I’m back!!!! Back from Ireland, back from England, back from meetings in VA, back from my friend’s daughter’s wedding…whew! There has been a lot going on and most of it has not been in my kitchen. The situation is especially disappointing because I have a new kitchen in our cabin in Fort Bragg, I haven’t been able to spend much time there. But, lucky me, this whole week I am working remotely from the kitchen counter.
Early morning walk, getting the day started on the right foot.
“In My Kitchen” (sometimes called IMK), is an ongoing series of posts from around the world. Our host is Liz at BizzyLizzyGoodThings. It is a wonderful chance to peek into other people’s kitchens, who doesn’t love being a fly on the wall? You will get some great ideas along the way as well.
This is going to be a quick post because the entries close on the 10th and I really want to take part this month. I will elaborate more on items in this post later.
I saw these silicone pot lids on a couple of blogs in the past few months and wanted to try them. They are really useful and create an airtight water-tight seal on any smooth rim surface, are microwave oven and dishwasher safe, and can be used to prevent stove-top splatters and retain steam while cooking. I purchased a set from Amazon, Charles Viancin Silicone Lids, and am finding them very useful for storing food in the fridge (no plastic wrap) and covering pots on the stove. They are pretty as well.
In my kitchen I have black garlic, all the way from Ireland. I was a little concerned getting them through customs but there were no problems. They are an ingredient I see mentioned more frequently but had not seen in the states yet. Black garlic is made when heads of regular garlic are aged under specialized conditions until the cloves turn inky black and develop a sticky date-like texture (from Bon Apetit). The aging brings out many rich subtleties, sweet and earthy minus heat.
Black Garlic
I cannot wait to experiment, some say the flavor is like aged balsamic, prune, licorice, molasses, caramel, and tamarind.
October is my birthday month and cookbooks are a favorite present, I have some new ones and will be posting some representative recipes in the next few months.
New Cookbooks
Another new one
In my kitchen I have paperwhites, I am forcing them for winter scents.
In my kitchen I have some new spices from Oaktown Spice Shop. This is an Italian mixture and it was very good on some chicken thighs. I simply brushed them with olive oil, coated with the spices, and sprinkled them with sea salt. Baked at 450 degrees F, they were crispy on the outside and flavorful in only 40 minutes.
Mixed Italian Herbs
Baked Chicken Thighs with Erbe Italiane di Lusso
In my kitchen I have the first limes from the tree on the deck in Fort Bragg. I never really thought it would do well up there on the coast, but look at all those limes at year two! And there are more flowers, limes next year too, yeah! A recipe frequently calls for a squeeze of lime and I never seem to have it on hand, but I will now. Lime for an occasional vodka gimlet.
In my kitchen I have this gorgeous gratin dish, a gift from Spain from the lovely woman for whom I hosted a wedding shower. Thank you Jamie.
Gratin Dish from Spain
There is lots to get caught up with and I am excited to be back. Meanwhile, cheers from Ireland.
Cheers from Ireland
Oh yes, cheers to you also. A lovely IMK post… such fun. Happy November and thank you for the very kind shout out. PS love those silicon lids. I have them too! xx
I saw them on your blog and several others, they are super. Thank you so much for taking on IMK, it have missed the group. I am looking forward to reading through all the posts.
Liz, what an amazing October you have enjoyed; can’t wait to hear more about your coast-to-coast hike, etc. The silicon pot lids look like a must-have item (practical and so darn cute), and the “neverheardof” black garlic sounds intriguing.
Hi Dee, it is good to hear from you. Steve and I have been looking at boats to live on in the bay area, we are considering selling our big house here and splitting our time between the boat and our place up the coast. My plan is to retire next year. I have been inspired by your tales cruising, and we lived on a 50 foot cruiser when we were first married. It was great fun.
We’ve enjoyed our 16+ years of combined liveaboard/shoreside living. Retirement sounds a perfect time for a major lifestyle change… can’t wait for more updates. Let’s try an e-mail connection – I’ll try the address on your About page.
Hi Dee, I would love to connect. My email is lizohara94@gmail.com. We are thinking of a visit to Seattle in early Jan to look at boats. We haven’t had much luck in the Bay Area. Our preference would be for something like a used 50′ Grand Banks. Something very seaworthy but comfortable for 2 couples.
Like you, I’m a big fan of silicone lids. So useful!… Nice post.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Thank you Mae for stopping by, they are amazing. I don’t know how I lived without them.
