May 18th, 2017

Japan holiday kitchenware purchases part 1

.

Hi! We went to Japan on holiday for three weeks during Easter! :) It seems so long ago already… but as you’d probably expect from me, things work a little slow around here (!). So over the next few blog posts, I will like to share some stories with you~!

.

. . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . .

.

Fact: Being on holiday makes my purse strings loose. Because;
a) many things look unusual and the ‘what if I never-EVER get the chance to buy it?’ factor comes in to play.
b) the little devil that sits on the shoulder whispers… “Oh go-on…!” and “It’ll make a nice memento!” in to my ear.
.
Fact: The prices are in a different currency than what I’m used to, and I can’t be asked to convert every single price in the head. Not to mention that I’m weak at maths anyway. And the rose-tinted desire of it makes it seem cheaper.
.
Fact: I’m a sucker when it comes to kitchenware…, it’s borderline shopaholic. “Hi, my name is Tamami and I am a kitchenware shopaholic.” would be my admission speech at one of those self-help get togethers.
.
BUT: this time my shopping spree was toned down somewhat…! (o-m-g…)
.
Y’know why?
.
It’s because I am on a mission to not buy plastic anymore. And guess what this does ~ suddenly, three quarters of kitchen goods in the shops become redundant! Yah, I’m amazed myself.
.
It was actually a really liberating moment. I looked around with my plastic-free eyes and by golly, a realisation dawned on me that I was drowning in too much plasticky option before! Honestly, so much crappy stuff out there. It was refreshing to not have to check them out anymore. So with this new concept, some of the shelves didn’t even get a look at and shopping became a breeze as I was able to pinpoint my attention on only certain items.
.
I should tell you the other reason why I didn’t buy so much:
To my dismay, I found another solution to purging my spending spree when I took my 9 year old daughter with me to go shopping in the kitchenware district called Kappabashi.
 .
“Do you REALLY need that mummy?”
“What are you going to use it for?”
“It’s not very nice.”
“That’s too expensive.”
“Can we leave the shop now?”
“It’s boring. I’m tired.”
.
These were the words that my daughter uttered while I tried to shop. And my answers to her remarks were;
.
“No, not really…” (externally forced to reality check)
“Not sure… But… s-o-m-e-t-h-i-n-g…?”
“…” (the seed of doubt now developing in to a plant, looking down at the item I am dearly cupping in my hand.)
“Yes I know. I know, but…!!!!” (the devil on my shoulder is waning.)
“…” (now I feel silly like a child in a candy shop.)
“okay okay…, let’s get out.” (defeated.)
.
She’s right of course, I don’t REALLY need a soup ladle for left-handers, nor an iron stamp to sizzle a pattern on the pancake! She is probably the angel (with a whip mind you!) on the other side of the shoulder that tames the devil that whispers sweet things in to my ear. Lol. That day at Kappabashi I didn’t buy a single thing (shock! horror!), but… dear daughter, I’m so sorry, old habits die hard, as I did sneak a shopping spree on my own on another day at ‘Loft’ and ’Nico And’.
.
So, ahem, here are the winnings (pic at top)…
  • Hand carved wooden ladle (perfect for ladling the hot pot?)
  • Sesame seed roasting pan (I used the frying pan for the job before, but no more!)
  • Two wooden rice paddle (no more plastic ones for me~!)
  • Handmade bamboo colander (Lol, yes, I agree, I didn’t ’need’ this, but it looked so cool! It’s made from just one piece of bamboo. The handle is extended and divided and plaited to make the sieve part. Gotta give it for the skills involved.)
  • Wired mesh picky-uppy ladle (It’s hand-wired!)
  • Handmade bamboo brush (I love brushes. Ha, weird statement perhaps? When the tips wear down, you can remove one level of wire and cut the ends to use it for longer. Ingenious!)
.

Next instalment coming soon~! xxxxxx

 

November 10th, 2016

I bought a non-plastic kettle!

.

