Sunday, 1 February 2026

In My Kitchen - February 2026

Phew!  Made it!  Here we are in February already.  What a whirlwind this year is being.  Mr P. and I went on a roadtrip down south, where we visited an old friend (we've known him, and his now-deceased wife, for about 45 years!)  We miss you, Ailsa!  And Mr P. has started treatment for his cancer, so it's all go, here at our place.  Phew, what will happen next, I wonder?

How about you, my friends?  How is it all going?  The world is in a precarious place, it seems to me.  But fingers crossed, we will get through it all, and soon.  Come along, and join in our monthly get-together.  Share your kitchen (and garden) shenanigans with us all.  This is our happy place!  Looking forward to hearing about your 2026 life, my friends.  


driving over the Sydney Harbour Bridge on our roadtrip


In My Kitchen:


had to buy this one! A local artist's work, on a tea towel - so cute

bought this at a Toowooomba deli

Hubby took me on a surprise day out to his old hometown of Toowoomba.  We hit the deli of course, where we had coffee, and I bought a couple of things, including this Spanish olive oil (and the tea towel above).


another ceramic pourer, and the bronze snake that hubby bought me for Christmas

hubby carting out mangoes to the bin, before the garbage truck comes by

Usually, our mango tree (which is old and grumpy) doesn't produce more than a handful of fruit each summer, but this year every mango tree in the neighbourhood decided to go ballistic after early Spring rains and heat.  So we came back to about 150 kilos of 'em lying on the ground, rotting and fermenting and stinking!  Hubby and I got up early the next morning to pick up as much fruit as possible, to chuck in the bins, as it was bin day that day.  Groan ... ! 


bought these at a fabulous cafe in Ulmarra, NSW

What a fabulous little town this is!  So friendly, and such good food.  I have been watching a lot of that lovely British fellow who reviews tinned fish!  So I was inspired to try some different ones.


and I got these - from somewhere on our travels

bought these in a cheese shop in the Hunter Valley

and bought these - who knows where? :=)

you know a wooden spoon had to come into the equation! Carved by John Moody

there were chilli burns, and much yoghurt!

I made green jalapeño hot sauce, with only one glove!!

How foolish of me!  Left hand - all gloved up; right hand - nope!  OMG did it burn.  I tried ice, I tried cold water, I tried milk, I tried bi-carb soda, but in the end, I just had to stick my hand in a tub of plain Greek yoghurt and leave it for a couple of hours!  


another book!  I buy them from Blackwell's in the UK these days

and I pickled some cukes


the curveball: the most beautiful glass paperweight!

I bought this glorious glass piece by an artist called Nicole Ayliffe, from South Australia.  It is actually quite a large and heavy piece, and just so beautiful to hold, and stroke :=)


c. Sherry M.


Be a part of our friendly IMK community by adding your post here too - everybody welcome!  We'd love to have you visit.  Tell us about your kitchen (and kitchen garden) happenings over the past month.  Dishes you've cooked, preserves you've made, herbs and veg. in your garden, kitchen gadgets, and goings-on.  And one curveball is welcome - whatever you fancy; no need to be kitchen-related.  

The link is open from the first of the month to midnight on the thirteenth of the month, every month.

Options for adding your post to IMK:

1. Add via the Add Link button at the bottom of this post.  Instructions can be found on the sidebar of this page, under the  Add your IMK link OR:

2. Comment on this post, providing a link to your post so I can add it manually to the list below OR:

3. Email me: sherrym1au@gmail.com, with your link or any queries about the link process, or if you would like it to be added after the 13th ('cos I'm happy to add it for you later)


Culinary adventures with Lori

Culinary adventures with Lori

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50 comments:

  1. Thanks for hosting. It's always fun to see what's in your kitchen (and everyone else's). I absolutely love that tea towel. Hope your hand is feeling better. Have a great week.

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    1. yes thanks Judee. Hand all better now. Happy February to you.

