The year is drawing to a close and of course this will be my last In My Kitchen post for 2014, hopefully I will have lots of kitchen treasures to show you next year. Had these pretty plain blue and polka dot cupcake/muffin liners in my kitchen cupboard for ages and thought these blueberry muffins would look good in them. Dusted over a little powdered sugar and some very sparkly edible glitter a friend had given me. Actually, the photograph does not do justice to the sparkle. The blue cupcake decorating turntable… well I guess I needed one of those.
These are our amazing lemons (green ones) from our lemon tree, and already hoping for a bigger quantity next year. I was waiting for the lemons to turn more of a yellow color but a few showed signs of being eaten by bugs and starting to rot, so decided to pick them from the tree. Wanting the home-grown lemons to last longer, decided to preserve six of the lemons …. which have now decided to turn yellow! I love using fresh bay leaves in my kitchen and keep a plant near a window. I tried keeping a bay leaf plant outside, it struggled and eventually died. The bay leaf plant has grown a little bigger and came all the way from Ireland in my suitcase (without the soil), did wonder if it would survive… and it has 🙂
In my kitchen I have a favorite heavy-duty baking tin for cupcakes, which I also use for baking smaller muffins in. When out shopping and spot nice cupcake/muffin liners I usual buy some, handy to have in your store cupboard.
A few times a week we have fresh juice and as our weather is so lovely at the moment, we sit outside and enjoy the morning sunshine. Carrot, apple and celery… not a bad way to start the day.
This was our school of fish for lunch before hubby pan-fried them. Maid is a seasonal local fish and one of our favourite, very oily with a thick skin, absolutely delicious and with a squeeze of lemon, so tasty.
Looking forward to continuing the In My Kitchen Theme and join our lovely host Celia from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial and other blogger from around the world in 2015, all showcasing their kitchen treasures.
Food and Tools 
Handsome little fish, and a lovely healthy juice. Can I visit your kitchen please?
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Wouldn’t it be lovely if you could actually visit my kitchen 🙂
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Yummy muffins!
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They are and so quick and easy to make 🙂
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Hi Moya. Those lemons are weird. Do you know what variety they are? Your cupcakes are lovely, as is your stand. You have some amazing stuff.
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You might be right about weird lemons Glenda 🙂 I have no idea what variety other than the tree came from Syria, the only bit of information I have on it. When I bought the lemon tree there were a few yellow lemons growing on it. We transplant the tree into the ground two years ago and now the lemon tree is growing well and producing green lemons… until I preserve them. I have tried finding out more info but no luck. They are not as acidic as normal lemons and have a slight taste of orange. Regardless, I am so happy to have a lemon tree in our garden. 🙂
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So glad the bay survived the journey. Soon, I will also moving my herb garden a long distance across many countries, so it is good to hear a success story. Lovely little fish – cooked whole? They have a similar looking fish in Greece called “maredes” which they batter and deep fry. I wonder if they are the same species of fish? And, as you say good with a squeeze of lemon.
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Hope you and your herb garden travel to your new home safely, where are you moving to? Maid is from the same family as mullet, very oily with a strong flavor. Pan fried whole or cooked over a barbecue. The “maredes” sound delicious too 🙂
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Will be moving to Athens in October – on secondment for 5 years, but a nice house + garden comes with my husband’s job. Though, not always a private place!
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Sounds exciting and of course you can enjoy plenty of “maredes” when there 🙂
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LOVE preserved lemons – I make them every February when the citrus fruit from southern Europe is abundance and I make enough to keep me going right through the year – especially the summer 🙂
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With preserved lemons a little goes a long way. What is your favorite way of using preserved lemons? 🙂
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Indeed – and I use the brine as well, not just the lemon peel, in fact I think I prefer the lemony brine to the peel but I use both – for dressings and butters (this is one of our top favourites, replace the fresh lemon with preserved lemon and its a real winner: https://anediblelandscape.wordpress.com/2014/09/13/garlic-and-tomato-butter/) but also in fish dishes and with grilled veg 🙂
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ooh that fresh juice looks so healthy. my blood is zinging already. and those cute fish!
merry xmas.
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Merry Christmas to you and hope you have a wonderful day 🌷
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Moya, are those amazing lemons the ones known as cedro in Italy? Used to make special glace fruit for panettone? They look a similar shape. Your fish looks superfresh and delicious, and I could use a glass of carrot and apple juice right now! Hope Christmas was grand, and all the very best for 2015! 🙂
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I’m loving the little blue cake turn table and the edible glitter – you can never have too much glitter in your life 🙂 I hope my sister grows a lemon tree as lemons are so expensive – your lemons look fantastic! Thanks for a look in your kitchen, see you next month for IMK. Happy New Year
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Nicole, it is wonderful having a lemon tree in the garden and hope your sister manages to grow one and I am sure you will benefit too. See you soon 🙂
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