Hi-hi everyone! This time, I’d like to show off my brand spanking new kitchen equipment!

.

cocoandme_ottoni_fabbrica

_Hello, nice to meet you Mrs. Kettle, welcome to mine! :) :) :)

 

Ta-da~!!!!! It’s an ALL-STAINLESS-STEEL electric kettle by Ottoni Fabbrica & it’s non-plastic!!! Ooh it makes me so happy! :)

.
I do slightly fear that I may come across as a bit silly getting all excited over just a kettle…, lol, but you’ve gotta understand (!)
this is a cumulative result of me searching high & low for a non-plastic kettle for an age! Did you know that finding a kettle with absolutely zilch plastic parts is really hard?! You’d think that the stainless steel kettles out there on the market would be good enough, right?, but no…, they all have some sort of plastic part that would be in contact with the boiling water. For example the mesh lime scale filter by the spout – it has a plastic frame… And if the kettle has a a water level window on the side, that’s going to be made out of plastic too.

.

cocoandme_ottoni_fabbrica_2

_Inside shot

.

cocoandme_ottoni_fabbrica_3

_The kettle by Ottoni Fabbrica has a stainless steel mesh filter on the spout side. The mesh is the same height as the kettle, & although it doesn’t look it, it is actually removable for washing!

.

You’re probably wondering what the fuss is all about, right? Well, I’m on a mission to get away from the plastics. This is because I worry about harmful cancerous chemicals entering mine & my family’s body. My personal concern is especially bisphenol A (BPA) that mimics the oestrogen hormone. Was it this that fed my hormone-receptive breast cancer…? Having had the first-hand experience of cancer, where ever I can, I prefer to err on the side of caution.

.

“… considerable data indicate that exposure of humans to BPA is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease, miscarriages, decreased birth weight at term, breast and prostate cancer, reproductive and sexual dysfunctions, altered immune system activity, metabolic problems and diabetes in adults, and cognitive and behavioral development in young children”

.
Mind you, it’s not just bisphenol A (BPA) that’s bad…, yikes…:

.

“Three plastics have been shown to leach toxic chemicals when heated, worn or put under pressure: polycarbonate, which leaches bisphenol A; polystyrene, which leaches styrene; and PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, which break down into vinyl chloride and sometimes contains phthalates that can leach.”

.

(Quoted from breast cancer fund)
.


.
So, here’s my review about the use of an all-stainless kettle in general & specifically about the Ottoni Fabbrica kettle:

.

Pros:

  • In general, an all-stainless kettle has no plastic parts touching the water. It’s strong material will likely last for a long time. Stainless also doesn’t impart or absorb flavors or smells.
  • The Ottoni Fabbrica kettle is considerably a lot quieter than the plastic kettle I had previously! And the design of the spout on the Ottoni Fabbrica kettle is really nice – it pours water beautifully. Also worth mentioning is the large opening on the top which makes putting the water in easier.

Cons:

  • In general, an all-stainless kettle is heavier than it’s plastic cousin. In my opinion, elderly people might find it cumbersome. It also gets pretty hot to the touch on the outside wall.
  • The Ottoni Fabbrica kettle is expensive compared to the standard price-point of it’s plastic cousin. The handle is still plastic (but atleast it’s not touching the water directly). I wish the handle was wooden…! It’ll really suit the rustic appearance of the kettle! Using wood will make these kettles truly plastic-free!

.

By the way, as far as I know, this is the only all-stainless steel interior electric kettle that I know which is available to the UK market.

.

The Ottoni Fabbrica kettles comes in two different shapes. To make the decision to choose harder, they have these in  an assortment of twenty colours & finishes to colour-match your kitchen! Below are the four that I liked the best: 

.

Ottoni Fabbrica Italian Top Kettle “Alice Bianco” 2400W 1,7 L

The colour-combo of white & silver reminds me of my iPhone!

.

