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My kitchen in Food & Wine magazine

December 13, 2010 9 Comments Filed Under: Uncategorized

My kitchen has mostly been built from junk. I’ve mixed pieces from Ikea with ceramics and jars from French markets, a very expensive Aga and shelves built by various carpenters using wood reclaimed from skips, old beds, palets. I don’t do slick, modern, stainless steel, plastic or minimalism. I like the properties of wood: sterilising, naturally antiseptic, warm and flexible. I don’t mind if it warps (as my counters have); that adds character. I’ve tried to maintain a restricted palette of blue and cream, reminiscent of the seaside, with the odd bit of red and white gingham. Even my modern appliances tend to be retro in style, Kitchen Aid‘s food processor and Artisan mixer, with their curved lines and 1950’s feel. Laundry is dried on a Victorian style hanger on a pulley. I love pulley’s, I want to use every inch of the space including the high ceilings. A large clock is essential as I’m always checking the timings of my dishes (essential when running a supper club). An Aga is silent therefore I have several timers on the shelves around the stove plus an old fashioned wind up alarm clock.
Notes are written on a chalk board (bought in France) hanging next to the Aga.
I’m still looking for the perfect fridge freezer which will work well and match my kitchen. My light fixtures have been found in bins and on the street, my teatowels are vintage from French markets. Most of my ladles and spoons are vintage: pewter, rubbed off silver and enamel. I adore copper, again a healthy material, symbolised in astrology by the planet Venus.
I really enjoyed building, designing and collecting for my kitchen and am available for commissions to design others.

Here is the link to see the rest of the article with other blogger’s kitchens…http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/food-bloggers-best-kitchen-design-ideas

Coming up: Christmas eve at The Underground Restaurant. A European style christmas, secret santa, bring a present for another guest, roaring fire and good food. Book here.http://www.wegottickets.com/event/92917

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Comments

  1. Krista from Passport Delicious

    December 13, 2010 at 11:45 pm

    I do love your kitchen. Did this make the print edition? I have the December issue around here somewhere but haven't gotten around to reading it!

    Reply
  2. MsMarmitelover

    December 13, 2010 at 11:47 pm

    Yes I believe so Krista.

    Reply
  3. Diane

    December 14, 2010 at 1:13 pm

    I love your kitchen. I am in the process of revamping my own kitchen with reclaimed (free!) units and bits of old stuff. I much prefer kitchens like yours that have "evolved". I'm starting in earnest on mine after the festivities. I love your blog- you are so original. xxx

    Reply
  4. The Curious Cat

    December 15, 2010 at 8:59 am

    Amazing! Wicked! And also a book?! Who is publishing you? I'm keen to know… (being an ex publishing employee!) Also – met a lady on my travels who knows you pretty well too from the blogging community – which was nice -small world and cool to meet a fellow fan! 😉 xxx

    Reply
  5. The Curious Cat

    December 15, 2010 at 9:06 am

    Just had a look at your book to answer my own question – thrilled to see my old company secured you! 🙂 xxx

    Reply
  6. theundergroundrestaurant

    December 15, 2010 at 12:00 pm

    CC: Did you work for Harper Collins?
    Who was the lady you met on your travels?
    Diane: thank you!
    Krista: new blog name decided I see!

    Reply
  7. Anonymous

    December 18, 2010 at 3:14 pm

    Congrats! Love it. I am the "Suburban Chic" Kitchen. We spent a lot of $$ (for us) on our remodel, which is a mix of mid end and lower high end. And upper low end! Lol. I crack up about my mirror being on there as kind of a "steal"….it was an unauthorized purchase and my husband thought I was a transgressive loon for spending $300 on a mirror!

    Great name for a blog. Love that you are doing the underground restaurant thing. Will def. be stopping by often.

