Features
By
mimi n.
Come behind the scenes at The Herb and Spoon for a #KitchenTour and see Mimi's kitchen in Brooklyn.
My favorite thing is the faucet next to the sink- it makes it so much easier to fill a pot of water for pasta!
Tell us about your kitchen?
This kitchen is my home base for cooking for myself, recipe testing for my blog The Herb and Spoon, and cooking big meals for our extended family – we’re all foodies and have big opinions about what to do eat. There are a lot of chefs in this kitchen, literally and figuratively!
What have you done to make your kitchen cosy, functional, beautiful or inspiring?
My mom is a residential architect, so really knows how to make a kitchen functional and cozy. I love the natural light and ample counter space, and I use the island for both chopping and serving since it’s a maple countertop. I also love the water faucet next to the stove, which makes filling big pots of water much easier than lugging a giant stock pot from the sink to the stove. My favorite thing about the kitchen is the cookbook library and the banquette – I find myself lying down on the banquette while something is in the oven.
How do you keep organized while cooking?
My biggest tip is to clean up as you go rather than piling up a stack of pots and pans in the sink.
Any tips & tricks for organising your pantry, fridge and ingredients?
I really recommend doing an audit of your spices every few months to make sure your spice drawer isn’t full of expired spices that have become clutter. Spices and olive oil expire!
Do you do a lot of cooking and what are your favourite dishes to make?
I live to cook. I think about my next meal while I’m eating it! Cooking makes me happy, calms me down, and I can do it for hours without losing focus. My blog The Herb and Spoon is where all of my latest ideas/concoctions live, and all the recipes have been tested and approved by my fiancé and family.
Where do you turn for new recipe ideas?
I get inspired by seasonal fruits and vegetables at the farmers market. When I see a fruit or veggie at the market, I then start to look on Pinterest or Google to see what interesting pairing there could be, or what unique way to prepare that ingredient could be, or I’ll look at the menus online of restaurants I love to see how they’ve prepared the ingredient. An example is this persimmon and bleu cheese salad I did a few weeks ago – persimmons were all over the farmers market, and I wanted to make a salad that complemented the sweet, tender persimmons with more bright and bitter notes.
Do you plan out your recipes for the week or do you like to be spontaneous?
I kind of hate meal planning. I love the spontaneity of thinking about what I’m craving and what is seasonal, or doing a sort of Chopped challenge with whatever I have left in my fridge.
If you had three wishes, what would you do to make this your dream kitchen?
This is my dream kitchen, functionally! I wish I had a few other things in my kitchen tool repertoire though- I’m admiring Food 52’s new line of kitchen goods, Five Two, with their chopping clock that has a slot for your iPhone to stand up in.
Whose kitchen would you love to explore? Send us a message!
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