It’s the first of the month which can only mean one thing… It’s time to join Sherry and friends for this month’s edition of In My Kitchen.
September was short and sweet but it was a September to remember for the most delicious reasons. Grab yourself a cuppa, get comfy and let’s me tell you what’s been happening in my kitchen.
I continue to benefit from my neighbours’ bountiful harvests and their bottomless generosity. My neighbour Tim had a lorry load of tomatoes which he upcycled into bottles of passata. I was thrilled to receive this, not least because it came in a recycled gin bottle! I served it with some cheesy chickpea balls and pasta and it was totes delish!
My ex-neighbour Pat gave me these amazing tomatoes which I used for this Mexican Tomato Salad. Nothing compares to homegrown!
There was also a lot more zucchini which can only mean one thing, Zucchini Slice – we have become quite addicted to it! Stay tuned for my version of this Aussie classic soon…
I’ve been lucky enough to be inundated with apples – did I tell you that before houses were built, there used to be an orchard at the top of our street? As a result, many of the allotments behind our house and many of the gardens at the top of the street have lots of apple trees. I even got some pears!
I asked my Instagram friends what I could make with my orchard bounty and someone sent me a recipe for Irish Apple Cake with Whiskey Sultanas. I was so excited to make it that I didn’t read the recipe properly and used plain instead of self raising flour. However, it was all alright on the night as the recipe called for baking powder too – the cake had a lovely whiskey flavour, was marvellously moist and was also a huge hit with the neighbours!
I’ve been picking blackberries like they’re going out of fashion. I shared the recipe for this easy and delicious Lemon and Blackberry Traybake. It’s great with blackberries but it would go great with raspberries and/or blueberries too. It’s berrylicious!
I’ve also been making lots of Apple and Blackberry Crumble with all my donated and foraged fruit. My belly always rumbles for crumble!
My friend Nick who you might know as my rhubarb dealer brought round some cucumbers from his allotment. I’ve been quick pickling these with some sugar, salt, water and vinegar and they’re so delicious. This cucumber ‘salad’ is so quick, tasty and healthy!
I was thrilled to find these pierogi during Eastern European week at Lidl. I keep promising myself I’ll make my own from scratch but until then, these will more than suffice!
As much as I love summer and the long days and nights, I’m totally ready to get cosy and for all the autumn feels. I needed no encouragement to get out the kitchen pumpkin accessories and the autumn leaf garlands! Bring on the cosy!
Not food related at all although still “in my kitchen.” We have been hosting our furiend Belle while her pawrents are on holibobs and she and Teddy are very attached – it’s the cutest. I usually do my Joe Wicks workouts in the kitchen but the fur kids have been getting in on the action!
We were all very sad when Belle went back home but her pawrents softened the blow by gifting us some more Polish pottery from Country Traditionals. Belle’s folks are also very partial to the blue and white wares and now have an extensive collection of their own! I’m thrilled with my new teapot and milk jug. Aren’t they cute?!
There are lots of things I want in my kitchen that I can’t have a) because I don’t have the space and b) because I like to think of myself as a wannabe minimalist. One of these things is a cake stand with a lid and although I don’t have one, I have the next best thing, a friend who does (and who is generous enough to share it!) How good does my Banana and Carrot Cake look in this?!
Of course the cake stand was just a loan but I got to exchange it for this cute tea bag tidy that the same neighbour bought me back from her holiday in Ireland and this little sheep is for keeps!
One of the best things about being back in the UK is being able to catch up with my old friends on the regular. About twice a year, my old school friends Sam and Leanne come for a girls night away and they are always laden with gifts – chocolates, flowers and all kind of treats. This time, Leanne’s gifts were kitchen themed with a pancake batter dispenser, lemon sherbert drizzle and some chow chows from her neighbour’s garden.
I actually didn’t even know what these were called… the interwebs said chow chow but when I consulted my culinary guru AKA Not Quite Nigella, she told me that in Australia they’re called choko. Whatever they’re called, I no idea what to do with them, do you? If so, please enlighten me.
We had a few days in Porto at the end of the month – we had a ball. I was borderline obsessed with the Portugese pottery but showed great restraint, bringing only this beautiful blue fish plate home with me.
Our flight was quite delayed on the way home and we picked up Teddy from his dog sitter much later than planned and had to drive back in the dark in torrential rain. It wasn’t pretty. Our dear friend who had been taking care of Ted, packed us up some freshly cooked chicken casserole and dumplings and a whole ginger and choc chip cake – how lovely is that? Her cake is actually David’s all time fave – I must try and make it at home!
Now I’ve told you what’s been happening in my kitchen, I’d love to hear what’s been going down in yours. Tell me everything in the comments!
