In My Kitchen – January 2014

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Happy new year, everyone!!

Another year has passed us by and it is time for another: In My Kitchen …

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In my kitchen:

Is this wonderful stollen, a Christmas gift from our neighbour, Renate. Stollen is a German Christmas cake.  Each year, the generous Renate presents us with one.

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In my kitchen:

Is my new butter dish.  It was a gift from Deb.  It is so pretty. Inside the dish, a little tab states ‘Rare Vintage Middleport pottery lidded butter dish’.

It is a lovely pink floral pattern which dates to the 1800’s. What makes this rare is that it is pink, whereas most Middleport Pottery patterns were blue.

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In my kitchen:

Is this fabulous leaf dish.  It is a gift from my sister Juanita.  I am told it was made in India from recycled metals.  It sure is stunning.

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In my kitchen:

Is olive leaf powder.  I was browsing through the list of  ‘natural colourants’ on a soap supply site (as you do).  I like the muted effect that natural colourants give so I was checking out what was available.  Then I spotted olive leaf powder.  I have plenty of olive leaves, therefore, no way I was going to buy it.  It is so simple to make:  pick some olive leaves, dry them and then whizz the s**t out of them – voila!  Olive leaf powder for no effort and no $s.

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Talking of olive leaves …..

In my kitchen:

Is this absolutely gorgeous teapot cosy my sister, Sandra, made for me last Christmas.  For some reason, it hasn’t made it into IMK posts.  I don’t know why because it is so fabulous.  Those are knitted olives you are looking at.

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Is my new hand made jarrah rolling pin.  It was made by a local craftsman.  We went to Balingup looking for Christmas presents for my family and friends and I think I bought more for myself than we did for the family and friends.

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In my kitchen:

Is my new chopping board.  Another Balingup find.  I saw it and told Maus I wanted one just like it.  The hint was for her to make me one for nix.  She took one look a the price and figured it wasn’t worth her effort.  She bought it there and then.

Yes, the  tomatoes are from my vegie patch but this year you will not be inundated with photos of tomatoes and cucumbers.  I have been much more circumspect with my plantings.  I also have much more variety.  I have corn, pickling onions, spring onions, leaks, tomatoes, cucumbers, capsicum, chillis, rocket, beetroot and broccoli.  In the herb line, I have mint, sage, chives, marjoram, oregano, thyme, parsley and coriander.

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In my kitchen:

Are these cute moulds I bought in a second hand shop on that shopping spree in Balingup.  They are made in Italy which makes me so happy as nearly everything we buy these days is made in China and it is good to have a bit of variety in life.  Pannacotta is sure to find its way into these beauties.

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In my kitchen:

Is my mango slicer.  All good kitchens should have one 🙂  It was a gift some time back from my sister, Sandra.  Amazing though it may seem, it actually works really well.  You peel your mango, place the slicer over the mango, positioning it in line with the seed and then push down.  Presto!  Two perfect mango cheeks and a seed.

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In my kitchen:

Is more beetroot.  I am not going to overwhelm you with vegie photos, it is just that I advised last month that a friend had told me you can leave beetroot in the ground until you need it.  The friend (aka Mr Stephen) read the post and wanted to clarify the advice:  It only holds true in winter.  In summer, the beetroot will go woody if left too long in the ground so … pick them.

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In my kitchen:

Are some baby lemon meringue pies.  I have made quite a lot of these lately.  They are great when a little something is called for.

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In my kitchen:

Are bread rolls. I have made more bread rolls since Celia sent me the stamps than in the rest of my life.  The stamps make it so easy to create really impressive rolls.

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In my kitchen:

Is my cappuccino art.  Maus bought it for me, notwithstanding I don’t drink cappuccinos, as she thought I could use the templates to decorate little cakes and biscuits … I think she may be right.

I also got two great cookbooks for Christmas: Pâtissier by Emmanuel  Mollois and Mastering Fermentation by Mary Karlin.

Happy cooking in 2014, everyone.

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.

