HAPPY NEW YEAR IN MY KITCHEN!

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

Starting with some super special gifts…

If you follow this site, you may remember that we said goodbye to our Osky Boy back in November. To my surprise, I got this beautiful artwork in the mail, from Veronica, who does not even know me in real life. We’ve been friends online for a very long time and she is an amazing artist. She captured the essence of Oscar in a way that was incredibly touching. Thank you, we are framing this to showcase in our home.

These amazing pottery pieces were a gift from Marlyn, former cookie decorator wizard, turn Pottery Art Extraordinaire. The teacup has a tiny little frog peeking from the bottom and I adore it. This was a gift that left me speechless when I opened the package. Thank you, not only for the gift, but for everything you taught me over the years. I never get tired of seeing your beautiful productions online, and now I am the proud owner of some of them!

And my special gift to Phil…

His Birthday is December 27th, which happens to be the day we met in a lab at Institut Pasteur. Years went by, we got married, and lived again in Paris, where Cafe de Flore and Les Deux Magots were part of our routine. Our dear friend Alain and his wife Corinne gave us little coffee cups from Cafe de Flore more than 10 years ago. I decided to splurge and get this set of cappuccino cups to celebrate his day.

A call from the past. On my Birthday, March 2007.

In our kitchen…

These were a joint acquisition, I got the small cast iron first, Phil loved it so much he went ahead and splurged on a bigger version. They are both from Field company, and super high quality. We are using them almost daily now.

In our kitchen…

This is a fun gadget that Phil installed. He had it for years, probably bought at a flea market somewhere, it is a bottle opener and works like a charm. With a vintage look, to match the owners of our home (wink, wink).

In our kitchen…

Ready to eat (or use) chestnuts. They came in very handy to make a special dessert that should be featured in the blog soon. Stay tuned. Ordering info here.

In our kitchen…

This pan was recommended by a food blogger I follow. They are perfect for egg muffins, or any kind of muffin you bake. Non-stick, easy to clean, bake perfectly without the need to line or grease. I am in love! Ordering info here.

In our kitchen…

This is a very tasty chutney, recommended by Amber, a cookie decorating artist I’ve been following for a long time. Available here. I put it to use in two different types of cookies, will blog about them hopefully soon.

Speaking of cookies, I have three little cookie-related things to close this post with…

In our kitchen…

This set of cutters is simply adorable! Available from amazon (click here). It will work not only for the cookie itself, but also if you like to cut rolled fondant or rolled buttercream to decorate. Very handy for Christmas cookies, as you can see in this post.

In our kitchen…

These are new products by SugarArt, natural food colors. They aren’t cheap, but they provide a good alternative for food dye using exclusively natural pigments.

In our kitchen…

.
I saved the best for last. This is the best acquisition ever if you are a cookie decorator! I am so in love with it, I don’t know how I lived without it. Seriously. You stick the bag with icing through the opening and slide it down. It comes out with the tape neatly closed around it. No mess, no struggle with bands. Works also with bigger bags of buttercream if you need. Available at amazon (click here). The tape is not sold with it, must be ordered separately.

So that’s all for now, my friends! We wish you a wonderful New Year, and….

Well, with the New Year I was hoping to do things differently but apparently the furry friends feel the need to bark their piece…. So be it… Let’s see what they’ve been up to.

But truth is, with the holidays and the fireplace going inside, we have perfected
The Art of the Snooze!

Every once in a while, we manage to circumvent the sophisticated security system of The Kingdom and take a nap where we really belong.

Unfortunately, for the most part the Door to Nirvana is kept annoyingly closed, which forces Royalty to sit, stare and show his displeasure.

But Prince is not the only one to stir trouble in our peaceful palace. Star decided to destroy a very important cookie decorating tool: textured parchment paper. Guilty on all counts.

This was the last cookie made with the murdered paper…
A moment of silence, please and thank you…

In her defense, she seems ashamed and apologetic, so yeah, all forgiven for the time being…

Together, the two Black Dotted Heroes can create quite a bit of chaos…

And make dinner preparation a bit tricky…

But even with all the trouble, the pups are a ton of fun and keep the Humans happy, either watching their favorite shows on TV….

Or playing a super fun ball game…

Santa decided that they’ve been nice enough to get new toys for Christmas….

And maybe even an invitation to sit at our table….

This is the first time in many many years that our beloved Grumpy Terrier is not around. We miss him, and share one of the last pictures of him, just a few days before he crossed The Rainbow Bridge.

That is all for now, friends! We hope 2026 will be a kind year for all of you, and for us here as well at The Kingdom of Tatarrax… See you when Spring starts!

ONE YEAR AGO: Happy New Year in my Kitchen!

