Happy February! And welcome to my kitchen. I cannot believe how quickly January has flown by! Thank you for taking the time to stop by my site, we have gotten through the first month and I have had lots of fun blogging, tweeting and sharing on Facebook about my culinary adventures.
Once again I am taking part in Celia’s IMK gathering and showing off few of the goodies which are in my kitchen right now.
Tulips – I have a bunch of gorgeous pink tipped tulips sat on my dresser. They are happily holding up their heads against the old ochre background, bathed in the occasional sunny day. I have placed them in a vase that was given to us by my parents many years ago and every time I look at them, I smile thinking of the happy times we shared together.
Microplane zester – a little surprise gift from Mr A. I have been lusting after one of these for months and much to my delight, it appeared in my kitchen. I am really looking forward to trying it out on the zingy limes to dress a key lime pie next week.
Sour cherries in syrup and cherry vodka – you might have gathered how much I love cherry and kirsch chocolates from my last month’s IMK. I have been lucky to find jarred sour cherries in thick syrup by chance in one of the shops. Oh my, these are utterly delicious and they actually taste like cherries! And the little bottle of Polish cherry vodka has made its appearance today too because…
Kitsch cherry and chocolate cake – is in my kitchen today. My girl was craving chocolate cake yesterday so what was I to do if not bake one for her? She has been revising hard for her many exams and working at the weekends at the same time. And as much as we encourage her to eat healthily, sleep plenty and just relax, sometimes the only aid to chilled out afternoon for her is a piece of chocolate cake. This one is laced in cherry syrup and vodka mentioned above, layered with mascarpone cream and sour cherries and covered in chocolate ganache. And decorated in a real kitsch way. Let’s hope she likes it.
Italian coffee – for relaxed mornings at the weekend, perfect for catching up over. My girl is of the age now where we can both sit down with a freshly brewed coffee in cafetiere, few nibbles and enjoy each other’s company. I love having coffee with her as it means uninterrupted time together.
Chocolate filled rolls from Italy, Turkish Delight and gingerbread from Germany – gorgeously delicious selection to accompany our coffee. Each one extra special and with contrasting textures and flavours.
Chocolate filled wafer rolls – another little gift from Mr A. They are utterly delicious, soft and gooey dark chocolate filling enveloped by crumbly layered wafer. Very special indeed.
Gingerbread – deeply spiced cake that is highly fragrant with ginger, nutmeg and spices. One tiny piece is enough to awaken my senses.
Turkish delight – tiny cubes of this delicious sweet with nuts suspended within it and coated in coconut shavings. Utterly moreish.
Prosciutto and Tête de Moine filled focaccia – a huge slab of freshly baked focaccia is resting in my kitchen. I had followed the recipe published by Celia on her blog and added to it our deli leftovers including quince jelly. It will feed us for a couple of days, whether as open sandwich topped with rocket, fresh tomatoes, bocconcini and balsamic glaze or as an accompaniment to hearty soups.
Eggplants – something we hardly ever eat. I was charmed by their glossy, deep purple almost black skins glistening in the shop. So now, three of them are sat in my kitchen and I am looking for an inspiration as to how best to showcase their flavours. I personally love baba ganoush so it might be that these will end up as this smokey dip…
Hyacinths – I am so excited to see the first bud peering in between the leaves! It has taken almost a whole month since I have blogged about them here and I cannot wait for the blooms. The pail is sitting happily in the centre of our kitchen table and any day soon I will know what colour these are!
A wedding invitation – last but not least, there is a wedding invitation sitting on the fireplace in the kitchen. It arrived by hand heralding the big day for our friends and we are happy to have been invited to be a part of their special celebration. Plus it means a naughty but nice weekend away with Mr A. Added bonus!
So that is my kitchen this month. I’d love to hear what is in yours…
I wouldn’t be without my micro grater… for Parmesan alone. There used to be cherry vodka in our house at home when I was a child as my Dad was Polish. Lovely look inside your vibrant kitchen.
Ania, your IMK post awakened my senses to colors, possibilities, and flavors. What a delightful mix! Your cherry chocolate cake looks and sounds superb, and your coffee times with your daughter made me smile. My “little girl” (almost 30 now!) and I have “coffee dates” with her over the phone. Here’s to uninterrupted time.
