There is so much in my kitchen this month, it was very hard to decide what to include. We went a little mad on our recent trip to Sydney. We had such a good time buying things. I am sure there will be more Sydney purchases in later IMKs.
In my kitchen:
Are these beautiful hand-painted Soizick-designed Limoge tea cups and saucers. We bought them from Peter’s of Kensington. They were 70% off. I love a bargain and I love pink and purple. What was a woman to do? We have been having our last cuppa for the day in them. They are very lovely.
In my kitchen:
Are Maus’ beaten copper frying pans. I love them as if they were mine. I have to remind myself that Maus used her birthday money to buy them, although I encouraged her. She bought them from Alain Lagorsse at the weekend market in Sarlat, in the Dordogne, South-West France. Alain has won the prestigious MOF ( Meilleurs Ouvriers de France – Best Craftsmen of France ) Award. He is also cited as Compagnon du Tour de France and Arts sciences et lettres.
If you are ever in the area, consider visiting Alain Lagorsse’s workshop at St-Amand-de-Coly, Montignac, and buy yourself a pan.
We are very excited about the pans at the moment because we had them re-tinned in Sydney.
Maus bought them in 2003 and they were absolutely fantastic for 5 years until they needed re-tinning, then the saga began. We had them re-tinned twice by a guy in Perth and once by a guy in Tasmania and, each time, they melted when we put them on heat. We now know the reason – it was because they did not use pure tin. Pure tin can take about 3 times the heat that the tin mixture they used can.
Celia, from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, told us about Louis Berczi. He is recommended on the Chef’s Warehouse site. He did a fantastic job, we could not be happier. I cooked rissoles the other night and the pan coped with bubbling oil, which was pretty hot. Louis’ contact details are:
Louis Berczi
25 Daphne Street
Botany NSW 2019
Mob: 0402 137 645
In my kitchen:
Are some goodies the darling Celia gave me and some Callebaut chocolate we bought from Chef’s Warehouse for when I learn how to temper chocolate. Three chocolate bars were also included in the gift but we ate them before I could take a photo of them. Celia bought the fine semolina durum flour because I could not find it in Perth but, today, I found it at Balcatta Fresh on Karrinyup Road. You need to have fine, remilled semolina flour if you are making bread with it because normal semolina flour is too coarse. BTW, the black salt is great and, ironically, not too salty:)
In my kitchen:
Are 122 vanilla beans, a Celia recommendation from Chef’s Warehouse. That is how many I got in my 500g packet. Celia assures me I will find uses for them all. I have opened the packet and re-packaged them, 5 to a bag.
In my kitchen:
Are my new bannetons, another Celia recommendation (is there a theme here?) and another purchase from Chef’s Warehouse…
And my first loaf of bread made with dough proofed in the bannetons. I had to include a photo of the characteristic rings made by the flour.
In my kitchen:
Is my ma’moul mould which I bought from Abu Hachem’s shop in Dulwich Hill. It was their last one. Fouad, from The Food Blog, recommended the shop to me. The shop is near the Dulwich Hill train station. Ma’mouls are date filled biscuits and I am going to try and make them. I read about them in Nouha Taouk’s book, Whispers from a Lebanese Kitchen.
In my kitchen:
Are my new Royal Doulton dessert bowls, the ‘1815’ design. They were another Peter’s of Kensington purchase. They are a set of 8 (each a different colour) and were so cheap, I couldn’t believe it.
In my kitchen:
Is my new bench brush (another Chef’s Warehouse purchase). It is perfect for brushing up flour on your work bench after doing your ‘stretch and folds’.
In my kitchen:
Are my new Splayds. I have a set in Perth, which we use all the time, so I decided to buy a set for ‘down south’. We also bought a set for Maus’ nephew who lives in Columbia, South Carolina, to remind him of home.
Splayds are an Australian invention. They are a blend of knife, fork and spoon and were invented in the late 1940’s. They are used, primarily, for casual eating.
And, finally, in my kitchen:
Is a mangosteen. Maus saw them at the supermarket and bought me one as she knows I really love them.
So what is in your kitchen this month?
If you would like to see what is in other bloggers’ kitchens this month, visit Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial. Celia hosts In My Kitchen each month.
Passion Fruit Garden 
Splades in Australia come from the prawn cocktail, ham and pineapple pizza and chocolate mousse era. I don’t know what I’d do without my splades, after all you need to be able to fork, cut and scoop all with the same implement!
You sure do Jan, we use ours all the time.
Great kitchen Glenda! That loaf of homemade bread looks delicious. You can really see all of the lovely detail in the crust from your photo. Yum! What are you going to do with the vanilla beans? I read in the comments (above) that you might freeze some. I didn’t even know you could do that.
I really enjoyed reading your post, thanks! 🙂
Hi Emilie
I put the vanilla beans into bags of 5, vacuum sealed them and put them in the freezer. I used 10 making vanilla extract (just pour vodka into nice looking bottles, split the vanilla beans and put them in) and I will make vanilla syrup. Apart from that, I don’t know.
I love those little Limoge Tea Cups Glenda they are beautiful. I have purchased some things from Peter’s of Kensington online in the past what was the shop like? We have some splaydes mainly use them for dessert for pies or tarts etc. It’s amazing how you take things like that for granted and think everyone knows what they are!!
Hiya Gail
Peters of Kensington is fantastic, every little nook and cranny is filled with stuff – wonderful stuff. You need to spend half a day there. We use our Splayds mainly for pasta. I think they have gone under the radar for quite a few years. Time for a comeback, I think.
Glenda, WOW, what remarkable and incredible treasures you have in your kitchen! Fabulous!