TWO YEARS AGO: Happy New Year in My Kitchen, 2024

THREE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, January 2023

FOUR YEARS AGO: Happy New Year in My Kitchen!

FIVE YEARS AGO: Happy New Year in My Kitchen!

SIX YEARS AGO: Happy 2020 In My Kitchen!

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Happy 2019 In My Kitchen!

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Happy New Year In My Kitchen!

NINE YEARS AGO: Happy New Year In My Kitchen!

TEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen: Happy New Year!

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: And another year starts…

TWELVE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen: January 2014

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Tacos with Pork in Green Sauce

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Maui New Year!

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Natural Beauty

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Sunflower Seed Rye

29Oct2025

GOODBYE, DEAR FURRY FRIEND

Posted in 1 by sallybr

The wall in our living room has portrayed those images for a very long time. They left us in the order they were placed, strange coincidence. Yesterday we said goodbye to Oscar, our Osky Boy, who had just celebrated 15 years with us. Rest in peace, dear pup. You have brightened up our life. Now it’s time to go play with Bogey and Buck.

(comments are shutdown for this post)

16Oct2025

FIFTEEN YEARS WITH AN OSCAR WINNER!

Posted in 1 by sallybr

Fifteen years ago we rescued a very timid, very frail dog back in Los Angeles (read my initial post about it here)…. He grew up to be a fierce, strong, dominant dog, and now in his old age, is a bit weak and tentative in his moves, but still dominates The Kingdom of Tatarrax… Osky, this one is for you!

My very first picture with my forever family…

And after 15 years, so many memories!

We don’t know your Birthday, but October 16th is our day to celebrate YOU!

ONE YEAR AGO: Semolina Sourdough

TWO YEARS AGO: Incredibly Simple, times three

THREE YEARS AGO: Chile Rellenos

FOUR YEARS AGO: Vietnamese “Pizza”

FIVE YEARS AGO: Chocolate Bonbons with Mango-Ganache Filling

SIX YEARS AGO: Giant Cookie Meets Mousse

SEVEN YEARS AGO: The Brazilian Battenberg

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Salzburg Sourdough

NINE YEARS AGO: If I had One Hour

TEN YEARS AGO: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cake

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Sourdough Rye Bread with Flaxseeds and Oats

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Apricot-Raspberry Sorbet: A farewell to Summer

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Marcela’s Salpicon

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Pork Kebabs

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Fondant au Chocolat

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Got Spinach? Have a salad!

1Jul2025

IN MY KITCHEN, SUMMER 2025

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

In My Kitchen posts are hosted by Sherry, from Sherry’s Pickings. Please visit her site to see what everybody else is sharing this month. I join four times each year, on the first day of January, April, July and October. If you are a food blogger, consider taking part of this fun event. It is a chance to share those little things you bought or received as gifts and that make your life in the kitchen easier. I open this post with one amazing shot taken by my beloved, when he was at the golf course. The world is a beautiful place and I wish humans would work harder to keep it that way.

In our kitchen…

It is not very easy to find raw pistachios unsalted at the grocery store. This product was recommended by a cookbook author and I decided to give it a try. They are indeed excellent and I think you will be very happy by ordering from this company.

In our kitchen…

This is a very interesting cooking oil that I heard about recently and decided to try (available here). It is very low in saturated fat and has a super high smoking point so it is perfect to sear meat on top of the stove or use it in any kind of recipe that calls for sauteing in high heat. It has absolutely no after taste. Interestingly enough a couple of weeks after I bought them I saw Jeffrey Zakarian recommending it on the Food TV show The Kitchen.

In our kitchen…

This little cupcake stands were a surprise find at our Marshall Store. Of course, I put them to use very quickly once I brought them home.

In our kitchen…

I am totally in love with this one! A product just launched by Evil Cake Genius, it cuts 2” circles that are perfect to use in molds to make Chocolate Covered Oreos. No more cutting the chocolate transfer sheets by hand, a tedious process that is also not easy to turn into a perfect circle. Ordering info here.

In our kitchen…

Another lucky find at Marshalls which I HAD to bring home… It now hosts some of my food safe pens and I always smile when I grab the box to play.

In our kitchen…

We saw this basket for berries and fruits at my brother-in-law’s home. I had to get one for us, as it is perfect for storage in the fridge after washing them. Available at amazon.com.
A note about washing berries: the husband is the official fruit handler in the house. He makes a 3% salt solution (about 1/8 cup salt in a quart of water, if you don’t have a scale), and soaks the fruits for 5 minutes. Then he rinses in cold water to remove the salt. This gets rids of impurities and also deals with any pesticide residue present. Below you see the color of the water after soaking.

In our kitchen…

This is such a cool ingredient! It is great drizzled over cheese, used in salad dressings, not too hot, just deliciously spicy. Available here.

