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Tin and Thyme

Vegetarian food blog featuring delicious and nutritious whole food recipes, creative baking and luscious chocolate.

Home » Reviews » Awards Plus » In My Kitchen Three – February 2014

In My Kitchen Three – February 2014

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Welcome to In My Kitchen Three. Enjoy a quick peek at some of the items that have passed through my kitchen during February and beyond.

In My Kitchen Three

It’s been a long time since I participated in Celia’s wonderful In My Kitchen series over at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial. Since then I’ve had many comings and goings into my kitchen and store cupboards, the majority of course I haven’t documented. Here are a few of my favourite things … which are currently sitting in my kitchen.

Willie’s Cacao

A newly purchased block of Willie’s Cacao Indonesian Black – 180g of solid 100% chocolate. This is a bit of a luxury, but it’s useful and I use it sparingly.

Cornish Narcissi – In My Kitchen Three

A vase of scented Cornish narcissi, a gift from yesterday’s visitors.

Vase of Cornish narcissi.

Quail Eggs – In My Kitchen Three

A few quails eggs remaining from this basket, given to me by fellow Cornish food blogger Jane Sarchet over at The Hedge Combers when I visited her earlier this week.

Quail Eggs

Blood Orange Curd

Some jars of blood orange curd I made a few days ago – bloody marvellous, though I say it myself.

Blood Orange Curd

Afternoon Tea Chocolates

When I first saw these Afternoon Tea chocolates from Sent With a Loving Kiss, I was smitten and got very excited. This may not be a closely guarded secret, but I do have a weakness for afternoon tea. I ‘mm far more likely to give a tea party than I am a dinner party and if ever anyone wants to take me out (which doesn’t happen nearly enough) afternoon tea is what I would choose for preference. Luckily, I didn’t need to drop heavy hints to my nearest and dearest as I was sent a box to review.

Afternoon Tea Chocolates

Inside the box sat a cute little tin decorated with colourful teapots. When I opened the tin, the enticing smell of sweet chocolate leapt out at me and I was hard put not to take a bite immediately. The tin consists of twelve chocolate discs playfully decorated with dainty cupcakes, teapots and milk jugs: two dark, four white and six milk – something there to suit most tastes. Much as I wanted to dig into these straight away, I am being very restrained and saving them for a future afternoon tea party, or even for decorating an extra special cake.

Everything stops for tea.

Apart from the afternoon tea theme, I particularly liked being able to personalise the tins with my own messages. For my tin, I asked for the inscription “everything stops for tea”. I should have added “and if it doesn’t it ought to” but foolishly omitted that bit. This makes for a nice keepsake for the recipient once the chocolates have been demolished. I’m looking forward to using mine as a fun container for homemade biscuits or even chocolates.

Cornish Sparkling Perry

An empty bottle of Cornish sparkling perry – drunk yesterday with friends. Or should I say, we drank it yesterday with friends. It was our first bottle of Polgoon Peren, but was so good, I hope it won’t be our last.

Cornish Perry - In My Kitchen Three.

Spelt Rye Bread

A half eaten loaf of a no-knead spelt & rye bread made with my new silicone bread maker.

No Knead Spelt Rye Bread - In My Kitchen Three.

Cornish Red – In My Kitchen Three

My favourite Cornish Red side plates sitting in the drying rack, having been used for tea yesterday.

Cornish Red side plates drying on a rack. In My Kitchen Three.

Seville Marmalade – In My Kitchen Three

A jar of my mother’s just made Seville orange marmalade.

Homemade Seville Marmalade - In My Kitchen Three.

Red Teapot

When I was asked if I’d like to review one of the pieces from the site, I became quite feverish and spent an inordinate amount of time imagining my home bedecked in all things red as I hopped from one item to another. The pieces are interesting and often quirky; trying to choose only one item was very very hard. I loved the clocks and would have been happy to relieve Red Candy of several of these, but sense asserted itself. How many clocks can my kitchen take? Much as I wanted one, I realised they didn’t really fit in with my blog so I had a rethink.

A Nice Cup of Tea

Tea, however does. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a nice slice of chocolate cake or chocolate biscuit and it regularly features on my blog. Tea is my drink of choice. Not builder’s tea, very rarely any sort of black tea, but light and refreshing teas such as green and white, honeybush or my favourite, rooibos.

I also drink matcha and herbal teas some of which I gather from the garden. For preference I drink loose leaf tea. I find it is generally of a higher quality than that found in tea bags and thus has a better flavour. Also I can use the tea leaves a second and sometimes even a third time. But, I do not like the bitterness of over brewed tea, so a way is needed of getting those tea leaves out before this happens. I’ve seen any number of infusers over the years and none have ever worked so well as a removable infuser that sits in a teapot.

