In My New Year’s Kitchen 2015
Happy New Year Everyone. May 2015 treat you gently, with love, and a bounty of good food.
I’ve been taking it easy for a week or so, recovering from a crazy, crazy December, Luckily my family and friends know what pleases me when it comes to Christmas gifts so I have some things of interest to show you on my first “In My Kitchen” post for the year.
Pop over and visit the lovely Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial to see how other bloggers have been spending their time in the kitchen over the Christmas period.
From my darling Grand daughters I received this perfectly proportioned mug from which to drink my after dinner peppermint tea, strong peppermint tea made with leaves from Southern Light herbs, here in Victoria.
Good things come in small packages and Leah, my eldest daughter from “Sharing the Food We Love” sent me a jar of Truffled Murray River Salt, beautiful pink salt crystals infused with Australian truffle. Poached eggs for breakfast have now reached luxury status!!
I confess to finding it very difficult to live without my iPad, although it will never replace the feel of a good book in my hands or putting pen to paper. I spied this tablet stand in a Chef’s Warehouse ad, marked it with a highlighter then left it in an obvious place hoping someone would pick up the hint, and they did. It’s incredibly well designed. The counterbalance ensures it won’t tip over and the handy stylus means I don’t have to touch the screen with greasy or floury hands. Conveniently it folds flat for storage.
Recently I’ve been buying good quality Australian Olive oil in 4 litre tins. While doing my Christmas shopping I spied this gorgeous ceramic bottle with pourer. It was a gift I had to buy for myself. It’s opacity means the oil won’t deteriorate if it’s left on the bench and the pourer effectively controls the flow rate. It adds a touch of beauty to my kitchen too.
And then there are books, wonderful new cookbooks.
“Gelato Messina: the recipes” at first read looks to be an intelligent reference explaining the intricacies of making successful creamy Sicilian style gelato. Nick Palumbo explores the science of sugar and fat and their ability to stop water from freezing into large ice crystals. Stay tuned for my recipe trials, I have high expectations!
“Flavour Flours” by Alice Medrich is devoted to baking using only gluten free flours. There are recipes for scones, crackers, cakes and cookies made with sorghum, buckwheat, rice flour, chestnut, almond, corn, teff, oat flour and more. Once I get back into the swing of things, this book will be given a rigorous work out.
What’s happening in your kitchen?
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53 comments on “In My New Year’s Kitchen 2015”
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Please Pass the Recipe by Sandra Gay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Please Pass the Recipe 
i love the things in your kitchen this month. such a lovely oil bottle and the mug is cute. truffle salt- great stuff. i have some of Tetsuya’s truffle salt which is tasty on eggs or anything mushroom. enjoy 2015!
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Thanks Sherry, thanks for the tip about using truffle salt with mushroom, great idea…
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I love truffle salt – bought some in Italy (where it is about half the price) and use it in lots of things – regret not bringing back the 1kg jar!!
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It is very exy indeed such a luxurious treat, I’ll look out for bargains when I’m overseas next!
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Alice Medrich is also well known for her chocolate cookbooks, so that might be the next book to try (assuming some recipes are gluten free or can be easily adapted). Happy New Year!
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Medrich is not especially well known in Australia, but she’ll have a big reputation amongst the gluten free community if this book proves itself. thanks for visiting…
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I love the look of the flavour flours cookbook. This year I am trying to experiment more with baking with alternative grains. I use a lot in salads but just not in breads and cakes. Thanks for sharing it.
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Stay tuned Liz, I’ll begin testing Flavour Flours very soon
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I love that ruse with the iPad holder. I may have to copy that for the upcoming birthday. I love Flavor Flours, and I can highly recommend the chocolate coconut torte.
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I’ve found leaving obvious rather than subtle hints very effective. I mark up ads, and catalogues, download info off the net and leave it in a strategic spot. It works most times…
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Happy New Year to you too Sandra! Looking forward to more recipes from you in 2015 😉
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Oh I’d love to try the truffle salt – lucky you! I know exactly what you mean about the iPad and greasy fingers in the kitchen – the iPad stand and stylus sound perfect.
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Hi Nancy, the truffle salt is seriously yum….
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The IPad stand looks very useful, where did you find it? More and more of my cookbooks are electronic and the screen my IPad is sometimes positively grimy. I also have Flavor Flours but haven’t had a chance to cook from it yet. The recipes are very intriguing.
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Hi Liz, i found the iPad stand at a local kitchen supply shop. It was designed specifically for kitchen use. I’m sure you’ll find something of a similar quality in the US
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Happy New Year Sandra, I’m falling in love with your ceramic oil bottle, may have to source one as I also buy olive oil in bulk. I’m sure it doesn’t leak like the 500ml olive oil bottles either 🙂 Your cookbooks look interesting, looking forward to some of your dishes created using their inspiration. See you next month at IMK
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Thanks Miss F, i found the oil bottle in Chadstone, just love it!
