In My Kitchen are the whimsical, the practical, and the elegant.
First up, the whimsical.
The fun-loving side o’ me couldn’t resist this jalapeño relish, especially with the name Cowgirl Kisses. I was in the “moo”d (wanna be cowgirl that I am) for some sweet, spicy heat and this chutney style condiment didn’t disappoint. Plus, cows are cool.
(Humor me and hover over the photos…)
Then there’s the practical.
Everybody’s idea of kitchen basics differs, but for me ramekins are essential. I use them for prep and/or serving everything from soup to nuts. This pair caught my eye at a local consignment store, not just because they were practical, but because they were pretty. (Double blessing!) I’m envisioning all sorts of potential: crème brûlée (with vanilla sea salt, of course), movie snacks, petite salads, single-serving entrées, and more. Thankfully I was in the right place at the right time, and the price was right, too — $2.00 for both!
Some things are ‘practically’ meant to be.
Elegance is one of those subjective concepts, and for some it means dripping with details or gilded in gold. For me, it’s the intersection of sheer simplicity and style.
Imagine my delight when I spied a trio of crystal martini glasses at another op shop in a booth that was going out of business — yup, $2.00 for all three. (Woohoo!) Made by TARNÓW in Poland, their exquisite design fascinated me. They passed my “ping” test, too. (Such a pretty sound!)
Of course, such elegant vessels needed an equally stunning serving plate, so it was back to consignment store #1 where I’d spied a small oval platter “just the right size” for canapés. (The pattern is Petite Bouquet made in Japan.) I thought they made for some interesting international relations over cocktails.
It was also an opportunity to try out some new flavors on The Man Of Few Words. ;)
He got past my gluten-free toast points okay (told him it was “garlic toast”… shhhhhh), but he wasn’t real wild about the “dark stuff” (mushroom pâté.) More for me, yay!
However, he couldn’t get enough of the “light stuff.” No wonder why…
Thank you to Celia for hostessing this monthly In My Kitchen event! For more gadgetry, ingredients, and innovative ideas shared by folks from around the world, please visit Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.
Enjoying unexpected blessings in Oklahoma,
~ Kim
What great finds! I love the ramekins. I don’t have any myself at the moment but you are making me want to go out and search for some.
Maggie, right now those are my only two! I’ve been using some lil’ glass containers that are doubling as ramekins (until I can find more) and I wish you the very best in searching for yours! They’re “out there” waiting for us. :)
Loving your little bargains, especially the glasses from Tarnow – you did well there!
Thanks, Ania! Bargain-priced blessings serve two purposes: 1) They restock my kitchen (slowly, but surely) within my budget; and 2) it’s twice the thrill to find pieces that appeal to my artistic nature. I appreciate your encouragement, too — a blessing as well!
You make the simple things so special. My favorite browsing is in 2nd hand and “antique” stores. Brings out the nostalgia in me.
Jeanne, Russ ‘n’ I knew we were “old-er” the day we poked through an antique shop and recognized half the stuff as “things from our childhood” or “I used to play with that at Grandma’s!” Nostalgia is a lot of fun, isn’t it? :)
You have a wonderful mix of “new” things in your kitchen. The martini glasses are beautiful and what a lovely pattern on the ramekins. Nice presentation and picture, very elegant!
Many thanks, Liz! I used to “fuss” with my photo set-up more (backdrops, props, etc.) but that all changed in a hurry last year. These days it’s pretty much “throw it on the table and hope for good light.” :) It meant a lot to me to know that you “noticed” my simpler style (necessarily so) and still found it appealing. Thank you! Very encouraging!
What a beautiful view you have! I am curious about the jar of jalapeños, you should check out my pickled jalapeño post, they are sort of sweet as well and very easy to make.
Lori, homemade pickled jalapenos sound wonderful — thanks for letting me know — looking forward to checking out your post!
Your strawberry basil jalapeno lemonade sounds fantastic, too!
Those finds are all fabulous!! Now, pour me one of those martini’s and I’ll take some mushroom pate thanks lovely :) Jan x
Jan, I’d be delighted! (Shaken or stirred…?) There’ll be plenty of mushroom pate’ — it’s mine, all mine — but I’ll share!
You do have some lovely things this month. The ramekins are so pretty and yes, very useful. I would love to try the cow girl kisses – such a fun name. And your photo of ‘the locals’ is gorgeous xx
Charlie, one of our neighbors up the hill and around the bend has a herd of Brahma cattle (or at least that’s what I think they are) grazing in a pasture alongside the road and they’re so cute! I’ll let them know you think they’re gorgeous next time I drive by — actually, I’ll blow them a couple of “cow girl kisses” from you. :)
I sense some cheeky shenanigans here Kim! The glasses or gorgeous and I love the name ‘Dirty Martini Dip’. Some people are so clever to come up with such good names. Mushroom pate I could fight for! xxx
Maree, I’m generally 100% frank about “what’s for dinner” (and what’s in it), but now and again I “edit” to coax TMOFW to break out of his culinary rut, ha! So far the only folks you’ll have to fight for mushroom pate’ are Jan (a gluttonous wife) ‘n’ me — I’ll make a double batch! :)
Love it when our brains do some selective memory!
