The calm after the storm – in my kitchen
April 3, 2015
Lemon and chilli pickle made by my friend Dima Sharif at the Farmers’ Market this Friday where she did a demo of how to make it. The recipe is here http://www.dimasharif.com/2011/07/how-i-got-myself-in-bit-of-pickle.html?m=1
New bowls from Crate and Barrell. I’ve been searching for the right shape for ages
Veggie teen starts another vegan month so this book arrived at the right time. Review to follow shortly
Crisp healthy chips and a whole lot more. Would you like to win one? I’ll let you know how very soon…
It’s still growing season so lots of organic veg from the farmers’ market in my kitchen. Making the most of it as the season will end in 5-6 weeks time.
The recipe for arrabiata in Jamie’s Comfort Food book is now my ‘go to’. Made a huge jar of confit organic local chilli and garlic which is part of this multi-layered chilli explosion.
Prudence keeps on bubbling and giving sourdough love (thanks again Celia – Fig Jam & Lime Cordial)
I chucked a load of chopped parsley into one sourdough loaf and it seems to have worked… sort of. Needs perfecting
Finally got my hands on a spiraliser (Tavola keeps selling out). Need to get acquainted better as this spiral is pretty pathetic!
We’ve had an enormous harvest of tomatoes from the garden so I oven dried some. These were coated in a spicy mixture of pomegranate molasses and sumac – a recipe from Greg Malouf’s new vegetarian book
The last of our bumper crop from the garden. KP has had a permanent grin for the past three weeks
Slightly addicted to this with or without a shot of vodka. Perfect Bloody or Happy Mary (the virgin kind) every time. Order from Limeline here in Dubai
Portobello gin and Fever Tree tonics – a great addition to my gin collection. New arrival of masses of different gins at MMI – hooray
Lovely Mel Kettle (http://www.cooks-notebook.com.au/) stopped in Dubai on her way to Paris and gave me these exciting packages
I try to keep my food chemical free so why not my house (and the planet) too. Testing this out from the Change Initiative
Here’s what’s in my kitchen at the beginning of April (take a closer look and read the captions by clicking on an individual image, use the arrows to navigate).
March was wonderful but a bit crazy. I can’t believe that the Emirates Festival of Literature, Art Dubai, Taste of Dubai, Dubai World Cup and Arabian Youth Orchestra were all in one month. And yes I went to all of them plus more.
I turn to my kitchen at times like these for relaxation. We need to eat so I have to cook – it’s a necessary but creative and calming activity.
Have a snoop around many more kitchens through Celia’s monthly event – look for the list in her sidebar.
What’s in your kitchen this April?
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My Custard Pie 
Drove all the way to The Cellar and bought two new bottles of gin, was really disappointed in the selection of Fever Tree though. I want a spiralizer but you are right they keep selling out! our sour dough is in the fridge, not bubbling but chilling for next week (he has been ill), great round up, thank you 🙂
I owe you some of my starter. I keep mine in the fridge and use once a week at minimum. Strange about stocks of Fever Tree in RAK. Which gin did you buy? I want some Martin Millers and Bulldog.
Love the gins from Sipsmith…
I love snooping in people’s kitchens, so I really enjoyed this round-up! Gorgeous photos, especially your farmer’s market veggies, the sundried tomatoes and the lemon chilli pickle. I also love Ecover cleaning products.
PS. No sauerkraut photo? Did you manage to start another batch after the bag of water broke?
Haven’t had time to start again. Thanks for the reminder. I hope cabbages are still in season. Have a feeling they are over now
Nice photos. I missed the session really wanted to join the farmers market today but due to unavoidable cicircumstances couldn’t make it. Thanks for the recipe link i sure gotta try it.
Sally are all those photos taken by iPhone? Really the quality is so good. Any good apps for mobile photography?
Yes. My iPhone 6s is making me lazy about using a ‘proper’ camera. I used the wordpress app to start this post and finished off on my computer so didn’t do any post production of images. Usually I use Snapseed for camera pics. Writing something soon with all my apps on.
As always amazed at how busy you are. I find that my best intentions often vanish in a haze of tiredness after work! Thank you, as ever, for the inspiration.
