Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts

Friday, October 1, 2010

I'd like a new kitchen, please.


I really would, and I'm sure my husband would too, he just doesn't obsess like I do (it's kind of maddening, actually). The topic of kitchens has been on my mind since chatting about kitchens and  renos, with a friend of mine (Jan, a.k.a. Poppytalk!) yesterday.

As a home and garden photographer, I see many different types of kitchens, and there is always at least one or two things in these kitchens that I'd like to transport to mine (ours). Sometimes I'm just completely impressed by the fact that the homeowners renovated their kitchen all on their own. How? How do you do that? Please tell me.

Thought I'd share three very different kitchens with you. Take a look at the before and after of this kitchen. Completely transformed by the homeowners, Adele and Iain. This was originally shot for House and Home magazine.

The Before. Wow.

Well done, Adele and Iain!

Some happy details.

The new home office and weekend cocktail bar. They now have heaps of storage.

The kitchen below was built by Viewpoint Construction, not sure who designed it though. It features an induction oven, lots of storage, state of the art everything, really. 



The kitchen, below, was shot for Chatelaine magazine, earlier this year.



I love the little inset, and stools. Lots of fabulous natural light in this room. Love that.

As for our kitchen (snippet of it in top pic), it really needs to lighten up (too dark), get a fantastic backsplash (I'm thinking wallpaper covered by glass), a bit more storage and some green chalkboard paint...somewhere.  I've got to get on this. It's a 10 years old now. Anyone else out there in need of a new kitchen? 

Happy Friday everyone! Have a great weekend. Back on Monday with something for Thanksgiving. 

Monday, July 19, 2010

Baked on Monday - Lemon Pistachio cookies


Hope everyone had a lovely weekend. Thanks for a the great comments on my last post. Seems you're all pretty passionate about preserving old homes, though it can be tough!

Today I bring you lemon pistachio cookies (Donna Hay or Martha Stewart, I think). Melt. In. Mouth. I think I've eaten the equivalent to 4 cookies in raw cookie dough alone. I should put the brakes on that. 

Lemon Pistachio Cookies - makes about 30


10 1/2 oz (300g) butter, softened
3 tblsp berry/caster sugar (ultra fine)
5 1/4 oz (150g) roughly chopped pistachios
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tblsp lemon rind
icing sugar for dusting



Preheat oven to 350f/180c. Place butter and sugar in bowl and beat with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes, until light and creamy. Add pistachios and beat for 2 more minutes. Fold in flour and lemon rind until well combined (try not to eat dough at this point!). Roll spoonfuls of dough into balls, place on baking sheet lined with baking paper, and flatten slightly. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack then dust with icing sugar. Eat up!

 Because I can't be trusted with these, I will give a jar to my sister.

Have a lovely day!