In my kitchen…
…is this year’s supply of plum brandy. We’ve made both regular and blood plum versions this time – the latter is shown on the right, and is far more viscous than our usual brews…
In my kitchen…
…there is always bread. Last week, there were these sourdough rosette rolls, made with the Buratto flour that Tania gave me…
In my kitchen…
…are new bevvies – a Taylor’s Portuguese Late Bottled Vintage Port ($17) and a Sancerre ($15) from Costco (both very good and ridiculously cheap), and our latest find, Dirty Granny Cider from Matilda Bay brewers in Port Melbourne…
In my kitchen…
…are jars of this year’s apple butter, a welcome byproduct of our pectin making…
In my kitchen…
…is a packet of Kataifi pastry, bought on a whim. I’ve never used it before – does anyone have any tips, please?
In my kitchen…
…is a wonderful gift from Lorraine – dead sea salts from Jordan! Christine had these in her IMK post last month as well…
In my kitchen…
…is a jar of extra virgin coconut oil. I’m hoping it will work well in curries and stir fries. I’m also toying with the idea of vegan lardy rolls..
In my kitchen…
…are new Shin Bio heat packs. I use these for tempering chocolate, and they’re fabulous. The packs heat up and solidify with a click of a button, and then soften again when boiled. For the science geeks, here’s the chemistry behind it. We’ve reused ours dozens of times (maybe more).
I’ve had to discard two packs recently – we accidentally melted the plastic on one of them, and the other developed a leak – so it was time to replace them. They’re very good for sore muscles as well as chocolate making…
In my kitchen…
…are milk chocolate feuilletine “coins”, made with our Ma’moul moulds…
In my kitchen…
…are four-chocolate butterscotch bars, baked for the school music department. Big Boy and Small Man are no longer in any school bands, but old habits die hard…
In my kitchen…
…are carrots from our garden. They don’t grow particularly well here, but we keep trying…
In my kitchen…
…are two savoury tromboncino slices. It wouldn’t be an IMK post without mention of the trombies – at least not while they’re still producing madly…
. . . . .
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 do so. We’d love to see what’s happening in your kitchen this month! Please link back to this blog, and let us know when your post is up, and we’ll add it to our monthly listing.
Here are this month’s posts…
Elizabeth @ Mrs Thomasina Tittlemouse
Sandy @ Vegans Eat Yummy Food Too!
Lizzy @ Bizzy Lizzy’s Good Things
Bernice @ Something Completely Different
Tania @ The Cook’s Pyjamas (first IMK post!)
Johanna @ Green Gourmet Giraffe
Mel @ Veganise This! (first IMK post!)
Ale @ Ligera de Equipaje (our first post from Argentina!)
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Celia, you always have the most magnificent IMK posts, nobody could top your fab editions! I am looking forward to seeing what you make with the shredded pastry – not sure we even get something like that here.
:-) Mandy xo
Mandy, thank you! I’ve had the pastry before in restaurants, but I’ve never tried cooking with it before. I’ll let you know how I go! :)
Great post, that coconut oil is supposedly good for memory retention.
Did you know that coconut oil is good for memory retention? *sniggers*
Hehehehe….I’ll send you some, love. x
Another lot of gorgeous goodies! The only time I’ve had kataifi, it was used to wrap a parcel of goat cheese and vegetables. It was attractively presented and very tasty!
Kate, I’ve had it as a sweet pastry next that was used to serve sorbet in – it was divine. I’ll have to experiment! :)
I’m liking the plum brandy-wine, I think I’ll give that a go this year :)
Claire, we love it! It’s always delicious, and in flu season it does double duty – we pass it around the neighbourhood as cough elixir! :)
You have some very interesting items in your kitchen, some things I’ve never even heard of before!
