Happy March! And in advance of the 8th of March, happy International Women’s Day. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and welcome to my kitchen. This month I have many wonderful things to look forward to, starting with…
…this little bundle of joy who will be joining our family at the end of March. So she is not exactly in our kitchen just yet but if her sister Poppy is anything to go by, Amber will very quickly learn that her mama dishes out the best pancakes from there!
Starting the month, in my kitchen right now I have the following…
Cactus marmalade – as you know, we didn’t get to see our family over the festive season because of my illness, so we finally got to catch up towards the end of February. The marmalade was gifted to us as part of our Christmas present since Mr A has a bit of a soft spot for a cactus based products. This goes back as far as 20 years ago when I had introduced him to a delightfully refreshing cactus juice drink when he came out to Poland for the very first time. We hadn’t opened the marmalade as yet but I’d love to hear if any of you have ever tried it?
Bannetons – these gorgeous cane baskets will be conditioned using Vanessa Kimbell’s method she shares with the members of her on-line community. Once they are seasoned, I look forward to proving my bread dough in them. It’s such a joy watching few simple ingredients come together and result in a tasty fresh loaf that is miles apart from the commercially produced bread.
Layer cake pan set – this was a little something from Mr A since he knows how much I love ombre effect, on cakes included! I will need to have a few practise runs I am sure, but this set should make things fairly easy and straight forward.
Icing colours – to go with my cake pan set. There are 8 here and based on their reviews across many forums, these should result in a strong, uniform colour and a little goes a long way. I have a few ideas already as to how to use them other than in the ombre cakes, especially as the Comic Relief takes place in a couple of weeks.
Mega marshmallows – these babies are huge! Since the weather has turned very English and we have some cold and rainy evenings ahead of us, together with chocolate and crackers these will be turned into American s’mores and enjoyed whilst we are warm and toasty inside in front of the fire.
Buffet casserole by Le Creuset – this is my second one of this particular type and I love how very versatile they are. Perfect for stews, tortillas or even baking bread in. There isn’t a week when I don’t reach for my buffet pan so having a second one will come in very handy indeed.
Cocktail set – everything needed to make the meanest Cosmo ever! But since I am spending this weekend with various girlfriends and toasting friendships with fizz, our cocktails are planned for a Friday night later in the week. I’ll let you know how they turned out after a one or two.
Charlotte bouquet by Bloom & Wild – a wonderful surprise from Mr A. The bouquet reflects the wintery weather but makes me think of a wonderful weekend away we had together last June by the Camber Sands beach. The spiky eryngium and statice were present everywhere, swaying gently in the sea breeze. We watched their dance as we sipped pre-dinner drinks feeling totally relaxed and enjoying each other’s company. We are very much looking forward to a little rendez-vous together later this month…
Vienna cheesecake – dense and rich, made with curd cheese and full of juicy raisins and candied peel. No biscuit or crumb to be seen anywhere. Old traditional cheesecake, perfect accompaniment to rich dark coffee on a Sunday afternoon.
So this is how my March is beginning today. I’d love to hear what’s in your kitchen this month…
Wow what fab things in your kitchen. Have never heard of cactus marmalade – sounds very different. Gorgeous flowers too. The purple le creuset dish looks beautiful and useful. The Vienna cheesecake looks very similar to the Polish one I make.
Well you have yummy kitchen this month! 🙂 I have been looking for Bannetons for my sourdough, but I am yet to find them… I will keep looking! I am yet to purchase a Le Creuset, but it is on my list, so to have two is a blessing indeed 🙂 Thanks for sharing! Liz xx
What a busy kitchen your place has been – the cake pans and food colouring are absolutely brilliant and I love your Le Crueset but Amber is the star of the post, for me!
Mom is Austrian, but her cheesecakes never looked that tasty! Your Amber is adorable – who could resist those eyes?! Congrats on this new addition.
The bannetons look fantastic. I love bread baked in them. You’ve brought back memories of Vienna and now I’m craving that cheesecake!
Thanks Gretchen, Vienna is on my list since like forever 🙂
I’ve got to say I like the look and the sound of that cheesecake. It’s got me interested in having a go at making one. As to the cocktail set – indispensible!
Cheers Fiona! I’m having a cocktail making session with some girlfriends next month so I’m sure we will be putting it through its paces!
Intrigued by cactus marmalade, never heard of such a thing before!
Neither have I Kavey until it landed in our stocking! I’m thinking of baking some wholemeal loaf to try it with…
Oh how I would love that little baby. So cute. After that the cheesecake takes my eye. raisins and curd cheese sound just perfect to me. Enjoy your cocktails
Thank you Tania, I’m going to try to convert my hazelnut hot chocolate into a cocktail too this month!
How adorable is Amber! Those eyes 🙂 I love the look of bread baked with bannetons so I need to hunt some down too.
She melts my heart. And so does Poppy 🙂 Vanessa’s conditioning method works really well, she’s a real inspiration when it comes to sourdough.
G’day You had me at your bundle of joy to join you in March but love the cocktail set, your Rattan bowl and always wondered how people got so many layers of a cake perfect!
Thanks for this month’s IMK too!
Cheers! Joanne
We have been putting the cocktail set to good use this month Joanne! Thanks for stopping by!
Love those Bannetons- now I’m off to ebay to find some. Also the blue Le Creuset is an admirable item- we all lust after those.
Francesca, they are proper investment pieces, aren’t they! Alongside Kitchenaid, Le Creuset has to be one of my favourite kitchenware brands.
Congratulations on your new household addition, she looks adorable.
There is a lot going on in your kitchen, love the baking baskets and the cactus marmalade.
Hi Liz, the bannetons leave beautiful flour lines on loaves and make it easy to handle the risen dough. I love seeing the old ones, well used and loved in bakeries.
Ania. Everything in your kitchen looks great but your puppy is especially gorgeous.
Glenda, thank you for stopping by. It’s so lovely that we can do this each month.
Oh my Ania that Vienna Cheesecake looks positively evil!! But evil in a good way. I remember having cheesecake with sultanas years ago and just loved it. Yours takes it to new heights with the orange peel as well. I would love the recipe 🙂 Cheers, Kirsty xx
Will post the recipe later this month Kirsty, I love my cheesecakes traditional way and always baked xx
What a lot of goodies in your kitchen, including your pup – she’s delicious. ANs that Vienna cheesecake!!
Thanks Jennifer, we are all really excited to be welcoming Amber into our family soon.
March looks set to be a good month! Travel, food and a new addition to the household.