Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

Heya folks,

Just saw this article referenced in one of the countless food blogs I
read. I thought it was interesting.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/we...prod=permalink

I think the smallest kitchen where I have cooked, was my last travel
assignment. It was also poorly laid out, but I managed to do some good
cooking there.

The kitchen at the cottage I rented in Idyllwild wasn't much bigger,
but again, I was able to do some good cooking. I have some pictures
of that kitchen on my laptop..maybe I can find them and post them.

I know several rfc'ers have smallish kitchens...but they seem to be
able to produce good things from their kitchens.

How about the rest of you and what do you think?

Christine

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:11:49 -0700, Christine Dabney
> wrote:

>Heya folks,
>
>Just saw this article referenced in one of the countless food blogs I
>read. I thought it was interesting.
>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/we...prod=permalink
>
>I think the smallest kitchen where I have cooked, was my last travel
>assignment. It was also poorly laid out, but I managed to do some good
>cooking there.
>
>The kitchen at the cottage I rented in Idyllwild wasn't much bigger,
>but again, I was able to do some good cooking. I have some pictures
>of that kitchen on my laptop..maybe I can find them and post them.
>
>I know several rfc'ers have smallish kitchens...but they seem to be
>able to produce good things from their kitchens.
>
>How about the rest of you and what do you think?
>
My kitchen is pretty big by the standards of what I've had in the
past, and I'm grateful for that. But I've cooked happily and with
some success in a kitchen that was more of a hallway -- one butt wide
-- can't get by if the oven door is open. And back when I was in grad
school, we had a kitchen that only had room for one person at a time.
We did okay there, too.

And I should add that've had some uninspired and uninspiring meals
that were prepared in vast kitchens.
--

modom

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

"Christine Dabney" > wrote in message
...
> Heya folks,
>
> Just saw this article referenced in one of the countless food blogs I
> read. I thought it was interesting.
> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/we...prod=permalink
> >
> How about the rest of you and what do you think?
>
> Christine

My last house had a smaller kitchen than this house. I'd take the smaller
one any day as the layout was very efficient and it had loads of counter
space and cabinets in a "U" shape. Friend of mine had a 16 x 16 kitchen and
hated it. There were four doors (to dining room, basement steps,
pantry/bath, outside) The layout was terrible as the refrigerator and range
were across the room from the sink. Lots of long trips back and forth rather
than a step or two.

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

Ed Pawlowski wrote:

> My last house had a smaller kitchen than this house. I'd take the
> smaller one any day as the layout was very efficient and it had loads
> of counter space and cabinets in a "U" shape. Friend of mine had a
> 16 x 16 kitchen and hated it. There were four doors (to dining room,
> basement steps, pantry/bath, outside) The layout was terrible as the
> refrigerator and range were across the room from the sink. Lots of
> long trips back and forth rather than a step or two.

Even if you have a large kitchen, those appliances should
be within a certain distance from one another. Her problem
wasn't the size of her kitchen, but all the doors. Problematic.

I've never had a U shape kitchen. I think I'd probably like it.
Especially if one end opened into a pantry.

nancy

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

On Dec 16, 12:11*am, Christine Dabney > wrote:
> Heya folks,
>
> Just saw this article referenced in one of the countless food blogs I
> read. *I thought it was interesting.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/we...n.html?partner...
>
> I think the smallest kitchen where I have cooked, was my last travel
> assignment. It was also poorly laid out, but I managed to do some good
> cooking there. *
>
> The kitchen at the cottage I rented in Idyllwild wasn't much bigger,
> but again, I was able to do some good cooking. *I have some pictures
> of that kitchen on my laptop..maybe I can find them and post them.
>
> I know several rfc'ers have smallish kitchens...but they seem to be
> able to produce good things from their kitchens. *
>
> How about the rest of you and what do you think?
>
> Christine

I agree with Bittman. I've cooked in a variety of kitchens, and the
results are
only loosely associated with the size of the kitchen. I've done three
hots a day for two weeks for 30 people on a campfire. Sure, elbow
room and gadgets are nice, but where the metal meets the meat,
it's all about the cook and not the kitchen.

Having said that, I'd love to make my kitchen a bit larger and a lot
better laid out. It's got three doors, one of which is a wide archway
into the dining room. Cut those three doors into its 81 square feet,
and it's obvious why I moved the refrigerator away from being right
next to the stove, and into the dining room which is used as a hallway
363 days a year. (We eat at the coffee table in the living room.)

