My Kitchen Update

Newly updated kitchen

It all started because my basement refrigerator died. Realizing that it would be best to just relocate our kitchen refrigerator downstairs, was the start of our kitchen update.  I say update because we didn't do any major renovations, just an update of the appliances, counter tops, furniture, paint, lighting and window treatments. Believe me, it felt more than that, but in the end it was all worth it.  

Kitchen before the update

Our home is only about 20 years old and the existing kitchen echoed it. White appliances scream 90's, so that's where we began.  Honestly, I never thought I'd get so excited about kitchen appliances, but I did.  The hardest part was finding a refrigerator that served our purposes and fit within the existing space.  One thing I did not want to do was cut into the existing, beautiful cabinetry.

New refrigerator

Luckily we found one from Fisher & Paykel which worked perfectly.  I didn't really care about the dishwasher as long as it was

quiet, but the stove I did.  I love the new stove which is automated yet very easy to use and clean. We also added under cabinet lighting and an extra light over the sink to enhance the lighting in the kitchen, and believe me- what a difference ambient lighting makes!  I put in a new, large and deep stainless steel (chef) sink with a trendy bronze faucet to complete the appliances.

Perimeter counter top design

The counter tops were more difficult to decide on.

We used elements of the earth and the ocean as our inspiration. However when it was all installed, particularly on the island where I do all the prep for my cooking, there seemed to be too much movement in the pattern. Ultimately, what we decided to do was re-purpose the island counter in the adjacent laundry room and put a more solid counter top to 'anchor' the kitchen. The black counter top is not a solid, it does have a pattern which resembles a summer starry night. Working in the design and construction industry for 25 years and married to an architect, you'd think I'd get the concept of form follows function..... my bad.  As for the shape, we

Re-purposed counter in laundry

added depth in order to create an overhang which matched the eyebrow style of the cornice over the sink window. Since everything in the kitchen was square, it was nice to add some curves and rounded edges, similar to the small stand and new, Pottery Barn kitchen table and counter stools. Also had complimentary back splash tile installed which tied a tight bow around the L-shaped counter to add dimension where all the 'light' was.  We opted for more subtle colors to blend in seamlessly with the new color palette.



Galley view- note new stove and tile

The existing muted eggplant wall color was changed to more of a green-putty color to compliment the kitchen elements rather than fight with them.  I made the purple work for 7 years by complimenting it with sage green, but now it was time to move on to a more sophisticated palette.  I also removed the outdated appliance garage and replaced the stain glass insert in the cabinet door above it to blend more seamlessly with the new design.

New granite bar top

Ok, now on to scope creep. Happens in all the projects I've been involved in professionally, the same happened with my kitchen. Since we were having work done, we figured that we'd tear out the laminate counter on the built-in bar in the adjacent den and put in a nice granite top. All I can say is WOW!  And then, since our 8 ft. slider was rotting from the outside, we had the slider and trim replaced and stained to match the cabinets.  Lastly was the window treatments and the rugs.  

The take-away from my kitchen update: Hire designers and contractors that really listen to you. I hired Laurene McGarry-Bissell of Eclectic Design, Inc. in Glastonbury, CT www.ecticdesigninc.com and she says:

New kitchen table

Custom window treatment

"If the cabinets are in good shape, there is no need to replace them for a fully effective renovation.  Replacing counter tops, backslashes, increasing lighting, trendy faucets and cabinet hardware and a fresh coat of wall paint can make the cabinets look brand new. Benefit of hiring a designer for a full or partial kitchen renovation:  (1) saves you time — a professional can find materials that suit your style, budget and that will mix well with the rest of your decor; (2) the smaller details really make a difference — an ogee edge versus a pencil edge, what color faucet would you prefer — stainless steel versus antique bronze; (3) under cabinet lighting — does the designer and contractor understand the various types of under cabinet lighting and types of lighting that can give you what you need without breaking the budget; (4) can manage the entire process to ensure a smooth project, especially if the designer has a  contractor he/she likes to work with.  They are a seasoned team that communicates well and respect one another’s roles so that your project is completed to your complete satisfaction."

