February 28, 2006
Buckets on my mind.
I have buckets on my mind. A really strange thing to be obssessing about, I know. But that's just me. Deep down I am a collector of sorts and am a slave to whims and fancies. That is exactly what this bucket thing is all about. A whim and a fancy!
We had been to one of the weekend markets in Sydney over the weekend, of course. It was an Arts & Crafts market and I just love them. As I was mentioning to my significant other, you can actually feel the love. The love that the stallholders have towards their crafts, the love and pride they take in their hobbies and creations. Without being overtly sentimental, let me get back to the object of my affection. A metal bucket. An old-fashioned pail of sorts to be more precise. One of the stalls had these old-fashioned hand-painted galvanised buckets with handles. The paintings were reproduction of vintage food labels and country chic. These pails below are some I found while browsing on ebay.
I think one of these lovely, whimsy pieces would make a great addition to any kitchen. You could find hundred different uses for it ... a spatula/ladle holder or tea-towel holder. You could even grow herbs in one or just have it sitting there on your counter-top as a brilliant conversation piece. I am going to get me one of those. Native to a country decor, you can always make it more modern by how you display it or what you use it for. A few framed vintage food postcards hanging above it on the wall would transform your kitchen magically over the weekend with minimum fuss.
Posted by Gel at 6:04 PM | | Comments (0)
February 20, 2006
Birthday Cake Hunt
My son's second birthday is just around the corner and I have decided to bake him a fun cake for the ocassion. I am a wee bit nervous as this is the first time that I will be attempting to create a 'work of art' from the oven. All my numerous past baking escapades have been routine and nothing overtly complex. I have started poring through my archives of cookbooks and magazines, looking for inspiration. Pictures are vital for me to get inspired, especially in this context. A pretty picture of a child's birthday cake can speak volumes about the ease or complexity of the recipe and decorations involved. It also gives you loads of ideas to adapt and make your own.
I have not found many pictures on the net, so I am thinking of scanning the ones that I do have in print and putting them up on the site alongwith recipes for mums [or dads] who want to indulge in a little birthday cake baking adventure. My son adores 'Noddy', 'Woody' and 'Buzz'. I did come across some 'Buzz Lightyear' cakes in online cake shops that make them on order. They look pretty difficult to make at home, especially for a novice. Have any of you baked fun, shaped, 2-D, 3-D birthday cakes for your kids? Do you have pictures? It will be great if someone can post them. I am sure they will be a great inspiration to many ....
Posted by Gel at 5:40 PM | | Comments (1)
February 17, 2006
Is Cold Macaroni Salad the easiest thing one could make?
We had a Salmon and Potato Bake for dinner last night and wanted something light to go with it. Green Salad was not an option as that would be more appropriate for lunch and we had been having a lot of that lately. So we decided to make a Cold Macaroni Salad. The creamy texture and the pasta turned out to be quite gratifying and complimented the Salmon perfectly. I could'nt believe how easy it was to make and so quick too. I am going to make this more often. Using 97% fat-free mayonnaise, takes away the guilt of indulging in this lovely, crunchy salad. I left out the Italian dressing as the original recipe suggested and added a few basil leaves from my new herb kitchen.
I will no longer depend solely on my local deli for their delicious, freshly made salads.
Posted by Gel at 9:24 AM | | Comments (0)
February 16, 2006
66 recipes and counting ...
The site is finally starting to shape up with 66 recipes in the database. I have loads of new recipes lined up to be submitted on the site. If you guys have any requests, do drop me a line and I will see if I can get up the requests first.
The Weekend Projects have begun. They were not originally intended for the site, just a chance happening really! Since I ended up with a weekend project, I thought 'Why not share it with everyone?'. Have you been indulging in weekend projects in the kitchen? Of course you have! I would love to hear all about them. If you can provide pictures too [not a compulsion] and permission, I would love to put it up on the site for everyone else to see, with due credits of course!
More Later ...
Posted by Gel at 4:17 PM | | Comments (0)
