In my kitchen…
…is a bouquet of scented gardenias from Lisa’s garden…
We haven’t grown gardenias for years, and I’d forgotten how beautiful they were…
In my kitchen…
…is a jar of Ottolenghi strawberry jam. Lisa bought it for me as a souvenir when she was in London and packed it in her husband’s shoe to bring it home. Ernie wasn’t happy…
In my kitchen…
…are six new glasses, picked up for $1 each at the Turkish supermarket in Auburn. The design is moulded into the glass, rather than printed on…
In my kitchen…
…is a very special Christmas present from our friend Moo. He flew in from Adelaide last week with this enormous box in his hand luggage…
Small Man opened it to find more than five kilos of huge, freshly picked South Australian cherries. He was nearly speechless with excitement…
In my kitchen…
…are two new UK cookbooks – Dan Lepard’s Short & Sweet, and River Cottage Veg Everyday.
If you’re in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or India and haven’t heard about the free shipping deal at Amazon UK, do have a look! It’s currently running until mid-January 2012 and applies to orders over £25. Make sure you select the free shipping option when you’re checking out…
In my kitchen…
…are Thumb Sumos, a gift from my little sister. Maude’s three year old has figured out that she can pop them onto either her fingers or her toes…
…OR stick one sumo’s head inside the other one’s thumb hole! (Doesn’t he look smug?)
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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 love to see what’s happening in your kitchen this month!
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In My Kitchen posts, December 2011
Cecilia @ The Kitchen’s Garden
Lizzy @ Bizzy Lizzy’s Good Things
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Celia-
I Love the GArdenias! They are so pristine in the white beauty and they smell like an overpowering Heaven!
I’ve never seen the thumbsums- but they look like a lot of fun for little hands!
And the cherries- you have such generous friends!!!
I did an IMK post this month as well!
Thanks Heidi! There’s treasure in your kitchen this month! :)
I love gardenias too, their scent is so heady so rich that it always catches me by surprise. And those cherries, wow, I look forward to seeing what you all do with those. i love eating them fresh!.. c
Celi, we won’t be doing anything with the cherries, they’ve almost all been eaten! Small Man has been eating a giant bowl twice a day.. :)
Celia, it is always such a treat seeing what is in your kitchen and this month is no exception! Your gardenias are magnificent and I love your new glasses!
I can only imagine the deliciousness that you are going to create with those perfect cherries.
:-) Mandy
Thanks Mandy! The glasses are very pretty – I’m quite chuffed with them!
Gardenias AND cherries!? Lovely.
I know, Em. I feel rich! :)
I don’t think I know what gardenias smell of, but I associate the name with glamour. Moo is a true friend, 5 kilos of cherries, wowsa :)
Jo, he really is a true friend. His company had booked him onto the flight without any baggage allowance, so he had to carry the cherries in his hand luggage!
I love this blog post.. Celia, you are one lucky woman to have those flowers and those cherries. The sumo’s are hilarious as well. Let me know how those cookbooks work out as well? I might need an extra pantry for all of my cookbooks, but why stop now?
Smidge, the books are great – I’ve made a few things from the River Cottage one already, and I’ve made heaps of Dan’s Guardian recipes in the past, some of which are in this new book!
Ah, gardenias, aren’t they just stunning. And such a beautiful parcel of cherries, which reminds me, I must take my two boxes out of the fridge… baking today! Love the sumo wrestlers, how cute is that!? The glasses are very pretty too. Let me know please what the books are like! Always a delight to pop in and see what’s happening in your kitchen Celia. It’s delicious.
Thanks Lizzy! The gardenias were amazing, it’s been so long that I’d forgotten how perfumed they were, and the whole dining room was filled with this scent!
I like the look of that jam – and those cherries. You have true friends.
Indeed I do, Deb! I’m blessed.. :)
Those two books are at the very top of my cookery book wish list. Wish amazon would ship free to the UAE! Lovely to look inside your kitchen Celia.
Sally, both books are great, particularly the RCV one!
Ooo the books. Know what hint I’m dropping for Christmas.
You’ll love them, Linda! :)
Yes my favourite time of year , Gardenia time……. so many presents!!!!!!
Tania, there really was so many presents this month! All of them wonderful too!