Ottoni Fabbrica Italian Top Kettle “Alice Nero” 2400W 1,7 L

I like simplicity, so this one with the black handle was a possible candidate. It’s a classic look that you won’t get tired of.

 

Ottoni Fabbrica Italian Top Kettle “Alice Elegance” 2400W 1,7 L

Similarly, how about an all-black one like this?? Rather slick don’t you think? It oozes calm modernity. Oh choices, choices…! :)

.

And then this is the one I went for. Ottoni Fabbrica Italian Top Kettle “Fjord Satinato” 2400W 1,7 L. It’s over twenty pounds more expensive than the others… but I liked the shape of the spout, & I liked the brushed stainless steel surface. I think the somewhat retro/ vintage-y/ nostalgic appearance is rather charming!

Btw, if you’re reading from the US, there are these that I found:

Precise Heat Electric Water Kettle – ​
The inside is definitely non-plastic! And it looks slightly similar to this one. ​
Kitchen Gizmo Double-Walled Kettle – ​
The inside is definitely non-plastic! But does look plasticky on the outside. ​
Secura SWK-1701DB Stainless Steel Kettle – ​
Again, the inside is definitely non-plastic! But does look plasticky on the outside. ​
Elementi Premier Gooseneck Kettle – ​ ​
This one is especially for making tea and coffee! ​
Anyways, I hope this write-up helped and guided you in the right direction! Happy shopping~!>

February 29th, 2016

Japanese kitchenware!

.
Firstly, I was going to write ‘Happy New Year to you all~!‘ but it’s just so late for me to post this, it’s too silly right? But I do want to squeeze in a cheeky blog post before it’s March atleast, so here it is, on a leap day of all days!

.

But seriously, can you believe that it’s almost March…??
Can I ask, how have you been doing so far this year? Have you acted upon your new year’s resolution? (that is, of course, if you’ve made one?)
.
My new year’s resolution this year is to get fitter (cliché! I know! Lol…), so I have joined a local fitness club!
I must say, I’m pretty chuffed with myself for actually ‘really’ signing up to it! Y’see, normally I slack on these types of actions until the very decision get dusted under the carpet… (of shame…)
But! But! But! Not in 2016! No, this time I’m doing it, & to prove a point, I have so far been to pilate classes twice a week since the beginning of January already! Yay to me! ^^
.
Anyway, as promised in my last post, here’s pictures of the kitchenware I purchased during my Japan trip! 
.
1. Japanese fish scaler.
The phrase “… the scales won’t fly everywhere!” on the packet was the clincher for me! Try as I may, to my annoyance, the pesky scales ‘ping’ away high, so hopefully with this promising tool those days will be over…?!
.
Japanese cfish scale remover kitchen tool / kitchenware - www.cocoandme.com
.
2. Cabbage shredder.
I l.o.v.e eating shredded cabbage! I will happily tuck in to a big mound of it, no problem! I love it even better when it has a guilty squeeze of ‘Kewpie’ mayonnaise on it…, &, &, oh,,,, whilst on the guilt trip, I might as well give in & accompany the cabbage with a calorific deep fried ‘tonkatsu’ (Japanese breaded & fried pork cutlet)… hmm…, writing this paragraph makes my craving go unmanageably wild… (cue the sound of stomach rumble.)
.
Japanese cabbage shredder kitchen tool / kitchenware - www.cocoandme.com
Anyway, whenever I have tried to cut the shredded cabbage manually with my knife, it is always on the thick side…, but… hopefully no more with this handy gadget! Airily fine shredded-cabbage-heaven is on the horizon…?
.
3. Stainless steel water flask. 
Lol, this one, I had no intention of purchasing. It was meant to be one of those items that you pick up off the shelf to have a briefest of looks, & then put down, y’know, as you do when browsing a shop. Then…, I made the fateful action of having a peek inside…
.
Japanese water flask with a smiley opening - www.cocoandme.comcocoandme_flaskwithsmile
Gahhhhh! Cuuuute… It’s got me~!
I imagined how every sip taken from this bottle will make me smile… like forever… & ever.** – SO it was off to the till with an item I had no intention of buying… I think it was helped by the ‘I’m on holiday, I might not come across this EVER again’ feeling. Do you ever get that? There’s something about being on holiday that makes one’s purse-strings loosen, don’t you think??
.
4. Bento-ware
For the past two years I’ve been making packed lunches for my children to take to school – because they are not much of a fan of english school dinners. To make their bento, I have to wake up an hour before everyone else in the house, but I never really find it boring or tiring. I keep my interest up by having inspiring tools. Well that’s the excuse for these purchases anyway! Lol! ^^
So I bought:
– A set of plastic toothpicks in shape of stalks. If you pierce mini-tomatoes on the ends, it’ll look like cherries! Fun! ^^
– Two ‘furoshiki’ style cloth bags for transporting the lunchboxes. You tie the two ends in to a knot to close the bag! Simple & beautiful.
– Seaweed punchers. You can punch out cute facial features from a sheet of ’nori’ seaweed sheet & stick it on to ‘onigiri’ rice balls! My almost-teenage son wouldn’t dare be seen with such cuteness at his secondary school, so I’ll use these only for my seven year old daughter…
.
Japanese bentoware / kitchenware - www.cocoandme.com
.
5. Stainless steel lunch box from Seagull
I’ve been lusting after a stainless steel lunch box for a while! Apparently theses are leak-proof. Super cool. ^^
.
Seagull bento box / lunch box/ kitchenware - www.cocoandme.com
.
6. SpreadTHAT Self Melting Butter Knife with serrated edge
Made from thermal conductive titanium, this modern looking knife transmits the warmth of your hands to heat the knife itself! It makes spreading the straight-from-the-fridge cold butter effortless. I’ll enjoy using this! ^^
.
Spread That butter knife/ kitchenware - www.cocoandme.com
.
7. Traditional “Jyu-bako”