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  2. I wish good luck to Mr.P.
    All your kitchen news is interesting — you buy so many condiments, jams, and other treats that I wonder when you have time to eat them all!

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    1. thanks Mae. No we don't eat them all; friends and neighbours get a lot!

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  3. Say what - so many mangoes, Sherry? You could have made a homemade liqueur and sold it; I’d definitely have bought a bottle or two :)

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  4. Say what - so many mangoes, Sherry? You could have made a homemade liqueur and sold it; I’d definitely have bought a bottle or two :)

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    1. yep the mango trees in the neighbourhood went wild this summer due to early rains and heat.

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  5. You bought so much stuff :-) I guess that's how women are. Hope your husband's treatment go well, Sherry.

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    1. oh really? It doesn't look like much to me... But i do buy stuff over time, not just in the month of IMK. And i do give lots of stuff away! Hubby and myself could never go thru it all ourselves :)

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  6. Lovely tea towel. Oh the mangoes! Gosh....pity you couldn't send them over here :D

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    1. thanks Barbara. The mangoes were not good! Stinking and rotting and bat-eaten!!

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  7. I just love your new wooden spoon. It looks ancient which is the appeal. All the best with Mr. P's cancer treatment xx
    Tandy (Lavender and Lime) https://tandysinclair.com

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    1. yes the artist did really well with his carving. Thank you!

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  8. You have brought back quite a batch of goodies, haven't you! Love the green paperweight and would like to reach into the screen to try some of your cucumbers! Hmm, know a tinned fish business with gorgeous tins of very high-quality critters as you show - but, oh the prices > my purse has screamed 'no' at me more than once :) ! Do hope your husband's treatments will go well without too many side effects. . . bestest!

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    1. I try - hehehe ... Yes the paperweight is so pretty. Thanks Eha. He is in good spirits, as is his wont. Cheers.

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  9. It sounds like your kitchen had a pretty busy month. I love all of the goodies you found or were given, and I have been hearing a lot of people talk about tins of fish lately.
    I hope things go well with Mr P's treatments. All the best for you both!! Also, I did post an IMK but have been having an issue getting it to download to your site.

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    1. Always busy and happy in my kitchen. Yes funny about the tinned fish. I am seeing so many vids about it. I will try to add your post manually. cheers!

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  10. Hope your friend does well with treatment. Have a wonderful February. You are off to a great start, except for the burn from the chillies. Take care.

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    1. Hubby is doing pretty well, thanks. All good here; well, as much as can be expected!

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  11. Didn't realise Mr P had the big C. Hope treatment goes well and works wonders! Thanks again for hosting - love all your goodies! Hope your hand is feeling fine now. What I wouldn't do to try that hot sauce... It looks fab! Also still can't get over your mango harvest! Too bad you were away to enjoy them. Hope you have a fab Feb!

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    1. yes it sucks! But he is in good spirits, as ever. We don't like mangoes so were happy to miss them ... !

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  12. A road trip is always wonderful and that tea towel is just magnificent! I would have done the same. Love that Kitchen book from Blackwells -- aren't they wonderful? Sending all good prayers and wishes to Mr. P. Hang in there!

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    1. thanks Jeanie. Yep i adore Blackwell's. Free delivery from the UK and often cheaper to buy too.

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  13. How sad so many mangoes rotted. Having a big garden for quite awhile there were always years when the weather made everything ripen at once , especially my melons or cantaloupes as I call them. I feel the pain in your hand. You must have handled quite a few jalapenos...

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    1. it was a wild and fruity season for everyone this summer :) Nah only 3 jalapenos...

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  14. cancer treatment? oh my goodness how awful. sheesh. it is not fun getting old. we're both 70 this year. I am not really fond of that number! But I do wish I could pop by and pick some mangoes!!!
    http://www.chefmimiblog.com

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    1. getting older is bloody hard work!:=) Mangoes all in the bin now - well, mostly - probably 200 kg worth!