    Reply
  8. MsMarmitelover

    December 18, 2010 at 3:29 pm

    Hello and welcome Sabjimata

    Unauthorised purchase? haha, only good thing about being a single parent I guess, no one to hide the shopping bags from…

    The most expensive thing in my kitchen was the Aga, everything else was pretty cheap, reclaimed or recycled.
    I do love kitchens though…

    Reply
  9. anniebakes

    December 19, 2010 at 2:54 am

    I saw your kitchen in the article (that is how i found you) and I think it is lovely! Congrats on being featured,

    anne
    http://www.anniebakes.net

    Reply

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MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

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Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
My bubble brought some fresh clams over today & I My bubble brought some fresh clams over today & I made spaghetti vongole. Rinse the clams under running cold water, any that are broken or do not close, discard. Chop up shallots or onion, a whole bulb of garlic. Then soften the onion then the garlic in a deep frying pan. Boil the water for the linguine & add a handful of sea salt. Then add a glass of white wine to the onion/garlic, the clams, lots of freshly ground pepper & flat leaf parsley. A couple of minutes off cooking time, drain the linguine & put in the pan with the clams etc. Serve with more parsley, a drizzle of olive oil. #lockdownlife #sundaylunch #spagvong #pasta #spaghettivongole #supperclub #msmarmitelover #londonlockdown #quickdinners
I had one leek, one potato, but that’s enough to I had one leek, one potato, but that’s enough to make a leek & potato soup. I added garlic, rosé & Parmesan. I made a storecupboard salad from a cucumber & a tin of sweet corn. (Always have sweet corn in your pantry- it makes a tomato/sweet corn salad, or a tuna sweet corn salad or Thai style corn fritters) which I dressed with lemon juice & avocado oil. I also made garlic bread: a tiger loaf sliced almost to the bottom- room temp butter mixed with salt & minced garlic- wrap in foil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. A simple leftovers lunch.  #leftovers #lockdownlunch #london #pantryessentials #soup #sweetcorn #garlicbread #supperclub #covidcooking #bubblelunch
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Did that internet recipe doing the rounds- baked f Did that internet recipe doing the rounds- baked feta with tomatoes. I added red peppers, olive oil, garlic. Bake for 20 minutes then mix together - the feta forks a creamy sauce. Stir in freshly cooked pasta. Basta! #easyovenrecipes #bakedfetaandtomatoes #bakedfetapasta #supperclub #londonlockdown #coronacooking #vegetarian #justaddpasta #bakedfetacheese
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I’m cooking a lot of Asian food right now. It’ I’m cooking a lot of Asian food right now. It’s quick, hearty, tasty and healthy at the same time. Here I cubed leftover firm tofu, the whites of spring onions, mushroom stems, red pepper fried in groundnut oil, a little garlic, run out of ginger, some chilli bean sauce leftover from a jar, some soy sauce, a little teriyaki sauce from @misotasty . Then I boiled black soba noodles for 5 minutes, rinsed them in cold water, slung them back in the stir fry pan al dente. Another 5 minutes on the stovetop, I served them with the green parts of the spring onion, and a squirt of Yuzu paste from @misotasty. Served as a quick office lunch to my ‘son-in-law’ @jamescalmus who is here working while builders make an unholy noise in the flat above. My daughter and he will be moving in above when the work is done at the end of March. It’s scary buying a place for the first time- and dealing with builders- and blowing the last of your money. I remember when I bought my second flat, I was so broke I couldn’t afford a bed, and slept on the carpet for 3 months. #moving #firsthome #london #supperclub #mybubble #asianfusion #sobanoodles #tofurecipes #homecooked #lockdownlife
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#valentines #valentinesday #vday #mealkits #foodoflove #freshpasta #valentinesdinnerathome #london #supperclub