And then, saving the best ’til the very last… – my best friend A surprised me with this beautiful present for Christmas!!! Wow…, I now own MY VERY OWN jyu-bako… I feel so grown up & proper…! ^^ Thank you Mrs.A!

.
Japanese jyu-bako/ lacquered three-tier box kitchenware - www.cocoandme.com
It is a lacquered three-tier box called a “Jyu-bako”. It is traditionally used as a special food container on New Years Day, or on special occasions during the year, for example Japanese people might use it for ‘ohanami’ = which translates to ‘flower-watching’. Japanese people picnic feast under the cherry blossom tree in Spring.
.
Talking of cherry blossoms, just last Saturday, I noticed that there were petals drifting in the air in front of my stall. For the initial second, I thought it was sprinkling snow because it was so c.o.l.d. that day, that it wouldn’t be so surprising that it did! Instead, it was nature’s gentle reminder that Spring is around the corner.
.
Anyway, for now, best of days to you all,
T xx
.

September 3rd, 2014

Summer holiday 2014 – Japan – PART 2

.

One of the places where I just “had” to go to while in Tokyo was a Kitchen Town called Kappabashi. It is a stretch of street approximately 800 metres, & it is lined with just kitchenware shops.

.

Knowing I’d be wanting to shop there thoroughly, (& I mean ‘thoroughly’!), I really didn’t like the idea of going there with the children, including Mr.D (sorry). Listening to “Are you done yet?” & “Can we pleeease go now?” while considering which size pan to get is not my idea of a fun shopping experience, nor theirs.

.

And besides, it’s such a specialised area, if cooking is not your ‘thing’, that 800 metres will probably be a mere 10 minute stroll for you, whereas mine can easily be 2 hours.

.

Luckily for me, Mr.D agreed to take the kids with him to see a friend for lunch & also go get new glasses made for himself. (Glasses in Japan? Yes, it is much cheaper & quicker to make it there compared to in the UK.) – – So yesss! I had freedom! (Lol) In Japan! And the cherry on top was that my childhood friend A came with me to shop there without her children too! A girly outing buying kitchenware…, for me it is the best…

.