On the sofa, totally shattered! Friday night in 😊
By the way, news from the InterContinental in the Marina due to open soon is of a gin bar which will have the largest variety in the region. Bring it on!
I’m onto to that one already. Have insisted I’m the first one in there!! Treat you to a g and t?
Just the one?
What an amazing month you’ve had. Love the grid of photos. GG
It has been amazing, but a quiet time this weekend was essential, with good food and wine. Restored 😊
Lots of goodies, Sally… sounds like you’ve had a wonderful time! I love literary events and other festivals! That farmer’s market sells beautifully fresh produce! Happy Easter.
Happy Easter to you too Lizzy
And happy spiralising too! xox
March in Melbourne is equally crazy with wine, food, culture and comedy. I was gifted a bottle of Black Robin gin from New Zealand, an absolute stunner, and well worth noting. Love your layout, very clever way to present all the delicious goodies in your kitchen
I’m thinking I need to visit Australia for a gin trip!
Broken Heart (NZ), Four Pillars (Australia) and Liverpool (UK) are gins also worth looking out for 😊
Thanks. I’m learning through these comments that Australia is an amazing place for gin. Broken Heart. What a fab name
Particularly love (a) those bowls and (b) your veg haul photo. Both so beautiful!
Virgin Mary made with Big Tom is our tipple of choice on Sunday mornings. That lemon and chilli pickle look devine!
Your tomato harvest is wonderful! Very envious as mine regularly ends up as green tomato chutney after a dearth of late summer sun. Love the sound of oven dried version with pomegranate molasses and sumac. And those vegetables are so beautiful.
Happy Easter and nice assortment of photos for this month’s kitchen view too!
What a great collection of goodies. I find the kitchen a place of comfort in madding times as well.
Ooh those organic veggies look delicious!
Sarah x
I have the same Spiraliser. When you work yours out please let me know. Great photo collage – brilliant idea!
He he. I think the carrot I tried mine with was too small. Just watched a spiral slicer comparison video by Jaden Hair (Steamy Kitchen) on You Tube. Good demo. Thanks for nice comment about the pics.
what stunning produce! I tried a different kind of spiraliser off amazon and couldn’t work it out for the life of me! Lovely photos 🙂
Lovely post, Sally! So happy Prudence keeps bubbling away from you, and your parsley loaf is so pretty – amazed that it stayed green even after baking! The spiraliser might be this month’s IMK “item” – yours is the second I’ve seen so far! It sounds like fun!
Wow! That Lemon and Chili pickle and the bowls. 😀 😀 😀
Sally, found you through Celia’s IMK. Loved your grid of photos — must learn how to do that. Was happy to spot the photo of sourdough starter, as I’m a huge fan of sourdough (posting my sourdough English muffins later this week). Tempted by the spiraliser, but I am *trying* to resist getting any more gadgets right now!
Love the variety and colourful photos of your kitchen! Big Tom… whoo 🙂 So hard to get good tomato juice. We love our Bloody Marys… in the form of oyster shooters!
What a wonderful visual feast and presentation, Sally. Like you, I love to relax in the kitchen. Just close the door, put on some music and get lost in another world. Sounds quite a month in Dubai. I love this time of year, as suddenly we’re getting asparagus and strawberries at the farmers’ markets here in Paris. Your tomatoes look amazing!
Prudence looks good and love the parsley idea. I should try with garden rosemary really.
And look, I managed to do IMK two months in a row! Woo!
Love the grid – another WordPress thing I can’t do 🙂 I also love the sound of the dried tomatoes, and interesting to hear yet another plug for Jamie’s comfort food, will definitely have to add to to my list…
Your photos are lovely (and also the veggies, pickles, and new kitchen gadgets). I also use an Iphone 6 but mine are not nearly as good. I’d love to hear some tips.
that lemon and chilli pickle looks fab. And i like the look of Big Tom. the veggies are glowing with vibrancy too.
I am might guilty of stalking your blog for the sheer amount of knowledge I get out of it.. But with such wonderful posts, how can I be held responsible for it.. I love your blog, esp the food photography in it.. thank u..