In my kitchen, Spring has truly sprung!
Earlier in the month I had a bunch of white tulips and purple hyacinths. Now there is a large bunch of those pretty cream coloured daffodils on the windowsill. If you would like to know more about the rather beautiful handblown glass bowl next to the vase, take a look at my second IMK post for the details.
In my kitchen I have a wonderful new cookbook and some utterly delicious produce. I was thrilled to receive an invitation to Theo Randall’s launch party for his latest book, My Simple Italian. It was held in his elegant restaurant Theo Randall at the Intercontinental off Park Lane, heaving with friendly, creative, foodie people – well, the ones I met were! As we chattered, the most delicious canapés were being served by his charming and knowledgeable staff who also refilled our glasses with what seemed to be a never ending supply of bubbles. The recipes for the canapés are all to found within the covers of Theo Randall’s book and they all depend on one thing – really good, tasty ingredients. He along with many Michelin starred chefs, get their produce from a company called Natoora, who, luckily for those of us without the expense account, also sell to consumers via their website and Ocado. They carry unusual ingredients like Monk’s Beard, Marinda Tomatoes, Calcott Onions, Speckled Wild Baby Radicchio, Wild Garlic Leaves as well as fish, meat and cheese – their website is well worth a browse. I came home with a Theo Randal jute shopping bag, stuffed full of lemons, blood oranges and a selection of the most savoury tomatoes I have ever eaten. There was also a bag of chocolate truffles and a signed copy of his excellent new book, My Simple Italian.
The recipes are simple yet full of flavour with a wealth of tips gleaned from his travels and years at River Cafe. The photography is stunning – showcasing his gorgeous food in a very simple way. I cannot wait to get started – I have earmarked lots of pages and I have a pheasant in the freezer that is now destined to be cooked in milk and celeriac as per Mr Randall’s instructions! (Just a reminder – if you click on the first photo, you can see the enlarged version of the picture in the each of the galleries.)
In my kitchen I have some delicious packets of artisan tea from Adagio Tea and their ingenious IngenuiTea tea brewer. The teas are just gorgeous – full of flavour and really unusual too. If you are a tea drinker, I highly recommend a look around their website – from large range of unusual green teas to a vaiiety of rooibos; herbal teas to flavoured ones – there is such a fabulous and interesting selection. I really like the Blood Orange tea – it’s incredibly fragrant and quite tart – I think it would be wonderful as a cold drink in the hotter weather.
The IngenuiTea brewer is fabulous – after steeping the tea, you place it on top of your cup which releases the valve and the brewed tea pours straight into the cup. I have some recipes which I am going to try out using their blends.
In my kitchen I have a bowl full of gorgeous unwaxed organic lemons from Chegworth Valley Farm Shop in Borough Market. Unwaxed lemons are essential for zesting but don’t keep as long as their waxed ones.
In my kitchen I have a funky tea towel sent by a friend in New Zealand. I feel like I should rename the blog!!
Her sister, who lives in London, also brought me back some wonderful Kiwi Manuka honey – it’s so good spread on my home made sourdough bread!
In my kitchen I have mini spatulas and a pretty new jug. I realised the other day, as I was trying to scrape the last of the peanut butter out of the jar that I really, really needed a mini rubber spatula. I popped into TK Maxx and there was a happy little bunch of them waiting for me to take them home! The jug comes from a fabulous new shop on Queenstown Road called Les Sardines – I couldn’t resist it. It looks wonderful filled with flowers!
In my kitchen I have a new peeler with a ceramic blade. I find these so smooth and efficient – I had my last one for about 8 years so was a little bereft when it snapped. Being ceramic, they are not as robust as metal but with a little care and thought, they last a very long time. I was so pleased to find another one even though it’s a bit wider than I am used to – it does, however, still do a marvellous job.
In my kitchen I have a tub of Dodoni feta cheese. While I was in Cape Town, I observed how feta is sold in large pots rather than the little vacuum packed slabs we are more used to. When I popped into the Mediterranean grocery store around the corner from me, I saw that they sell slices of feta in tubs. It keeps really well in the brine rather than going off in the packet when you have used a bit for a recipe. I used the feta on my Chermoula Spiced Aubergine Wedges and also in my pull apart rolls, below.
In my kitchen I went sourdough crazy and baked up a fruit loaf, a red pesto, feta cheese and olive pull apart rolls and a green pesto and tomato pull apart rolls. It’s the basic overnight dough divided into 2 equal portions, stretched out, filled, rolled up and sliced and baked. Being sourdough, they are chewy rather than soft and fluffy and so full of flavour! Just wonderful with bowl of steaming hot soup.
In my kitchen I had sourdough hot cross buns – inspired and instructed by tweets from Celia! My crosses are very wonky and I also need to work on shaping buns but they were very tasty indeed. I am working on a chocolate chip and espresso version now…
Well, that is it from my kitchen – what’s been going on in yours?
