I love kitchens. Always have.
My childhood memories are filled with kitchens: my family’s own kitchen (the best), the neighborhood kitchens, my great aunts’ basement kitchens, the Jetson’s kitchen, the summer kitchens discovered on school field trips to historic villages, and – oh, yes – Barbie’s Dream Kitchen.
Even my school bus memories include a kitchen. The morning bus traveled a rural stretch of road where every day I would see, just inside the window of a tiny house, an older man sitting at his kitchen table, coffee cup at hand. I always looked for him. From the seat of that bus, I could feel the warmth, smell the coffee, hear the news on the radio.
No surprise, I grew up to develop a passion for cooking and all things kitchen. And to this day, I love it when I’m driving at night and catch a glimpse inside a home’s kitchen. Not to spy on people. Rather, to see the lighting, the colors and the patterns – and to feel the familiar embrace of a kitchen’s warmth.
When Julia Child donated her kitchen to be displayed at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, I felt vindicated. At last I could stand and stare at a kitchen for as long I wanted and no one would care (or call the police). What a treat to be able to absorb ideas and inspiration from dear Julia’s humble kitchen!
So, I began to think that maybe I’m not alone. Surely there are others who love to cook and love peeking into kitchen windows, metaphorically or otherwise. People like me, who would travel the world to learn about other cultures through its kitchens and cuisine. (I’m also obsessed with food markets, but that’s another global gallery all together.)
Long story, short: Where We Cook is the window. An entire world of kitchens is the view.
Enjoy!
Lynn
Where We Cook editor
Fellow Foodies: If you would like to open your creative kitchen’s curtains to Where We Cook, please post your photos on http://www.flickr.com/groups/wherewecook. It is from this pool that kitchens will be selected for the Where We Cook site.
You can also e-mail me at lynn at wherewecook dot com.
