Fall in Alaska, one of my favorite things

“… bright, copper kettles and warm woolen mittens…”

As I was mulling over my favorite kitchen things, I began singing the famous song from Sound of Music and I started to realize that many of the items listed in the song resonate with life in Alaska. Silver white winters that melt into spring, snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes, wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings… need I go on?

Now that I’ve impressed you with my astonishing recall of song lyrics from musicals <wink>, back to the things in my kitchen that I love:

5. Starbucks Mugs – One of the only things in the whole world I collect and I use them daily. They’re sturdy and reliable and my coffee always tastes better in them. And each mug has a memory – where I bought it or who gave it to me. This brings us to number four…

4. Cuisinart Coffee Maker – it’s one of the only kitchen appliances that came with us to Alaska. And to think I went all those years with an inconsistent, barely warm, unpourable brew from that old coffee pot. You know the kind.  No more.

3. Melamine Mixing Bowls – colorful and perky, easy to clean, nearly impossible to damage. So many uses. Oh, and they have rubber rings on the bottom to prevent them from slipping and sliding on the counter while you work. Great for kids.

2. MacBook Pro and/or iPhone – Not kitchen tools, you say? I almost always have one or both with me in the kitchen, multi-tasking away, playing music, displaying several recipes, and taking/uploading/editing photographs. They make cooking, blogging, and my entire life easier and better. Thank you, Steve Jobs.

1. Kitchenaid Mixer – My day is not complete if I have not heard the whir of my Kitchenaid. And as soon as I switch it on, without fail, my 3-year-old daughter comes running into the kitchen and says, “I want to help you, Mommy!” It’s not uncommon that I use it twice a day. I didn’t have one until we got to Alaska and now I can’t imagine life without it. Trust me.