In our kitchen…

What are the odds on that? Should we play the lotto? TWO double-yolk eggs on a single pan! Those were for our lunch on a Saturday, so definitely made the weekend start on a great note…

In our kitchen…

I love scented candles (although I am very picky about their scent) and light them almost every evening. On the other hand, I absolutely despise grocery store matches like the infamous Diamond brand. They come in a box of 300, but after match #20 you can’t make a single one light on your first attempt. These are a pleasure to use, and the boxes are little works of art… (different styles available here).

In our kitchen…

Sometimes, serendipity happens… and the outfit of the baker matches the bake!
.

And now, for something completely different….

Apparently some four-legged friends are anxious to bark their piece, so without further ado, let’s welcome them to this edition of In My Kitchen…

Prince Freckles of Tatarrax is the resident countertop surfer. Osky is too short and too feeble, Star does not seem to be interested in standing on her back legs to inspect the surroundings. Prince misses absolutely nothing. On the back you see braided chews that are too big and too hard, so we soak them for a few hours in warm water, untwist them, and cut in small pieces. The three pups get one small piece every evening while we watch TV, but Prince seems to think that he can make them levitate into his mouth if he stares at them long enough. He will stare, turn around and look at us, stare some more. Can you say adorable?

Please, spare me. Nothing adorable about that. He is being silly, immature, and endlessly annoying.

Star, on the other hand, could not care less about Osky’s opinion on the brother. She tends to keep herself busy, by taking power naps around the Kingdom.

and yes, sometimes the power nap will take place in the middle of a ball game…

Oscar is quick to point out that Star’s approach to handling a ball – to put it mildly – SUCKS. That is how it is done! And while you are at it, FIX your ear, it is not a dignified look.

The Black Spotted Heroes in fact know very well how to play…

.
And things can get quite intense…. much more intense than Osky could handle!

Obviously, after so much activity, they do need to take it easy, preferably enjoying the scent of one of their favorite humans….

So all was going well with the year 2025,
but dark clouds accumulated on the horizon. Very fast.

DID WE HEAR THE K-WORD??????

Yes, unfortunately they were forced to spend some time in the kennel, It is not fun for anyone, we hate to leave them behind, but sometimes there is no other way…. At least they get to ride in the pickup truck in style!

Before you accuse us of playing favorites, Osky has never enjoyed car rides, he gets the shakes, hates every minute of it. Prince and Star go with us to the grocery store, run a few errands, and we imagine it is pretty cool for anyone driving behind us to see the license plate and two Dalmatian heads sticking out of the window.

True, I could not care less about their fancy rides. “I” am the only one to get professionally groomed, which is the true mark of being special…

BUT BACK TO WHAT MATTERS! The pups have a hard time believing we struggled with being away. Yeah, that’s what they say… But does it look like they are struggling? Zenless even got to cheat on us with other pups! THE NERVE!

Well, what can we say? We enjoyed our time away, but once we were back, we absolutely spoiled them rotten…

Bed privileges were not uncommon….

Osky got as many belly rubs as he could handle….

And life in the Kingdom of Tatarrax, went back to normal…..

That is all for now, folks! We wish you a wonderful Summer, and we’ll be back to bark and play in October…
.

ONE YEAR AGO: In My Kitchen, Summer 2024

TWO YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, Summer 2023

THREE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, Summer 2022

FOUR YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2021

FIVE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2020

SIX YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, June 2019

SEVEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen – July 2018

EIGHT YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2017

NINE YEARS AGO: Secret Recipe Club: Falafel and a Bonus Recipe

TEN YEARS AGO: Chocolate Toffee Banana Bread

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, June 2014

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Baked Coconut and “The Brazilian Kitchen”

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Honey-Glazed Chicken Legs

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: French-Style Rolls

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Chicken Breasts, Coffee, and Serendipity

1Jan2025

HAPPY NEW YEAR IN MY KITCHEN!

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

Post quickly edited by members of our household……

Starting with gifts….

From our friend Virginia, who spent a couple of hours decorating cookies with me this month, this super cute set of cookie cutters in the shape of a pig, that are the authentic shape for Biscochitos (need to make them again soon!)

From our friends Keith and Sarah, the most amazing pillow! That we will have to keep away from the pups, for obvious reasons….. Slobber, anyone?

From Courtnie and Alex, a super special olive oil,
made from Castelvestrano olives…. amazing!

One of my gifts for Phil at Christmas, a bottle of aged balsamic vinegar…. goes perfectly well with that olive oil…

From our friends Ines, Ben and Gi, Panforte from Siena, they sent us every year, but this time it was a different type, coated in chocolate. Can you say OH MY GOD, loud and clear?

