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Back in my kitchen after a long break, I’m loving these beautiful tomatoes that our garden is producing. When we left to go overseas, the tomatoes were just about to ripen. While we were away, we heard about the dreadful heatwave at home and so we were fully expecting to come back and find that we had lost everything in the garden.
Thanks to our very kind neighbours, and perhaps some good fortune as well, the plants had not only survived but were actually flourishing! We have lots of basil as well, so it’s hardly surprising that tomatoes and basil (a marriage made in heaven) have been on our menu almost every day since our return.
Also in my kitchen are some goodies brought back from our travels: chocolate from Portugal, in a cork wrapper; sugar sachets with Portuguese pictures; and little jars of marmalade from where else but Seville? My Portuguese rooster, given to me years ago by Bizzy Lizzy, now has a matching tablecloth!
I picked up these mulled wine sachets from a wonderful farm shop in England, and the chocolates came from an earlier trip to Hawaii.
The bowls are also from an earlier trip to Lombok, bought directly from the potter.
This gorgeous bracelet was crafted from old silver cutlery; Maurie bought it for me from a stall at the National Cherry Festival in Young.
A tin of after-dinner mints, a gift from friends who came to our pizza afternoon.
From our cousins, Stephen and Sonali, a clever wine-bottle holder.
And finally, a fabulous selection of blueberry products made by Gwenda Ford of Blue Berrylicious. We returned from our trip to find that there were no more blueberries on our bushes (although thankfully the plants survived – just!) So I’m having a lot of fun with Gwenda’s Berrylicious products.
Thanks to Celia, at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, for hosting In My Kitchen each month. I’d love to hear what goodies you have in your kitchen?
So many lovely things in your kitchen this month, Christine (and always!). Love the matching tablecloth for the rooster. How pretty! I left mine behind with Robert, gah! The bracelet is beautiful. Maurie is a sweetie. Your tomatoes are beautiful! Ours are ripening very slowly. The best ones are the self sown!
Thanks Liz, perhaps you can kindly ask Robert for the little rooster? We saw them everywhere in Portugal; they’re so bright and cheerful!
They are bright and cheerful, but I doubt Robert would part with it ; D
Love that Portuguese Rooster and cloth- and those beautiful tomatoes!
The chocolates and blueberry products and wine holder and neat, too!
But that rooster has just caught my eye- so bright and cheery!
Thanks for sharing.
Good looking tomatoes . . .
Very proud of them, Bev!
Hi Christine. Everything looks good. Looks like you had a great holiday.
Thanks Glenda. We did!
Christine, I love everything in your kitchen this month, particularly that beautiful bracelet! Do you think it was made from an old silver fork? The roosters are very handsome, and I love the after dinner mints tin! And oh my goodness, look at your tomatoes! We can’t grow them like that without tomato dust – too many fruit flies here! They’re just divine!
Yes, Celia, pretty sure the bracelet was once a fork! And I don’t want to gloat, but there was nothing added to the tomato beds – no fertiliser, dust or sprays. Lucky for us, as we do so love our tomatoes!
Oh that is fabulous about your tomatoes, they look SO good, I was sure that you had to be doing something. How amazing!