Tales from a Different Kitchen

It's interesting to live in someone else's house.  Especially someone who you have never met but think you would be good friends with if you did.  It's like the house is tailor-made for us down to the A and K Scrabble mugs (the couple who usually live here are Alison and Kevin).  It's fun to see what other people have in their kitchen that I would never think to get or food/condiments I would never think to buy and realize "Where has "X" been all my life?"  Here are a few examples.

1. Rice cooker: Why have I been making rice in a pot all these years?  Rice cookers are easy and you can leave them and do other things and not worry they are going to boil over everywhere or that you are going to inadvertent grave sin of lift the lid too early - all is taken care of by this cute little pudgy appliance.  AND I made coconut rice the other day in it and it was amazing.  The kids had thirds and told me how good it was without prompting.

2. Coconut Milk: I would never think to buy coconut milk because when would I ever use it?  Inadvertently, you can use it in coconut rice which is amazing!  Also in chocolate cake and I'm sure in other things and it's so easy to just put in regular milk.  Why haven't I had this around?

3. Sun-dried Tomatoes: Sweet manna from Heaven - did everyone else know these were in a jar that you could open like pickles?  Adding these to a meal and BAM - instant awesomeness. I hope they have them at home too cause they are my new favourite thing.

4. Sauces: We have always loved sauces but here there's all sorts of different sauces we would never get. They have 5 different kinds of vinegar.  Keith now puts pomegranate molasses on meat which is awesome.  We had mango ginger curry.  They have salsa verde which I knew I liked but didn't realize came in a jar.  Basically we are having a love affair with sauce and it's awesome.

Basically I'm saying trying on someone else's kitchen, like trying on someone else's shoes is fun.  Everyone should try it.  You might find something new you never knew you always wanted.