In My Kitchen… December 2016

Posted byClare ReillyPosted inMusings, The Life of ClareTags:
I wasn’t planning on writing an In My Kitchen post this month, there’s a lot going on and not very much happening in our kitchen. But when Jay and I had a super quick trip to Sydney this weekend I had the absolute pleasure of catching up with Celia. Honestly, before I’d met this gorgeous woman I couldn’t speak highly enough of her, now, we’ll she’s blown my mind with kindness. We ‘met’ about 4 years ago, when she sent me my dried starter Maggie. So you can imagine that she’s had a huge impact on my life. Throughout these years we’ve chatted about all the things, gardening, keeping chickens, keeping frugal in the kitchen, and at all matter of hours, quite regularly our conversations happen at 5am. So when I knew Jay had to go to Sydney for work, I knew that not only would this be some lovely quality time for us to spend together, I knew it’d be a wonderful chance to meet Celia in real life.
The reason I mention this is not just because she’s awesome, but because almost all of the things I’m mentioning in this in my kitchen installment are directly from Celia’s kitchen. As I left her house with more than double what I arrived with.

Gold foil patty pans

On August 18, 2014 (I scrolled back through Instagram) Celia posted a photo of the 5000 foil cups she’d just purchased. She’d found them for $1 a sleeve, and there were 500 per sleeve. Now any time she uses any she tags me in the Instagram photo and I have a good old laugh about it. So it seemed only fitting that some should make their way into my kitchen.

Useful bags

Jay, Elliot and I all got given a useful bag. Jay’s will be headed off with him later this week to Sri Lanka, mine will house my phone and Elliot’s will carry what ever his little heart desires.

Tempered Golden Ticket Chocolate Bars

I followed Celia’s tempering chocolate at home tutorial not too long ago and I’m 98% sure everything went well. The second time I had a go, things didn’t work so well. I’m a super visual learner, closely followed by kinaesthetic learner, so tempering chocolate under Celia’s watchful eye is the best way for me to learn. We spent time in her kitchen, drinking a glass of delicious port, tempering chocolate. And she sent these bars home with me.

A block of tempered chocolate

To temper chocolate you need a block of tempered chocolate. It’s really tricky to find such thing to purchase, so for my first attempt I used a lindt chocolate bar, but that’s super tricky to work with. Celia, being the exceptionally kind woman that she is, sent me home with a bar that she had made.

Chocolate molds

There’s no point tempering chocolate if you don’t have some cute molds to set your chocolate in.

Port

Now if I knew more about ports, I’d be able to tell you what kind, but alas, I don’t remember. What I do remember is that it was a joy to drink while sitting and chatting with Celia in her kitchen. And she was kind enough to send a nip home for Jay.

My Darling Lemon Thyme*

I love Emma’s books, I’ve talked a lot about A Year In My Real Food Kitchen, and so I jumped at the opportunity to buy this one.

Lola Berry’s Summer Food*

I’ve looked at Lola Berry’s cookbook’s previously and have really enjoyed them, but never felt the need to buy them. I saw this one though and I couldn’t put it down. It’s full of beautiful, light and fresh meals just in time for summer.

Christmas Cake

I wasn’t planning on making a cake this year, but then I realised that I’d regret it if I didn’t. So I quickly soaked the fruit over night and then whipped this up. I can’t wait to cut into it on Christmas Day.
I’d love to hear what’s happening in your kitchen. Head over to Lizzy’s Good Things to have a look into some more kitchens.

14 thoughts on “In My Kitchen… December 2016”

  1. Ah, you crazy girl, thank you SO much for spending the day with us. I had the best time!! And you KNOW I couldn’t be happier to share gold foil cups and useful bags, right? Hahahaha!

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  2. Lucky friends of yours who will get choccy gifts this year. I love the My Darling Lemon Thyme book, got mine from Aldi too. Can’t wait to see what you make from it!

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  3. Hello there, lovely one! I saw your photo on Instagram… what a hoot with you and Celia catching up. Love the vid. I can smell that cake from here. Yum. Thanks for the wonderful shout out and the peek into your December kitchen xx

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  5. I enjoyed the IG photos from your visit with Celia. It looks like you both had a fantastic time! How lucky that you were able to visit her in real life. And the awesome chocolates you brought home, I’m quite jealous.

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  6. how lovely to spend some time with celia. i always feel she is like the godmother of all the food bloggers. not sure what you mean about having to have tempered chocolate in order to make tempered chocolate? seems like the chicken and the egg.:) have a great xmas.

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