Let me tell you a tiny little bit about my friend A (& in fact, about her mum too afterwards). We’ve been friends since age 14. And we did teenager-ey things together. ^^ – Sure, we’re actually very different people, we have diffrent friends, we listen to diffrent type of music, & have a different dress sense. But when you share such fond memories, I guess the strong connection transcends the years of  living in a separate country now. I remember, at the time going for sleep-overs, & oh boy, those super-lengthy telephone chats on land-line! Back then, handy little things like mobiles weren’t yet invented, so I’d often be strewn across my parent’s double-bed, casually stretching the telephone coil while talking about God knows what for hours-on-end. Something super-engrossing for teenage ears I guess…!?

.

Anyway, I must say a big *hello~* to her mum Mrs.U on here! I recently found out that she has been regularly reading my blog! Isn’t this fantastic!? When I saw Mrs.U during this trip, she told me how she’d been making the french toast from my recipe. She also told me how impressed she was with me, which made me feel very proud & very happy. - Although it kind of made me blush a little. I remember once going for a sleepover to theirs with a peculiar clothes sense…, lol, I think it was a mixture of Grunge & a bit of Camden. Oh, dear teenager, how I envy that beautiful ability to self-believe…

.

When I met up with A at Kappabashi, A told me her mum gave her some pocket money that is for me to spend, I was to buy whatever kitchenware I wanted. After a pingpong match of “oh no, I mustn’t” & “oh you have to, I’ve been told to spend it for you”, I did accept. So, here’s pictures of my kitchenware purchases from Kappabashi that Mrs.U has very kindly bought for me. Thank you Mrs.U! (The pictures also contain goods bought from a store called Tokyu Hands in Shinjuku).

.

www.cocoandme.com - Coco&Me - Coco and Me -  Japanese tamagoyaki maker copper egg omelette traditional

Copper Tamagoyaki (Japanese omelette) frying pan.

I really wanted this!! I have a teflon one already, but this copper one is the don. You probably already know this, but copper has superior heat conductivity, meaning it gets hot speedily. On top of that, the heat distributes well, so that your food cooks evenly!

.

So it’s my first ever copper ware! :) I’m so happy!! :) This pan is for making Japanese omelettes. You make it by frying a thin sheet of egg (just like when making crepe), which you then fold in to three. You then put this to one side of the pan while you make another sheet. When this next sheet is half-cooked, you fold it around the first, & then you repeat this process until you have a thick roll. Basically you end up with sheets of egg stuck together like a log. Think baumkuchen, only it’s rectangular.

.

I make tamagoyaki often. I make it sweet by mixing in some sugar, & flavoursome by mixing in some dashi stock & soya sauce. It is a popular fixture for the bento I make for the kids. And I’m in love with the ritual of waking up early to make this, in a strange way it makes me feel like an “old-school Mam-ma” & I sometimes put on a nice apron to go with the occasion. (Does this make any sense?! LOL…Too much time spent in the kitchen makes for one’s madness!) Interestingly, quite often, my current state of being reflects on to the tamagoyaki. This dish needs your patience & full attention to cook each sheet, & so when I’m unhappy it doesn’t turn out well. On the other hand, when it does turn out beautifully, I  breathe a barely audible sigh of relief, revel in my competence & smile at my perfect tamagoyaki.

.

www.cocoandme.com - Coco&Me - Coco and Me -  Japanese cooking pot nabe beautiful silver dented pattern

www.cocoandme.com - Coco&Me - Coco and Me -  Japanese cooking pot nabe beautiful silver dented pattern

Yukihira Nabe hammered pots.

Often used in traditional Japanese cooking, the sides are hammered to strengthen the pot, & create more surface-area to be heated. I also think it’s aesthetically pleasing too! :) And I’m a sucker for wooden handles anyways…!