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Pomelo candied peel is so fragrant. Instructions: Pomelo candied peel is so fragrant. Instructions: pare off the zest in longish strips, making sure there is no white pith. Then cover the peel with cold water, bring to the boil, then drain. Repeat this step twice more. This gets rid of the bitterness.  Then add 200g caster sugar and 400ml water to the peel. Simmer until the peel has absorbed all of the syrup. Then pour granulated sugar into a bowl; prepare a rack with parchment paper underneath to catch drips. Carefully extract each strand of peel and dip it into the sugar, then lay on the rack to dry out. Leave the peel 24 hours. Keep any sugar left over from the pan, and bowl, which will be lemon/pomelo scented, to use in baking. #supperclub #citrus #pomelo #candiedpeel #recipe #baking #lockdownlife #covidcooking #slowcooking #londonlife
My lady cave, my she shed, my recycled summerhouse My lady cave, my she shed, my recycled summerhouse. I’m going in for #shedoftheyear !
Everything made from stuff found in skips. #london #shed #shedlife #lockdown2021 #woodburner #bedinshed #throughtheroundwindow #supperclub #recycled #dumpsterdiver #ecobuilding
Black pepper firm tofu from @misotasty who are now Black pepper firm tofu from @misotasty who are now doing craft tofu. You fry the tofu cubes in cornflour then make a rich sauce with red pepper and black pepper, garnish with spring onions. Yet another fab thing to do with tofu! #tofurevangelist #tofurecipes #supperclub #blackpeppertofu #chinesenewyear #yearoftheox #chinesefood #covidcooking #lockdownlarder #vegetarian
Hot and sour soup with soft tofu from @misotasty j Hot and sour soup with soft tofu from @misotasty just the thing for a snowy day. Ate this on Sunday with my bubble. Persuading people that tofu is good to eat one meal at a time!  #tofu #tofurecipes #hotandsoursoup #soup #winterfood #supperclub #londonchef #homemade #recipes #vegan #vegetarian link to recipe: http://secret-garden-club.blogspot.com/2013/02/herbs-jackie-magazine-and-hot-and-sour.html?m=1
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Pomelo, cucumber and gadogado peanut dressing. So Pomelo, cucumber and gadogado peanut dressing. So refreshing! Pomelo is, along with mandarins and Citron, one of the original citrus fruit from which many others were bred. It’s rather like a grapefruit ( which bred with bitter orange, is a descendant) but sweeter, firmer, drier and more meaty in texture. It’s quite a pfaff to prepare as you have to take all the membrane and pith off- that’s the bitter bit. The pith can be turned into a poor mans cutlet, a Cuban steak, when times are tough. The peel can be candied. this citrus lasts a long time in the fruit bowl. #citrus #citrusrecipes #pomelo #wintersalads #gadogado #peanutdressing #supperclub #lockdownrecipes  #saturdaylunch #februaryfood #vegetarian #vegetarianrecipes
Flammkuche is a kind of German or alsacien pizza- Flammkuche is a kind of German or alsacien pizza- very thin. I got this flammkuche with a topping of nutmeggy bechamel, mushrooms, mozzarella & pesto as a #mealkit from @amelie_restaurants. Even the keenest cooks get sick of their own food! It’s really delicious and quick to prepare. #flammkuchen #pizza #vegetarian #lockdown2021 #lockdownfood #foodsolutions #covid_19 #newnormal #dinnerin10minutes #londonlife
Blood orange, fennel and dill salad with mustard d Blood orange, fennel and dill salad with mustard dressing. Easy peasy winter citrus salad. Best to use a mandolin to shave the fennel. #supperclub #covidmenu #citrus #bloodorange #wintersalad #lockdownlarder #valentinesday❤️ 💛💚🧡
Tarte au bergamote 💛done with puff pastry rathe Tarte au bergamote 💛done with puff pastry rather than shortcrust because that’s what I had ready made and hurty ankle meant I didn’t have wherewithal to make own pastry. I used zest and juice of a bergamot and zest and juice of 2 lemons 🍋. This bergamot I actually grew! #bergamot #citrus #tarte #tarteaucitron #supperclub #winterdesserts #sour #sharp #sweet #lockdownfood #covidcookery 💛💛💛
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