Wednesday, July 31, 2019

What's In My Kitchen, Indoors and Outdoors, in July?

Outdoor cooking and dining: so great in summer...
In my outdoor kitchen in July: a new Weber Grill, which I've already written about in an earlier post.
Here, we tried making a special Yakitori setup by using two foil-covered bricks to support the skewered chicken.


When it's not too hot, we like to eat outdoors, including breakfast.

More Progress with Bread Baking

In our kitchen: new loaf pans for Len's bread baking.
Made in the new loaf pans: cinnamon-raisin bread, which Len made because it's
one of my favorites.
Len also baked a really good rye bread, here shown with a plowman's lunch.
Another day: good with pastrami!
Pancakes made from leftover starter, using recipe on King Arthur website. (link)

A Few New Food and Cooking Things...

In my kitchen in July: many thoughts of French food, but very little actual French cooking. For a blog event called "Paris in July" I read several books that covered various food topics. But I never got around to much French cooking except a couple contributions to a Bastille Day potluck, which I documented then.

I did rediscover a French grilling book that I haven't used in a long time, and we hope to try some French grilling recipes next month. (Unfortunately the book includes a lot of recipes that use exotic ingredients. Grilled quail, anyone?)

Rediscovered:
Cuisine from A to Z: Grilling and Barbecues.
More ordinary: I reused pickle juice to make pickled
carrot sticks. Good in slaw! Would work if I made
a Banh Mi sandwich, too.
We have a shiny new cooking pot.
A new condiment from Trader Joe: middle eastern Zhoug.
Update: people asked what it's for. I used it in a few salads, and it's popular in Israel
for sandwiches and on falafel. See this post on Ottolenghi.
This post is to be shared with "In My Kitchen This Month," a blog event hosted by Sherry at http://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/. Participating bloggers from all over the world describe what they are doing in their kitchens. Some of us are in the middle of summer, creating food for hot days, even record-breaking hot days. Others, like our host Sherry, are in the midst of Australian winter, and feeling the need for porridge and other warming dishes. What a wonderful world!

All photos copyright © 2019 by Mae Sander. This post is published at maefood dot blogspot dot com, and if you are reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen.

23 comments:

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

You've had a lovely month. Perhaps you will get to more French food next year. I'm happy to see the bread successes.

Angie's Recipes said...

Those yakinori skewers look so GOOD! Love your backyard :-))

Arti said...

Your Yakitori looks wonderful! Great idea with the foiled bricks. Love the pancakes too. :) -- Arti of Ripple Effects

Kitchen Riffs said...

Weber grills are awesome! And I've never reused pickle juice -- definitely want to give that a try! :-)

Sherry's Pickings said...

your backyard looks lovely Mae. must be fun out there grilling away during the hot days. it's so interesting seeing how the other half of the world is living - hot days for you, and chilly, porridge-filled days for us...have a great month.
cheers
sherry

Tina said...

What a great idea with the foiled bricks. I love a kebab. Homemade bread is the best too!

Tamara said...

I love a good ploughman's lunch, the variety of flavours, and the chance to eat with your fingers!

The VegHog said...

Ploughman's lunch reminds me of my time in the UK and that rye bread looks good.

Beth F said...

Pretty new pot!

gluten Free A_Z Blog said...

We love to eat our breakfast outdoors too. We eat early while the birds are singing, the air is cooler, and its peaceful and calm.
I love your backyard setup!

Tiffin Fiona said...

My mum still has one of the original Weber kettles and still uses it. We got rid of our large BBQ recently and bought a small Weber Q which is perfect for the two of us. Yours is the second post I've seen with a fruit filled loaf so as I have some dough proving, I think I might give one a go. You've inspired me. Now I'm off to Google Zhoug.

http://www.tiffinbitesized.com.au/2019/08/03/in-my-kitchen-august-2019/

Johanna GGG said...

your yakitori set up looks very clever - a weber must be great for summer outdoor eating. I love the look of that ploughman's lunch and I am very fond of cinnamon and raisin bread - how lovely of len to make you some. I love the look of your new shiny pot and am interested in that zhoug sauce (how do you use it?)

Shaheen said...

We have summer weather here, but no outdoor BBQ style food for us, but eats like Ploughman's lunch and lots of quiches! I am liking the cinnamon and raisin bread. I have been meaning to make Zhoug sauce, but never get round it, you have reminded me - so maybe i will.

(Diane) bookchickdi said...

Cinnamon raisin bread is a family favorite, yours looks wonderful.

Shari from GoodFoodWeek said...

How good are Webbers? And ploughman's lunches? The boys like me to pack them in their lunchboxes for school - ploughman's lunches...not Webber BBQs. Shari from www.goodfoodweek.com.au

Jeanie said...

Your kitchen (and outside kitchen!) are both looking really good. I'll bet Len's cinnamon raisin is to die for and that TJ's sauce sounds interesting. Not sure when I'll get there again but I'll look for it.

Moya-Food and Tools said...

Hi Mae, love your new BBQ and love yakitori too, looks good. So lovely when you can spend time outdoors. It is too hot where we live at the moment. I bet you will cook some lovely recipes in your new shiny pot. Happy August Mae :)

Liz said...

Me, there are wonderful things in your kitchen this month! Love your teapot and new plate and bowls, I am a softy for bowls and your new ones sound perfect for soup. Summer food is so simple and fresh, lovely. I am going to TJs this morning and will look for that sauce, what do you use it on?

Tandy | Lavender and Lime (http://tandysinclair.com) said...

I often wonder about reusing pickle juice and glad to see it works. Are your posts being stolen that you have the disclaimer at the bottom?

Mae Travels said...

@Tandy at Lavendr and Lime: yes, there's a site that "scrapes" every post I make, so I put the copyright info at the bottom of most posts. I have looked into going after them further but it's not worth it. It's happened before, and eventually the thief gave up the game.

Blogggg said...

thanks :D what a great content u have recipes for dinner

gluten Free A_Z Blog said...

Interesting post and happy to find out about the new Yemenite spice at Trader Joes.

Vicki said...

Your yakinori skewers look really good!