Look at what I found in the cupboard above the fridge, or...Ode to a pack rat.

Look at what I found in the cupboard above the fridge. The three bowls on the right were nested in the cupboard. I needed to make room for a canning jar of Kombucha.

First the backstory. I used to have a set of Gripstand bowls. They were accidentally given away during a move, oh about 34 years ago. Gripstand bowls were made by a company called TG Green. I LOVED them. My mom had one and I just loved using it. I learned to cook using that bowl. I grew up, bought two for myself and you know what happened to them. See above.

I bought myself another one about the size of my mother's about 30 years ago. My husband accidentally dropped something into it and broke it. At that time I just couldn't afford another. So I bought a knockoff. It developed a lot of fine cracks so it needed replaced. So after last thanksgiving I went on the hunt. Turns out, sadly, they aren't made anymore. ARGGGGHHHHH. I went online and looked for TG Green Gripstand bowls. There are some on eBay, but OMG they're crazy. One in mint condition is about 100.00. I looked everywhere for a knockoff...there just aren't any. So I started researching. I read about Mason Cash bowls. Amazing bowls but they don't have my beloved gripstand feature. So I went to my favorite kitchen store in the world!! Muffet and Louisa in Sidney BC. I bought myself two Mason Cash bowls. One large, one smaller.

That brings us to today. I had to make room in the cupboard above the fridge for the Kombucha. I opened the door. I actually let out an OH MY GOD, so loud my husband asked if I was okay. There were three very neatly nested gripstand bowls. The smallest is an actual TG Green. The other two are Cloverleaf. I've done a bit of research and I think Cloverleaf is the same company as TG Green. I'm in nirvana.

So I have one TG Green, two Mason Cash and two Cloverleaf Pottery/TG Green. Okay, confession time. I also have two vintage Pyrex bowls. A yellow and a green from the 50's, and of course my 35 year old Tupperware mixing bowls. Can you say 'overkill'?

Well, as I said to my husband tonight. I definitely have enough bowls to last me the rest of my life.

As people who follow my blog know, I am suddenly on a decluttering and de-pack-ratting my house. I am spending hours a day doing it. I cannot believe what a gift these bowls are. I wonder how many other little treasures have been squirreled away that I have no memory of.

Kombucha scoby forming.

With all the glare coming off the glass, it is really hard to see the forming Scoby. I will try to get a better picture in the daylight. It is in the little cupboard above the fridge and hard to get at.
There is a layer of milky scobyness happening there on the top surface. I am beyond excited. Stay tuned.

Trying to make my own Kombucha 'Scoby'. First step in making Kombucha.

The purchased Kombucha.
Can you dig the 70s tiles we did....in the 70s. Kind of retro now.

I really like the taste of Kombucha and LOVE the health benefits. So, I went on the hunt for a bottle of raw organic Kombucha that had a trace of Scoby or Mother. I found one!! It had a small Scoby about two inches across in total. I rinsed a clean one litre canning jar with vinegar. Poured a fresh cup of black organic caffeinated tea and added about two TBSP of sugar. Stirred it in and let the tea cool. I poured it into the canning jar. I added the bottle of Kombucha. Then covered the jar with a clean cloth, secured it with a rubber band and put it where it will not be disturbed. The rubber band is to keep out any flies that may lay eggs. Apparently that's pretty gross.

Making the sweet black tea

When I have a full grown Scoby, I will move on to making Kombucha. Stay tuned.

Look closely, you can see the baby Scoby floating there.

*One can purchase a Scoby, but I really wanted to try to make one myself.

**I am also going to do a post about what I found in the upper cupboard when I went to make room for the Kombucha. I am so glad that I am cleaning and decluttering.

What to do with all the veggies I'll grow this year....how about fermenting?

My favorite local independent bookstore Tanners Books in Sidney is having its annual customer appreciation sale. All books are 25% off. I noticed a lot of bustle as I walked by so I went in to check it out. It was like the week before Christmas in Tanners. It was awesome...packed with people!! The recession has really impacted business in our lovely little seaside town.

I had a bit of time before I needed to be back in my own store, so I strolled around just enjoying the noise, people and books. I just had to check out the food and garden sections. I was getting ready to leave and on the lowest shelf, furthest right side, Wild Fermentation. That's right. Wild Fermentation. I am a healthy food nut as well as garden nut. I read a lot of food blogs in addition to the garden blogs that I love so much. Wild Fermentation is considered the bible of fermenting books. And it was on sale. So guess what I'll be reading this weekend? I am dying to try fermenting. I will blog my progress this year.

Can't wait to use this cookbook!!

I am a huge fan of Carolyn Herriot. We just got her new book The Zero-Mile Diet Cookbook in at the store. I just had to have a look through it and I cannot wait to get a copy of my own.

*I treated myself to a copy. I will report back soon.

Ocean Spray on the boycott list...can't find any others available.

I have discovered something interesting. In Sidney BC if you want cranberry 'berries' the only ones available are packaged and from Ocean Spray. Ocean Spray donated money to fight GMO labelling in California through Proposition 37. I boycott all companies on the list. I wanted to make my own cranberry sauce/relish this year. Next year I will start earlier and source outside of Sidney.

The end of an era...the microwave is leaving us.

I have heard too many horror stories about microwave ovens. I just think they are a bad idea. It took me a while to gently get my husband on board. He has discovered that food tastes better oven warmed. Almost killed myself getting it down off a highish shelf that sits at about six feet. I was at the house alone and no ladder. Wow. That was close. Got the job done though, no worries. That gave me another shelf in this very small kitchen. A place to put some of the glass containers I've been switching everything over to. Isn't that wonderful. I think it looks really cool.