What sort of things are important for you to have in your kitchen? I just read through a post from the kitchen’s at King Arthur and got a glimpse at numerous tools and kitchen trinkets I had never even heard of before! I think about the things that are important for me to have in my kitchen. There are things I use every day and things I use once in a blue moon. What kinds of things do consider items you just cannot live without?
What kinds of things are important in this kitchen? Commonly found in a jungle kitchen are things like firewood, buckets of water, dull knives, blackened pots, and a small stool to sit on.
The next time you consider pulling out your pocketbook to purchase another kitchen gadget you may use once in a blue moon, maybe you will remember this family and realize that others make due with a lot less.
Wow, how interesting that some part in a remove villages in Indonesia, they have similar house/kitchen like this.
Great post, as always.
Cheers,
Elra
Amazing pictures. Very moving.
What a great post- the pictures are wonderful. I always think about how I couldn’t live without my KitchenAid mixer, or food processor, or any of the numerous gadgets I have, but these people really do have a lot less. I went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic and it was amazing how those people focused more on being happy about what they did have rather than focus on what they didn’t have. It really made me put my life in perspective!
Interesting question! Surely I use alot of things and others I buy them to use them once. Pots and pans and cutlery are te basic things.
Gosh, I’m just writing about my latest “toy” purchase and now find this.
Not too long ago we had a terrific “welcome” home returning from a 6 wk trip we came in to find the kitchen ceiling caved in from a second floor leak. I was really without a kitchen for about two months. I “cooked” out of my utility room with a small crock pot, microwave and under-the-counter frige. It was really fun to see that we could actually have reasonably good meals that way.
I love the old kitchens and this “modern” one you show here. It really isn’t about the things it’s about the people and their creativity.
Oomph. You are so right Gretchen. On my visit to a kitchen store a couple of months ago I told the salesperson: I’d like your advice but remember I’m perfectly happy and can cook with 2 burners and ice-chest when camping. Easily forgotten. By me as well.
So true that we are tempted to think we need more than we do! ~Gretchen
Very thoughtful post. My kitchen is pretty little and space is limited, so I think of my kitchen gadgets as either (1) necessity or (2) indulgence. In the necessity category are: deep mixing bowl, wooden spoon, silicone spatula, balloon whisk, medium length sharp knife and 10″ frying pan. I think I could cook most of my food just with those alone. Ok, maybe a baking tray with raised sides, too. In the “indulgence” category are things that I agonized over before buying, like vegetable peeler, icing spatula, food processor, toaster oven, etc. I still can’t justify the purchase of a KitchenAid stand mixer, but boy, do I continue trying!
Your photos are very moving.
It is so true that the truly necessary things are few. Interesting that you thought long and hard about a vegetable peeler. To mee that seems like a given, but I could imagine that for others it isn’t. Thanks so much! ~Gretchen