In my kitchen…
…are my first five tubs of homemade lip balm. They’re made with cocoa butter, olive oil, beeswax and tinted with a tiny bit of lipstick. The consistency isn’t quite right yet, so I’ll have to keep experimenting…
In my kitchen…
…are the nicest apples we’ve bought so far this season. This 16kg box of huge Pink Ladies was only $20 at the markets from Maurice and Jody’s stall…
In my kitchen…
…I’ve been playing with chocolate! Below are pieces of milk feuilletine chocolate dipped in a 54% dark…
…and chunks of caramelised white chocolate dipped in a 70% dark…
In my kitchen…
…is a tin of plum mousse from Germany. I actually had no idea what was in the sealed tin, which I bought on a whim, thinking it might be plum lollies of some sort…
Luckily, Pete really liked the plum mousse, which is more like a paste than a jam. It should go well with cheese…
In my kitchen…
…is my first and last attempt at marron glacé. A failed attempt at that, as we ended up with sweet chewy chestnuts rather than glacé fruit (although they didn’t taste too bad)…
But every cloud has a silver lining, and as a result of these, I discovered how easy it is to wrap small confections in muffin pan liners! Far easier than cutting up squares of greaseproof paper…
In my kitchen…
…is Pete’s mum’s old cookbook, the Good Housekeeping’s Cookery Compendium (1959 ed). Uncle Steve gave it to me as a gift…
It’s full of step-by-step instructions…
In my kitchen…
…is an old chip maker, which my mum found buried in the back of her pantry. She’s never used it…
…and Pete’s not game to let me have a go either! I’m forever cutting myself on graters, can you imagine what I’d do with exposed blades like these?
. . . . .
Tell me, what’s happening in your kitchen this month?
If you’d like to do an In My Kitchen post on your own blog, please feel free to use this format, and to leave a comment here linking back to your post. We’d all love to see what’s happening in your kitchen every month too!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Celia, another fabulous “In your Kitchen” post! I am “crossing fingers” that I can finally get around to partaking from September now that we are back home and ‘settled’.
Have a happy day.
:-) Mandy
Mandy, really looking forward to seeing what’s in your kitchen! :)
The chocolate covered caramelised white chocolate looks sooooo good!
And that chip cutter looks lethal – put it on a top shelf, in a box, until it’s a museum piece!
My kitchen is untidy and messy this month – not much cooking going on!
Suelle, thank you – and you’re so right, I think the chip cutter will be stored safely away. Even if I did manage to use it without cutting myself – how on earth does one wash something so lethal? ;-)
I want to be in your kitchen and not in mine, Zeb would like to come too please.
You’re always welcome! And I have dog treats in the freezer for Zeb too.. :)
How nice to be able to catch a`Ïn my kitchen¨ post from you as I am about to fly back home… I was planning to take a bunch of things from Brazil, but ended up unable to do a final shopping trip to the market. Too many people to see and talk to, impossible to do it all…
loved your lip balm, the tins are so cute! And the cookbook, what a gem!
great collection of stuff this time, loved to read it!
Sally, sounds like you’ve had a wonderful time – can’t wait to hear all about it! Have a good flight home, love.. :)
I so want to be in your kitchen Celia – so much fun to be had and so many lovely treats. I’ve only made one batch of lip balm so far. I put far too much beeswax in it, so it’s quite hard and has lasted me more than two years. Next time I will try to make it a little softer. Will you really not have another go at making marron glace? They are so expensive to buy but so delicious.
Choc, thank you – I’m still trying to figure the lip balm out. The batch above was quite soft, so I tried another batch with more beeswax and it looked ok, but after a week the first batch had set a bit better and the second batch was rock solid.
The marron glace was a right bugger – the chestnuts were really hard to peel and I ended up with burnt fingers and the underside of my nails hurt etc. I wonder if you can make it with rehydrated dried chestnuts?
Completely understand now. Peeling chestnuts is no fun at all. Could you not buy a vacuum pack or jar of peeled chestnuts?
Choc, they’re surprisingly hard to buy here, and very expensive. But I should try and track them down, as I love chestnuts…
Celia, I enjoy your “imk” segments…interesting lip balm…hurry up and send the recipe once you get it to your liking.
Norma, thank you! I’m still experimenting with the lip balm – the problem is it takes a while to use each batch up! :)
I love reading these posts! I have the 1960 edition of the Good Housekeeping cookery book, it was one of my wedding presents, so you know how long I have been married now! I still use certain recipes from it and would never get rid of it.
Jeannette, I’ve just been going through the book again this morning. Lots of old treasures in there!
Love what you’ve unearthed….and shared, especially repurposing cupcake wrappers!!!!! and the lip balm…….they look gorgeous, one day the recipe will click and the days of experimenting will be gone. Stay well!
