History in the kitchen

 

                                                                      A large kitchen with lots of gadgets

It has been a while since I baked anything but I volunteered to bring desert to my book club meeting and I had a hankering for gingerbread. That meant whipped cream, yum! But I needed a machine to whip it with. I thought immediately of the Mix Master my mum gifted me when she no longer baked due to a restricted diet. After cleaning the bowls etc., I took a closer look at the wiring. It looked dicey to me so I opted to use my old food processor instead. It took me a while to remember how to fit it together though. Now, after making the gingerbread and tasting a sample, it doesn't match what I remember. but then fondly remembered treats seldom do. In this case though, I think I picked a recipe I never made before. After a check of my old cookbooks, I think I've found the actual gingerbread I'm craving so will have to make that soon.

My recent attempts at baking highlighted for me the way things have changed in the kitchen. And, really it's one of the more fascinating rooms of old houses on display at historical sites. From the deep sinks and primitive ovens to the strange gadgets our forbears used, it's hard to think of those kitchens in action but then, we are used to one person cooking for the most part. Many of the homes I've toured featured large kitchens which would have a staff and many people to feed or, at the other end of the scale, a hearth and a primitive dwelling and a family eking by as best as they could. It all underlines how making meals has evolved over time.

                                                                 This spice cabinet was over 5 feet tall