Some Lemon and Gingery Things

 What's New In My Feb/Mar 2018 Kitchen

Lemon Drops, a classic hard candy, are reputed to offer some health benefits by stimulating the salivary glands to combat dry mouth, and in minimizing nausea. Medicinal? perhaps, but in February these sugar coated, puckery lemon-flavored candies were an overly tempting snack. I had to order a second bag quickly.  

It's routine to find fresh ginger root plus some sliced, pickled ginger in my fridge, and a jar of powdered ginger in the spice cabinet, but now these standard items have a lot more company in the pantry as I explore ginger's digestive and anti-nausea attributes. I might have been a bit over-enthusiastic in adding more ginger to the kitchen.   

Lemon and ginger cookies and tea breaks have been almost as popular as afternoon naps this month.

Not one of my favorite spices, ginger has always seemed far too pungent, a bully battling to take center stage and overpower other more subtle flavors. That said, I was surprised to find ginger listed in more than a handful of my recipes on the blog. Evidently I enjoy ginger in Asian dishes, in desserts, quick breads, and sauces and more. Note to self: toss those tired old attitudes and embrace new flavors.

I have no clue how Rose Flower Water and Orange Flower Water will work in my kitchen, but I couldn't resist ordering them both when placing an order with a new-to-me spice company. Mmmm, the aroma alone was worth the purchase price. This duo will hang out in the pantry, waiting for a time when I have the energy to search for appropriate recipes and experiment. Madeleines come to mind, but I'm hoping for something more adventurous. Uses/recipe suggestions anyone?

Dark chocolate and nuts - oh my, need I say more?! Who would guess that we first tasted them at a medical clinic? These amazingly delicious bars could become addictive if more than a few ever made it into my kitchen. We currently share a bar, divided carefully in half, and leave no stray bits on the plate. It takes considerable willpower to ignore their large-quantity availability at Costco. Check out the package statement "Ingredients you can see & pronounce" - that's a good thing, but should be the standard for more food items.

That's it for new things in my kitchen lately, it has been a quiet, eat comfort food, snuggle up with a book and a blanket kind of month. Finally the days are growing longer and official Spring is only 20 days away. Bring it on! Now, click over to the monthly IMK roundup at Sherry's Pickings to see what's happening in other kitchens around the globe. You will enjoy the people you meet there.