Jeannette, some of them were new to me too this month! :)
Dirty Granny Cider – love it – ha! I am coming to your kitchen – baked goods, chocolate, spirits, etc. – YUM:) Happy Tuesday
Thanks Renee – great name, eh? :)
WOW! They are all so nice and delicous… In my kitchen :) nothing special… but one day I want to share with you something from my kitchen. Thank you, have a nice day, love, nia
Nia, I hope so – I’d love to see what’s in your kitchen! :)
Lovely post. I’ve got some of those self heating pads- they’re currently sat gathering dust in a drawer. It’s never occurred to me to use them for making chocolate. Do you just pop them under the bowl? Your plum brandy looks good as well – I made plum vodka this year with our crop so I may give brandy a go this year.
Hi there, I actually temper the chocolate first, and then use the mats to hold it at the correct working temperature. I wrote about it here:
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2009/06/26/how-to-temper-chocolate/
I did a course on chocolate tempering and it was a challenge to keep it warm enough to transfer it to the moulds. It never occurred to me use something like this. Many thanks for the idea.
Oooh, yes, please don’t get me started – I think that’s the thing they never tell you about chocolate tempering. It’s not GETTING the chocolate to temper that’s hard, it’s keeping it there long enough to work it that’s the difficult bit. These heat mats are absolutely perfect for that. I have a friend who uses a heated wheat bag wrapped in plastic, but I don’t think it’s as consistent or gentle a heat source. Have fun! :)
awesome post
Thanks Linda!
Indeed… Celia’s posts on IMK series always win first prize, and they should, since she is the “In-My-Kitchen’s Queen” :-)
everything is gorgeous, lovely, wonderful… what a wonderful month!
Ah you’re kind, Sally, thank you! But it’s not a contest! :)
It all looks wonderful. I’m on a fast day, so it all looks more wonderful than usual – I so so want one of those butterscotch brownies. Your chocolate looks beautiful and it’s interesting to see the warming packs you use. Look forward to finding out how you get on with coconut oil lardy cakes – if they work I think I will be sorely tempted.
Choc, I made a very nice lardy cake variation using butter instead of lard – will get it posted up next week. It was really nice! :)
It’s May already? Your kitchen is like Aladdin’s Cave, all sorts of treasures come out of it. I love the chocolates, the butterscotch bars and the apple sauce but I’m most envious of the carrots. Mine are still just tiny seedlings.
Jo, our carrots grow well – sometimes. Other times we just end up with piddly gnarled little things. For what it’s worth, we’re using these Franchi seeds..
http://theitaliangardener.com.au/products/CARROT-%28Carota%29-gigante-flakkee-2.html
It cannot possibly be May, Celia!? How did that happen? Great things in your kitchen… love the chocolates and the brownies.
Doesn’t it go quickly, Lizzy! Hope all is good, love. xx
Day at a time, hun xo
Another treasure trove of goodies Celia. I really must get myself one of those bread roll stamps. They look so very professional.
Salt from the dead sea sounds very interesting.
I bought a whole lot of zucchini at the markets last weekend to make zucchini slice but I’m going to do it in my loaf tin with liners seeing yours – what a good idea.
I’m well and truly into coconut oil. I’ve only used it for baking in the kitchen so far but I’ve also been slathering it over my face. It’s so nice!
Claire, I bought my stamp at Chefs’ Warehouse – they’re surprisingly expensive ($18 from memory), but worth the money because everyone thinks you’re clever when you turn out rosette rolls! :)
So many things! I love how you’re always coming up with new ways to use up your trombies. The chocolates look gorgeous. I haven’t heard or seen those heat packs before. Your bread rolls look so professional and better than you can buy in a good deli. I would love the recipe for the butterscotch bars – they look so moist! xx
Your wish is my command, darling Hot and Spicy.. :)
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2009/04/04/butterscotch-bars/
It’s a very versatile recipe – one time I made them with leftover Easter eggs:
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2010/04/16/easter-egg-butterscotch-bars/
The good thing is that they only need one fresh egg, which suits our dwindling egg supply situation. :)
The heat packs are fabulous – with all the sporty people in your house, they’d probably be very useful! xx
Good morning Celia! May already? Love your bread as always. You are very inventive using heat packs for your chocolate making, your chocolate looks amazing too, coins are a great idea! Butterscotch bars, oh my they look moist and decadent! Lucky school I say. Carrots are funny creatures to grow aren’t they? I find them hit & miss too. Although a home grown carrot is so much tastier than the shop variety. Trombies still going strong here too!
