I’m very bad at playing along with these things but this looked like an easy one, so here we go. I am attempting to cover two memes in one post. Sneaky, I know. Thanks to C of cakecrumbsandcooking for inviting me to play and here’s some pics for an In My Kitchen post for Celia.
that should of course be Meaux not Meau (rush rush typos)
What, or who inspired you to start a blog?
I’m afraid Celia of Figjamandlimecordial is entirely to blame for Zebbakes and Sally of the Bewitching Kitchen aided and abetted her in getting Zebbakes off the ground and onto the net.
The New Yorker Magazine in iPad form is in my kitchen with a fantastic foodie edition this week
Who is your foodie inspiration?
My younger sister Tutak who read cookery books from a very young age, taught herself to cook and has always inspired me with her knowledge, creativity and hospitality. I find that people who care about food, care about all sorts of other stuff as well and are wonderful to know and spend time with.
A surprise gift from SincerelyEmily of handmade soaps and a beautiful card
NB Emily’s post on making lavender soap can be read here!
Your greasiest, batter – splattered food/drink book is?
My most falling apart book is Bread by Jeffrey Hamelman because I’ve been baking my way through it. My copy of Florence Greenberg’s Jewish Cookery has recently gone up North but had some very interesting stains on it prior to departure. I don’t really cook from books much, though I have lots of them.
Organic oranges for making candied peel, a persimmon, a new mini wok and Eleon's greek olive oil
Tell us all about the best thing you have ever eaten in another country, where was it, what was it?
Baby lamb souvlaki at a roadstop on the Corinth canal, doused in lemon juice and oregano, age 16, escaped from school cruise round the Mediterannean.
Very taken with this cold pressed rapeseed oil, the smoked and the white truffle varieties particularly delicious!
Another food bloggers table you’d like to eat at is?
All of them! Anyone who cares enough about food to write and take photographs of what they eat would be fun to be with. I can mention my best bloggy friends but I always find that a bit like girls at school clustering together at break time and someone always feels left out so I am not playing this one.
Fresh Yeast from the Bread Store on The Gloucester Road
What is the one kitchen gadget you would ask Santa for this year (money no object of course)?
Mother of Vinegar doing its thing in the fermentation bucket
I’d like a Komo grain mill please Santa, a copper bowl for eggwhites and a set of top quality knives.
Guess who has decided to flower after all this time?
Who taught you how to cook?
Tutak again. Simon Michaels of the Wild Yeast Bakery started me off on the bread journey after a visit from Aunt Barbara one winter when we made bread together leaving me wanting to know more.
I’m coming to you for dinner what’s your signature dish?
I don’t have one of those. But tell me what you would like and I’ll have a go at making it, unless it involves foams and so on. I’m a very basic sort of cook. Roast chicken, hasselback potatoes, spring greens, home made gravy, apple crumble for afters, will that do?
What is your guilty food pleasure?
Do we have to feel guilty about eating? I think it’s all pleasure if it’s good food. Occasionally I will eat rubbish but there is no point in beating myself up about it. OK – I will tell you…. Crisps, cheese and onion, smoky bacon, cheap crisps, expensive crisps, I love crisps!
Reveal something about yourself that others would be surprised to learn?
I always try to get Brian to turn cakes out of tins, it goes wrong when I do it. He does so much of the cooking in this house that it really should be called Brian Bakes. He’s a great cook!
I know that at this point I am supposed to tag five other people and say, now it’s your turn, but I would be more than happy for anyone who feels like it to carry this one on, I can’t choose between people, so if you feel like having a go please do!
For more ‘In My Kitchen’ posts pop over to Celia’s blog and check out her sidebar!
And to find out more about the flowering plant click here.
Zeb Bakes 
Love your joint post! Thanks for playing, it’s always interesting to find out more about the person behind the blog. I’m glad you think I sound real in my post…. I promise you I am. Tired, but real!
Thanks for inviting me – I galloped through so I wouldn’t have to think too hard, hope I did OK :)
Such a fun post, Joanna! I enjoyed reading it so much. I completely agree with you about the grain mill…have been lusting after one for years, but can’t quite decide that I should spend that much on anything. And the picture of your flower in your kitchen is absolutely gorgeous…that detail!
They are hugely expensive and getting hold of the grain isn’t particularly straightforward, a whole lot of other shopping decisions would have to be made, but they look beautiful as well as being functional… maybe one day Abby :)
The flower is my desktop picture at the moment too. It’s very little, less than half an inch in length !
Oh, loved this post!
I remember very well when you were debating whether or not to start blogging – I knew you were a natural blogger, just by reading your comments at Dan’s forum, so I am thrilled to learn that I had some small role in the birth of your great virtual place!