🙂 Mandy
Hi Mandy. Yeah we had fun, thanks.
i am a big fan of bannetons, your bread sure looks good! I have a stash of vanilla beans that I keep in the freezer. Additionally, when I use one, after it is scraped I stick it in the vanilla sugar bowl. If you haven’t already, make your own vanilla extract. (Instructions can be found on Spoon Feast) You will love having your own vanilla extract.
Great shopping trip!
Hi Pamela, Thanks for visiting. I think I will put a lot of the vanilla beans in the freezer too.
Buying that much vanilla in the UK would bankrupt me. How lucky you are. I’ve been tossing up whether to buy bannetons – if it means my bread will look like yours then I shall definitely buy some.
Hi Anne
Thanks for visiting. Celia put me onto the vanilla beans. I don’t really know what I am going to do with them all. I will start with vanilla extract and vanilla syrup …. then … I don’t really know.
Hi Glenda, thanks for sharing all the exciting things happening in your kitchen! I can remember being amazed when my Mum bought her first set of Slayds in the 60’s, very trendy then, she still has them and uses them quite regularly!
Hi Linda
I think my mum must have bought a set then too. I can’t remember when we bought our first set, probably in the 80’s. They are great.
Your kitchen is full of goodies and treasures!
I hardly know where to start – the cups and saucers are so pretty- I’d like a cup of tea every couple of hours, please.
The pans are breathtaking. Honestly, they take my breath away- so beautiful!
And all that vanilla- I put lots of beans in the liquor and then when I want the seeds I pull one out , break it in half and squeeze the seeds out. It is so easy- they come out in a little stream of liquid and are perfect for adding to ice cream or whipped cream.
Really – everything looks so great- the bowls the splayds (which I am going to have my niece look for!) and the mangosteen. I’m interested in seeing what the ma’moul looks like imprinted on a cookie!
Thanks for sharing! Great fun!
Hi Heidiannie. Thanks for the idea for the vanilla beans. What type of liquor do you put them in? Celia makes vanilla extract by soaking beans in vodka but I think she splits her beans. Is it similar? We use the Splayds all the time, we never use anything else for pasta. You can buy them on-line at Peters of Kensington. BTW: The silicon mat did not arrive. I hope it did not get lost in the mail:(
I’ll check and see if I can find out where it is, Glenda!
I don’t split all the beans just a few and I rub the rest between the palm of my hands and just kind of rough them up a little.
Is it really all my fault? 😉 I had such a wonderful time catching up with you and Maus, and I’m SO happy the tinning worked! I must let Roz know! I love everything you’ve bought, especially the Limoges cups which I didn’t get to see – they’re absolutely gorgeous! Great to hear you’ve found the sem flour nearby – I was all ready to ship it to you if necessary. You’ll definitely get through the vanilla beans – with 122, you can go wild with them. I make all my own vanilla extract, and Pete makes a vanilla syrup which is to die for.
Your SD loaf out of the banneton looks superb! Come again soon! 🙂
Hi Celia, yep all your fault – thanks.
We decided to try to work our way through vege/grocery shops we knew of run by Italians …. and jackpot! Balcatta used to be (in the old days) full of Italian market gardens. The market gardens have all gone, but a lot of the gardeners and their descendants still live in the area, so we thought we would give it a go.
I have already checked out your recipes for the vanilla syrup and extract- we will be on to it (and the sesame praline) next week.
I would love to come over and check out some Lebanese kitchenware shops. Do you know of any? I am a little bit obsessed with Lebanon – we are planning to go next year for a holiday.
I will ask Ray at Harkola next time I’m there. They sell some kitchenware items, but not heaps (although if you wanted a sorj, they have them in stock!). I meant to say in my original comment that I’d never seen the bench brush at Chefs’ – I’m going to have to get one! And I’m obsessed with splayds as well – so much so that I have a set each for my sons when they finally move out of home. 😉
Celia, I just checked out your post on Harkola, it looks like a great shop. BTW we buy those sweets you featured all the time. They are so cheap, aren’t they?
Glenda, so nice to have come across your blog. Celia speaks highly of it! 😀 It was lovely to see in your kitchen!
Hi Lorraine, Thanks for visiting. I love doing IMKs each month but this month I had so much to show off:)
SO many lovely things Glenda! A girl can never have enough vanilla beans or bannetons I say! That bench brush would be a handy addition to my bread baking equipment I think. I love the Royal Doulton dessert bowls too…so pretty!
Hi Jane, thanks. We had so much fun shopping.
What a lovely collection of awesome goodies! I have only seen the spoon/fork combos at one friend here – and she is from Aus 🙂 I love the little brush and I think I will take something home from work for that job 🙂
Hi Tandy
The bench brush is brilliant, it makes short work of cleaning up the bench.
You need to come to far North Queensland to get your fill of mangosteens. I love your pans and your bowls.
Hi Glenda,
That sounds like a good plan – I have never been to North Queensland. I didn’t even know you grew mangosteens there. Wow. When is the season?
Glenda, Glenda, Glenda… wow! What an amazing assortment of good things you have in your kitchen. May I please have one of each, and six of the mangosteen! I think I have to go on a shopping spree with you and Celia! What fun.
Hi Lizzy
We had such a good time. Peters of Kensington is so cheap and Chef’s Warehouse, though not a big shop, does have lots of treasures.
I love your pans and I am totally intrigued by the splayds as I have never seen them before. As for the mangosteen I am beyond jealous! 🙂
Hi Sue
The mangosteen was such a treat but it was so small – hardly a mouthful really. I need to go somewhere tropical and get a bag full. Splayds are great, perfect for pasta. And those pans … they really are to die for.