Thanks again for hosting our kitchens. My post is linked.
Jane, it’s hard to believe how long the trombies have grown for. I’m glad yours are doing so well too! We must figure out the carrot thing – I’m sure there’s knack to them that we’re missing!
i’m in awe of your productivity celia and the carrots..i keep meaning to try and grow them again after several failed attempts a few years ago..x
Jane, they seem to take ages and ages to get large – it’s hard to justify them when carrots are $1/kg at the markets. But it IS nice to have homegrown…
Lots of goodies Celia- I bet you could fully stock a cafe just with the goodies laying about your kitchen! Those heat packs are handy aren’t they, and what a great idea for chocolate :) x
Becca, there IS a lot of food here – they’d be 50kg of flour at least! The heat packs are fabulous, I love them. See you soon darling! x
2 more sleeps Celia!!
Another great IMK post, Celia, and you’re right. It would seem odd not to see tromboncino appear somewhere. :) Your bread and chocolates, though, never cease to amaze.
I NEARLY wrote “Chicago John won’t believe this is an IMK post without trombies!”. :) They’re still going strong, I wonder when they’ll ever finish…
Ooh, you just reminded me that we have some of those clicky heat pads lying around somewhere and they’re just the thing for cold feet on these chilly nights. Now, where did I put them …..
I adore them, Amanda. I’ve been using them a lot lately for sore muscles…
that coconut oil is also great for making coconut body scrubs – especially great for dry skin during winter. that particular brand smells great, I always use it. Just soften a tablespoon or two, mix in with some sugar, and presto.
That’s a great tip, thanks Lindsay!
I am tardy with this series. Will I or won’t I have time to do one before I leave for O/S. Dirty Granny cider – cannot beat that for an eye catching name, do I want to drink it, need time to process that.
Don’t think too hard about it love, that’s the secret. It tastes very nice, and I’ve just tried using some of it in a loaf of sourdough!
I have some of those click it warming packs. I’ve always found it awkard to boil them without letting them touch the metal pot though? Any tips?
Kat, we use a wide saute pan to boil them in and line the base of the pan with a silicon mat. I think the website recommends using a towel at the bottom of the pot.
http://shinbio.com.au/how-it-works.php
I always look forward to seeing what you have in your kitchen! And have you tried the salt yet? I haven’t used mine yet! :D
Haven’t tried it yet, but thanks again for thinking of me! x
Not a lot happening in my kitchen… my Dad gave me a home grown pumpkin that will become soup this week… quite funny as Dad hates pumpkin aka cow food in any form, but grows good ones :)
I use the same extra virgin coconut oil (for lots of things), but rubbed it into the skin on a piece of roasting pork, with salt, and got the BEST crackling ever :) A thin film is also good for shallow frying pork & veal meatballs that have been lightly tossed in spiced/seasoned flour.
ED, the coconut oil is very cheap at costco – about $13 from memory – in case you want to stock up. I’ll try it with the pork, it sounds like a good flavour combination!
Celia, this is a totally unrelated query but after reading your posts about Lardy Cake and lard I wondered if you have ever used chicken fat. Each time I skim it off chicken stock I think that there should be some use for it.
What a wonderful collection of things in your kitchen this month. I’ve recently been hearing a lot about apple butter, maybe I need to look at your recipe.
I love the name of the cider. I have eaten the kataifi pastry wrapped around salmon and it was divine. I’m looking forward to what you come up with! My post will be late this month :)
Hi Celia. Hey, I bought a Shin Bio heat pack after you told me about them. I hope it turns me into a chocolate temperer!! All your cooking looks fab, I don’t know where you get the energy from. You are a marvel.
