Pot Racks

I like the look of pot racks in a kitchen.  While my kitchen was being renovated I purchased a beautiful pot rack from a local furniture store.  When it was put up though, I did not like how it looked.  In my opinion it was too big and imposing.  I have a huge kitchen, so it can accommodate a big pot rack, but I just did not like how it looked so I took it down.   No one that I knew had a kitchen anywhere near the size of mine that I could offer it to so I decided to just give it to Goodwill.

I saw a small kitchen rack at Lowes that can be used to hang pots and kitchen gadgets.  I purchased it and hung it up over my stove.

Here is a photo of the smaller kitchen rack that I bought at Lowes.  I put the decorative copper pots in the back since I don't use them.  I bought the copper pots at the Christmas Tree Shoppe a few years ago.  They are not meant for cooking in.  In the front row are lots of my kitchen gadgets and utensils that I use.  The stainless steel strainer hanging on the right I recently purchased at Marshalls.  Sitting on top of the rack are some vintage cans I got at a garage sale really super cheap.  

  

Martha Stewart is one of my favorite people and here she is in an older photograph.  Martha is standing in the kitchen of her farmhouse.  There is a lot of "stuff" in her kitchen but I love the pot rack and the hanging baskets.  Even though would not have so many things in my kitchen I still love Martha's kitchen.  It has a very warm and welcoming look to it.  I love the dried flowers and they are an element that I am considering for my own kitchen. 

Below are some photos of more pot racks so that you can get an idea of the different styles available in case you are considering getting one.

The first pot rack that I bought and took down was just about this size.

 

This is a wall pot rack so it would not hang from the ceiling.

Dutch Oven Pots

I love my blue dutch oven pot by Lodge.  I purchased it from a seller on eBay for a very reasonable price.  I love all the difference colors that you can get these pots in.  Le Creuset also sells them in a nice variety of colors.  The colors help to perk up the look of any kitchen.

Organic Artisan Flour

 

I just purchased several pounds of organic artisan flour from my local Food Coop on recommendation.  I look forward to using it to see how well it performs.

French Triple Creme Cheese

I was shopping in my local Food Coop this afternoon when the man behind the counter asked if I would like to try a sample of French triple creme cheese.  Since I love to eat I said yes.  The man gave me a generous helping of Saint Angel triple creme on a cracker.  It is absolutely delicious! It is super creamy with an almost buttery flavor.  I highly recommend this French cheese.  Of course I had to purchase some. 

Where Women Cook

I just found out about this magazine.  Where have I been that I am just discovering this?  Now I must get copies of the back issues.  I purchased the latest copy of Where Women Cook from Joanne's.  I used their 40% off coupon on the purchase.  I LOVE this magazine!  Actually all of the magazines by Stampington & Company are fabulous.  I really enjoy cooking and I love my kitchen design.  This magazine not only has great recipes but you get to see the fabulous and warm kitchen spaces of other women who also enjoy cooking.   

My Cookbook Collection

Food is one of the things I completely enjoy about life.  Cooking food and then eating it to me is part of having a spiritual experience.  My parents are from the Republic of Panama and I was born there.  I was brought to the USA six days after my second birthday.  I grew up eating Spanish and West Indian Foods.  Every meal of the day, including breakfast, is a big deal and highly flavorful.  When I was growing up, every Sunday we ate coconut rice and peas, fried plantains, cook up chicken, lettuce-tomato-cucumber salad and potato salad.  Sometimes my Mom also included a beef dish, but I was never a big fan of beef so I did not eat it much when Mom prepared it.  I did like spareribs, so if my Mom prepared that I would eat it. I still love spareribs, but I do not eat it anymore.  I also love ham, but I do not eat that anymore either simply because it is better not to.  I still eat chicken but not often.  To me there is a big difference in taste when the chicken is organic.  I love fish, king crab, shrimps and continue to indulge in eating them.  I do not eat seafood often either, but when I do feel like having some I will not deny myself the pleasure.  In Panama the seafood that comes out of the Atlantic ocean is so delicious.  When seafood is fresh like that it does not stink up your kitchen when you are preparing it.

I have quite a large collection of cookbooks.  I love purchasing cookbooks but I had to put a serious stop to that because of space issues.  Below are pictures of some of my cookbooks.  

Urban Farming

I Love this magazine.  It is filled with lots of interesting information for people like me who live in the city but want to have some degree of farming happening within the city.  I like having easy access to fresh food that is not laced with chemicals and nor genetically modified.   This is a picture of the premiere issue but Urban Farming magazine has been around for a while.  

Doesn't this soup look delicious?  Soup always tastes best when it is homemade from scratch.  I grew up eating homemade soup. 

I love most vegetables but I do have my favorites.  Collard Greens is one of them.  

 Kale is another one of my favorite vegetables.

 This is another type of kale that I enjoy eating.

 Butternut squash soup is one of my favorite soups to make and it is very easy and quick to prepare.  

 I love sweet peas too.  I just steamer just for a few minutes to cook.  They are delicious topped with just a little butter.

 I love corn too, on or off the cob.  The sweeter the corn the better too.  I love what is called candy corn.  It is sweet like sugar.

I guess that I don't have to tell you that I love carrots too.  I like to put it in soup, roast them, steam them or just eat them raw.

 Another favorite vegetable.....broccoli