Cindy Hamilton

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

Christine Dabney wrote:
> Heya folks,
>
> Just saw this article referenced in one of the countless food blogs I
> read. I thought it was interesting.
> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/we...prod=permalink
>
> I think the smallest kitchen where I have cooked, was my last travel
> assignment. It was also poorly laid out, but I managed to do some good
> cooking there.
>
> The kitchen at the cottage I rented in Idyllwild wasn't much bigger,
> but again, I was able to do some good cooking. I have some pictures
> of that kitchen on my laptop..maybe I can find them and post them.
>
> I know several rfc'ers have smallish kitchens...but they seem to be
> able to produce good things from their kitchens.
>
> How about the rest of you and what do you think?
>
> Christine

It's funny. When I daydream, it all starts out with the kitchen and pantry,
goes on to the mud room/laundry room, then to the oversize garage with shop
space and storage space and then I go to the outdoor design and gardens. I
never think about living room, dining room, bedrooms or bathrooms. When I
realize that I've planned a house without these rooms, I can give myself a
headache trying to fit them around the stuff that is important to me.
Janet

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

"Ed Pawlowski" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Christine Dabney" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Heya folks,
>>
>> Just saw this article referenced in one of the countless food blogs I
>> read. I thought it was interesting.
>> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/we...prod=permalink
>> >
>> How about the rest of you and what do you think?
>>
>> Christine
>
> My last house had a smaller kitchen than this house. I'd take the smaller
> one any day as the layout was very efficient and it had loads of counter
> space and cabinets in a "U" shape. Friend of mine had a 16 x 16 kitchen
> and hated it. There were four doors (to dining room, basement steps,
> pantry/bath, outside) The layout was terrible as the refrigerator and
> range were across the room from the sink. Lots of long trips back and
> forth rather than a step or two.
I don't know the dimensions of my (eat-in) kitchen here in SC but it's
pretty big. It's also not laid out well at all. As you say, the stove and
refrigerator are across the room from the sink. There's a rather useless
(except for storage) kitchen island you have to walk around to get from the
sink to the fridge and stove. (Whoever designed this kitchen obviously
didn't cook.)

Jill

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

Christine Dabney wrote:
>
> Just saw this article referenced in one of the countless food blogs I
> read. �I thought it was interesting.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/we...n.html?partner...
>
> I think the smallest kitchen where I have cooked, was my last travel
> assignment. It was also poorly laid out, but I managed to do some good
> cooking there. �
>
> The kitchen at the cottage I rented in Idyllwild wasn't much bigger,
> but again, I was able to do some good cooking. �I have some pictures
> of that kitchen on my laptop..maybe I can find them and post them.
>
> I know several rfc'ers have smallish kitchens...but they seem to be
> able to produce good things from their kitchens. �
>
> How about the rest of you and what do you think?

Since when does size matter?

My present kitchen is "U" shaped, the working portion approximately 8'
X 9', located at one corner of my dining area, I suppose what's now
known as a "great room", although my dining area is not by any
stretch a great space. I consider my kitchen more on the small side,
but more than adequate. I've lived with much smaller and much larger
kitchens. My smallest kitchen is contained in two shoeboxes that fit
in a small duffel bag and a small ice chest, it's my old travel/
camping kitchen (always at the ready), I've used it to cook many a
gourmet meal, whether in a small motel room, at a park bench, or in
the middle of a huge wilderness forest. I think too many people
complain that their kitchen is too small because they use their
kitchen primarily for collecting a lot of totally useless junk,
usually "thingies' that don't belong in a kitchen, like only one set
of everyday dishes belong in a kitchen, all special company pieces
belong elsewhere, under your bed if you're short on space. And
cookbooks do not belong in a kitchen, I have about a hundred, all
neatly arranged in a glass door enclosed library bookcase in my
office. Were I to move all my cookbooks into my kitchen it would no
longer be a kitchen, it would then become a reference library. It's
not wise to keep books in a kitchen anyway.

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

On Mon 15 Dec 2008 10:11:49p, Christine Dabney told us...

