You may have noticed in my recent post on the kitchen makeover that I have acquired some really rather beautiful pans in a splash pattern design. I was very kindly gifted them by Holly Wick, the lady behind one of my very favourite stores Holly’s House and as they are so lovely, I wanted to show you them in a little more detail today. I didn’t intend to write a specific post on these items when Holly sent them, but when they arrived they were so special that I wanted to devote a piece to them in their own right and I’ve even made Middle Eastern pancakes so why not hang around for the recipe at the end too!

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Image: Design Soda

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I’ve found shopping for Kitchen utensils a little like shopping for bathroom hardware, there is so much on the market but the majority of it is so un-special, and some of it is positively ugly. Unless you have a million bucks to spend the selection is pretty bland, so when some well priced investment pieces come along they are a cause for celebration to my mind. Holly’s House is a great shop (and site) for spotting unique pieces with a bohemian charm that you won’t find elsewhere. As I have said before on the blog, Holly’s careful eye for curating stock really sets her store apart, and if you are looking for beautiful kitchenwares at an accessible price point this is one of my go-to addresses. 

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Images: Design Soda/

Since we redecorated the kitchen I have been trying to stick to items that elevate the everyday into something pleasurable to both touch and see,  and I’ve been very choose-y about each of the basics I’ve added to my collection. Step in the Nagasaki kitchenware range which are star pieces in our kitchen and comprise a cooking pot, saucepan and frying pan. They are made by U.K. based company On interiors and they tick all the boxes for me. Those handles, that pattern, the feel of them, they are heavy enough to be robust but not so heavy you need to be Charles Atlas to lift them, whilst being entirely good looking. Like many of my favourite items in the kitchen, these beautiful pans require old fashioned care in the washing up bowl and not the dishwasher. I love having items in the kitchen like this, they make me appreciate the lovely surfaces of things which outweigh modern convenience in favour of durable timeless beauty. 

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Images: Design Soda

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The design, as the name suggests, has more than a hint of the Japanese to its aesthetic. They really suit the Scandinavian feel of our kitchen and the monochrome pattern mixed with the warmth of wood looks very chic amongst my other pared back and artisan items that use natural materials as an anchor. You can buy the cooking pot for £55, the saucepan for £36.50 and the frying pan for £42.

I have really enjoyed cooking with these lately as the temperature drops and tastebuds turn to comforting stews, pasta and in my case the Weekend ritual of pancakes for breakfast. I’ve got really into Middle Eastern flavours over the last few years thanks mainly to Ottolenghi and Sabrina Ghayour, so my pancakes come with a dash of rosewater and orange zest in the batter served simply with a sprinkling of icing sugar, pomegranates and yoghurt. I really like the way this recipe turned out, it was a case of sheer luck that it works but they are classic flavours of the Middle East and really pep up this classic comforting dish.