Liz, your excitement (and relief) came through in this wonderful post. Glad you’re back in your kitchen at last. LOVED your “cheers” pic… made me think: “Got Guinness?” 🙂 The gratin dish is beautiful, as is your lime crop and new silicone lids. (The latter reminded me of Monet’s Water Lilies.) Sounds like you’re enjoying YOUR life after a busy stretch. Yay!
Hello Kim, thank you for stopping by. They are actually called water lilies. I am enjoying it but plan to retire next year, that I am looking forward to so much. My husband fell in love with Guinness in Ireland, myself that was probably the only glass I drank. It was at the Guinness factory. He says it doesn’t taste the same here in the US.
Liz I’m so glad you invested in the silicon lids – I posted on them a while ago and only months later I couldn’t live without them. I have a few designs 😀
I think it was your post Laura that inspired me. Thank you so much, they are great.
wow it sounds like you had a fabulous month. i love those silicone lids, and the gratin dish is a beauty. love the colours. marvellous to have your own limes too. what are paperwhites? some kind of bulb?
Yes, they are a bulb that you can force in water. They have clusters of little white flowers with an intense fragrance. A few bulbs with spread their scent through the whole house. We usually see them starting in September in the garden stores. Unfortunately they never bloom again if you force them in water, I’ve put them in the garden and each year they put up green but no more flowers. They are related to daffodils.
i didn’t know you could force them in water. we used to grow freesias in our garden. they loved the sandy soil. i was digging around them one day and i unearthed a tiny bearded dragon which opened its little yellow throat to scare me off. so funny.
Have never seen those silicone lids before! Love!
Thank you so much for coming by and commenting. I am looking forward to reading all the IMK posts, and you own.
Howard’s Storage carries them at a fairly hefty price
They were not cheap in Ireland either, but I stood in line at the deli with my friends waiting impatiently outside in the wet.
Welcome back! I also bought a few of those silicone lids after reading about them – amazon.co.uk also sells them. They are great. Absolutely love the swirling glaze in that Spanish gratin dish. Now, after seeing yours, I need to check on those limes growing in the back garden – our first crop.
This was our first crop as well, I really didn’t expect any and was totally amazed. The little tree in a wine barrel looks very happy, flowers as well as limes. I hope your own is the same. You live in a warm climate and it should do well.
I love to see a good cookbook haul! I have the new Diana Henry, too – but have yet to cook much from it.
I just discovered her for the first time and love her common sense approach. I have put in for a couple more as Christmas presents. I really should stop collecting, there isn’t any shelf space left!
Belated birthday blessings! I make black garlic aioli with my black garlic, it is really amazing. Your silicone pot lids are very pretty 🙂
Thank you for visiting Tandy. Black garlic aioli sounds like a delicious idea. Can you get the garlic easily or do you have to special order it?
Our local store has it every so often.
Those silicon pot lids are fantastic.
Enjoy getting reacquainted with your kitchen and that gorgeous view from your morning walk 🙂
Cheers to you Liz, we love a pint of Guinness in the cooler weather. The success you are having with you lime trees is inspiring. My potted tree is flourishing, but no flowers, no fruit…. yet. Retirement on the horizon is exciting, lots more time to do the things you love
It took a year for my tree to flower and fruit, maybe your own just needs more time. My husband says Guinness does not taste the same outside of Ireland. He noticed a big difference even in the UK. He compared it to chocolate milk in Ireland.
What a stunning view of the ocean! Your lime tree is doing better than mine, although we do usually get a lot of lemons each year. Are paperwhites a hyacinth? Your kitchen is like a little holiday away from home, Liz! 🙂
They are more a member of the daffodil family. I will post a picture in the next IMK. Highly scented. We have lemons but I had always been told we could not grow limes, very pleasant surprise.
WOW you have had a very busy month haven’t you! Enjoy your black garlic Liz, love to hear what you used it in. Your chicken looks sooooo tasty with the Italian spice mixture, what spices are in there? Oh and happy belated birthday, enjoy your cookbooks. See you soon for IMK x
https://missfoodfairy.com/2016/11/04/in-my-kitchen-november-2016/
So great meal !
Wish you HAppy New YEar 2017 !
I leave you my post about celebration of New Year’s Eve in Madrid
https://traveltomeetyourheart.wordpress.com/2017/01/07/12-grapes-new-years-eve-spain-madrid/
Thank you! I look forward to retirement this year and more time for blogging.
I wish you that – your blog is really nice 🙂 If you like travels I also invite to follow my blog 😀