> Heya folks,
>
> Just saw this article referenced in one of the countless food blogs I
> read. I thought it was interesting.
> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/we...ml?partner=per
> malink&exprod=permalink
>
> I think the smallest kitchen where I have cooked, was my last travel
> assignment. It was also poorly laid out, but I managed to do some good
> cooking there.
>
> The kitchen at the cottage I rented in Idyllwild wasn't much bigger,
> but again, I was able to do some good cooking. I have some pictures
> of that kitchen on my laptop..maybe I can find them and post them.
>
> I know several rfc'ers have smallish kitchens...but they seem to be
> able to produce good things from their kitchens.
>
> How about the rest of you and what do you think?
>
> Christine
>

think storage is a huge issue in a very small kitchen, although one should
be able to cook almost anything in any size kitchen. If storage is
available elsewhere in the house, this it's no big deal.

We have what I would consider a moderate size kitchen, but I like the
arrangement and it works well for me. The island contains the sink,
dishwasher, and banks of drawers. It's location makes a good work triangle
for the range, sink/prep area, and refrigerator. There's enough
counterspace for me to have my most important small appliances out.

It's well lit by the bank of windows on the outside wall, as well as
recessed ceiling cans at night. The only think I want to add is a ceiling
fan. I hate working in a hot kitchen.

Here is a drawing of the kitchen floor plan. The door located midway on
the left side leads to a laundry room and pantry. To the right of the
eating area is a great room.

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=dh5xd&s=4


--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
************************************************** **********************
Date: Tuesday, 12(XII)/16(XVI)/08(MMVIII)
************************************************** **********************
Countdown till Christmas Day
1wks 1dys 15hrs 52mins
************************************************** **********************
If I repent anything, it is likely to be my good behavior. - Thoreau
************************************************** **********************

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

Duh'Wayne Pinnochio claims:
>
> Here is a drawing of the kitchen floor plan. �
>
> http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=dh5xd&s=4

What a slimey liar's way to show their kitchen... scanned from a
friggin' book... you don't own a kitchen, just like you don't own a
camera, or anything else.

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

"Sheldon" ha scritto nel messaggio
Wayne >
> Here is a drawing of the kitchen floor plan. ?
>> http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=dh5xd&s=4

What a slimey liar's way to show their kitchen... scanned from a
friggin' book... you don't own a kitchen, just like you don't own a
camera, or anything else.

I fail to see anything at all strange about a person who was an interior
designer for over 20 years being able to produce a picture perfect plan of
his/her kitchen.
Waune could probably also draw a 3 dimensional presentation of his kitchen
too. Bet you're so jealous you could bite a snake!

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

On Tue 16 Dec 2008 09:43:24a, Giusi told us...

> "Sheldon" ha scritto nel messaggio
> Wayne >
>> Here is a drawing of the kitchen floor plan. ?
>>> http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=dh5xd&s=4
>
> What a slimey liar's way to show their kitchen... scanned from a
> friggin' book... you don't own a kitchen, just like you don't own a
> camera, or anything else.
>
> I fail to see anything at all strange about a person who was an interior
> designer for over 20 years being able to produce a picture perfect plan
> of his/her kitchen.
> Waune could probably also draw a 3 dimensional presentation of his
> kitchen too. Bet you're so jealous you could bite a snake!
>
>

Thanks, Giusi. One of these days I'll actually get around to taking
pictures. It's a combination of having it look "right" and having the
camera working. :-)

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
************************************************** **********************
Date: Tuesday, 12(XII)/16(XVI)/08(MMVIII)
************************************************** **********************
Countdown till Christmas Day
1wks 1dys 13hrs 19mins
************************************************** **********************
I drink to make other people interesting.
************************************************** **********************

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

Sheldon wrote:
> Since when does size matter?
>
> My present kitchen is "U" shaped, the working portion approximately 8'
> X 9', located at one corner of my dining area, I suppose what's now
> known as a "great room", although my dining area is not by any
> stretch a great space. I consider my kitchen more on the small side,
> but more than adequate. I've lived with much smaller and much larger
> kitchens. My smallest kitchen is contained in two shoeboxes that fit
> in a small duffel bag and a small ice chest, it's my old travel/
> camping kitchen (always at the ready), I've used it to cook many a
> gourmet meal, whether in a small motel room, at a park bench, or in
> the middle of a huge wilderness forest. I think too many people
> complain that their kitchen is too small because they use their
> kitchen primarily for collecting a lot of totally useless junk,
> usually "thingies' that don't belong in a kitchen, like only one set
> of everyday dishes belong in a kitchen, all special company pieces
> belong elsewhere, under your bed if you're short on space. And
> cookbooks do not belong in a kitchen, I have about a hundred, all
> neatly arranged in a glass door enclosed library bookcase in my
> office. Were I to move all my cookbooks into my kitchen it would no
> longer be a kitchen, it would then become a reference library. It's
> not wise to keep books in a kitchen anyway.