So, when I came across a bright red six cup teapot with inbuilt infuser by Price & Kensington, I didn’t have to think again. Not only do I not have a large teapot, I don’t have a red one at all. Well not one that is completely red anyway. The teapots on the site were many and varied, but all were red. Mine was one of the more conventional ones, but whilst I was tempted by some of the QDO designs, this, I thought, was the most practical.

Teapot with Infuser

Once I’d chosen, I awaited its arrival with trepidation. Would it live up to my expectations, or would the infuser fall apart at first use (which has happened before) or worse still, be a hopeless pourer, spilling more tea on the table than into the cup?

Red Teapot - In My Kitchen Three.

The pot duly arrived and I dashed off to make a pot of tea with it. I thought I’d try the last of my chocolate tea, a mixture of chocolate beans, rooibos and spices from Chash which I’ve been drinking on special occasions and this was a special occasion. The pot is big, red and shiny. This in itself makes me feel cheerful and puts a smile on my face. The infuser, I was relieved to find was quite sturdy. Its construction is stainless steel and it fits nicely into the teapot whilst still allowing the lid to go on and the tea to be poured. It has its own handle for easy removal at any stage of the process.

I was able to tap out the used leaves into the compost bin or out on the garden quite easily. This oh so wonderful teapot is not only a great pourer, but not a single drip has it left anywhere it shouldn’t. The spout is a slightly different shape to others I’ve seen. The tip is a bit flattened, which I guess accounts for its amazing non-drip proclivity. It now sits happily in my kitchen where I shall happily use it again and again.

Smoothie Recipes

A Passion 4 Juice – a wipe clean booklet of juice and smoothie recipes that I won from Vanesther’s Family Foodies blogging event over at Bangers & Mash. It arrived in the post a couple of days ago.

Juice Recipes

Keep in Touch

Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. There’s a peek as to what’s been happening in my kitchen over the last few months. What’s been happening in your kitchen? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below or via social media. Do share photos on your preferred social media site and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.

For further In My Kitchen posts, follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.

Choclette x

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Comments

  3. Joanne T Ferguson says

    G’day! LOVE seeing flowers and never tried that chocolate too!
    I have some quail eggs, but don’t know what to do with …will look and see what you create as a recipe!
    Cheers! Joanne

    Reply

  4. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes says

    I love those blood oranges, made a boiled fruit cake recently and used that as the soaker instead of the regular orange juice and you can really taste it in the cake. I am now thinking like everyone else that I should have a go too, Wonderful!

    Reply

    • Choclette says

      That’s really interesting that you could tell the difference in a fruit cake Jo. Blood oranges are quite flavoursome and you can certainly taste them in this curd.

      Reply

  5. Tania @ The Cook's Pyjamas says

    I have seen a few posts for blood orange curd recently. It is something I have never thought to do but I am definitely going to give it a try when citrus comes back into season. Love your chocolate, and adore your narcissi.

    Reply

    • Choclette says

      Thank you Tania. Do try making the curd, it has a lovely zingy flavour and the colour makes it special all by itself. The narcissi are still blooming and smelling sweet.

      Reply

  7. Don't boil the sauce says

    Hi Choclette, you are right that curd looks bloody marvellous! I made lots of blood orange recipes last year but no curd, It’s straight to the top of the list for this years season.
    cheers
    Jason

    Reply

  8. heidiannie says

    Loving your IMK post- mainly because it looks like your pictures were taken outside. And your outside looks decidedly Springlike! The dishes from your tea are really great. I love red rims. And blood orange curd? Mmm!

    Reply

  9. celia says

    Choc, look at all your treasures! I’m still sitting on a couple of blocks of Willie’s cacao, trying to figure out what to do with it. Your orange curd is glowing and jewel-like! And I love the look of your speckled quails’ eggs, but I’m never buying them again – they’re an absolute bugger to peel! 🙂

    Reply

    • Choclette says

      Haha Celia, you are so right about those quail’s eggs. I had a tea party and let people peel their own! It’s been really nice to link up to you’re In My Kitchen event again. Willie’s cacao is wonderful for just grating over things, but also makes a demon chocolate cake all in it’s own right.

      Reply

  17. Jacqueline Meldrum says

    I feel the same about Willies chocolate. Mine has sat waiting for a long time. I’m not sure what to do with it to make the best of it. I do have his cookbook, so maybe something from that.

    Reply

    • Choclette says

      I tend to use it for grating over things or for a little bit of chocolate luxury in savoury dishes. I did make Willie’s Cloud Cake once which used the whole bar – very extravagant, but my goodness it was good.

      Reply

  18. bangermashchat says

    You have so many lovely things in your kitchen! I love those quail eggs from Janie – tempted to pay her a visit too now, although it is a rather long way just for eggs 😉 And the orange curd looks gorgeous too.

    Reply

    • Choclette says

      Thanks Vanesther. I can highly recommend paying Janie a visit. We really must get this SW bloggers meet-up thing sorted out. The blood orange curd tastes gorgeous 😉

      Reply