In My Kitchen

March for me very much means that the year is in full swing.  Summer is starting to wind down here in Brisbane with an occassional cooler evening and I’m looking forward to being able to break out the slow cooker for some braises and soups over the coming few months.  For now though I’m settling into a routine of roasting vegetables, trying my hand at different delicious curries and mixing it up with the BBQ still occasionally.

So firstly in my kitchen this month is my coffee grinder/spice grinder… it’s helping me to transform my curries into something on a whole new level with fresher flavours and more depth and complexity.  Exploring Charmaine Solomon’s Complete Asian Cookbook  for February’s The Cook Book Guru has made a big impression on my curry making skills.

In my kitchen is Irish Soda Bread which I’ve been making on high rotation since giving the recipe a try.   It’ s so simple to make, very low maintenance compared to a yeast based bread and very satisfying for my breakfast or lunch.  I’m experimenting with different versions with seeds and nuts so stay tuned for new versions coming soon.

In my kitchen is a building collection of tea towels.  Some are ancient and ready to go to the kitchen in the sky, but some are brand new with pretty patterns and coloured fabrics that make me hesitate to use them for fear of ruining their appearance.  They are awesome for creating interesting settings for my blog photos and something I’m continuously keeping an eye open for when I’m out and about.  Who knew I’d turn into a tea towel collector?!?!?!?!

In my kitchen is two cheeky monkey’s dancing and looking like they are laughing at me… One was a gift from Mr G and the other from his parents at Christmas time…if you’re wondering about the significance of monkey’s in our life then check out this post on the Monkey cake from last years birthday.

In my kitchen is a collection of serving and mixing spoons….some are cheap bamboo versions purchased with an urgent need, others are Tasmanian hardwood purchased because of their bespoke shape and feel, some are gifts in the form of resin and a set of treasured french red handled salad servers.  Most I own because they are practical and they please my eye when I use them… it’s the little things that can make a kitchen feel so much like home.  For me it’s sometimes something as small as the spoons.

Thank you for taking time to check out my kitchen.  If you’d like to join in the fun make sure that you head over to Fig Jam and Lime Cordial for details.  Celia’s blog is amazing, it inspires me to try new techniques, to revisit old favourites and most of all to get a little peek into the working kitchens of other wonderful cooks around the world.

Happy Cooking and Happy Eating,

Leah