An Old-Fashioned Kitchen
“The kitchen is the heart of the home”. That really is true. The old -fashioned kitchen is the center of household productivity, health and connection. In it memories are created, love is tangible through food and therefore the soul is nourished.
An Old-Fashioned Kitchen
Embark on a transformative journey into self-reliance and sustainability, creating a life that’s in harmony with nature.
An Old-Fashioned Kitchen
Many old ways of food preparation and preservation have gone by the wayside since the introduction of fast food in the 1950s. After that, it was no longer necessary to spend time cooking a nutritious fulfilling meal when you could pop a complete dinner in the microwave and have it ready to eat in 5 minutes. Today, we have the benefit of hindsight as we observe the consequences of that societal shift wreaking havoc on our physical and mental health. However, there is a movement of people pushing back by returning to traditional cooking; cooking from scratch with whole foods, sourdough breads, fermented vegetables and dairy products.
Storing Real Foods
A pantry, traditionally called a larder, is an essential part of any traditional kitchen. This is where shelf stable ingredients are stored to be used your cooking. Additional kitchen staples are the refrigerator and freezer.
Baking Bread
Baking bread is a common first step into a real food kitchen. Depending on your location and elevation, perfecting your bread baking can take some trial and error. Be that as it may, the smell of bread baking is second only to biting into a slice of still warm bread fresh from your own oven. Plus, I’m sure your family will be all too happy to be your taste testers.
Using Herbs
Herbs need to be used very soon after they are picked, because the flavor begins to degrade almost immediately. If you enjoy using fresh herbs in your cooking, keeping a few pots in your kitchen window is a great first step. They are easy to dry or freeze for later use.
Surprisingly, many common kitchen herbs also have medicinal properties. With research and training, simple medicines can be made in your kitchen. **Note: I am not a medical doctor, please always do your own research and /or consult your doctor before taking medicinal herbs. **
Preserving
Preserving encompasses many methods; canning, pickling, drying, and freezing. All of these require a learning curve, however once you start it is not hard. It can become a fun project that has a satisfying end result. Looking at a shelf full of jams, pickles and sauces that you made yourself is a sure way to feel accomplished.
Fermenting
While pickling does fall under fermenting, making pickles is only one form of fermentation. Technically sourdough bread is a fermented product. Other fermented foods include kombucha, jun tea and sauerkraut. Fermenting is a fantastic way to add more probiotics to your diet.
Meal Planning
The bane of many a women’s existence is the question “what’s for dinner”? Without a plan for the meals you will make, ordering takeout or pulling out a box of mac n’ cheese again is all too easy. Making a weekly plan for dinners will save tremendous time, frustration, dollars and the headaches associated with all of those.