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  15. Hi Sherry, best of luck to Mr P, in his medical journey. I remember helping my mom make pickled peppers for my dad, we had to wear rubber gloves to avoid a burn like that one. Of course at 9 I did have my gloves on properly and got a fairly good idea of what you went through. Hope it is better! Take care and thanks so much for hosting.

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    1. thanks Melynda. It's a never-ending round of doctor and hospital visits! Yes hand all better :)

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  16. Oh the site of all those mangoes going into the trash is quite sad - but I get it. You don't want rotten mangoes hanging out in your backyard! I wish Mr. P the best in his treatments! At least he doesn't have to sit in a vat of yogurt, right?? (Although the mental image would be quite funny...)

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    1. and the fruit flies have been terrible! Thanks re Mr P. It sucks! Nope no yoghurt sitting :)

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  17. Sad about the mangoes rotting and needing to be thrown aways. The green pourer is beautiful as is the tea towel.

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  18. Wow -- cancer treatments. Thats a lot on your plate, Sherry. I'll be thinking of you and Mr. P.

    Your kitchen is filled with good things this month... pickles (I adore) and the tea towel, the pourer, great condiments, and so much more.. and mangoes!! Gotta wonder what made the tree so happy this year. ~ David

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    1. thank you David. Yep it is all a bit overwhelming atm. Early rains and lots of early sun made the mango trees in our area go ballistic ... :)

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  19. Hi Sherry! We match on profiles. I love how you live your life. Lucky enough to have good friends around. I also enjoy reading, cooking, travelling and thinking about food...hehe. Kitchen Person looks good. Thank you for sharing the updates. :)

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    1. thanks FFM. I am hopeful it is a good read!
      Cheers
      sherry

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  20. What a shame about the mangoes. Good to see Mr P looking well! :D

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    1. We don’t like mangoes, so the only problem was having to clean up about 200 kg from the yard :-)

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  21. Yikes, sorry about the chili burn but what a bumper crop of mangoes! And tinned fish are having a moment here in my neck of the woods. So many varieties in stores now.

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    1. normally our grumpy old mango tree has very few fruits, but this year ... Yep weird how tinned fish is all the rage atm :=)

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  22. WOW all those yummy things you brought back from your travels makes me so jealous! Crazy that you had so many mangos, and Sherry, we can't be friends anymore if you don't love mangoes :) just kidding.. I love mangos so much and it's hard to get them in France because they come all the way from Africa or S. America. I miss a good ol Darwin mango....

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    1. I do my best :=) Always on the lookout for interesting foodstuffs. The mangoes have been a right pain this summer! Still a few kilos of them lurking in the grass of the backyard. Our rubbish bin and green bins have both been chockers with them for the last 3 weeks! And by this stage, they look like furry, dead rats!!

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  23. I had to head south for a funeral over the last few days so late to this month's party. I haven't used Blackwell's in the UK so will head over for a look as that Rachel Cooke book is on my list.

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    1. I love Blackwell's! And free postage, and it only takes a week or so from the UK.

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  24. Sorry to hear about your aunts. Nah still plenty of time to join in with IMK :) I love that you can get books from Blackwell's that you just can't get here, AND free postage!!

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  25. Glad to see you got your wooden spoon in this month :-) And a fine one too as well as an intriguing spoon next to it - are you using the spoon which looks like a work of art? Love the green ceramic pourer but not sure I could have that fake snake in the house - looks too real. Cute tea towel but it makes me think "sheeple" :-) You do such a great job with prerserving that I am sorry to see that it led to you spending time with your hand in yoghurt - a lesson I will try to remember if I have such an experience. Naughty mango tree to greet you with so much garbage after a holiday! Good luck to Mr P with his treatment and you to you in supporting him!

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    1. Hehehe. Gotta get the spoon in. Nah just keeping the fancy spoon aside. Yes chilli burn is a real thing. Who knew?

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    2. Thanks re hubby. It’s a bit tough right now. Thanks for joining in!

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