Here is the link to my post.http://passionfruitgarden.com/2013/05/01/in-my-kitchen-may-2013/
A wonderful collection as usual Celia. Can we convince you to share at some point how you make your pectin and apple butter?
Thanks Tania! The pectin recipe was one of the first I ever posted! :)
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2009/03/09/homemade-pectin/
These days we almost always make it with whole apples – we find it gives a much better flavour. And we use the leftovers for apple butter – we simply pass the apple pulp through a coarse sieve or food mill, then add sugar, brown sugar and lemon juice to it, and bake it in the oven for a couple of hours until it thickens into a paste. I’ll see if I can write it up properly, but the quantities are a little loose.. :)
Trombie slices yeah, OK. Cooking should be a pleasure and life style dont you think…..work all day making chocolates and then sooth the muscles with the same equipment. always a pleasure in its own right looking into your kitchen
Tania, I’m always so impressed with you chefs who enjoy cooking so much as to do it for a living. I’m not sure I could manage that! But as a hobby and a lifestyle, it’s wonderful.. :)
I do love these IMK posts, I love interiors – ahem, and yours seems to be very spirited. My grandmother used to make and bottle something alcoholic, I can’t remember what it was now. She stored them in a large sideboard and one Sunday lunchtime a bottle exploded and left the interior of the sideboard permanently peppered with glass! My dear, gentle ladylike grandmother was completely unfazed! If ever the end of the world is nigh Celia you can expect to find me on your doorstep – your kitchen is so full of comfort.
I love that your grandmother wasn’t unfazed, I can assure you I’d have let loose with a few choice words. :) You are most welcome at my doorstep any time, darling. xx
It occurred to me after I wrote that – perhaps my grandmother did not display ‘faze’ because my grandpa was extremely deaf and almost completely blind and had she leapt up screaming “diddly h tike on a bike’ and rushed to the sideboard – grandpa would have noticed – and perhaps her game would have been up:)
Keep me posted on the coconut oil. It sounds interesting. Our carrots are chubby like yours, our soil is too hard for anything else. They are great raw though, with a peppery zip to them.
I feel a “carni-fry” coming on, about once or twice a year we heat up a bunch of oil and deep fry everything that we can get out hands on. Then we lie on the ground and wonder why we did it. I’m hoping for deep fried artichoke hearts. Cook on! Maz
Oh, I would LOVE to be at your place for the carni-fry, Maz!! Do you make bhajis and tempura? Yum yum yum! :) Feeling like death the next day would be worth it.. ;-)
I’ve made tempura but I’m not sure what bhajis are. I’ll have to look it up. :-)
We also do mozzarella sticks and onion rings. It’s all good. Hugs, Maz
Here you go, Maz! xx
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2013/01/30/tromboncino-bhajis/
Celia, make Kataiki with Kataifi!!! It’s a stunning Greek dessert traditionally with walnuts and cinnamon wrapped in the Kataifi dough basted in butter, baked in the oven then drizzled with a orange blossom sugar syrup. Just thinking of it makes me drool! I should post the recipe on of these days, its been too long since I’ve made it.
Thank you for showing us your amazing kitchen, I am especially in love with your plum brandy! I wish I bought some plums while they were still cheap…
Thanks Lisa! Plums will be cheap again at the end of the year – it’s not too long to wait really! I’ll google kataiki, thank you..
uh-Oh! Typo :) Make Kataifi with Kataifi lol you won’t get much luck googling Kataiki I’m afraid! PS, I’ll have my IMK post up later tonight x
Hehe…ok, thanks Lisa! :)
I put up an IMK this month, Celia. Last month was just too hard to capture and too dark to want to, but this month is looking much brighter.
I love your posts- the chocolate, new items, trombos, and liquors.