Oh how beautiful are those martini glasses- I can almost here the ping test from here.
Francesca, they truly are a treasure. Just listen for a clear, resonant “pinnnnnng” (accompanied by a smile) and you’ll know you’re hearing mine. :) Thanks!
Kim You have some great finds. I love Op shops. You never know what you will find.
Agreed, Glenda! It just dawned on me that “Op shop” may not be a familiar term to my U.S. readers (I’ve been hanging around IMK so long I picked up the lingo, ha!), but they’ll catch on. :)
Ha ha..Kim, I can just see Russ’s face and hear his voice lookin’ at that ‘black stuff’! Tooooo funny! I love your finds…those ramekins have the cutest design, and the ping test sure shows you got a treasure! It’s those small things that make our life so full of happiness, and you always make me remember those blessings…thank you, luv! xoxo ~ally
Ally, I’m thankful Russ at least “tries stuff” (especially after I wax on about its glories with every bite, ha!) but he’s also forthright about his “opinions” and I respect that. (The looks on his face are bonus points!) Every time I bring home a “treasure” I feel a lil’ bit more like me, yay! I’m also tickled to live in a region rife with flea markets and thrift stores, xoxo! Oklahoma is known for its “horse trading.” :)
Very nice things to share!! thanks
Thank YOU, Lynz Real Cooking!
love your picture on the front page so beautiful!
Thanks again! It’s my peace amidst the chaos… speaking of which, your “story” continues to rivet me… your recipes, too!
So many lovely things in your kitchen. Love your martini glasses. What a find!
Jennifer, these IMK posts have spurred me on to “recreate” what used to be — with new possibilities! I so love this community and its encouragement — and yours. Thank you!
The name Cowgirl Kisses is enough to have me sold! You always make me jealous with your thrift buys, my dear! Martini Dip sounds like a good one too! xoxo
Shirley, I think you’d look stylish in cowgirl attire (especially with your new hair cut!) and we’d have so much fun poking through the local thrift stores. :) Let me know if you ever get close to Oklahoma!
Would love to visit Oklahoma some day & take a peek into your kitchen, dear! That would be wonderful! xoxo
Totally agree, Shirley! Odds are that you’ll make it here before I make it there. :) You & your hubby & son are welcome at the lake anytime. (But be prepared for culture shock, LOL!)
Kim, Once again you have inspired me with your collection of “things” I too love ramekins and have collected way more than should be legal. I have one I would like you to have. Bought it from an older gentleman who used to own an antique business. He said it was red wing but it is not marked so not sure but it is adorable regardless. If you could send me your mailing address, I will send it to you. Send it to mjtentis@centurytel.net and I will make sure it travels the journey to your kitchen. I have an email address for you but not sure it is current. I look forward to hearing from you. Love, jeanne
Jeanne, that is so thoughtful! Red Wing or not, I’d consider it a treasure! Will email you shortly, and if in doubt it’s “me” you can verify things with “N & D.” Thanks so much, xo. Loved your phrase about collecting way more than should be legal! :)
Boy you did a great job with the finds at the consignment stores. Sometimes you just get lucky. I love those ramekins and of course the martini glasses are gorgeous.
Thanks, Diane! It’s my favorite way of “shopping.” :)
What fantastic finds! I’ve never had much luck here with consignment or thrift stores. Someday I’ll find something, probably when I’m out of town!
Gretchen, sometimes the offerings are scarce or “junky” and other times it’s the mother lode. :) Wishing you luck finding your treasure!
Hi, Kim! I’m really sorry to hear that The Man Of Few Words didn’t like the “dark stuff” (the mushroom pâté). As you know, I’m a fan of that recipe. ;) And I thought it was one that folks who aren’t crazy about “fancy” foods might still like. Oh well… Your toast points photo has me drooling, and I’m envious of your latest find: those ramekins!
Dee, some folks just don’t care for mushrooms, but I’m a huge fan of that recipe, too ;) and I’ve got a post coming up that will do it justice with a link to you-know-who. :) (That’s why I didn’t mention the recipe’s full name yet.) Personally, I could sit down and eat the whole batch myself!
Wish we lived closer, Kim, so that we could make a batch and share. Who knows, maybe sometime! I’ll be looking forward to the post.
Those ramekins are very cute Kim, I’m sure you wished there was more! I love finding bargains in op-shops/thrift stores. Lovely seeing you for #IMK x
Nicole, so nice to see you, too, xo! I’m a bit behind on my reciprocal commenting on IMK (some months are like that, ha) — but slow and steady wins the race. :) Off to peruse yours!
I absolutely adore your ramekins – sounds like the kind of store I would spend lots of money in. Can’t believe I have never thought to serve individual salads in ramekins before – will definitely be doing that this summer.
Have a beautiful day Kim.
:-) Mandy xo
Speaking of summer… throw your ramekins in the fridge for awhile before you fill ’em with salad — keeps it cold & crisp longer! You have a lovely day, too, Mandy! :)
gorgeous martini glasses and such cute ramekins. i have heaps of them too! love the look of the dirty martini dip. and mushroom pate is the bomb:)
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