From The Hayden Family, a tea cup with the photos of their beautiful daughters on it! Will cherish it forever….

Now, moving on to things I got since our last “In My Kitchen” get-together…

In our kitchen….

I will have to start with a bang… Our Blue Star range, after a few problems over the past 5 years, finally bit the dust. We bought a new range, not as fancy but definitely with more features and easier repair in case it needs. Meet Thor, the new addition to The Bewitching Kitchen, installed on Dec 28th…

In our kitchen…

Virginia’s gift made me realize how much I love sets of cookies of varying sizes. I do have a box dedicated just for them… Stars, bells, ovals, flowers, they are so convenient… I also love the set of sticks that cut four at a time.

In our kitchen…

We got rid of all our regular non-stick pans in favor of this ceramic brand called Green Pan. They do not have the nasty chemicals (PFAs) that get into the food and stay in our body forever like regular non-stick pans do. Especially if you cook for kids, consider getting rid of those. You can read more about the issues here.

They are a pleasure to cook with!

In our kitchen…

A little sourdough, super simple, just white bread flour, but I liked the way I planned the design on paper and then transferred to the dough. I am easily amused…

In our kitchen…

Have you noticed I bake a lot of cookies? Did you know I have blog devoted JUST for cookies? I hope you do know… But what you may not know is that I’m pretty partial to perforated mats for baking. And this brand, that makes pink ones, is my favorite. The cookies do not darken excessively, bake just right.

In our kitchen…

I love the quality of spices from this company… One of my favorites to use in gingerbread is Star Anise powder. Highly recommend it.

In our kitchen…

A tofu press! I’ve been flirting with the idea of trying some interesting recipes using tofu, but they all call for pressing it before using. You know me, I like to have the right tools for the job, so I ordered this one. Will report back once I put it to use.

In our kitchen…

I bit the bullet and ordered some colors for cookie decorating that do not have artificial dyes. They are all made from natural ingredients – spinach, beets, raspberries. I tried a few color over the holiday season. I have to say I am very disappointed at the red. It is not really red, and to have enough color you need to use a lot but it always ends up with a more burgundy-mauve tone. Other colors behaved better. It will take a lot of practice but it might work in the end. Fingers crossed. This is a recent example of a red that is not quite the way I hoped.

In our kitchen…

Printed wafer paper that can be used to decorate cookies. I got them at evilcakegenius, all in Christmas motifs (click here). They are easy to glue to iced cookies with a little brushing of corn syrup as glue. Here they are, over chocolate cookies.

In our kitchen… or rather…. in our basement!

My “small collection” of cookie cutters, in an attempt of organization, and guarded by Royalty…

That brings to the spotlight our black spotted heroes and their oldest brother Osky, who’s been having ups and downs lately, due to his advanced canine age…. Let them bark their stories, they’ve been anxious to do so since our last IMK chapter.

Hi, Friends of The Bewitching! Here we are, me and my little sister, who is now slightly heavier (methinks it is all in the butt). She has the appetite of a bear fresh out of hibernation, and usually polishes her food bowl in seconds, then goes in search of leftovers from mine and Grumpy’s bowl. Contrary to the male canines, she does tend to get in trouble on a regular basis, and endure that “did-you-do-that” monologue, which is known to hurt puppy’s ears. She IS just a puppy, after all…

Those were apparently “precioussssss” instructions from some toy our Dad bought for himself. Personally, methinks he should be buying toys to play with us, so can you really blame Little Star? Isn’t she the portrait of an angel 99% of the time? You tell me!

Now me, Prince Freckles of Tatarrax, I work hard. I make sure preparations for our meals run smoothly and that they are delivered on time. Humans can be slow and easily distracted from the task at hand, so I rise to the challenge and take the task at my own paws.

Osky is for the most part being Osky, and lacks the elegance and dignity that is so characteristic of Dalmatians.

Oh, you REALLY want to talk about dignity? Elegance? How about your behavior as you ride in the pickup truck with The Humans? Is that “elegance” in the Dalmatian universe?

Well, we just have excessive enthusiasm at times, and if you want to know, there was
a squirrel teasing us! Unacceptable!

I am obviously the most dignified of the canines in The Kingdom, The Alpha Male, The Ruler,
The One with Paws in Charge…. And the one who gets Human Affection on a regular basis….

Yeah, right… but The Dalmatians are the only ones who get to The Higher Territory and enjoy ELYSIUM!

And we are also the only ones who can play the REAL fun games with Mom!

I simply dance to a different kind of tune, my friends……

Well, it’s been a nice holiday season, no doubt… Pups are enjoying slow times, a lot of snoozing around, getting ready for a full new year in The Kingdom of Tatarrax!