But my favorite is ALWAYS the bread. :)
So happy to hear that, darling. The post is linked! xx
[…] more kitchen action, have a peek into Celia’s kitchen and some of the others linking […]
Hmmm, would it be wrong to eat a sizeable chunk of that delicious, drool worthy butterscotch bar of yours for breakfast?!
I haven’t used my rosette stamp for yonks, need to sort that out…thanks Celia :-)
Brydie, I’m so glad you got us all going on the stamp quest – I use mine all the time now! It’s just so clever.. :)
Hi Celia, my IMK post is up: http://savoringtoday.com/2013/05/01/in-my-kitchen-may-2013/ I couldn’t remember how I contacted you last month to let you know?! Anyway, love your sourdough! And I think you will love the coconut oil for stir-frys and curries, I use mine all the time. :) Happy May!
Thanks Judy, this is the best way to let me know, and thanks for playing again this month! I’m keen to try the coconut oil in a curry, good to know it works well! :)
Celia … if you can make a simple baklava (without the filo pastry), use the kataifi pastry to wrap the nuts. Then, simple bake in the oven and bingo! … you’ll have mastered another great Greek pastry. Opa!!!
Olga, it sounds divine – I’ve seen them for sale at the baklava shops. Thanks for the tip! :)
Hi Celia, while I was in Chef’s warehouse today the large jars 500g of porcini mushrooms arrived…….. ran out the door with my purchase before I could buy anything else!
Elaine, you did a wise thing running! There is a large jar of dried mushrooms from Chefs languishing in my pantry – must find something else to do with them! :)
Unfortunately I ran out with the jar before buying anything else! lol
[…] there you go, dear reader! Another sticky beak of what’s In My Kitchen. Please head over to Fig Jam and Lime Cordial (right side column)to see the contents of other Foodies and their kitchens around the […]
What’s not to love about your kitchen Celia? We don’t have much luck growing carrots though I’ve just sown some seed for purple carrots so maybe they’ll be more successful (didn’t see the price of them until I got home or I wouldn’t have bought them). Just about to click the link to butterscotch bars … temptation, temptation.
Anne, the butterscotch bars are a house staple – I’ve reckon been making them regularly for over a decade now. Hope you like them! :)
There is always so much great stuff going on in your kitchen, I never know where to start. Those rosette rolls made me think back to high school — we used to pop off the top bit and fill them with M&Ms. It was lovely, if not particularly healthy. I am hell bent on posting an IMK this month…
I just made an In my kitchen post, but I don´t know if I´m linking it right but… I hope so…..
Thanks for your wonderful posts and your amazing pics, Celia!!
Ale, that’s perfect, thank you for playing! I’m excited to visit your kitchen soon! :)
Hi Celia, I’ve been reading some In my kitchen posts recently and decided to join in your fun event too. Thanks for hosting it!
I’ve just started growing carrots in my veggie garden and have heard that they are tricky to grow. Well done on your success with them! Your bread looks amazing too.
Thanks for playing Mel! I’ve added you to the list!
I forgot to mention for your vegan lardy rolls have you considered coconut butter? its a beautiful golden colour.
Elaine, I’ve never heard of coconut butter. I’ll have to look out for it, thank you!
What a great idea to use those heat packs for chocolate tempering! I’d never thought of that. Your carrots look great too – they are hard to grow big but yours are very respectable.
My link up will come early next week I think :)
Kari, thank you – the carrots are ok, and quite good eating, but they always seem to take so very long! Please let me know when your post is up!
It is up now :) Thanks Celia – http://www.bitesizedthoughts.com/2013/05/in-my-kitchen-may-2013-featuring.html
Better late than never – http://annashortcakes.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/in-my-kitchen-may-2013/
Not at all late Anna! Thanks for playing! :)
Thanks for hosting!
[…] up with Celia from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial who started the In My Kitchen […]
So many delicious things Celia! You will love the coconut oil, there are so many uses for it and it’s so good for you too! I’ve got my IMK post up today – the earliest in the month I’ve ever published it. Pretty pleased with myself, hehe.
