Gwin's Tiny Kitchen

08/23/2026

There is something about coming home.

Not the home I created for myself. Not the one filled with the things I chose, the traditions I started, or the life I built.

But the home that is rooted in my childhood.

The one that somehow stays timeless in my heart, even as the years keep moving forward.

I walk into the kitchen and there are the same aluminum cake pans, passed down from one generation to the next, filled with bars cut into familiar squares. The countertops are crowded with pans of treats and plates of homemade cookies—the kind of abundance that quietly says, you are home, and you will be fed.

On the walls are familiar heirlooms. Things I may not have thought about in years, yet somehow my eyes know exactly where to find them.

And suddenly, I am not standing here as the adult I have become.

For just a moment, I am a child again.

I remember the sound of voices gathering in the next room. The opening and closing of the refrigerator. Someone slicing another pan of bars requesting just a sliver size, because this is their 3rd time return back to the pan. Coffee being poured. Stories being told that I've heard a hundred times and would happily hear a hundred more.

It is strange how a place can hold time for us.

How an old cake pan, a plate of cookies, or something hanging on a wall can unlock a version of ourselves we didn't realize we missed.

Maybe that is what home really is.

Not simply the place where we live, but the place where pieces of who we were are still waiting for us.

And no matter how far we travel, how much we grow, or how beautiful the homes we create become, there is something sacred about returning to the place where our story began.

08/22/2026

Doing a little R&D for an upcoming street food class… and this one required some boots-on-the-ground research. 🇮🇪🍟

Meet the Irish Spice Bag.

Born in Dublin's Chinese takeaways, a spice bag is gloriously simple and slightly chaotic: crispy fried chicken, chips (fries), peppers and onions tossed together with a salty, sweet, spicy seasoning blend—usually loaded into a paper bag or takeaway box.

And how does one eat it?

There is no elegance here. 😂 Fork it. Pick at it. Shake the bag first. Add curry sauce. Share it with the table…or absolutely don't. The whole point is that everything mingles together—the crispy bits, soft chips, onions, peppers and all that seasoning collecting at the bottom.

Finding one in London proved to be a little more of a treasure hunt than I expected. But tucked away at Molly Mc's, we finally found what we were looking for.

And YES. Worth the hunt.

Salty. Spicy. Crispy. Completely unapologetic.

Now the real R&D begins: figuring out how to bring this Irish takeaway favorite into the Tiny Kitchen. 👩‍🍳

Because sometimes culinary research requires a passport…and a pint. 🍺🇮🇪

08/17/2026

I see photos of myself teaching and, more often than I’d like to admit, I cringe.

I notice every little thing. The unpolished nails. The hair pulled back. The flushed face. The flour on my clothes. All the things I think I should look like or wish looked a little different.

And then I have to remind myself to look at the whole picture.

My nails will probably never be long or perfectly polished. They’re working hands.

My flowing, voluminous locks? They’ll almost always be pulled back nobody wants hair in their hollandaise.

My face will usually be pretty natural, a little flushed from the ovens and burners. And there is a very good chance my clothes will be dusted with flour, splattered with something, or wearing evidence of whatever we just made.

But look at my face.

Look at the joy.

Because when I’m in that kitchen;teaching, cooking, laughing, sharing food, watching someone learn something new, I am completely in my element.

These photos aren't supposed to be pictures of perfection.

They're pictures of a life I love.

A life that has allowed me to teach thousands of classes, welcome so many people around the table, share what I know, keep learning myself, and build this little thing called Gwin’s Tiny Kitchen.

So maybe I'm learning to stop looking at the flour, the hair and all those tiny imperfections first.

Maybe I need to see the woman who is really, really happy to be there.

And I think I like that picture a whole lot better. ❤️

12/20/2025

🍫 Where Does Chocolate Really Come From?

A visit to a women-run cocoa farm in the Dominican Republic is a hands-on journey from tree to chocolate and a powerful reminder that chocolate is both agriculture and culture.
What you learn and experience:
🌱 Planting cacao trees – Cacao grows in tropical shade and takes several years before producing pods, making it a long-term investment for farmers.
🥭 Opening fresh cocoa pods – Inside are cacao beans surrounded by sweet, white pulp (the fruit part most people never taste).
🔄 Fermentation & drying – Beans are fermented under banana leaves and dried in the sun, steps that develop chocolate’s aroma and flavor.
🥜 Nibs to paste – Roasted beans are cracked into nibs, then ground into thick cocoa paste — the base of all chocolate.
🍫 Tasting raw cacao – Fresh beans are slimy and sweet at first, but turn intensely bitter when chewed, showing how much processing shapes flavor.

Why it matters:
👩🏽‍🌾 These cooperatives support women-led farming and economic independence.
🌍 You gain a deeper understanding of sustainable agriculture and ethical chocolate production.
🍃 Chocolate stops being just a treat — it becomes a story of land, labor, and community.

Once you experience cacao this way, you’ll never look at a chocolate bar the same again

11/18/2025

✨ Fruttini by Mo — Paris’ Most Charming Frozen Surprise ✨

In the heart of Paris sits the sweetest little gem: Fruttini, where fruits become art and dessert becomes an experience. 🍊🍋🍍

Each piece looks like a simple piece of fruit… until you cut into it. Inside? Luxurious, house-made sorbet that tastes like the truest essence of the fruit itself. Nothing artificial, nothing overly sweet — just pure flavor, crafted with French finesse.

My favorite part? The textures. The icy chill of the sorbet, the softness of the fruit shell, and the delicate balance of sweetness make every bite feel like a tiny moment of magic. ✨

It’s refreshing, beautiful, and absolutely worth a stop on your Paris wanderings — especially if you love discovering places that do one thing really well.

