

Quiet satisfaction
"Cooking at home, you don't need to hit the bull's-eye, you just need to hit the target." David Chang This is last night's dinner. We thought it looked impressive enough to photograph and also because it illustrated for me some of what I was saying in yesterday's post - and elsewhere in the past - about how important it seems to be that things look good. In every aspect of life really - beginning with ourselves, and leading to just about every choice we make in life. We a
Feb 16


David Chang, my microwave and I
"How I learned to stop worrying about recipes and love my microwave." David Chang I'm returning to my kitchen tour and at the same time trying to say a few things about one of the books sitting on my pile. Not exactly a review - just a few words. Above is my microwave in situ, that cleverly looks as if it is really built in, although its actually just sitting on a shelf with a manufacturer supplied surround to hide that fact. It's not a very classy one - a fairly basic Sme
Feb 3


Bagatelles
Bagatelle: "a thing regarded as too unimportant or easy to be worth much consideration." Oxford Languages So yes 'bagatelle' is a French word for a trifle: "The French word bagatelle , from the Italian word bagatella , means a trifle or little decorative nothing." Wikipedia And this is an oddments post - full of trifles. A bagatelle trifle is also a specific French Canadian dish of which the magazine Saveur says "The typical bagatelle in La Beauce is a child's delight o
Oct 27, 2025


It starts with the plate
"I am so obsessed with my serving platters that before I decide on what to cook, I first select the platters I want to serve it on ." ...
Oct 10, 2025


Coles' new look
As with almost every topic I choose to write about on this blog, I discovered bits about today's topic that hadn't occurred to me. Even...
Jun 8, 2025


Shopping, the fridge and the freezer
Why do I do what I know I shouldn't? We are eating leftovers for dinner again tonight, which is OK, if a little boring. But there are...
Jun 1, 2025


Genteel eggs
Coddled, baked, shirred, en cocotte, moulded eggs, egg-in-a-cup - not poached - but I'm confused This all began with this rather lovely...
May 27, 2025


Everyday and old things - my kitchen
"Napery - Napery refers to household linen, especially table linen. It includes items like tablecloths, napkins, placemats, and table...
May 20, 2025


Granules
"granule - a small piece like a grain of something" Cambridge English Dictionary "a small particle; especially : one of numerous...
May 12, 2025


Who honestly doesn't have a favourite mug?
"how using a much loved cup or bowl can increase our enjoyment of what we eat or drink." Nigel Slater I have just finished a perfect...
Mar 23, 2025


Guilty reserve drawers
My phone is recharged so photos taken I'm continuing my tour of the kitchen with these two drawers, which are opposite to my pantry. I...
Mar 21, 2025


Loose ends
Loose ends: things that still need to be done or explained" Cambridge Dictionary At loose ends: Unfinished details, incomplete...
Mar 15, 2025


Blitzing - is that the right word?
"He who analyses blitz is stupid." Rashid Nezhmetdinov I think the above quote applies to a technical chess thing - the quoter is/was a...
Mar 3, 2025


Why is distressed so loved?
"Indulge in noncommittal decorating" Domino Last week I treated myself - I think I told you - to three new cookbooks. One of these was...
Dec 10, 2024


Free, $15, $30 or $600?
"really what the supermarket is trying to do is ensure that for every shop you're trying to go there and spend your money rather than...
Nov 9, 2024


Spätzle
"In short, this is one recipe guaranteed to improve your life." Felicity Cloake Even though it's a beautiful day - one of those perfect...
Oct 2, 2024


Olio
Olio: "A dish of many ingredients" Dictionary.com "a miscellaneous mixture" Merriam Webster Dictionary I confess I thought 'olio'...
Sep 12, 2024


Nubbins
"something (such as an ear of corn) that is small for its kind, stunted, undeveloped, or imperfect; a small usually projecting part or...
Aug 23, 2024


Into the frying pan
" If we have only one pan, then it should probaby be a frying pan." Nigel Slater/Eat At the beginning of his section on food cooked in a...
Aug 12, 2024


Who was Betty and was she brown?
Or was she a blondie? Or even a teapot? Sometimes I worry that my brain is not connecting all its bits and pieces properly and today's...
Aug 11, 2024

