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Kitchen of the Week: A Cooking Maven's Small Kitchen
A food blogger shows that an amazing meal can be whipped up in any size kitchen with the right tools, storage and attitude
Cara Eisenpress decided a long time ago that the size of her kitchen would have nothing to do with what she would cook. This New York blogger, writer, food stylist and recipe developer has been creating delicious dishes ever since she can remember. Although she's cooked in her fair share of tiny spaces, her current Brooklyn apartment has a decent-size kitchen — at least by New York standards. Still, she's had to make plenty of compromises — except in her cooking. Handy tools, great ingredients and creative cooking and storage solutions help Eisenpress put together the wonderful recipes on her aptly named blog, Big Girls Small Kitchen.
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| Q. What do you like most about your kitchen? A. The black marble countertops. Also, my stove — it's from Ikea — has really nicely calibrated burners. If I want to boil something fast, I do it on the front right-hand burner; if I want to simmer low and slow, that's the back left-hand. Q. What types of things make working in your kitchen difficult? How do you work around them? A. We don't have a dishwasher. When my landlord redid the kitchen — beautifully — that's the one thing she left out. In other words, I hand-wash an insane number of dishes. |
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| Small kitchen tip: Put your prettiest foods out on display. Eisenpress' jars of pickled goods add color and interest to her kitchen windowsill. Q. What are three of your kitchen luxuries or accessories that you love? A. Does truffle salt count? It really ups the ante on foods from eggs to toast. I also love my Le Creuset pots, and I just got a copper saucepan that's amazing for making fruit jams and syrups. |
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Small kitchen tip: Wall space is extra valuable in smaller areas. A wall-mounted wine rack and tall bookshelves can help keep counter and floor space clear.
Q. Where do you go to find kitchen supplies? Any favorite shops?
A. I think Crate & Barrel has super-reasonable, handsome supplies and equipment. But right now I'm pretty much on a kitchen accessories diet — I have too much already!
Q. Where do you go to find kitchen supplies? Any favorite shops?
A. I think Crate & Barrel has super-reasonable, handsome supplies and equipment. But right now I'm pretty much on a kitchen accessories diet — I have too much already!
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| Small kitchen tip: Colorful kitchen accessories, like Eisenpress' fun textiles and cheerful food processor, help add personality to kitchens in a rental. A sturdy spice rack comes in handy right near the stove. Q. What are three kitchen necessities that you use the most often? A. My cheese grater, my cast iron pan and parchment paper to make cleanup no big deal. Q. What types of food do you love to cook? What's your go-to dish? A. I just love making simple but flavorful pasta dishes, like this Creamy Orechiette with Zucchini. And sometimes I think there's nothing better than a homemade cheeseburger on the grill. |
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| Small kitchen tip: Art is an undervalued kitchen accessory. Don't be afraid of hanging a pretty print on your kitchen wall or an open shelf. Just make sure your art is covered in a glass frame to protect it from food splatters. Q. What was your approach to decorating your kitchen? A. Fitting everything in! It was most important to make room for my substantial supplies, so I tried to figure out ways to store pots, pans and cake pedestals while making the clutter look appealing. The open shelving helps with that. |
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| Small kitchen tip: Mason jars are lifesavers in every part of the home. Pick up a box of these affordable storage containers for your kitchen. Use them for dry goods, pickled foods, herbs and flowers. Q. How did you organize your kitchen? Any storage or space-saving tips for other homeowners with small or rented kitchens? A. I got a couple of Rubbermaid bins for groups of items I don't use too often, like cookie decorating supplies. Then I put the whole box away somewhere and know that when Christmas rolls around, I'll know where to find everything I need. And that way I don't have to clog up the easily accessible parts of my kitchen with seasonal equipment. |
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For more of Cara Eisenpress's terrific recipes and small-kitchen cooking tips, visit Big Girls Small Kitchen or check out her book, In the Small Kitchen.
Ideabook published on June 1, 2012.
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I thinks it's easier to make a charming kitchen with high ceilings, big windows, open concept, and island. This takes effort.