In My Kitchen: February 2015

It's time for another tour around my galley, and a chance to peek into other kitchens around the world via Celia's In My Kitchen series. I'll begin with the obvious... in my galley we love all things piscatorial. Fishy yes, but what's with the tropical fish in the Pacific NorthWest? These colorful fish mitts are more decorative than functional, but they are treasured for their boldly colored patterns. The fish platter art piece below is a favorite just because it makes me smile.

In my galley you will find other vivid pops of color, a cheery contrast to the sometimes dreary winter weather outside. Not that I need an excuse to display fresh flowers or candy, but they are especially welcome when the world outside the windows stays gray all day. Winter days are finally lengthening, but lately we seem to transit from dawn to dusk with minimal brightening in between.

In my galley there are signs of Canadiana, like these heavy oven mitts celebrating the characteristic sentence-ending interjection, "Eh!". Over the years I've grown so used to hearing "eh" in British Columbia that it no longer seems noteworthy. 

In my galley you will find numerous lathe-turned wooden bowls, lovingly crafted by a local woodworker and purchased over the years at the Pier Street Sunday Market. This bowl holds doggie biscuits, treats to put in my pocket before I head outside for a walk ashore or along the docks. The local feral cats are quite wary, keeping their distance as I approach, but I can always find a friendly pup or two quite willing to sit and exchange a pawshake for a biscuit.

In my galley a new stack of roughhewn cedar planks awaits use on the barbecue to flavor salmon fillets. I just read an online suggestion for use of a cedar plank in the oven under a batch of stuffed mushrooms to add a noticeable smokey flavor, but that sounds overly optimistic to me. Have you tried cedar in the oven?  At what temperature does it ignite?  

Soft headliners in my galley mean a lack of overhead lighting, and the valance spotlights and undercounter lights send little illumination inside the overhead cabinets. This raspberry pink headlamp is a gift to myself, the latest solution to hands-free viewing deep inside the top shelves or undercounter cabinets. Don't giggle, it works!

The current cooktop in my galley has become erratic, heating up on some days and not on others. The box below holds the replacement cooktop, supposedly the same design as the previous unit. Except it isn't. The manufacturer moved the downdraft fan assembly; the new placement would run into a solid bulkhead which abuts the oven. It's a problem awaiting a solution. Meanwhile there's always the microwave, the oven, an electric skillet... and the temptation to walk to the local pub for lunch.