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Wow, that truffle salt has my tastebuds singing! I so need some!!! And your ipad stand is fabulous! I look forward to hearing of your recipe trials in future posts!
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I’m keen to try testing those recipes Marian, just need some time. I feel like the Queen of Sheba sprinkling truffle salt on poached eggs for breakfast, very luxurious..
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Now that tablet stand is a great idea. Love the stylus too. Worst thing is constantly cleaning off a finger just to swipe the screen! Your truffle salt sounds really interesting.
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You’re right Kirsty, the tablet stand works a treat, the stylus the best I’ve ever tried..
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That iPad stand looks perfect for the kitchen!
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Thanks Clare, it works well!
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Oh that truffled salt is soooooo good, I got some at the good food and wine show and have it every second day… I’m trying to ration it! 🙂 thanks for sharing! Liz x
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Me too Liz, i’m keeping it just for eggs so I can really appreciate the delicious flavour. What have you added the truffled salt to?
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I love it sprinkled on avocado and tomato as well… It is also yummy sprinkled on veggies with a bit of butter 🙂
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Who’s a lucky girl then? Might have to look into that iPad/tablet stand. Do you have to keep logging in or does it go into sleep mode because you are not holding it? Cheers, Maree.
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Hi Maree, the ipad behaves as if you are holding it. The screen go into sleep mode if you leave it inactive too long,
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Happy New Year to you and yours, dear Sandra! Looking forward to learn from you more in 2015. Love all the way from California!
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And Happy New Year to you Fae. Summer holidays are in full swing here, but I’m looking forward to another blogging year. Hopefully some down time will reinvigorate the creativity.
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What are you doing with my mug? Happy new year, Sandra.
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Snap! 😃
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Beautiful presents, especially the nana mug – what a precious gift that one is! 🙂 But my favourite has to be that oil pourer – I’d have found it hard to resist too! Great idea to use a stylus on the iPad in the kitchen, as I’m always covering mine in greasy or floury fingerprints as well! 🙂 Happy New Year Lady Red Specs! xx
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Thanks Celia, i’ve tried a stylus or two in the past that were rubbish, I think the tips were too hard. It came with the stand and works a treat. Glad I was able to help out with the Christmas organization, mine went totally pear shaped, but we muddled through. i’m still in recovery mode…
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Happy New Year. I’ve being eyeing Flavor Flours off in the book shop for while now. I think I’ll definitely have to add it to my bookshelves.
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Hmm, I might need an iPad stand as well! Nothing like floury hands getting all over the screen. The mug and oil bottle also look fantastic. Happy New Year!
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Happy 2015 to you, this is the only stylus I’ve tried that actually works, I’m very happy.
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happy New Year. Some wonderful thoughtful gifts in your kitchen especially the ipad stand.( well thought out by you). I like the look of the flours book to and might have to hunt that down
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Flavor Flours looks to be a promising book, I have great hope for it…
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Happy New Year Sandra! Looks like a few things there to help you relax and unwind over the festive period – particularly love the olive oil bottle!
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Hope 2015 is good to you Margot. I’m really enjoying having the oil bottle on the bench practically and visually…
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Your Nana mug is rather special Sandra. But then, so are Nanas. Your daughter certainly knows what you like- yum, the truffle salt would be rather nice on some fluffy eggs for My breakfast today. Please pass the salt.
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Yes, the mug is a warm fuzzy addition to my kitchen…
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Wow, that iPad stand is to die for! Love the mug, the olive oil pourer, the truffle salt…well, just about everything. But, am totally envious of the Sicilian gelato book! Happy New Year!
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Happy 2015 to you Deb. On first read the Gelato Messina book looks fantastic. All being well there will be at least one post in it…
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Now I think I need an iPad holder to stop my messy cooking fingerprints – the stylus is very clever.
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Hey Danielle, my ipad was always filthy after a kitchen session, not any more, the stand is fantastic..
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Happy New Year, what a lovely collection of beautiful and useful things. I am eyeing off that iPad stand and the GF cookbook! Think they will go on my birthday list. The mug is super sweet.
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I thought you might be interested in the book Cheery. I haven’t had a chance to make anything yet but I have high hopes. The iPad works much better than expected…
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Hi Sandra, I love your olive pourer and the mug is very cute.
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Thanks Glenda, the oil bottle was quite a find, and Nanas always love gifts from their grandkids!!
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Love the mug!!!
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Thanks, it’s very special! Xx
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