs no introduction (think New York Times + food critic=lots of disguises when reviewing); and as Nordic cooking is all the rage, I had to have that one.

lovely salts  

The Persian blue salt is the most amazing salt I have ever tasted.  It just melts away on your tongue, leaving a salty sea wash.  And it is so beautiful with that hint of blue crystals.  I am very enamoured. Then there is an old, tried and true friend - Tridosha.  It is made down in Byron Bay, where we go often as regular readers would know.  We always buy some of their salts when down in the Northern Rivers region.  This time we went along to Sample Food Festival and bought it at their gorgeous red and white Kombi van.

my home made vanilla extract  

This is my absolutely amazing home made vanilla extract.  20 luscious vanilla beans have been sitting in vodka for 6 months now. I have only just started to use it in my cooking.  Oh my!  the smell is incredible.  You can see the oil and seeds swimming around in the jar of lusciousness.  Sorry, I had to say it again.  

cute little jug I bought at Tweed Art Gallery  

I really love to support local artists so I had to buy this sweet little jug at the Gallery when I saw it.  I can't make out the artist's name very well; Si P.W. is what it says on the bottom.

more ceramics 

This is a new ceramic artist I have lately discovered.  They go by the name Magnolia Mountain, and their work is delightful.  I bought the small tumbler first, then I fell in love with Mark's work and quickly bought 2 little ramekins, then another bigger tumbler in a Lamington design.  Just so lovely to hold and look at.

here I am holding a muslin spice bag given by a friend    

Our Tassie friend came up in July and gave me some wee spice bags.  Very useful I must say.  I used one almost immediately for this chicken in orange dish I made for my History of Royal Food course.

my new domino set

Okay not exactly in my kitchen but I can't resist showing it to you. This is a dominoes set I bought after seeing it in a trendy little café in Townsville when we went up for our niece's wedding.  It is a repro of a Dutch Renaisance board.  Kind of repulsive but intriguing isn't it?

birthday gifts  

A couple of gifts from my cousin.  Love the little blue jug.  I haven't tried the coconut blossom sugar yet.  

another cookbook 

This cookbook is by an Irish blogger who writes a successful food and travel blog - Eat Like A Girl.  I love to support other bloggers and check out what they are up to.



     

the Lamington tumbler by Magnolia Mountain  

I am just madly in love with this tumbler.  Sounds weird I know, but it is so pretty and feels so good in the hand.  I have a feeling I will be buying a few more of their lovely items.

    

citrus-pressed olive oil from Victoria  

I have been buying the oils from this place for ages.  I found them online when I was searching for something about lighthouses (for which I have a bit of an obsession.)  You should check out my lounge room one day for all the lighthouse photos.:=)  I love olive oil that has been crushed with the fruit rather than infused as there is so much more flavour.     


Yes there is more but I will save that for another post.  Feel free to join in with the monthly delight that is In My Kitchen, along with other bloggers around the globe.  Posts need to be up by the 10th of the month.  Just let Liz know you want to be included.