Nothing like leaving a post to the last minute! In my defence, I have been on holiday for most of August – in the USA. More on that later…
As usual when we go to the US, we came home with large amount of food and food things – books, mags, gadgets and more. This trip was no exception!
In my kitchen…
… are a lot of bottles of Tabasco. The big bottle of regular Tabasco is a whopping 355ml. I first saw this at a restaurant we went to in Falls Church, Virginia and knew I had to go on the supermarket hunt! The others are a generous 148ml. While this might seem like a lot of Tabasco, I suspect we will go through it in about 9-12 months as we put it on EVERYTHING. Almost. The reason we bought so many – they were cheap cheap cheap compared to here (about 1/4 of the price).
In my kitchen…
… four little tins of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Another addiction that is far, far cheaper in the US than here. We go through a lot of these too! I meant to buy more but totally forgot 🙁
In my kitchen…
…absolutely beautiful maple syrup and the deliciously addictive maple cream. I bought this direct from the farmer at some wonderful farmers’ markets in NYC. I bought a few of these maple creams (maple syrup whipped and whipped and whipped. Then whipped some more) to give as gifts, but I’m now reconsidering. Sorry friends…
In my kitchen…
… a pile of magazines and cookbooks and food writings. No explanation need really…
In my kitchen…
… one of the gifts I always buy myself when I travel is a cookbook or two that characterises the food I’ve eaten. I couldn’t resist April Bloomfield’s cookbook, especially as we ate at one of her restaurants – The Spotted Pig – when in New York.
In my kitchen…
… are some funky BBQ utensils. It’s not a holiday to the US without at least one visit to Williams-Somona (I think I went to 4 or 5…) and I couldn’t resist these funky little curved kebab skewers or the corn skewers. Especially as I’d been reading 50 recipes with corn in my Food Network mag (above). Perfect for BBQing on the back deck.
In my kitchen…
… teeny-weeny baking tins and springform pans. Thanks again Williams-Sonoma. I especially love the little baking tins. Perfect for small cakes or mini loaves of bread.
Thanks to Celia from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial for hosting In my kitchen every month – check out her blog for more posts.
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My kind of holiday Mel! It says something when your luggage is mainly food. There’s lots of IMK this month that have a luggage/food theme. I’ve got a couple of those little springforms that a friend brought me back as a gift – the best type of souvenir!
Mine too – obviously! I have some Tabasco for you too Fiona 🙂
Love this post .. thx Mel. DC
Thanks Deb!
Love this blog post Mel – what a great array of things you bought!
That wasn’t actually all of it Anita… 🙂
Completely in love with the teeny weeny pans and tins! Omg! Ps. Hope you had a great trip and your chooks were all safe and happy on your return x
Thanks Alisha, we did and they were. They had FABULOUS chook-sitters 🙂
Great stash of goodies there Mel! Wow, that’s lots of Tabasco : )
I know – we go through a lot of it!! The green one is GREAT on eggs. So is the chipotle tabasco.
You are correct, the books and mags need no explanation.
Tabasco? Oh, yes. Primarily the Chipotle Tabasco, it’s the only one we use now.
Chipotle pepper in adobo … I’m seeing a theme, they are fabulous, takes Kung Pao to a whole new level.
Loved everything about what is in your kitchen, no worries about the timing, good stuff is always on time. 🙂
Thanks Judy. I am madly in love with chipotle on everything these days!
Wow that is a lot of Tabasco sauce!! I love buying things on holidays. We are usually too busy to roam around shops at home but holidays, now they are a different story!
It’s the same with us Glenda. I still laugh when I remember my hubby on our first trip to the US – he morphed into a super shopper. Normally he never goes NEAR a shop!
Wow! You weren’t kidding about bringing back some great stuff. I have pan envy, and skewer envy and … Oh who am I kidding. I just have envy 🙂 Thanks for sharing your awesome finds.
Aren’t those skewer’s gorgeous Tania? Need to use them – maybe one night this week.
G’day Mel ..LOVE the farmers markets in new York City, TRUE!
Looks like you enjoyed your holiday and love San Marcos Chilpotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce…got through quite a bit of those and luckily can get them locally in Adelaide too!
Viewed as part of ITK Sept 2013
Cheers! Joanne
We can get those Peppers in Brisbane too Joanne but they are $5-6 a tin vs $1.50 a tin for the ones in the photo.
I love those skewers!
I do too! Not used them yet – maybe during the week
Mel, what a suitcase full of loot you must have had! I’m addicted to chipotles in adobo too, and Pete just stopped me buying a giant bottle of Tabasco at Costco the other day, as he said we had to get through our enormous bottle of peri-peri sauce first! 🙂 And a friend brought me back a jar of maple cream once, and it was like gold – we scraped every last tiny speck out of the jar. Your friends will have to understand if you don’t share that one! 🙂
I just opened one of the maple creams to have on a leftover blueberry pancake. OMG. I’ve given one jar away but definitely not sharing the rest!
Looks like you had a wonderful trip! I too love to pick up local magazines and cookbooks from places I go. It’s a nice reminder.
Thanks Pamela, we did! I have a lovely little collection of cookbooks from various places I’ve visited over the years.
Looks like you had a great holiday! That’s the sort of stash I would like to come home with but my baggage never allows for it. Note to self: must buy bigger suitcases. Although I don’t envy you coming through customs with that lot!
the luggage allowances coming to and from the US are very generous – unlike anywhere else in the world. And amazingly this time customs waved us through. Unlike last time where they went through 5 of our 6 bags.
Love all your goodies! I’m visiting Virginia this month- the eastern shore.
My son would love all that Tabasco
Thanks Heidi! We loved Virginia, especially the drive through the Shenandoah National Park, which was a real highlight of our trip. I’m definitely keen to go back and see more.
LOL – I thought I was the only one that goes to USA and comes home with a million varieties of hot sauce, maple syrup and BBQ utensils AND funnily enough, I have springform pans on my list for next trip !!!
Glad it’s not just me Karen! I wish I had bought more maple syrup and about 3 times more maple cream. I guess I’ll just have to go back 🙂
I adore chipotle Tabasco, but have never seen it in the supermarket – we just get the plain red one, and sometimes the green too if we’re lucky. But the gorgeous smoky chipotle flavour just goes so well with the tangy Tabasco – I am very jealous of your tabasco haul!!
I’ve never seen the chipotle Tabasco in the supermarket in Australia either Jas, but I have bought it from little gourmet food stores and delis. It is definitely my favourite
I discovered chipotle tabasco at Guzman y Gomez which opened up in Canberra about 6 months ago – they have massive bottles of the stuff. Chipotle tabasco on a burrito? Absolute heaven!
That’s where I first discovered it too!!
What a haul. I’m surprised you could fit all that in suitcase!
We did have 4 suitcases. Four very full suitcases!
Mel, I like your idea of souvenirs. (I hope your suitcases had wheels.) Fun IMK post!