The summer has flown by.   It’s now time for schools to be starting and back to traveling (read no more remote summer work).   I’m looking forward to it.

It’s also time for “In My Kitchen.”   IMK is a group of global, virtual friends posting about our kitchens (and kitchen gardens) and other culinary happenings over the previous month.  It can include dishes we’ve cooked, preserves we’ve made, herbs and veg in our gardens, kitchen gadgets, and other happenings.  Sherry’s Pickings hosts and everyone is welcome.  (The link is open from the 1st to the 13th of every month.)  Sherry also encourages a curveball—whatever.  It can be anything that strikes your fancy—no need to be kitchen-related.  

Again, I always feel like there wasn’t a lot going on in the kitchen until I start to craft this post.   Here’s what was going on in our kitchen, garden, etc.

Nephew II was here in July for a few days and we explored some of the shops and eateries in the Arts District.  I had to try this tahini.

I bought this at a local artisan bakery but the company (Seed + Mill) is not  local so I researched them a bit.

Seed + Mill is a women owned artisanal food brand, established in Chelsea Market in 2016. They make delicious and highly giftable food products from seeds, including tahini, halva and a tahini soft serve! All products are gluten free and there’s a lot of vegan options too. Good Housekeeping Magazine, NY Mag and Goop all included Seed + Mill products in their 2019 holiday gift guides for foodies and Oprah Magazine featured their tahini in their March 2020 edition!

Wow.  I had no idea so I’m glad I found this jar in Tulsa!   The have some fabulous recipes on their site as well.

For almost the entire month of July, we received no rain and we had plenty of days over 100 F.   That is until the final week of the month and we finally got some much needed rain and cooler temperatures.   Needless to say, we did lots of garden watering but it’s amazing what a simple rain will do.   We have gotten a few cherry tomatoes but the cucumbers are hanging on.

I also am getting some spaghetti squash.  These plants are the only squash that I got to come up and  live.   

I want to use a Roasted Shishito Sauce on this “pasta.” (More to come….)

I’m getting a few jalapenos and I have been drying them to throw into sauces and soups this winter.  

I also have some sweet pimentos that will be ready soon.

We’re still loving our bi-monthly farm bags and I’ve been making salads.  See Summer Salad Version I and Version II.

If you’re one of my two avid readers, you know what a huge Frida Kahlo freak I am.  Well, Frida has come to Tulsa for the summer so we have been to a few different events to celebrate her and her art (along with Diego and a few other Mexican Modernists).  

The Philbrook Museum of Art has done a great job recreating her gardens and sharing about her culture and life.  (If you are in the area, check it out before Sept 11.)

OK.  That was my curveball but it’s leading me to the next new thing in my kitchen.

The Hubs brought this tequila home for me.  It was a little more than we normally spend on spirits, but I loved that he bought this.  We whipped up some grapefruit margarita concoctions that were pretty delicious.  (More on those later.)

Finally, I won another Taste of Home recipe contest.  It’s not published yet but I won $50 for the “Most Innovative” chicken recipe for a version of “Guacamole Chicken Salad with Pomegranates.”  They recently contacted me again to say that this recipe would also be competing with all the “Most Innovative” recipes from all their contests.  

Please vote for me in the Most Innovative Recipe of the Year, Guacamole Chicken Salad Sandwiches.

Finally, I am hosting Alice in Wonderland for the August/September Cook the Books.   Check out the announcement post and please join us!

(There’s an art slant to this CTB selection.  I read the Dali illustrated version on the left.)