.

www.cocoandme.com - Coco&Me - Coco and Me -  Japanese Kitchenware silicone cooking chopsticks miso stirrer rice scoop surikogi stick

From left to right:

– Silicone cooking chopsticks x 2 (I never used silicone chopsticks before, but I thought I’d give it a try!)

– Surikogi, a wooden stick used together with a grinding bowl

– Miso stirrer – to blend in miso paste in to your soup without lumps

– Rice scoop x 2 (from Tokyu Hands) which stands up

.

www.cocoandme.com - Coco&Me - Coco and Me -  Japanese cooking kitchenware - otoshibuta wooden lid pot glove heat

From left to right:

– Super short oven gloves. I thought it’ll be cute to use when you take a dish to the dining table.

Otoshibuta. A lightweight wooden drop-lid. You place this in a pot that is bigger in diameter, so that it directly sits on top of the food. It is mainly used for simmering with less water. As the boiling cooking liquid hits the lid, it then reaches over your ingredient so it cooks evenly. It also holds down the ingredients in place so that it doesn’t dance around & lose it’s shape, which is especially useful when you have delicate potatoes.

The one I’ve got is zig-zaged on the other side to pick up on the scum from the surface of the broth. It’s important if you want the cooking liquid to be clear.

.

www.cocoandme.com - Coco&Me - Coco and Me -  Japanese Kitchenware bento box items goods chopsticks pouch furoshiki

My new bento-ware! (all from Tokyu Hands)

From top left:

– Bento pouch.

– 2 x silicone dividers used to divide food inside the bento box.

– 2 x wooden bento box. What I like about these is that the insides are carved out, & that there are no hard corners.

– 2 x wooden chopsticks in a portable case.

– Mini ice pack – (Moomin looking a bit cold!)

– Furoshiki – cloth wrap for the bento box.

.

 

July 9th, 2013

My kitchenware purchases 2012/13

www.cocoandme.com - Coco&Me - Coco and me - Marbleized splatter enamelware -  blue marble flat salad plate & red marble muffin tin. From Labour & Wait www.labourandwait.co.uk/‎
(Marbleized splatter enamelware -  blue marble flat salad plate & red marble muffin tin. From Labour & Wait. Now one of many enamel goods I already have. I love enamelware…!)

.

x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x

.

Hello!!!! Hello!!!! Hello~!!!! 
How have you all been??? Tell me! I hope you’ve all been good!!!
.
Me? Well, I can report to you that I’ve been alright y’know, I’m still my happy self. ^^  Although, I must admit, last week was a hard week for me, a few minor things has happened that upset me, I had to deal with a nasty character, but it’s nothing I want to discuss about in detail here. Besides, don’t worry, it was nothing too major nor dramatic that it changes me. Although…, what it did do however is, it made me all the more aware that I have a loving family, some true friends (& trusty blog readers!^^) & earn an honest living out of work I still love doing. That I am on a good track, that I am lucky.
.
Though, talking about awareness of one’s status, recently, I’m also feeling much aware that every day seems to just meld in to one another without much distinction, … if that makes any sense (?) lol…, like how the cycle of everyday affairs is a given. It’s a ‘set’ that has to be done: Wake up, get the kids ready to go to school, make the beds, tidy the house, make the dinner, do the washing, then devote Thursday, Friday & Saturday to my market-work, etc, etc…
.
Oh, but don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining! Far from it, I actually find comfort & peace in this secure situation, it”s rather cushy n’ snug isn’t it, although to some, it may come across as mundane & monotonous!
.
Then…, perhaps it came from a counteraction to feeling monotonized, & in need for fun spontaneity, I suggested to Mr.D who just turned 49 last week, that for his next birthday ~ the big five-oh ~ I could perhaps take him on a holiday to somewhere very very special. Somewhere unusual from our daily lives. I was thinking somewhere where the stars are beautiful. Like Chile, as he is very much in to star-gazing. (He can’t stop watching DVDs about it). Then he says the one place he’d love to go to is the Himalayas. HIMALAYAS!? Like Tibet or Bhutan!? Wow! Now ‘THAT’ is very special. ^^ The very thought that this time next year we might be somewhere so extremely different from here excites me. So since then, I’ve been researching about how to travel there already. On the off chance, has any of the readers here been to the Himalayas?? If you have, I would greatly appreciate to know how you did it please!
.
ANYWAY! Sorry, I suppose this is some sort of a food blog, so here’s some pictures of kitcheney things I bought within the last year! I hope you like them as much as I do! T xx