I agree about the kitchen size. There seems to be little
correlation between size and what gets cooked, in my experience,
anyway. I have had really tiny kitchens and large ones, and some
of my best meals were cooked in the tiny ones. One adapts to what
one has.

Probably my favorite kitchen was at my parents' house, where I
cooked for about 5 years after my mom died. It was not large, but
it was a galley kitchen, with counter space and cabinets on both
sides. My other favorite (not counting the one with brick ovens)
was HUGE and also had a pantry. Drool. My current one, which
includes the dining area is very large, but has almost no cabinets
or counter space.
--
Jean B.

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:43:24 +0100, "Giusi" >
wrote:

>"Sheldon" ha scritto nel messaggio
>Wayne >
>> Here is a drawing of the kitchen floor plan. ?
>>> http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=dh5xd&s=4
>
>>What a slimey liar's way to show their kitchen... scanned from a
>>friggin' book... you don't own a kitchen, just like you don't own a
>>camera, or anything else.
>
>I fail to see anything at all strange about a person who was an interior
>designer for over 20 years being able to produce a picture perfect plan of
>his/her kitchen.
>Waune could probably also draw a 3 dimensional presentation of his kitchen
>too. Bet you're so jealous you could bite a snake!

ROFLMAO!!!! Unless I missed something while I was gone, Wayne and
David had their house built for them, so of course he'd have the
drawings. Kinda hard to take an arial photo of your kitchen after the
roof's been put on. LOL

Carol

--
Change JamesBond to his agent number to reply.

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

On Tue 16 Dec 2008 11:46:50a, Damsel in dis Dress told us...

> On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:43:24 +0100, "Giusi" >
> wrote:
>
>>"Sheldon" ha scritto nel messaggio
>>Wayne >
>>> Here is a drawing of the kitchen floor plan. ?
>>>> http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=dh5xd&s=4
>>
>>>What a slimey liar's way to show their kitchen... scanned from a
>>>friggin' book... you don't own a kitchen, just like you don't own a
>>>camera, or anything else.
>>
>>I fail to see anything at all strange about a person who was an interior
>>designer for over 20 years being able to produce a picture perfect plan
of
>>his/her kitchen.
>>Waune could probably also draw a 3 dimensional presentation of his
kitchen
>>too. Bet you're so jealous you could bite a snake!
>
> ROFLMAO!!!! Unless I missed something while I was gone, Wayne and
> David had their house built for them, so of course he'd have the
> drawings. Kinda hard to take an arial photo of your kitchen after the
> roof's been put on. LOL
>
> Carol
>

Carol, as usual you are spot on! And...you never miss a thing, kiddo.

--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
************************************************** **********************
Date: Tuesday, 12(XII)/16(XVI)/08(MMVIII)
************************************************** **********************
Countdown till Christmas Day
1wks 1dys 12hrs 9mins
************************************************** **********************
Loose change on the bureau is community property.
************************************************** **********************

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

On Dec 15, 9:11*pm, Christine Dabney > wrote:

> Just saw this article referenced in one of the countless food blogs I
> read. *I thought it was interesting.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/we...n.html?partner...
> .....
> How about the rest of you and what do you think?
>
Straightforward sensible opinion, it seems to me. I've cooked in many
kitchens of all sizes. My current one would be considered quite small
by most rfc-ers, I'm sure, and I've found it to be extremely
efficient. True, I have to pay attention to keeping countertop/prep
space uncluttered and clean. But nothing is ever more than a step
away. We recently spent a little time fantasizing about "the perfect
next house" and the kitchen I mentally designed for it was the same
size as the present one only with the addition of a large pantry
adjacent to it. The worst kitchen design I've ever cooked in was
large with a center island that forced you to walk most of the way
around it depending on whether you wanted the stove, the refrigerator
or the sink. -aem

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 07:17:22 -0800 (PST), Sheldon >
wrote:


>Since when does size matter?