Hear, hear Kim! I raise my coffee cup to that!
Loving, loving, loving your pink tipped tulips Ania – they’re gorgeous & very girlie! How good is a microplane? I use it to grate my garlic, ginger and zest all citrus peel! It’s one kitchen gadget I can’t do without 🙂 Thank you for sharing all the goodies in your kitchen this month
Thank you, amazing how quickly I have grown accustomed to my microplane Nicole, they are just the best!
What a colorful kitchen tour – tasty too! The gingerbread and Turkish Delight look mouthwateringly delicious.
Thank you for stopping by, I love colour in my kitchen!
Tulips! I didn’t realise they were in season – yours are absolutely stunning! I have that microplane zester as well – doesn’t it work brilliantly! I don’t know if I could resist those Italian chocolate filled rolls… 🙂
Tulips are my all time favourite Celia, spring is almost here 🙂
I love the look of the ginger bread and Turkish delight is one of my favourites! The chocolate cake sounds like the perfect way to use those cherries. Yum!
I’m with you Clare on the Turkish delight, even better made into a parfait!
This is the third post in a row about gingerbread – someone is trying to tell me something! What a feast of lovely things you have in your kitchen. Cherries and chocolate cake for me too I think. It’s been over a year since I did an IMK post – where does the time go.
Well, the gingerbread theme continued throughout the month, including the Welsh National Opera workshop for my daughter and their take on the story of Hansel and Gretel 🙂
I love cherries too so good to see them being so well used! There a veritable Aladdin’s cave of goodies in your kitchen this month. The shot of the coffee pot and ramekins looks like it’s out of a Valentines Day photo shoot. And a weekend away to look forward to also… cheers Fiona xx
Thank you Fiona, I love cherries but hate that synthetic almost almond flavour you sometime get with cherry flavoured items. That coffee pot was a present from my girl couple of years ago, she knows her mama well!
Mmmm sour cherries. Ania, they look so glossy and rich. A super quick dessert idea… cherries on a bed of mascarpone with some grated chocolate atop (hello microplaner).
Kirsty, what a great idea – and I happen to have all of the ingredients to hand! Another excuse to eat cherries and wonder at the effortless beauty of the microplane. Thank you!
The cherries look good and the chocolate cake sounds divine.
Thank you Anne, I am not a chocolate cake person but this one definitely won my heart over.
Ania, That cake looks and sounds gorgeous. Here daughter is very lucky indeed.
Glenda, thank you… but I am the lucky one to have my daughter in my life x
I can’t live without my microplane. And you can’t beat a bowl of homemade baba ganoush.
Hmm, I feel a new addiction coming on… surely Mr A cannot stop on just one? 😉
What beautiful tulips and I love hyacinths! The cherries and vodka sound wonderful. What a gorgeous looking cake you made, such a lucky daughter. Lovely looking focaccia as well.
Thank you Gretchen, the hyacinths have now opened up and their amazing smell literally fills the kitchen and the dining area to the brim. And much to my delight – they are white 🙂
What a lot of beautiful things you have in your kitchen. The tulips are gorgeous and I’m sure the hyacinths will be stunning. I love the Turkish delight and the gingerbread and your focaccia looks like it turned out really well xx
Charlie Louie, I always had Turkish delight plain but have to say the addition of nuts elevates it to new heights! That chicken of yours is playing on my mind! xx
Oh my that focaccia! That would be breakfast, lunch and dinner for me. And that cake? Heaven. So many wonderful things this month Ania.
Thanks Nancy but now I have sourdough on my mind! And am still smiling at the thought of your bathroom 🙂
I love my microplane zester! As for the eggplant, why not try an eggplant parmigiana or a moussaka? Or grill it and put it on pizza – so many possibilites.
Thank you, I am spying that pizza vegetariana on your blog now! 🙂
Those tulips are such a beautiful colour, Ania! And you can’t beat those microplane zesters. Thanks for the peek at all the goodies in your kitchen.
Lizzy, thank you for stopping by, looking forward to March already and the IMK community gathering, so many inspirational posts out there x