Thanks Oz! And I know, how exciting was it to figure out that we could use muffin liners to wrap lollies! I can see boxes of wrapped treats happening this Christmas.. :)
Can I come to your kitchen for some of that chocolate please? I think my Mum had that cookbook. She also had one with a red and white checked cover.
Deb, you can come to my kitchen anytime, it would be a joy to have you. :)
I love that cookbook, what a real treasure! I have some old ones from my great grandmother but it’s so funny that a lot of the recipes are ‘incomplete’ and don’t give some steps as they just assume any competent housewife would know the basics already. And I have one of those mandolines too- they’re fantastic, but really watch your fingers and always use the gaurd!
Becca, it’s a lovely old book! Really, Pete has banned me from using the mandoline!!
That cookbook Celia! What a great thing to have. I’ve got a few old ones, but so many of them don’t have a lot of pictures and certainly not step by step pictures. Tell me is there a savoury jellied something or other in there :-)
…and your surprise tin? It being German, and involving plums, I would have bought it too!
Brydie, I had a look for you – yep, page 183, Jellied Prawn Ring – prawns, aspic jelly, sliced olives, gelatine, tomato juice, lemon and seasoning. :)
Okay – where to begin? I must have some of the lip balm…and I always buy random tins of things and then wonder at the contents. All told, your figgy whatnot looks good – could slather on chicken and bake…and the chocolates…please please can I have some? They look like Tim_tams but dark and lovely. My favorite cookbooks are my grandmother’s, complete with her notes and changes and ripped bits from the newspaper. My husband’s grandmother died a few months ago at 96 and we now have the cookbooks she smuggled with her from Germany upon her escape in 1938. I can’t read a word but love to hold the book and keep it nearby (for sentiment and the horrifically ugly photos inside). Thanks for the great post.
Thank you! :) Those old cookbooks must be treasured family heirlooms now! So impressed you know about Tim Tams, have you spent time downunder?
My word, that chip cutter looks very scary indeed! Reminds me of the German slicing device I have in the bottom of a cupboard – I took it out of the box, took one look at the wickedly glinting blades and put it straight away again.
A, that’s exactly what Pete did. Took one look…and then took it off me. :)
all your kitcheny stuff looks so enticing..marron glace have to one of the most delicate and delicious sweets but peeling them and having them intact enough to candy is a major undertaking and so i admire you for even contemplating making them let alone actually producing them..
i think owning old family cookbooks is such a wonderful link to our past and heritage and knowing the provenance of a cookbook is something to treasure..jane
Jane, the chestnuts were a complete bugger to peel! But you know me, have to try things at least once.. ;-)
Oh, Celia, your post had me looking around the kitchen for my old cookbooks! They’re hiding on a shelf behind newer ones! I have never cut myself on my slicer but rarely get it out of the back of the drawer unless I have a whole lot of slicing to do–I too fear the washing up! Your chocolate makes me want to experiment but I have a box of the most delicious dark chocolate coated coffee beans that I am rationing.
Now what to do with a box of ripe avocados???
Liz, I have never not cut myself on the slicer! I do it so frequently that Big Boy now makes jokes about it whenever the tool comes out. Now I had an avocado surplus last year, and I wasn’t sure what to do with them so I blogged about it, and lots of people gave me ideas.. :)
Post is here:
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2010/08/09/avocadoes/
Good to see my ‘Good Housekeeping’ cookbook on your post. I bought mine in 1960 – my kids all want it when I die so I think I’ll have to hold a ballot!! Enjoy your blog – keep up the good work!
Michelle, thanks for stopping by. Good to know the cookbook has such staying power! :)
I had one of the graters! It did not last long … Clever use of the muffin wrappers. I used to make my own lip balms but the effort became too much for the outcome. Have a great day Celia :)
Tandy, thank you – the lip balm is a bit of a palaver, but I have a bag of cocoa butter that I need to so something with, so I’ve been experimenting.. :)
Hope you have a good one too! :)
Always one of my favourite things to do – read In My Kitchen! I just love how you seem to experiment without fear! My new mantra: I must be braver in the kitchen :)
Not much happening at my place. I unexpectedly found some paid work at my local bookshop (heaven, really) and I’m still working out this work/life balance thingy! But the baking itch is coming on…
Sonia, thank you and that’s pretty exciting about the bookshop! When I was young I used to fantasize about working in one!
Wonderful happenings, Celia! Look at your lip balm! Just beautiful. I would like to experiment with fragrant soy melts one day. I haven’t tried using cocoa butter – just beeswax and olive oil.
I don’t think I could go past the plum paste either, yum! And the cookbook, what a treasure this is. Very special, indeed.
I’m joining in with a kitchen post this month, thanks for sharing what’s in yours :)
Chris, that’s exciting, look at all the wonderful things in your kitchen! Thanks for playing!