Exactly. That is what Mark Bittman, and other famous chefs were
saying. It doesn't matter. It matters more on the cook.

Christine

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

Christine Dabney wrote:
> On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 07:17:22 -0800 (PST), Sheldon >
> wrote:
>
>
>> Since when does size matter?
>
> Exactly. That is what Mark Bittman, and other famous chefs were
> saying. It doesn't matter. It matters more on the cook.
>
> Christine

Julia Child's kitchen was proof of that!
Goomba-who is still dying to get to the Smithsonian to pay homage to Julia

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

"Goomba" > wrote in message
...
> Christine Dabney wrote:
>> On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 07:17:22 -0800 (PST), Sheldon >
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Since when does size matter?
>>
>> Exactly. That is what Mark Bittman, and other famous chefs were
>> saying. It doesn't matter. It matters more on the cook.
>>
>> Christine
>
> Julia Child's kitchen was proof of that!
> Goomba-who is still dying to get to the Smithsonian to pay homage to Julia



I'd love to see her kitchen, as it was moved (for all intents and purposes)
intact. From what I saw in the Smithsonian magazine article it wasn't a
large kitchen but she certainly did a lot of wonderful things in it :)

Jill

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

On Dec 16, 4:58�pm, "jmcquown" > wrote:
> "Goomba" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > Christine Dabney wrote:
> >> On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 07:17:22 -0800 (PST), Sheldon >
> >> wrote:
>
> >>> Since when does size matter?
>
> >> Exactly. �That is what Mark Bittman, and other famous chefs were
> >> saying. �It doesn't matter. It matters more on the cook.
>
> >> Christine
>
> > Julia Child's kitchen was proof of that!
> > Goomba-who is still dying to get to the Smithsonian to pay homage to Julia
>
> I'd love to see her kitchen, as it was moved (for all intents and purposes)
> intact. �From what I saw in the Smithsonian magazine article it wasn't a
> large kitchen but she certainly did a lot of wonderful things in it :)
>
> Jill

http://americanhistory.si.edu/juliachild/

Mark Bittman on small kitchens
 

"Sheldon" > wrote in message
...
Christine Dabney wrote:
>
> Just saw this article referenced in one of the countless food blogs I
> read. ?I thought it was
> interesting.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/we...n.html?partner...
>
> I think the smallest kitchen where I have cooked, was my last travel
> assignment. It was also poorly laid out, but I managed to do some good
> cooking there. ?
>
> The kitchen at the cottage I rented in Idyllwild wasn't much bigger,
> but again, I was able to do some good cooking. ?I have some pictures
> of that kitchen on my laptop..maybe I can find them and post them.
>
> I know several rfc'ers have smallish kitchens...but they seem to be
> able to produce good things from their kitchens. ?
>
> How about the rest of you and what do you think?

Since when does size matter?

My present kitchen is "U" shaped, the working portion approximately 8'
X 9', located at one corner of my dining area, I suppose what's now
known as a "great room", although my dining area is not by any
stretch a great space. I consider my kitchen more on the small side,
but more than adequate. I've lived with much smaller and much larger
kitchens. My smallest kitchen is contained in two shoeboxes that fit
in a small duffel bag and a small ice chest, it's my old travel/
camping kitchen (always at the ready), I've used it to cook many a
gourmet meal, whether in a small motel room, at a park bench, or in
the middle of a huge wilderness forest. I think too many people
complain that their kitchen is too small because they use their
kitchen primarily for collecting a lot of totally useless junk,
usually "thingies' that don't belong in a kitchen, like only one set
of everyday dishes belong in a kitchen, all special company pieces
belong elsewhere, under your bed if you're short on space. And
cookbooks do not belong in a kitchen, I have about a hundred, all
neatly arranged in a glass door enclosed library bookcase in my
office. Were I to move all my cookbooks into my kitchen it would no
longer be a kitchen, it would then become a reference library. It's
not wise to keep books in a kitchen anyway.

I agree. My kitchen is a simple walk-through and contains only a fridge,
small chest freezer, a wheeled cart for everday cookware; alas I have little
counter space.
The cookbooks, appliances, serving platters, etc. are on heavy duty shelves
in my dining room (hey, it's an apartment, space is at a premium). The
bigger equipment: tomato squeezer, meat slicer, smoker, dehydrator, etc are
in storage, but available when needed.