I love those swirly glasses – very pretty, and your gardenias are gorgeous too. Those cherries look amazing, I’m very much looking forward to seeing what you do with some of them – if there are any left from just eating them as they are. I’m also looking forward to seeing what you make from H F-W’s Veg. I’ve recently bought it and although I haven’t made anything yet, there are lots of inspiring ideas in there.
C, the cherries are almost all gone! :) I’ve made the Cambodian wedding dip and the baked ratatouille from the RCV book – it’s got some wonderful and very simple recipes in it!
Love your gardenia’s Celia. We have some in pots in the back and their scent is very evocative for me. They are a strong reminder of someone I loved very much and lost tragically and way too early.
Amanda, it’s lovely that you have a reminder of your friend in the backyard. I was watching a Heston special last night, and he commented that scent is really the most powerful memory trigger…
Wow, you always make this such a fun feature!
Thanks Greg! :)
I often order books form the uk amazon site its a g8 price and really fast. Im so jealous the box of cherries look just lovely!! I eat so many last year around xmas I had a sore tummy, once you start you just cant stop. I have spent the last few days making strawberry and vanilla jam so my house smells amazing and the bright pink jam is just staring at me to open and pour all over my vanilla ice cream. It always seems like you have made to much but by march we run out !!! Have you made any Xmas treats ? do you make the same every year or try new things Amanda Jaynex Auckland NZ
Amanda, thanks for stopping by! We’ve been busy this year, so our Christmas cooking is running a little late, but we did make a start over the weekend. We tend to do both – make favourites and also experiment with a couple of new things each year!
I got those two books from Amazon UK a few weeks ago – they are fantastic.
You are going to love them!
I am full of envy for those cherries – they are so expensive here in Perth. (Not Scotland, Australia!)
Ann, it’s been a funny old December, hasn’t it? Over here on the east coast we’ve had rain, rain and more rain – it’s bucketing down now as I type. I think it’s made a dent on the stonefruit, which is a shame, as it was promising to be a great year!
In my kitchen are…. meals delivered by some lovely friends to get me through the first hard days after surgery… lots of morphine :-) …. and stacks of blog posts and emails that need replying…
Due to using only one finger of my left hand to type, I’m only replying to the most important yours is on the list of course :-)
Becca, you poor thing, get better soon! I’ve been thinking of you – I hope the kids and BigJ are making a big fuss over you!
Hi. First visit to your blog. Great find, this!! I was googling to get some guidance on how long to cook fruit and nut Christmas cakes in small loaf tins. My recipe (from at least 25 years ago, probably Vogue entertaining or Gourmet magazine) doesn’t give times for smaller tins and I’m using a fan-forced oven for the first time.
I follow 101cookbooks but am delighted to find a ‘local’ blog, even if not Melbourne. Great photos. Wish my chooks would stand still so I could match your closeup shot. I’ll look forward to browsing more of your recipes when I get a chance.
Thanks for stopping by, Ros! We were recently in Melbourne – wonderful city for eating! :)
You LIKE THUMB SUMOS…. Hooray!. They don’t have much to do with your kitchen or your garden though……
Love, lots lots, to you and your three boys xxxx
Everything in our house ends up in the kitchen eventually.. ;-)
Thank you for the sumos darling – did you know that if you stack them like in the bottom photo, you can then squeeze the top one and shoot the bottom one across the room? ;-)
The flowers sure are pretty. You have cherries? I imagine you’ll make some tasty treats, if they’re not eaten first! Have you ever made cherry jam? Interesting post, as always.
Thanks Manuela! We’ve made cherry jam in the past, but when the cherries are really perfect like Moo’s were, they just get eaten! I shall go see if Small Man has left me any to bake with.. ;-)
I am so jealous! I want “Veg Everyday” You must try every recipe in the book and send me a full report. :-)
The Jam look so elegant. Love the whole packaging.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Maz.
Maz, as a vegetarian, you would LOVE RCV! Have you watched the series? It’s not out here yet (it might be on Fox, but we don’t have cable tv), but I recently found the whole series on youtube here:
Sweet! I’ll watch it as soon as I get back from my walkabout.
Maz.
Love love LOVE the glasses. LMAO at the Sumos :)
Thanks Cindy! I fell in love with the glasses straight away too. They’re only small – about 200ml – but so sweet. And I love that the design won’t wash off!