Great combination of “In My Kitchen” and the bits about yourself – it’s always nice to learn a little more about the bloggers we love
Well I’m still here and in no small part down to your support x
I want the copper pans too! and joanna what gorgeous photos, lovely light ! really lovely pages.. c
Thank you! The sun came out briefly yesterday and threw itself across the kitchen table so I seized the moment. It’s so low in the sky already :)
Ha ha! :-) Great minds indeed! These two posts were meant to go together.
now a grain mill?…hmm, yes one of those would be good too.
Dear Santa….
If we lived a little nearer than half a globe apart we could share one Brydie, wouldn’t that make sense?
Dear Santa could we have a Tardis too please so we could visit all our friends across the world for tea and cake and sharing of expensive kitchen equipment…. please!
Lovely photos! I particularly like the mother of vinegar with the hand shaped spoon rising out of the bucket almost like she is reaching out to us. Spooky! :)
Crisps are my weakness too. Mainly the nice kettle chilli chips…but yeah, I too will eat any/all available.
And oh yes, grain mill, copper bowls and brown paper packages tied up with string for me too!
Yes, the kettle chilli crisps, please, I love those ones… !
Glad you like the mother of vinegar picture – it’s one of my favourites :)
I love you and Brian, and your kitchen, and your blog, thank you for sharing all of it, and for all the shout-outs! I also love crisps. They’re not allowed in the house, they’re only for car trips. :) xxx
Hurling love back at you, here it comes ….
Crisps on car trips? What a good idea! More crisps now :D
Great post :) It’s nice reading more about the background (and person in the background!) of Zeb bakes.
I’ve told you more about me in my comments on your blog this morning too! I’m so pleased you like the post Kari :)
I wish I knew how to get email subscription notifications from blogger blogs as I am always missing posts from my blog friends on the blogger platform.
I love your blog. I love your take on the world.
Thanks Debra that’s lovely to hear :)
At the risk of repeating myself, lovely, lovely, lovely. And that’s my favourite mustard. I haven’t seen a big jar of it like that since our visit to France. Did you buy it in the UK?
Thanks, thanks, thanks Misk! ;)
It’s such a handsome jar isn’t it? I took a full picture of it and was torn between using that one and the one with the pomegranates. I’ll put the other one in here just for you. Waitrose has it on the shelves. Do you have a Waitrose near you?
Beautiful images. I just love the budding flowers.
It’s a sweetie isn’t it? Thanks for reading Hotly :)
Hi Joanna, lovely pics and words and not a loaf in sight! maybe the weekend edition would be different! Hope you are enjoying mild weather off west! I’d ask Santa for one of those Japanese pestle & mortars with ridges on the dish like this http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Unique-Cooking-Tools-641/suribachis.aspx useful as well as beautiful!
Happy Thursday to you both!
I’ve given up baking am going back to sliced white ;)
Loved this!
I thought I commented, but it turns out – I just thought! :)
This was so much fun- I love your kitchen, and learned somethings about you I hadn’t known. Thanks for sharing Joanna!
You haven’t really given up baking – not with that big bag of fresh yeast!
Thanks darling! I’ve got some dough brewing in the kitchen in fact x :)
Those soaps look so good! Another lovely post, lovely Joanna :D I just put up something new on my blog too and would love to hear from you, so do drop by soon :D
Hi Harry or should I call you Celery? I am enjoying your posts !
The soaps are gorgeous, hand made by Emily, Here’s her post on making the lavender one she sent me http://emilysincerely.wordpress.com/2011/10/18/lavender-soap/ and something I would love to try but I am a bit scared of chemicals like lye and a bit lazy to boot. So I was very touched that she sent me some of her own make. She has a wonderful blog full of lovely posts about the toads on her land and all the creative things she makes. Well worth visiting and getting to know.
So many things had me nodding my head in agreement here – from the roast chicken and hasselback potatoes to my shared weakness for crisps (chocolate I can leave but just don’t put a bowl of crisps by me at a party). You’ve reminded me to put vinegar with ‘mother’ on my wish list from UK for Christmas visitors.
Hi Sally, wish I could send you mother, not sure where you live but customs might look dubiously on it. I had some of my friend Mitch’s to start with, but the second lots of vinegar that are almost ready to bottle now spontaneously formed their own much to my delight and surprise.
We had a long dark drive back from London last night and I ate two packets of crisps in the car, smoky bacon and cheese and onion. I was transported back to my school days in a trice, when I used to eat them every day on the long (1hour and a quarter) journey home while I did my homework, greasy paw prints on every page….
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