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We’re enjoying being back in our own kitchen in sunny Queensland after a wonderful couple of months abroad. And although we definitely don’t need any more “stuff” to add to what we’re already trying to squeeze into our cosy apartment, we couldn’t resist a few little spoils, including these beautiful pieces made from olive wood. We found them at a market in Dijon, France.
And we had to bring back some rosemary as a memento of our trip to Gallilpoli, didn’t we?
While we were in Turkey, we also bought these beautiful bowls. There’s no end to the number of bowls on sale in the markets and it’s almost impossible to choose from them. They’re so colourful! I settled for these because they are coloured with saffron and are safe for serving food (a lot of the cheap bowls have nasties in the glaze).
On our way home, we stopped in Dubai where we caught up with my friend, Santosh, who I met in India many years ago. In one of those delightful friendships that span the oceans and the decades, we’ve remained in touch ever since, and we were thrilled when he presented us with all these delicious Arabian sweets and dates stuffed with almonds.
This was the camel milk chocolate that should have been in my kitchen but isn’t. Regular followers of my blog might know the sad story surrounding this. I was so looking forward to sampling this delicacy from Dubai but accidentally left it (along with an entire bag of other goodies) at a café in Abu Dhabi airport. Someone, somewhere, is hopefully enjoying our purchases!
I’m consoling myself with delicious Lindt chocolates, a gift from my gorgeous son who flew here for the weekend especially to welcome us home.
We picked up these bottles of beetroot juice and tamari at Kunara, my favourite organic food shop on the Sunshine Coast. Have you ever been there? The range of products in this shop is extraordinary.
We picked up this bottle of Spring Dell fruit wine at the Redcliffe Show and are looking forward to using it fruit desserts – not to mention the occasional glass or two, of course.
I absolutely love, love, love this book of jams and preserves that I bought in France. Every page has a little surprise that you can pull out – a recipe card, poster, booklet, vintage pictures etc. Now I couldn’t go past that, could I?
And, finally, we loved this Earl Grey tea so much when we were staying with our French friends that they gave us a tin of it to bring home. The Mariage Frères Tea House was established in Paris in 1854 and is renowned for its very fine tea. We can vouch for how good it is.
Thanks to Celia from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial for hosting In My Kitchen each month – go to her blog and take a peek into many other lovely kitchens.
The cook book looks wonderful!
As you know, I certainly don’t need any more cookbooks but I couldn’t resist this one!
Oh I do love foodvenirs – such a shame about those chocolates! Both the wood and ceramic bowls are gorgeous and you just reminded me I have a tin, unopened, in my cupboard of Mariage Frères Tea! Thanks for the peek 🙂
You really must dig out that tin of tea. I can recommend it!
Love those olive wood pieces Christine, I cannot think of better mementos!
Thanks Jane, they’re taking pride of place on the table right now.
Hi Christine, welcome home… your trip sounded so lovely… and it’s always hard to say no to a few little mementos, isn’t it. Sorry to hear about you losing a bag of goodies… I love that little book of jams too, so delightful.
Thanks Liz. We’d collected such a beautiful assortment of exquisite chocolates. Hope they were appreciated by whoever found them!
Wow! Love seeing all the goodies you brought home from your travels. Those olive wood pieces are spectacular, as are those saffron colored serving dishes. Chocolates, herbs, and tea are some treats I often pick up on my travels, too. I would love a bite of some of those chocolates. 🙂
We were also just in Dijon but didn’t see any market while we quickly drove through. I love your olive wood spoon and the camel milk chocolate sounds interesting so I hope you get some more to try 🙂
Bummer about your forgotten goodies. Is your French jam book in French? Love the tea box, my daughter and I have just started on a tea journey, and I want to find some lovely little tea boxes to store our stash in.
I enjoyed peeking into your kitchen, you have lots of lovely things.
You made some great purchases, Christine.
Thank you, Glenda. Very happy with my loot.
I stopped dead in my tracks at the camel milk chocolate, I’m so sorry you didn’t get a chance to eat it! How interesting though! I have a great weakness for Turkish bowls, but I’d have a hard time choosing between them and that gorgeous olive wood set – glad you came home with both! 🙂
Hi Celia, The bowls in Turkey are unbelievable – the choice in the markets is so overwhelming that it is almost too difficult to choose, really.
G’day! Love your wooden bowl and spoon; your posts always brighten my day!
Thanks for this month’s kitchen view also!
Cheers! Joanne @What’s On The List
Thanks for your kind words, Joanne.
What a wonderful holiday you must have had. I love the jam cookbook, and the camel milk chocolate would have been amazing I’m sure! What a shame you lost it.
It was a wonderful trip, Sherry. Seems so long ago now.
What beautiful things you brought back! I love the wooden set and the Turkish bowls. That jams book looks perfect for some of my relatives, I wish I could find it here!
What an interesting and beautiful mix of products! What are you going to do with the beet juice?
I’ve just been drinking it, Liz. All that goodness!