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.
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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!
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.
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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!
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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…
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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…..
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That is all for now, folks! We wish you a wonderful Summer, and we’ll be back to bark and play in October…
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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
Post quickly edited by members of our household……
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 chance to share those little things you bought or received as gifts and that make your life in the kitchen easier.
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!
SEE YOU IN THE SPRING,
MY FRIENDS!
ONE YEAR AGO: Happy New Year in My Kitchen, 2024
TWO YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, January 2023
THREE YEARS AGO: Happy New Year in My Kitchen!
FOUR YEARS AGO: Happy New Year in My Kitchen!
FIVE YEARS AGO: Happy 2020 In My Kitchen!
SIX YEARS AGO: Happy 2019 In My Kitchen!
SEVEN YEARS AGO: Happy New Year In My Kitchen!
EIGHT YEARS AGO: Happy New Year In My Kitchen!
NINE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen: Happy New Year!
TEN YEARS AGO: And another year starts…
ELEVEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen: January 2014
TWELVE YEARS AGO: Tacos with Pork in Green Sauce
THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Maui New Year!
FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Natural Beauty
FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Sunflower Seed Rye
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 chance to share those little things you bought or received as gifts and that make your life in the kitchen easier.
Starting with gifts…
From my dear friend, and tent-baker Tanya, this gorgeous cup for my evening tea in the shape of my favorite animal! As I always say, I have great friends and they know me well…
From a very dear friend from California this cookie cutter that she sent me when I needed ideas to bake cookies for a special donation box and it really made everything perfect for me…
Here’s what I made with it…
In our kitchen…
Very small wooden boards that are perfect for entertaining! In the picture I give you an idea of their size. They are perfect to offer a small sampling of cheese, crackers, Cristini or dumplings, offering one to each of your guests. Available here.
In our kitchen…
These are silicone trivets that you can use to roast things and avoid making them soggy during baking. In this case, I am showing boneless pork chops, breaded and fried and later finished in a slow oven. I got it at Marshalls in town.
In our kitchen…
One of my favorite vanilla bean pastes. This one comes from Mexico and it is not too expensive. I love the flavor! Available here.
In my kitchen…
A special large Banetton that I bought with a special bread project in mind which in fact I shared with you very recently (click here for post). Banetton available here.
In our kitchen…
A few large stances that I also bought with the same bread project in mind, but that can come in handy for many other uses. I just love their design! Available at etsy.
In our kitchen…
This I offer as a gift to my dear husband. He often makes tacos for dinner and now he has a way to serve them nicely instead of trying to balance them inside some awkward serving dish. We are using them very often. Available here.
In our kitchen…
A small serving tray that I fell in love with when I saw it by accident in a shop at Etsy. I predict it will be used for many cookie pictures in the future!
In our kitchen..
If you decorate cookies, you absolutely totally completely NEED these! A bought a set of three, small, medium and large. Perfect to fill piping bags with Royal icing, they thought about EVERYTHING when designing these containers. Get them here.
In our kitchen…
When it comes to black cocoa, this one is quite a bit more mellow than others I’ve tried. It will be my brand of choice, although I tend to continue exploring possibilities as they show up in my horizon. It is intense and perfect to make Oreos and other cookies with similar “personality”. Available here.
AND NOW IT IS TIME TO HEAR WHAT
OUR BELOVED FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS HAVE TO BARK
Life has been quite awesome, according to the pups. Our humans did not take any trips, so we enjoyed all the amenities of The Kingdom of Tatarrax without nasty interruptions… For us youngsters, it involved daily trips in our favorite vehicle!
Osky, the Grumpy does not dig rides in trucks. He prefers to stay behind and exercise his pseudo-alpha-dominance in the backyard…
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We love our backyard also, but for us Royals and Superstars it is more about playing…
Either with a ball, or even better, K9 X-Games, as narrated by The Queen Mother, check it out:
I don’t normally get in trouble. But, if I am to bark honestly, I do have daily requests that need to be fulfilled. Early, very early in the morning, as The Dad is preparing coffee for the Zenless, I stare at the box of puppy goodies they keep in that area and won’t move until I get my morning treat. And due to The Canine Equality Act, my siblings get one also. After that, we proceed to take our extended version of the morning nap.
Obviously… Sleeping is better with a toy!
Some beg to differ, though….
Who is he trying to fool?
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Wee see you, Grumpiest!.
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This year has also been super special because my little huge sister is getting trained into the complicated game of golf. She has caused a few issues because she insists on running to greet every single group of players in the field, but that’s what superstars do…
At home, we play pretty much non-stop, except when we do stop. It is called The Toy Impasse, and we might stay like that, evaluating each other’s jaw power until one of us gives up. As I am Royal and therefore magnanimous by definition, I often allow my little huge sister to run away with it.
I must confess, though, she recently hurt my royal feelings, by getting all infatuated with another guy. Look at the way she looked at him!
I have to bark, I was not digging it at all, particular not all that kissing!
Once that “gentleman” left, she was despondent and playing difficult with me….
Thankfully that did not last for long. Because who could resist my Royal charm?
Life is now fully back to normal in The Kingdom, the only dark cloud in the horizon: constant disapproving looks by The Grumpiest…
But he is the only one with grievances against us…
That’s all for now, folks, we have squirrels to chase, mailmen to bark at, and bellies to be rubbed!
ONE YEAR AGO: In My Kitchen, Fall 2023
TWO YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, Fall 2022
THREE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2021
FOUR YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2020
FIVE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen (and Beyond), October 2019
SIX YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2018
SEVEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2017
EIGHT YEARS AGO: Little Bites of Paradise
NINE YEARS AGO: Coxinha de Galinha: A Brazilian Delicacy
TEN YEARS AGO: Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp Skewers
ELEVEN YEARS AGO: A Simple Dinner
TWELVE YEARS AGO: Brown Butter Tomato Salad
THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Spelt and Cornmeal Rolls
FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Roasted Potato and Olive Focaccia
FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Multigrain Bread Extraordinaire
Bewitching Kitchen 