Celia those cherries! 5 kilo’s!!!! we were just talking today about cherries and the fact that they are indeed a fine thing. A good one is to die for. I have grand plans of eating only cherries at christmas.
oh and you are NOT helping my effort of trying not to get that Dan Lepard book!
Brydie, you and Small Man would get along well. A cherry only Christmas would be his idea of heaven!
And if you’re going to get Dan’s book, do it soon, before the amazon free shipping expires! :)
i love the gardenias most celia..they have poignant memories for me..when i lived in athens single refrigerated gardenias were available from a local florist and because i loved them so much my husband would buy me one every now and again to wear..
buying a box of the best cherries is a christmas tradition in our family..they are so pretty and festive..and..well..i just love them to bits..even looking at them is enough for me..
Jane, the cherries are so beautiful, I know exactly what you mean. Aren’t we lucky to live in a country where prawns and cherries = Christmas? :)
Lovely story about the gardenias.. :)
Whenever I smell gardenias I am instantly transported back to the night my husband -to- be proposed – they were growing along the deck of the restaurant we went to so are a very special memory. He even now will present me with one and a kiss just to say ‘I love you’!
Must do myself an in the kitchen too though I dont think I am going to find cherries in their sadly :-)
Sue, you and Jane (above) both have such romantic tales about gardenias! I hope you’re both growing them in your gardens.. :)
Do you have a blog? I’d love to read it – please let me know if you do an IMK and I’ll add you to the list!
I love a bowl of cold cherries….fat and juicy and totally delicious! I bought some fantastic cherries at the Prymont markets a week or so ago – the growers from Young. Makes me want to go to Young, with a big, big bag to fill with cherries!
SG, I haven’t heard about Young’s season, but I’m seeing Pete’s aunt soon, and they live there, so I’m sure we’ll get an update. Hopefully the rain hasn’t caused too much harm!
I bought myself the new Hugh book and absolutely love it. I have made about 8 dishes out of it already and these have been wonderful. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Thank you! I’ve only had it a little while, but I love it already! :)
I just watched the whole series on YouTube.
Mouse, we did too! Wasn’t it great? :)
I NEED those thumb sumo’s as Dave and I still play thumb wars :) Lovely cherries you got!
Tandy, I hope you can find them, they’re great fun. Would you be red or blue? ;-)
Blue for me!
Me too! :)
Dear Celia,
I think I would have enjoyed the look on Small Man’s face when he saw those cherries. I nearly didn’t recognise HFW on his cookbook with that haircut!
Chopinand, doesn’t Hugh look different! I think it suits him too. He’s much thinner in the veg series as well – there’s a YouTube link in one of the comments above if you haven’t watched it (it hasn’t free to air tv here yet).
Small Man was soooo happy. The cherries are now all gone – mostly into Small Man!
Ooh, ooh, ooh, it’s all so exciting. I was almost squealing with delight at those beautiful flowers – something especially appealing in that bright green that we just don’t get at this time of year. And then I saw the cherries, what a super present. So glad you finally got your copy of Short and Sweet, you too can now join in the rave reviews ;-)
Apologies for not being so attentive to your wonderful blog these days, just finding it very hard to keep up with everything.
Choc, it’s such a busy time of year, thanks for stopping by! I was checking in on your blog at almost exactly the same time! :) The gardenias were beautiful – and just as exciting for us, as we don’t grow them anymore (not that they ever did well in our yard, for some reason). And yes, Short and Sweet finally came, and I didn’t have to fly to the UK to pick it up! :)
Love the flowers, love the glasses, the books, the everything…
Celia, I promise I’ll be making a post about my kitchen this month…. I promise! There, I made the public commitment…. now I MUST do it ;-)
Looking forward to it, Sally! :)
[…] to my travels to Sri Lanka I haven’t done one of these postings (inspired by Fig and Lime Cordial) for a few months. Its been a busy few weeks since we got back. I also visited the Farmers Markets […]
[…] always Celia from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial has some lovely things in her kitchen. What’s in yours this December? Share […]
Finally….here’s mine Celia! http://mycustardpie.com/2011/12/17/in-my-kitchen-in-december/