Huge thanks, as ever to the generous Celia of Fig Jam and Lime Cordial who hosts this monthly event – peeking into everyone’s kitchens all over the world is so inspiring! Make yourself a cuppa and have a little browse – all the links to the participating blogs are on the right hand side of Celia’s post. I have linked her post to her blog name so click and take a little tour!
Wow! Wish I could borrow your kitchen for a day Selma. It is so interesting. So many exciting and exotic things in it. Good luck with all your endeavors :)
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You would be welcome, anytime, SKD, thanks very much for your good wishes!
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Love reading about your expeditions in London Selma… you are quite the gadabout, hobnobbing with the rich and famous eh? I mean that in a good way :). Everything looks tickety-boo! I find this series rather intriguing, I keep promising myself to jump in, but I can just about cope with one linky party. It takes time to visit other blogs, comment and keep it all smooth-flowing. Thanks for a peek into your kitchen. The hot cross buns look awesome!
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Thanks Loretta – it’s such a busy city so it’s lovely when I get the chance to attend something like Theo Randall’s book launch! The HXB’s were delicious – they will definitely be made next year!
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Bitchin’!!!!! 😀😀😀 hee hee! Love it all, love the flowers, love reading about the swanky reception and the book looks fab; love the look of the tea, I’ll be checking them out; a ceramic peeler? Sounds very interesting? And of course, your baking looks wonderful 😀 so much to enjoy xx
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Thanks so much Elaine – the ceramic peeler is fabulous – look out for one in TK Maxx – I had my last one from there too!
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What makes a ceramic blade better than steel, honey?
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It stays sharp and it’s really smooth too – you have to try one!!
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I shall keep a look out :)
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OMG! So much fab green tea to choose from!!!! Where to begin??
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I know – they have an AMAZING selection!!
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I’ve had to come off the website and take a breather before I order too much!
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I really enjoy this series. Those heirloom tomatoes looked gorgeous! And your breads and rolls yum! You have been so busy.
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Without fail, as I start to gather my thoughts and photos for this monthly post, I always think – not that much has happened – but by the time I get it all together, I find that I have to edit bits out! The tomatoes were incredible – savoury and salty from being grown in salty soil in Sicily!
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I think the best thing about your kitchen is, naturally, YOU … you who enjoy extending your creative energies into the kitchen, together with knowledge, and textures and colours and tastes. spices and all things nice ! Just lovely ! A propos of Manuka honey … you do know that it has medicinal properties don’t you? And thank you for letting me know that ‘agretti’ or ‘barba dei frati’ gets translated as Monk’s beard in English. Never knew that and when I blogged about it years ago … I had to calli ‘saltwort’ !
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Jo, that is such a lovely comment – thank you. Yes, I do know about Manuka – feeling very flu-ey now so I have been having it on my toast…it’s used to heal open wounds too apparently! When you are here next, you will have to see if you can spot any Natoora produce in Waitrose…is monk the translation of frati?
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Yes a monk is a frate, due monks are due frati. Oh you poor thing … hope you are feeling much better and that the manuka told the flu to flu away :)
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Ooops … I’ve just looked at the photos of Theo R’s book … and there is a spelling mistake. It should read “pasta frolla” with an A, and not “pasta frollo” …. not that it matters but even so, the editor should have picked up on that.
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Interesting – I will mention it to the publishers so that it can be corrected for the next printing run! We had the Pasta Frolla cut up in little squares as one of the many canapés – they were delicious! He’s had a lot of experience in Italy as well as at the River Cafe – when you have some time, take a look at his ‘about’ page on his restaurant website…x
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Sounds deeelicious indeed. Thanks for the heads up … and who knows, maybe one of these days we can go and have lunch at his restaurant ??? !
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Jo, that would be absolutely lovely!!!!
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You have some really neat things in your kitchen! Gorgeous flowers, cool tea brewer and I love the towel : “Bitchin Kitchen” haha, love it! It would be a good name for a blog. :) What a great idea this “What’s in your kitchen” is …I think I would like to join.
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Thank you Arl! It’s great fun to do – have you looked at Celia’s or any of the other posts this month? They are brilliant. All posts have to be in by the 10th of the month, btw.
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As always, an amazing post. Stunning flowers xx
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Thanks Melissa. How’s the course going?
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It’s incredible! Surrounding myself with people that are passionate about food is so energising and exciting!
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Everything is wonderful, the flowers are so pretty and that bread looks so good!!!
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Thank you Suzanne. Now that I have Twinkle, my starter, I’m baking bread every week. I’m still amazed that I can!!!
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Bitchin’ Kitchen – Selma’s table mark 2!
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Haha!! I think I missed a trick there!! Imagine the marketing possibilities…
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Oh the reality TV Show that we could make…..
