in the kitchen

Some time between 8:00 and 9:00 this morning, I managed to lose the USB cable to my new camera. Never fear, there is a new one already headed toward my mailbox. However, it does mean that today's intended post is trapped on my camera for the near future.

So...in the mean time, I thought we might talk kitchens. You know, the historic sort. The sort that make you cringe at the thought of producing even a simple cup of tea (much less a Christmas pie for 40). Last night, fueled by several bottles of wine and a copious selection of cheeses, a small group of revelers found themselves cursing Frank Lloyd Wright for his horribly impractical kitchens. At least his, for the most part, had convection ovens and refrigerators. Historic kitchens are a rare breed, so often lost to time (or the ubiquitous museum gift shop). Those at Mount Vernon are relatively intact and lovingly restored (see above). This past year, I have also seen great kitchens at Tudor Place, Poplar Forest, Stratford Hall, Ten Chimneys, Hillwood, the Cappon House, and the Hammond-Harwood House ~ all part of a growing trend to save and preserve these often-overlooked spaces.

For a bit more, see: Kitchens, Smokehouses, and Privies: Outbuildings and the Architecture of Daily Life in the Eighteenth-Century Mid-Atlantic, by Michael Olmert (2009)

Happy cooking...!