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41 thoughts on “In My Kitchen – January 2014”

    • Thanks Fiona. I guess you would get mulberry leaf powder 🙂 Whether it would hold its colour when making soap is anyone’s guess. Try it.

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  3. I am loving your olive leaf powder- what a great way to color soap- does it have any other qualities, I wonder? You always have such an amazing line up for IMK posts- and you could post garden pictures all winter long and make me happy! It is going down to -7 Farenheit here tonight. BRR!
    The buns look yum as well as the lemon meringue tartlets.
    And I’ve NEVER seen a mango cutter- but what a smashing idea!

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    • Hi Heidi, According to Aussie Soap Supplies ‘Olive Leaf Powder can be used as a natural colourant, and may also be added to your soaps for its astringent and antiseptic properties, bringing peace to your skin’.
      That mango cutter works really well and comes in handy when you want nice clean slices.

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  5. Glenda, you could never post too many garden photos for me. (I admire folks with a green thumb.) Your teapot cosy is wonderful! Thank you for the variety of things to ogle and the stories behind them.

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  6. I covet that tea cosy. Not with you on the mango cutter – got one for Christmas…it’s on the clear out pile already! Happy New Year.

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    • Hi Sally, Think twice before you throw out your mango cutter. I don’t use mine often but when you want nice slices for a salad, it is just the thing for the job. It produces perfect cheeks. Store it in the garage for the day you want those perfect slices.

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  7. Pingback: In My Kitchen, January 2014 | Spoon Feast

  11. Happy New Year to you and Maus, Glenda! I laughed at your new board – I can just see Maus thinking, “it’s easier to buy it than make it!”.. 🙂 The stollen looks delicious, and I love your sister’s gift – that silver leaf is stunning! So glad you’re enjoying the bread stamps! xx

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    • Hi Celia. I do love my stamps, they make shaping rolls so easy. Lucky I took the photo of the stollen when I did, it is disappearing fast.

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    • Hi Anne. No I haven’t used it yet. I got soap for Christmas and I don’t want to have too much in the house. I am itching to go though.

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  13. Wow! Glenda! Great things! I am in love with the knitted tea cozy. That cheese board is simply magnificent. the knife on it isn’t too shabby either, I bet you’ll really enjoy using them!

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  15. I love reading your posts, what a surprise to find new items listed!! I have this sneeky feeling Glenda you will never run out of items to list. I love jarrah and those artisans down south make some wonderful things out of it. Deb & I keep saying crikey who is she going to leave all this to???? By the way the silver dish is so intricate couldn’t imagine them being made here for a reasonable price. Glad you had a good New Year.

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    • Hiya Pat. They look amazing and are so easy to make. I am so happy with the stamps. I am going to buy another one the next time I go to Sydney.

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  19. Happy New Year Glenda (we’re not quite there yet but close). I noticed and commented on that silver leaf dish in your last post & it’s even more stunning without anything in it. Of course the butter dish is beautiful but it looks so delicate – are you afraid to use it? I know – appropriately- with my ‘butter’ fingers I would have it on display but not dare to touch it. I’ve heard a lot about stollen but I’ve never had a chance to try it. I’d certainly love to give that a shot sometime. What a rolling pin! I keep meaning to replace my meager little one but I can’t seem to part with things that have nothing really wrong with them. Love the wood of that cutting board and I’m amazed that Maus could make something like that although I can certainly understand sometimes buying things if the price is right. I still admire hand made crafts and artistry though.
    Oh my, what a shock – you got cook books for Christmas? Are you going to keep them in the microwave?

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    • Hi Diane, I am afraid the microwave is full 😦 Maus could easily have made the board but, as she explained to me she would have to put the wood through the thicknesser many times to get it that thin and she didn’t seem inclined for the price 🙂

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      • You know when I got the microwave drawer, I ended up with a spare microwave. Too bad we don’t live closer because I’ve been looking for a good home for it to go to.
        I know what Maus means and sometimes I’ll look at clothes or something made of fabric & think I could easily make that…but then if it’s a good price, sometimes it just isn’t worth the time.

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