~The Winter Kitchen~

Today, I was going through my cookbooks, looking for new recipes to try out. I came across one that I had forgotten about. "Through the Kitchen Window" is written by English author, Susan Hill. She takes us through the seasons in her kitchen, creating a magical world of mouth-watering aromas and traditional dishes.



The Winter Kitchen

In winter, the kitchen is the heart of the house. It is a living place. Kettles sing, pots simmer, pans bubble.

There is a chair for quiet reading, and waiting for this or that to be put in or taken out of the oven, to be ready, to be kneaded or turned or stirred.

Beside the stove, cats purr with half-closed eyes.

In winter, the kitchen is always warm, and, always, there are smells: of roasting meat and stewing soups, frying onions and baking bread.

Outside, early dark, rain like a whip lash, gale and hail, rattling the latch, or ice, sealing it tight.

But inside all is bright, warm, savoury, companionable.



Susan also shares some pleasures of the Winter Kitchen...

~The bubble-bubble of soups and broths, the simmer of the stock-pot.

~A dish of citrus fruits, oranges, tangerines, clementines, grapefruit, dozens of lemons, skins all aglow.

~Root vegetables freshly pulled, earth still clinging to them and crumbling on to the table. Turnip and parsnip, carrot and celery.

~The rise and fall of the singing kettle as it boils for hot drinks on bitter days.

With that in mind, I will make Chicken Pot Pie, Shepherd's Pie and Vegetable Stew with Homemade Bread for our meals this coming week.

How do you make your kitchen cozy for winter? Do you like to cook or bake anything special?