🍐 Must-try:
– The pear (iconic!)
– Lemon for classicists
– Passionfruit if you want something bold

Paris never stops surprising… but Fruttini is one of the sweetest surprises of all. 🍓💛

11/14/2025

Found a little slice of chocolate heaven in Paris: PLAQ Chocolat. 🍫✨
This bean-to-bar atelier is all about stripping chocolate back to its purest form — just cocoa beans, craftsmanship, and flavor. No distractions. No heavy sugars. No gimmicks. Just bare, pure chocolate made right in their Paris workshop.

I tried their hot chocolate with crème, and it tasted like someone melted a single-origin bar straight into the cup. Deep, dark, almost earthy — rich without being overly sweet. If you love true cacao and high-percentage chocolate (think 76%… 84%… even 100%), this is your spot. 🤎

Their concept is rooted in letting the bean speak for itself — celebrating terroir, texture, and the natural flavor of cocoa without masking it. You can even “take the test” in the shop to find your perfect bar based on aroma and taste notes. ✨

📍 4 Rue du Nil (2nd arrondissement)
📍 57 Rue du Cherche-Midi (6th arrondissement)

✨ A heads up for families:
This is not your typical sugary hot cocoa. Kids expecting sweet Swiss Miss vibes may be surprised — but for adults who appreciate the art of chocolate, it’s absolutely worth the visit.

A must-stop for any chocolate lover wandering through Paris. 🍫🇫🇷✨

11/10/2025

Czech comfort food with a side of folklore 🇨🇿🍽️

In Český Krumlov, I slipped into a cozy, wood-paneled tavern called Švejk — and to appreciate this meal, you need to know the story behind the name.

Who is Švejk?
Named after the beloved Czech novel “The Good Soldier Švejk,” this character is a witty, cheerful, slightly mischievous soldier who navigates the absurdities of WWI with humor and heart. He represents the Czech spirit — resilience, laughter, good food, and good b**r shared at a pub table. So when you dine at a Švejk restaurant, you’re stepping into that story: humble, honest, and full of heart.

Now, the food… oh my! 💛

🍄 Local Mushroom Soup
Deep, earthy, and rooted in Czech foraging traditions — served with a poached egg and a dollop of sour cream that made every spoonful silky and rich.

🧀 Cheese-Filled Dumpling
A tender dumpling stuffed with cheese and swimming in a tangy curd-style cottage cheese sauce. Comforting, unexpected, and uniquely Czech.

🦌 Wild Boar “Goulash”
Here, goulash leans more toward a savory, gravy-style stew — hearty, peppery, and slow-cooked to perfection. Served with bread dumplings (think edible sponges!) to soak up every drop.

This meal felt like sitting at a Czech family table — rooted in tradition, prepared with love, and seasoned with humor. The kind where you arrive for a dish, but leave with a story.

Have you ever tried Czech comfort food? What dish would you dig into first?

10/28/2025

🇵🇹✨ Portuguese food isn’t just “European” — it’s a beautiful blend of global influences that tell a story of exploration, trade, and migration.

Our first stop was a tiny café serving fresh-pressed sugar cane juice with a squeeze of lime — a sweet, refreshing nod to tropical roots. Alongside it, a pastel de vento, a flaky hand pie stuffed with meat and cheese, perfectly crispy and comforting.

And the piri piri sauce? Not the same one you find bottled in Europe — this version was bolder, spicier, and kissed with roasted garlic and Brazilian peppers, a reminder of Portugal’s deep culinary connection with its former colonies.

Later, we wandered through a local market filled with Brazilian groceries — vibrant spices, cassava flour, tropical fruit, and the irresistible aroma of pão de queijo (cheese bread) served with guava paste. 🍞🧀🍯

The sweetest connection of all? The Portuguese introduced sugar cultivation to Brazil, and the Brazilians turned it into an art form — proof that food always travels, evolves, and comes home transformed.

10/25/2025

“In the folds of the Douro Valley, time runs as slow and rich as the w**e itself.” 🍷

For over two millennia, these steep terraced hills have nurtured vines that would give birth to one of Portugal’s greatest gifts — Port w**e.
From the deep ruby sweetness of a Vintage Port, to the nutty amber of an aged Tawny, and the floral elegance of a chilled White Port, each tells a story of patience, sun, and schist-carved soil.

The Douro Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the oldest demarcated w**e region in the world (since 1756) — a place where tradition still guides the hand that tends the vines, and the river carries their story to Porto’s cellars.

Port w**e’s color tells the story of how it was aged — and for how long.

Ruby Port 💎
Bright red and youthful — aged mostly in large oak vats for a short time. This limits oxygen exposure, preserving those deep berry tones and fresh fruit flavors. Think cherries, raspberries, and chocolate.

Tawny Port 🍂
Aged for years — sometimes decades — in small oak barrels. The slow oxidation turns the color from ruby red to amber or golden brown. You’ll taste caramel, nuts, and dried fruits — warmth in a glass.

White Port 🌼
Made from white grape varieties and aged in oak, it ranges from pale gold to honeyed amber depending on time spent aging. Often enjoyed chilled as an aperitif or in a tonic cocktail.

Rosé Port 🌸
A newer creation, lightly fermented like rosé w**e, keeping its blush pink color and notes of strawberry and vanilla.

Color in Port is all about contact with the grape skins and exposure to oxygen — nature’s slow artistry transforming deep red into gold over time.

✨ Raise a glass to heritage, to craft, and to the magic that happens when time, terroir, and human hands meet.

10/24/2025