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Wonderful things in your kitchen Selma, chilled blood orange tea sounds refreshing on a hot day. Love new cookbooks too and your cute jug almost looks like mine. :)
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Your jug is much prettier and very very French! The blood orange tea is so good. I’m actually craving a cup now…
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Lots of lovely creative things happening in your kitchen! Love the happy looking mini-spatulas. I swear they look like they are waving at you. And the cute little mug… And, I’m like you, always with a tub of feta in the refrigerator.
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They do look like a hand!! Waving very happily indeed!! Can’t believe that it’s taken me this long to discover feta in tubs!
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Darling, you have a pheasant in your freezer! Just reading those words is cool! I never know where to start with your IMK posts, they’re always so full of treasure! LOVE the Spring flowers, and the teas sound amazing. Your breads are always to die for – Twinkle on little starter! Serendipitously, I tried that very feta just the other day at Costco! It’s lovely and salty. And I will get a ceramic peeler – my old one needs replacing! :) xx
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Now that made me chuckle! There is a story behind the pheasant, which I will recount when I blog the recipe – it has come from a proper shoot…Amazing that you have the same feta – truly the world is very small now. Celia – the ceramic blades are just so smooth – if you get one of those peelers, get one with a nice big handle too – makes life much easier all round. xx
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Selma, I love everything about this colorful article. I lover the flowers, the pages of your cookbooks, introduction to a cookbook(s), the buns you baked… Thank you for sharing.
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Fae, there is nothing like a bunch of cheery spring flowers to brighten up a room! The cookbook is just so beautifully curated – really gorgeous photography – thank you for your lovely comments!
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so many fab thing in your kitchen. love the ceramic peeler. your buns look delish. and such gorgeous daffodils. it is all wonderful.
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Thanks Sherry – I love this time of year.
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Gorgeous pictures! My favourite is the bowl of lemons – it’s amazing that something so simple could look so beautiful! I love that you also keep fresh flowers in your kitchen…it just brightens up everything, doesn’t it?
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Thanks Indira! I love blue bowls because they suit all sorts of colours! For years I had a really busy windowsill, crammed with jars of utensils, succulents and cacti, pebbles, herbs and anything that Jake was trying to grow. This time it’s purely decorative – a vase of flowers really makes it pretty!!
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You showed us the daffodils on the window sill and didn’t mention the very gorgeous bowl beside them. Your Easter buns look fantastic! Dodoni fetta is fab for marinating, it keeps it’s structure, but absorbs plenty of flavour.
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The bowl is a set of three – I wrote about them in my first or second IMK post. They are very special – hand blown in a fabulous workshop in a Dickensian part of London. I had no idea about the feta, Sandra – thanks for that!!
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Sandra, I’ve added a link to the post – it was my second IMK exactly a year ago!
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I didn’t do enough cooking last month, I think, most of my IMK was really Outside MK! Love the sound of the red pesto feta swirl things!
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Natoora are great aren’t they? I love their produce, thank goodness for Ocado, huh! I must have a look around my local TK Maxx as could do with some little spatulas too :-) Fab IMK post.
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Natoora are absolutely brilliant – I eked out those tomatoes for a week!! These days, TK Maxx is my first port of call for anything kitchen related – have fun when you go!
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I need that kitchen for me, mine is such a mess! ;)
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Oh, you were in Cape Town? Right close to me. Love the tea Selma and all the other goodies look amazing :)
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I was there for the most fabulous wedding ever!! It was a social whirl to be honest – the day we left was about the only day when we had no plans other than getting to the airport that evening! I visit quite a bit and the next time it won’t be so busy – I’ll drop you a line to see if you are around. My friends have just bought a “farm” in Stanford which they are doing up into a boutique B and B with a restaurant – it has a chapel for weddings and an enormous kitchen – I plan to be visiting soon!
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I love the idea of blood orange tea. I never think to visit TK Maxx for kitchen things – must check it out. Hope that honey isn’t an illegal import.
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You, know, after I saw something about honey at the airport, I had to take a look because I brought a little jar back from Cape Town when I was there last month. It is prohibited though only if in large quantities – phew!!
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I don’t know where to start, your kitchen is filled with such lovely things from the spring flowers to the mouth watering bread. Great post, I enjoyed reading it and hearing about your adventures. Lucky you to be invited to the launch party. I’ll have to have a look at the book.
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It all looks so incredible, especially your baked goods. The blood orange tea sounds fantastic and I would also try it chilled in the hotter weather which is just starting here. The flowers are all gorgeous as well. Great month in your kitchen!
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Wow really enjoyed reading your post- pretty flowers…..
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Thanks Chitra – glad you enjoyed it! I love the spring flowers.
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Wow! You have lots of amazing stuffs in your kitchen, Selma. The tea towel is so cute. Your mini spatulas are so adorable. It’s been months since I wanted to buy little spatulas. I might finally get some by the end of the month. :D
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The small spatulas come in very handy – I don’t know how I did without them!
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