What's in YOUR Pantry?

Inspired by the Architect's Bag series in the Life of an Architect blog by Bob Borson, not only did I take a deeper look into my own bag, but into my pantry as well.  When I think about it, the two are very similar in that they both contain what I need to do my job well- whether it's marketing construction services, or cooking a meal.

Granted, my pantry is a little bigger than most, however the rule of thumb is the same: have enough ingredients to pull a meal together at a moment's notice- hence, Spaghetti alla Puttanesca (literally "spaghetti a la whore" in Italian) which is a tangy pasta dish invented in the mid-20th century by women who would put a simple pasta dish together for their gentleman callers. The ingredients are typical of Southern Italian cuisine: tomatoes, olive oil, olives, capers and garlic. 

I like to organize the pantry according to items that are used together such as baking items, dried spices, condiments, canned items, cereals, etc. Why is it important to organize the pantry?  It saves you money by identifying what you're using and not using, allows you to take stock of your cooking habits, and tells you what you should and should not buy in bulk. Need help getting started? Real Simple magazine has provided a checklist which you can print out which includes the essential items you should have on hand in both your pantry and your refrigerator: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/shopping-storing/food/pantry-staples-checklist-00000000000197/

• Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
• 
  
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3-4 canned anchovies, chopped
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 Tbsp small capers
• 3/4 cup pitted olives (black or green), roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 pound spaghetti
• Salt
• Olive oil for drizzling

 

1 Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep saute pan. When the oil is hot, sauté the onions until they're soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. While the onions are cooking, stir in the chopped anchovies along with some of the oil from the can. Add the garlic and cook another minute.

2 Mix in the tomato paste  and cook it for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, chili pepper flakes, and olives. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer.

3 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When you add the spaghetti to the boiling water to cook, add the capers to the sauce and continue to simmer it gently. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, to al dente, cooked but still slightly firm.

4 Drain the pasta and put in a large bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil over the pasta and mix to combine. Stir the parsley into the pasta sauce. Add a ladle's worth of sauce to the pasta and mix to combine. Serve in shallow bowls with more sauce on top.

Things That Cooking has Taught Me About Life

Over the many years of trial, tribulation and cooking, I have found strength, insight and comfort in something as simple as preparing a meal of my grandmother's meatloaf for a cherished friend, baking a pie for a neighbor, or giving advice and recipes to you through this blog.  I consider myself very lucky that I have grown more awakened to the art of communicating through food.

Call me 'old school', but I'd much rather spend time kneading dough for my Italian Easter breads with my friend Beth or making neat bundles of Chicken Kiev with my mother than entering into a thoughtless trance with the Green Giant or Duncan Hines.  Not to knock those of you who aren't as enthused- in fact, I wonder how much easier my life would be if I weren't so...  Actually, I think I could show each of those two guys a thing or two in the kitchen ;)  The fact of the matter is that cooking is a constant in our lives and if we take the time to look a little more closely, there are some lessons to be learned.

Small Gestures Make a Big Difference
Working in the design and construction industry, most of us survive on coffee and whatever happens to be in the break room. I cannot help but to share the [food] wealth with my coworkers who are always grateful- whether its cake or leftovers from a recent party, a simple gesture makes a world of difference in a sometimes chaotic and stressful day.


Cheap Thrills Are Closer Than You Think
My husband and I are avid gardeners and truly enjoy reaping the benefits from our vegetable and herb gardens.  Nothing compares to that first picked, ripe tomato, the flush of new Swiss Chard or the bursting bunch of fresh basil.  In addition to the benefits of playing in the dirt, we reap the rewards of a carefully tended garden.  For us, it's the little things that make us truly happy, and there is nothing more satisfying than preparing a meal from a basket full of fresh picked herbs and vegetables.