Chris’ post is here: http://slowlivingessentials.blogspot.com/2011/08/in-my-kitchen-august-11.html
Ooo the chipmaker! I used to have one of those when I was fancy and lived in France. I loved it because it transformed potatoes into the most fabulously uniform chips, but I always knew I was in great danger every time I used it.
Oh the thrill of the chip.
Ali, do tell, how did you wash the darn thing? I know, I know.. carefully.. ;-)
Hee hee, straight away and just with running water. No way am I risking a sliced finger on something as dreadful as washing up :)
Oh and I am halfway through “Artificial Eyes”! It’s fabulous – I’m hooked. Loving the adjectives!!!
Thanks for taking the time to read it! Big Boy will be thrilled. :)
Yes, better keep the chip maker away from me too. I am impressed by your chocolate!
Thanks Cindy, wish I could send you some! Re the chip maker, to me it’s already crying out “warning! warning!”.. :)
Such a bountiful kitchen!
That cookbook looks amazing. I found an old Bee Nilson cookbook from the 50s at a second hand store and snapped it up, and I would love to get my hands on my dad’s old leftovers cookbook from the 60s.
Maybe you could start a family tradition with the slicer and pass it down to one of the boys, still unused. :)
Kate, that’s too funny! Great idea! :)
Always enjoy your in my kitchen posts. My Mum had a Good Housekeeping cookbook which I used to leaf through for hours as a child.
Sounds like it was THE cookbook in the 60s, Sally! :)
Oh what a shame with your marron glaces! I was thankful that mine worked out but Im not sure how or why! I just don’t have the patience for it and for those I think I would gladly pay for someone else to do it :P
Lorraine, agreed, and I should have used your recipe rather than the River Cottage one I tried! I’d happily pay someone to peel chestnuts for me, I think.
What a beautiful post….Love the gorgeous things you have in your kitchen…love the old cooking book…a real treasure….you are lucky to have it….beautiful space…
-Shilpa
Thanks Shilpa! The old book is really gorgeous – more for the photos than anything else! Some of them look like they’ve been hand-coloured…lovely old pics.. :)
Celia-
As always-Love your kitchen and projects.
I have a mandoline as well- and have done some damage to my fingers- and the secret to washing it is to use very hot soapy water and a dish brush. Let it air dry. The end.
Also- your plum mousse looks very much like lekvar- plum butter that is used in Slavic baking. I add a thin layer to poppyseed strudel or as the filling for kiffla biscuits. My other had a recipe for the best cookies –
1 pound dry cottage cheese
1 pound soft butter
1 pound flour
Mix together, shape into balls and refrigerate, then roll out with rolling pin using confectioner’s (10x) sugar- fill with lekvar, apricot preserves or nut filling and bake at 375 F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Shake on a topping of 10x sugar and enjoy with a cup of tea!
I’m not currently in my kitchen- but I’ll do one when I get home next week
Heidi, thanks for the recipe! My Hungarian friend June makes a jam kifli with plum paste which might be similar to what you describe. I wrote them up here a while back: https://figjamandlimecordial.com/cakes-cookies/jam-kifli/
Look forward to seeing what’s in your kitchen this month! :)
I put up my post- http://heidiannie.com/2011/08/in-my-kitchen-5/
-thanks again for this fun and informative pastime!
Heidi, thanks for playing!! I love seeing all the stuff in your kitchen.. :)
You have a happy kitchen :) and those homemade lip balm look lovely :)
Thanks Tes! Have a great day! :)
Oooh, love those V-slicers, I still use mine all the time, esp for thin potato slices …but I learnt the hard way it is very important to ALWAYS use the ‘hat’ protector !!!!
P.S. I’ve posted an ‘in my kitchen’ this month. http://soulkitchenblog.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/in-my-kitchen-august-2011/
Cheers, Karen
Oooh, Karen, thanks for joining in again this month! I’ll pop your post on the list in the sidebar as well…
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What a lovely blog. Really like your ‘what’s in my kitchen’ feature. My mum has that 1950s Good Houskeeping, her’s must be a bit older perhaps 1953 as it was a wedding present. But it looks pretty much the same, I used to pour over it as a child.
Janice, thanks for stopping by! The GH book sounds like it was a kitchen staple – probably evidenced by the fact it was reprinted so many times! :)
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You’ve inspired me Celia!
Here’s my contribution….hope it’s not too late!
http://alllittenup.blogspot.com/2011/08/in-my-kitchen-august-2011.html
Shelley, absolutely not! Thanks for playing! :)
Celia, I have at last got around to doing an In My Kitchen post. Many thanks to you on this, it’s such a nice idea and I had fun doing it too.
http://choclogblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/in-my-kitchen-august-2011.html
Choc, thanks for joining in, you have some really interesting things in your kitchen! (I’m still taken with the water egg.. :)). xx
Goodness Celia, that was quick. Even after 10 years, we are both still taken with our water egg.
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