Christie, look forward to reading it! :) xx
[…] you’d like to do an In My Kitchen post on your own blog, please link back to Fig Jam and Lime Cordial and let her know when your post is up, so it can be added to the […]
G’day! I really enjoyed being invited in your kitchen, TRUE!
I always enjoy (food wise) what people world wide are up to!
Cheers! Joanne
Thanks for stopping by, Joanne! :)
vegan lardy cakes and butterscotch bars sounds like just my sort of thing. We had katafi crisps on a tagine at a gastro pub meal last year – http://gggiraffe.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/post-office-hotel-middle-eastern-fine.html but I have never baked with it.
I have done my In My Kitchen post at http://gggiraffe.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/in-my-kitchen-may-2013.html
Thanks Johanna! Lovely to look into your kitchen!
There is a lot going on in your kitchen this month:: I love the look of those 4 chocolate butterscotch bars: How did I miss them?
That Jordan dead sea salt looks great & your home-made chocolates too! All very yummy! I love using different salts too. At the moment, I have 10 different salts in my kitchen!
Last year, i have made your plum brandy & my hubby & I love it so much! :) xxx
Sophie, don’t we end up with so many different salts on our kitchen bench! I think we have about ten as well! :) So happy to hear you liked the plum brandy – it’s nearly winter here, and we’re getting stuck into ours as well! :)
:)
So many lovely things in your kitchen this month! Wow! Your plum brandy looks wonderful- I think I’m going to try that this summer. Which one do you like prefer?
I use coconut oil for so many things now- baking (I use it in my banana bread when I’m in the mood for a touch of coconut flavor), I put a small dollop in oatmeal for the boys, I use it in rice, and homemade popcorn. It’s incredibly good for you too- it helps to boost the bodies immune system against colds etc. etc. Can’t wait to see what you do with it!
Always a pleasure taking a peek around your kitchen Celia! Hopefully I’ll have my IMK up soon. It’s been very hectic over here lately :) xx Em
Em, re the brandy, it varies – we usually make it with President plums, but this year’s blood plum version has been sublime. Hope all is well over in the Big Apple! :) xx
Looking forward to your experiment with vegan lardy rolls! :-)
I’ve actually settled on the butter rolls, Sandy! Everyone seems to love them! :)
Dirty Granny cider – priceless. Love the ‘knitted’ label.
Isn’t it a hoot? :)
[…] somewhat non food related post. Lisa the Gourmet Wog was also inspired by a fellow Aussie blogger Fig and Lime Cordial and who knows who or where this neat little blog post inspiration will go […]
[…] our kitchens. It is great fun and has put me in contact with many bloggers in Australia, where Celia of Fig Jam and Lime Cordial lives, and also Canada, Argentina and England. I’m sure there […]
[…] So come-on and show me what you have in your kitchen, this month! If you do, please mention Celia of the blog Fig jam and Lime cordial and leave a message on her […]
I love the IMK posts!! I know it is very late, but I posted mine! :)
http://www.pinkpolkadotfood.com/in-my-kitchen-in-may-2013/
Hi Celia – I’ve just done my May in my kitchen! :-) Thanks
Your kitchen is just so inspiring Celia! I know I’m late (again!) but have finally got my May post up. Trouble is I like to reflect what has been happening during the month so I am always behind! You are very lucky to be able to obtain proper kataifi pastry – one of those things that sadly I think one just can’t make at home without the proper machinery. E x
[…] is a brief post for May’s In My Kitchen. May has been a busy and rather difficult month for us, and between visits to Denmark and issues […]
I know I’m a bit late but here’s a short one from me, Celia.
http://miskcooks.com/2013/05/22/in-my-kitchen-may-2013/
[…] The last time I did an “In my kitchen” post was in May!! I cannot believe that is has been so long ago! If you want to do a post about your kitchen, please link back to Fig jam and Lime cordial. […]
[…] up with Celia from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial who started the In My Kitchen blog […]