Sometimes It's Best to Just Take a Break

As one who often goes on a marathon to complete whatever it takes to get a task done- whether it's preparing a gourmet meal or writing a detailed proposal, I've come to realize that productivity rates lower in proportion to the length of time contributed to the task.  You are not as astute and mistakes get made.  We've all been there- too tired to get anything right, we end up spinning our wheels and eventually give up.  Stop, take a break, relax and go back to the task with renewed enthusiasm. 

Embrace the Art of Improvision
Ok, how many times have you started a task and realized that you didn't have everything you needed? (To many times to count for me!) Depending on the situation, there is always a way to improvise without compromising the outcome.  We've all been in those situations, whether it was cooking or otherwise. Wrong size pan? Use two smaller ones.  Not the right ingredient? Find something comparable. Wrong ingredient? Use what you've got- you just might create something new and different. Applying this to your everyday life? Always be able to come up with a Plan B!

Get Back to Your Roots
It never really occurred to me until recently that there's a lot of comfort in rituals.  Probably so much so, that I've started bringing back the ritual of the Italian Sunday dinner.  For you, it might be a particular holiday or event- but whenever you think about it, memories come flooding back.  Food will do that each and every time.  Have you ever been somewhere and smelled or tasted something that brought you back to your grandmother's kitchen? Next time you feel nostalgic, prepare one of those cherished family dishes or host the next holiday meal and bring back some of those lost rituals.

10 Years of Building a Life Celebration

Months in the planning, our anniversary celebration took place a few weeks ago.  Giving my husband the gift of friendship was a unique idea but (almost literally) took an army to execute:  Planning, catering, flowers, landscaper, beer and wine, the custom made architectural cake, jazz band and Diversion #1, #2 and #3 took many people and a lot of coordination in order to pull it off without spoiling the surprise for him. The end result was absolutely fabulous and the look on my husband’s face when he came home that Friday night to find 65 of our closest family and friends there was just PRICELESS.  Ok, I may have overshot it a bit, but it was well worth it- three weeks later, and he’s still in amazement ;)

Nod to the following who helped make this celebration truly a memorable one:  My parents and sister Lisa for catering and set up, Ginger & Pickles Catering, Amazing Cakes by Joanne, Charles Fine Wine, D&J Lawn Care, nostalgiccandy.com, Conard HS Jazz Band, Beth Longo, Sandra Tierney and Jen Banks. 

Party Planner extraordinaire maybe, but I’m not about to give up my day job.  I will however, share some tips on how to kick up your next big party from fun to fabulous since holiday season will soon be upon us:

1.        Hire a bartender – or have a guest volunteer to manage opening wine and beer bottles (or ladle punch, or pour coffee).  Use wine glasses if you have them on hand. If not, you can rent them fairly inexpensively.  There’s nothing worse than drinking good wine out of a plastic cup!  Consult your local wine purveyor for ideas- they will know what and how much to buy to cater to the masses.

2.       Use disposable plastic plates- they’re so much nicer than paper and they have some that have the look of china.  You can reuse them a few times to really get your money’s worth.  P.S. be sure to have a couple garbage bins around for easy disposal so that people do not have to go in search of…

3.       Utilize both indoors and outdoors – to maximize space.  If the weather doesn’t permit you to be outdoors, you can temporarily relocate or rearrange furniture to create more circulation space.  One suggestion is to move the dining room table along an outside wall to create a buffet table.  Remember to use elements of height on the table to create more interest.

4.       Prepare as much as possible ahead of time- and be sure there is a good variety of selections and have one signature item that really stands out.  Not enough time to do it all yourself? Hire a caterer or restaurant to supply the more complicated dishes.

5.       Hire a local jazz band- they’re good, enthusiastic and highly affordable.  Aside from the overwhelming number of people who attended my party, this was what really knocked my husband’s socks off!