.

x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x . . x

.

www.cocoandme.com - Coco&Me - Coco and me - eBay purchase! Vintage chopping board from Germany. Wooden Mr & Mrs Onion heads crying.
eBay purchase! Vintage chopping board from Germany. Wooden Mr & Mrs Onion heads crying.
Usually my own policy when buying on eBay is to buy from the UK only, one, because the expensive overseas shipping fee outweighs the value of the item, & two, because having that personal limit stops me from buying willy-nilly (& I will). But, in this case, I decided to buy it regardless because I had a fond memory of seeing these many years ago, hanging on Mr.D’s late father’s kitchen wall!
.
www.cocoandme.com - Coco&Me - Coco and me - broadway market cake stall - Beautifully grained wooden pedestals, from around the 1930's. Cakes look instantly classy when displayed on these!
Beautifully grained wooden pedestals, from the 1930’s. Cakes look instantly classy when displayed on these!
.
Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com Coco and me - broadway market cake stall - Tamami - Glazed tartan stoneware dinner plate by ANTA of Scotland. Rare & collectible. the tartan is an early, orIginal design by Annie Stewart, co-founder of ANTA. Handmade and decorated in the Highlands.
Glazed tartan stoneware dinner plate by ANTA of Scotland. The tartan is an early, orIginal design by Annie Stewart, co-founder of ANTA. Handmade & decorated in the Highlands.
.
Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - coco and me - broadway market - Tamami - cake stall - Vintage Royal Worcester bread plate with animal pattern.
Vintage Royal Worcester bread plate with animal pattern. I’ve never seen this design before! I would love to know the name of the collection, but it doesn’t say it on the back other than Royal Worcester…
.
Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - coco and me - broadway market - Tamami - cake stall - bread plate is from Alfred Meakin Studio. The design is called Little Green Apples
Again, another design I haven’t seen before. This bread plate is from Alfred Meakin Studio. The design is called Little Green Apples.
.
Coco&Me - www.cocoandme.com - coco and me - broadway market - Tamami - cake stall - vegetable sun-drying net basket
And this is my current craze! (Lol! How boring am I??) It’s a vegetable sun-drying net basket!
You can put deseeded tomatoes, peppers, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, asparagus, daikon radishes…, all-sorts, you’d be surprised with the variety of foods that can be sun-dried. And if you’ve been lucky with hot weather, the veggies shrivel & dry in no time, & what you’d end up with are foods that has boosted nutrients & condensed umami flavour. It can also be preserved a lot longer, although I often just semi-dry them & have it for dinner that same day as drying.
.
Now what else… Oh yeah, I also bought an OXO mandoline slicer in white (Don’t worry, I also have a cut-resistant glove!!). It’s a superb product, especially when you want to create beautiful apple galettes with uniform super-duper thin apple slices, but otherwise I don’t use it often, & is boxed up. At the end of the day, it’s quicker to cut foods yourself by knife, &, no matter how I try, I end up with the the end piece left over.
.
Then I also bought my now 7th (!) hand mixer. This time, it’s a James Martin by Wahl hand mixer (300 Watt). I’m super happy with this one. It’s on the bigger & heavier side, but it is powerful (meaning it cuts the time in whipping eggs!) &, despite this, is quieter than the other models I have used in the past. I also like that the whisk attachment is ever so slightly longer than the other models’ too! ^^
.

« Previous Entries