January in New England typically brings ice, snow and more snow — ideal weather for soups and stews. With inspiration from Australia-based Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, I am sharing highlights from my kitchen this month.
I started the year with a special celebratory Greek bread from my neighbors (above). We pull it apart and whoever finds the coin is supposed to have good luck for the year.
The weather also lends itself to winter cocktails. I’ve found a few historic sources for recipes to try, including one that calls for a piece of butter the size of half a chestnut! I also can’t go wrong with a new cocktail shaker, a fresh lemon, and a bottle of bitters.
I try to add color to my kitchen shelves with the last of the season’s cranberries. This photo shows cranberry-apple sauce with cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I also made cranberries with lychees and orange zest from a recipe from Boston-based Ming Tsai of the “Simply Ming” cooking show.
And I look forward to using the new set of baking pans that my husband gave me for the holidays. Roasted root veggies, brownies, banana bread…I’ll be making my favorites but also looking for old recipes to try, as usual. Happy New Year and thanks for reading!
heritagerecipebox 
Butter in a cocktail? That would be interesting! Your cranberry sauce is a gorgeous colour and I’m sure brightens up any meal. Thanks for the peek into your kitchen this month!
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Thanks for stopping by. The butter goes into hot buttered rum. The challenge? What’s the size of half a chestnut? I’m guessing 1/2 tablespoon.
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New baking pans are a thing of beauty. I read in another IMK that someone was getting rid of some of their old ones. I don’t know if I could be that radical! Lovely cocktail shaker – it’s look vintage, possibly Art Deco? Or just a good knock off? Thanks for the festive tour.
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The cocktail shaker is a cheap knock-off of a vintage one, but so far, it works just fine. Thanks for visiting.
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Mmmmm, nothing like the challenge of cranberries left after the holidays. Their festive color brightens up any plate, and your Ming Tsai version sounds amazing. Lychees? why not? I like to add mint, jalapeños and clementines to mine (a la Martha Stewart).
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Like the idea of jalapenos with cranberry. I just bought another bag of cranberries today so I will have to try that out. Thanks!
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Isn’t it crazy how excited we can get over new baking pans? I know how thrilled I was to get mine! And how lovely to have matching cranberry sauce in our kitchens! I’m glad you’re enjoying that very funky retro cocktail shaker – it would need to be a warm cocktail to melt the butter! 🙂
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Fun to read your summer posts from my frozen bit of the North Atlantic coast. Thanks for visiting and for hosting IMK!
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New baking pans are a thing of beauty. Love the look of that Greek New Year bread. I have seen these in the Greek delis and never purchased one.
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Happy to report I’ve enjoyed testing the baking pans and they are now acquiring the appropriate “used” look. Thanks for stopping by!
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i love the cranberries and the baking pans. always fun to have a new toy in the kitchen:)
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