After the wedding Giles and Tia will take up residence in a tiny apartment Tia has charmingly dubbed "The Dollhouse". The kitchen is brand new and very nice--not very large, of course, and has a tiny table for dining.
What a mercy I ran across an entire chapter on "Dinettes" in a vintage cookbook this week. The author does her level 1934 best to cheer and exhort homemakers who suddenly find themselves downsized from a full kitchen and dining room. Here she is, looking on the bright side:
• Everyday diners have a way of tasting better when served in the dinette.
• Dinette cookery requires the intimate touch of individuality, even to the pots and pans used in the kitchenette.
• It is next to impossible to serve a formal type of dinner, with several courses, in dinette style.
• Much planning must be done ahead of time, if the dinette dinner is to be successful.
• Space is at a premium, and must be planned to create the idea of leisure, hospitality and intimacy.
• There is something chummy and friendly about dining in a dinette--something akin to dining out in a corner of a hotel dining room or tea room.
• An excellent cup of coffee compensates for many other deficiencies.
-- Jessie Marie Deboth, The Fashion Book of Recipes
Sounds like the perfect kitchen for a couple of newlyweds! Your chapter on dinettes reminds me of a book I ran across a few years ago on Kitchenette Cookery, viewable free here. https://archive.org/details/cu31924094646399
ReplyDeleteHow neat,I love old books!:)
ReplyDeleteI do hope you will be able to share photos of the cheery space!
ReplyDeleteGiles and Tia it will be such fun. I'm sure you have heard of the Tiny House movement and though that's not exactly what your home will be the principles might be useful. http://thetinylife.com/what-is-the-tiny-house-movement/
ReplyDeleteOur first kitchen was so small it was crowded when I flicked the tea towel.
I love this. Our first kitchen was like this as well. Tiny apartment. We did host a couple of tiny dinner parties. They were indeed chummy and friendly, and I love the advice on coffee here...so true!
ReplyDeleteThe coffee quote at the end is timeless and wryly humorous - and it is going in my Quote Book. ;) I just LOVE your blog, Anna!!!
ReplyDeleteDianna,thank you for sharing the link to the Kitchenette Cookery book....a gas stove for $28.00! I'll take the time later to read it, such a wonderful book, even for way back then.
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