Congratulations on your new kitchen and tools! What a pleasure for sure. I was just saying the same thing on that gooseberry thread. :)

I wish this forum was more flexible. I'd love to see pictures. That pan is amazing, though. I'll take three.

Pictures of what, the kitchen? These were taken right after it was finished (well, it's still not COMPLETELY finished, lol) - ours is a 1912 Craftsman, and I was going for a kitchen that blends with the rest of the architecture. We still need to finish the DIY bits - ceiling trim, undercab lighting (wiring's there), and reinstalling the original, now refinished, swinging door with leaded glass between the kitchen and dining room. We'll get it all done... eventually. :-)

Kitchen Pics

Lucky you! I wish my kitchen was bigger. I have only about 10 inches of open space on my single counter. The house was built years ago for someone who hated cooking in the kitchen. Funny part is, my next door neighbor has a mirror image of my house and they added a second floor, and knocked down a wall to open the kitched from two big rooms as one. Their kitchen size is huge as well as triple the counbter space, but oddly, they also hate to cook. Kind of a waste...

Ken, I've read your descriptions of your tiny kitchen before, and I am amazed by what you are able to accomplish in your small space. Computer repair as well, right? If I had a smaller space I might learn to be tidier and more efficient - as it is now I tend to use every scrap of counter space, 'cause I am a slob.

My kitchen isn't that large by many people's standards, but it isn't really "small" either. I know that I could manage with much less space - millions do - and I am grateful every time I work in there. It does make it more enjoyable. It's a very efficient one-cook kitchen, with room for a few helpers outside of the "hot zone".

Oh Robin, It's beautiful. You have so much room and those counters are to die for. I love the big windows, it makes it light and airy. I hate a dark, cramped kitchen. We have been living in our new house for 31/2 yrs now, I wanted lots of counter space. We included a 4'island in the middle with a big skylight over it. Cooking/canning is so much nicer with a spacious, light-filled kitchen.
Donna

Ha!. My kitchen take is now under a ton of computer parts and tools. I can't eat at my kitchen table, but instead use a small TV table. If I had the money I would knock down the wall and wall up the back door and take out it adjoining window and and make that a door instead. That would be me about 5 more feet of counter space. Not on don't I have counter space, byt my pantry is 1'x1'x6' in size with a door. It can barely hold day to day stuff. Most of my canning equipment is stored in the spare bedroom closet or in my basement. My living room has 30 PCs all fixed and ready for sale, once we det decent weather on the weekends for a garage sale. With all the computer stuff and things that fall on the floor, I just don't bother vacuuming very much as it would be a daily task. With gardening and my tracking on stuff from outside, its harder still to keep things clean. I would like to add a 'mud room' too, but simply have no bucks left after my reverse mortgage paid for all new windows and my much needed oil furnace.

I'd most some photos, but I am not proud of the big mess here. You can tell that I never get bored or have nothing to do, no matter when it is.

It is just beautiful! What a lovely place to work in and create. :)

Great post Robin and a beautiful kitchen. I love those countertops!!!

Dave

Ah, gee, thanks for the compliments! I love the counters because not only are they pretty, they are damn near bulletproof. I haven't been able to stain them, and when superglue spilled on them the dried glue just popped off with a bench scraper - a bit of steel wool got the last of it. Did I mention that we are ALL slobs?

These babies not only hide crumbs, they can hide an entire cookie!

Ken, I really admire your gumption, I truly do. I wish you lived on my coast, let alone my neighborhood, just so I could help you with your sausage-making etc. and learn from you - as long as you didn't ask me to clean your house, lol! I wouldn't dare post pics of the rest of my house (or my kitchen as it looks at the moment) - someone would probably call the health department! We all track in tons of garden dirt (4 humans and 6 cats) and... er... did I mention that we are slobs?

Housework is strictly seasonal. ;-)

I'd be willing to bet at least 5 Loonies that the clever cookie's camoflauge did not prevent it from getting eaten.

ROFL!!!!

Thats the main reason I have not made any sausages lately, as I have no space. The whole kitchen table is usually where all the sausage making stuff is, meat mixer, huge motorized stuffer and ,y big meat grinder. My kitchen table is piled high with computer stuff, but I do hope to get it all done someday soon. My garden this year as not seen a single day of a temp about 75 degrees and its the coldest and wettest June to date. They just said we are expecting a nor'easter, and that means 3-5 days more rain and cold in the 50's. My poor corn plants have stunted yellow 3 inch tall leaves, and even my brussles sprout plants are dying, as are my watermelon and cantaloupe plants. Bad year for my garden! Pickling cuke seeds were planted and still only have the single primary leaves, and only half of them sprouted.

I'm still "raving" about my pantry. It was a spare bedroom when this old house was first purchased (somewhere around 69)- falling down then - but all we could afford. Now it is in an upscale neighborhood - and thank heaven, we were able to DIY a lot, so it fits in - almost.

We demolished an old bathroom and made a new one plus enough room left over for a pantry (next to the kitchen). It was built before building codes - dontcha know.

The pantry has become a source of pride and joy. It is here next to the kitchen - that I start all my garden plants under lights beneath the storing shelves. Also use shelves for brining all those pickles, sauerkraut, beans - at 70 degree temps.

Opposite side has shelves for storing all my precious filled jams, home canned goods, extra flour, rice, sugar, etc. and drawers beneath shelves for my jar lids, rings, gels, extra kitchen gadgets (cookie cutters, knives, beaters, - can't you tell - I'm a pack rat?)

On another chest of drawers - sits my meat grinder, slicer, ice cream maker with more storage drawers underneath. I just love this room. If I could fit my bed in, I might be tempted to do so - but alas, it needs to be kept organized, or else!

Almost forgot - one other "gadget" that I just KNOW I can't do without - my pot hanger across from my work space in the kitchen. Sure beats bending over to find something down low.

Love that pantry!

Bejay

Oh my yes, the joys of a proper pantry! I have 12" deep cabs across one entire wall for food storage (plus some cookware and my cookbooks), but my "real" pantry is the one bona fide 'room' in the basement. That's where the bulk of my food stores and bulk dry goods reside - but I would much prefer if my house had a "bedroom" on the main floor. At least it stays nice and cool down there - that's also where I keep my spuds and onions. When I am grinding meat, Ineed to drag out the equipment - I envy you your dedicated work space.

I have to start my seeds in my didning room, then they move to the greenhouse. I haven't attempted sauerkraut yet, but I plan to give it a go eventually.

Oh, and I agree - I don't know what I would do without my pot rack (bar, actually), even if it is a homemade job assembled from galvanized pipe and fittings. :-)

My dad put up a big peg board with many hooks years ago. I hang pans, big spoons, tongs, and most other stuff that has a hole it for hanging. Without it, I would not have any place to hold the 60+ different things its got hooks for.