On the incase anyone is under the delusion that I am a tidy cook, let me remove any such thoughts. I put the lasagna together on Friday. I made focaccia and a blueberry clafoutis. As well as a right big mess. I don't know how I manage in such chaos, when chaos in general drives me up a wall. It is one of life's mysteries.
To my immense credit, I got the horror squared away and my son, the now former chef, is able to live in the fantasy of his mother being tidy in all things.
Howard B. Hound gives his full-throated approval.
Dear Mark was taken off the naughty list when he brought in wood for the tri-annual lighting of the bat cave. This year it will be a bi-annual lighting.
We had a good day with son and daughter-in-law. They both really liked the vegetable lasagna and the clafoutis. So, I would say it was a success. I was exhausted and asleep by 8:00PM and did not wake until 8:00AM. Wow. Part of the exhaustion is related to my limited exposure to peopling. Take an introvert, place her in the country and watch as she slowly becomes a hermit and you have....me!
This is what this morning looks like. It's very pretty.
Are those islands your only workspaces?
ReplyDeleteMy kitchen looks like that too when I cook and bake, and then clean up, rinse, repeat.
Glad you had a good visit with son and daughter in law. I'm not much for visiting either these days. It's too draining and too much work.
Yes, I use the island and the stainless steel prep table, Pixie. I do become drained. It's a thing for some of us.
DeleteI am a very messy baker and cook. So I love seeing these photos.
ReplyDeleteOff the naughty list. lolololololol.
I envy those who clean as they go, Ivy. Mark has a standing reservation on the naughty list.
DeleteI could do it when I worked in kitchens, and I can clean as I go at home to a point. And then, it's all mess and suddenly 17 spoons needed for one dish. I am working on being neater though this year. PS: Pizza dough in the stand mixer as I type. Herbs included. Already smells great.
DeleteYou are temping me, Ivy.
DeleteMade more pizza dough today. HUGE pizza for Tim and a kilo of hand-shaped cavatelli. SO FUN. What's going in your mixer next?
DeleteI made pizza yesterday, Ivy. You motivated me.
DeleteVERY COOL! Tim has one serving left. I wanna make him some mini pizzas and freeze them. See how that goes too.
DeleteOf course cooking makes a mess! It is to be expected! I was lucky. The Mister would periodically wash dishes for me as I continued making something else. Your fire is delightful, and the weather outside is beautiful... when you are inside and/or watching it on a video!
ReplyDeleteMark wisely stays out of my way in the kitchen, Dreaming! I cannot complain about his not helping. I like winter. It's the expense of winter I don't like!
DeleteNice fire! Of course you have to make a mess when cooking!!
ReplyDeleteWell, Far Side, then I am doing it right!
DeleteThank you for sharing reality!!!!!!! I mean it!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd your kitchen looks wonderful - how fast you can clean. Now time to put up your feet and relax.
There's plenty of reality around here, Miss Merry! I spent yesterday listening to a book. No guilt.
DeleteThe food, house and snow all look grand.
ReplyDeleteThe snow is pretty. It's the kind that decorates the trees, AC.
DeleteYou are my kind of cook! Nice job, cleaning up the kitchen. Sounds like you had a very appreciated, delicious dinner with your son and his wife. The fire had to be so inviting. By the way, if we were neighbors, we'd be getting in all kinds of trouble!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteGood trouble, Lori!!! If you were my neighbor I would actually leave my house. Regularly!
DeleteThe photographs are awesome.
ReplyDeleteWhy, thank you kind sir. I'm a point and shooter with a cell phone kind go person. I hope you had a pleasant holiday, Tommy.
DeleteCooking is usually messy and you have a large kitchen. Belated happy christmas and a good year ahead to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteThe camera perspective makes the kitchen look huge, but it is a roomy space. I have had the prep table for 40 years and I am dependent on it. I sure hope you are doing ok. I do think of you.
DeleteI'm so glad you had a good time with your son and daughter-in-law. But I can understand why you were exhausted when it was over---that was a lot of work!
ReplyDeleteFor some reason this lasagna seemed to take more prep time, Cheerful. or maybe it was just me. it was nice to see them.
DeleteSorry for the late hello, but that was an impressive mess and a very impressive clean up.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a good time.
I am to impress, Val! I need to check in with you today.
DeleteThe before and after kitchen photos are a common sight for many of us. We have a smallish galley style kitchen in our apt and so cleaning up as we go is usually the process. Glad to read that your family get together was a delicious one and, yes, peopling can tire you out. We will be doing that on Tuesday when fellow residents come for wine, cheese and other treats. Then we will be hermits the rest of the week, happily so.
ReplyDeleteYes, happily so is happening here, Dorothy. You enjoy it while it's happening and then crash.
DeleteYour kitchen looks wonderfully lived in. It’s exactly what happens when a good meal is being made. The meal must have been delicious. I’m glad you had a good visit, even if it wore you out. The fire looked so cozy too.
ReplyDeleteIt's where I spend most of my time, Jane. It was really good to see them. Their lives are busy so time is limited.
DeleteIf your kitchen was always perfect you probably wouldn't get to enjoy that yummy food, especially the focaccia. I'm drooling thinking about it. I hope you have a wonderful New years!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tammie. You are right, if I didn't make the mess we wouldn't eat!
DeleteNice to see you are a messy cook like so many of us
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to know I'm not the only one, Jo-Anne!
Delete:)
ReplyDelete"Take an introvert, place her in the country and watch as she slowly becomes a hermit and you have....me!" I just read these lines to husband and he said quite seriously, "That sure sounds like you!" I also have a messy kitchen when I cook from scratch. It is worth it to produce an especially delicious meal such as the one you have. The video was very pretty and so were your photos. What a gorgeous cozy home you have. That big old fireplace is one I would love to have. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteHermiting has it's place, Denise! The hole in the roof that fireplace causes when the damper is open means it gets little use. If I look up the chimney I can see the sky. This place was a disaster when we bought it. I liked a challenge once-upon-a-time!
DeleteI had to read your first paragraph aloud to my husband! That was so funny!
ReplyDeleteI tend to clean up as I go. I have a limited work area so it's pretty much a necessity. Your kitchen looks huge but maybe it's the camera angle?
The bat cave. That's funny!
It is the camera, Sue. It''s decent sized but not what it looks like in the photo. You do so much preserving. I can stand in the fireplace. The prior owner spent a lot of time in the Cascades and wanted to duplicate the feeling.
Delete