Don't tell me my kitchen sucks-twice!

Had a family over for early dinner yesterday. I cooked my ass off all day everything was homemade except for the freshly baked rolls from a panaderia. I even made mojiotos with the mint from our yard, homemade simple syrup and fresh squeezed tiny limes. Everything was prepared in my crappy- falling apart piece by piece- no high end appliance in sight-yes I know my kitchen sucks- kitchen. Everything tasted great and everyone was happy until the hubby of my friend said "you know this kitchen needs to be gutted-it needs to be bigger and you can get the same cheap cabinets at Ikea". He told me this last year and I said yes, I would love a new kitchen "but old house big problems". I wish I had a better retort. They just built a new house with great kitchen but they can't cook and when we go there I am expected -but of course delighted to cook. Now I know why I rarely entertain anymore. Sorry, had to vent.

Egads, that is a no class person. What did he do next - offer you a quote for a new kitchen?

There is little correlation between the size and age of a kitchen and the quality of the food (and hospitality) that comes out of the kitchen.

Talk about biting the hand that feeds you! That is is soooo rude. I think perhaps you shouldn't have them over anymore and if asked, just say "I know you hate my kitchen so I wouldn't want to persecute you by having to look at it"

Tell him that you would be happy to let him pay for the remodel for you.

I feel your pain. We remodeled our kitchen a couple of years ago and I've got no complaints, but a relative of mine has a huge, incredible kitchen with every appliance and modern convenience known to man. I get jealous every time I go there. The sad part is that the only thing he and his wife know how to make are reservations.

Llama wrote:Tell him that you would be happy to let him pay for the remodel for you.

That's my retort to my annoying neighbor who tells me everything he'd like done to my house.

"You should really cut down the tree in your backyard. It's too big."

"You really should get a drainage pipe installed in your backyard."

"You should extend the downspouts on all of your gutters"

Seamus wrote:

Llama wrote:Tell him that you would be happy to let him pay for the remodel for you.

That's my retort to my annoying neighbor who tells me everything he'd like done to my house.

"You should really cut down the tree in your backyard. It's too big."

"You really should get a drainage pipe installed in your backyard."

"You should extend the downspouts on all of your gutters"

"you should extend the downspouts on all my gutters, asshat". done and done.

Elfin wrote: They just built a new house with great kitchen but they can't cook and when we go there I am expected -but of course delighted to cook. Now I know why I rarely entertain anymore. Sorry, had to vent.

I just spent a boatload of money on a new set of ( golf ) irons. Does this mean that I can beat Tiger Woods? Hell no, he would beat me if he hit every one of his shots with a shovel!

Any great chef could turn out a better meal using a three dollar skillet and a Coleman camp stove than I could if I had an $ 8000 range and $ 2000 cookware.

Once again quoting the great Lee Trevino, "It ain't the arrow, it's the Indian"

I compare this to my situation in college. We had 100 culinary/baking students living in cramped apartments using electric stoves. Even though we had electric appliances and little space (a studio shared by 2 or a one bedroom shared by 3) we whipped up some amazing food. Let them be jealous and point out the small 'imperfection' they see.

This reminds me of our neighbor who, after we had our [ientire front and back yard landscaped and hardscaped, commented, "Why didn't you do something with that little strip behind the garage right on the alley?" Luckily I was outside so I could just walk away.

stevez wrote:... a relative of mine has a huge, incredible kitchen with every appliance and modern convenience known to man. I get jealous every time I go there. The sad part is that the only thing he and his wife know how to make are reservations.

The Washington Post circa 1980 dubbed these "Virgin kitchens." By this standard, my kitchen is the Greatest Whorehouse in Highland Park.

Elfin - as for your friend's husband, she has to live with him and you don't. Consider yourself lucky. I'm sure anyone is fortunate to have the food from your kitchen.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:The Washington Post circa 1980 dubbed these "Virgin kitchens." By this standard, my kitchen is the Greatest Whorehouse in Highland Park.

Oh my! Will all this fit on the LTH quote banner!?

I just kinda thought of something.

So, I redid my kitchen last year. It's extremely nice. If you wanna see a lot of before and after piks, look thru this thread for a ppt I threw together - note, it's 100k, lotta pictures. Anyway, I've been kind of used to having the simpler things, never had a fancy schmancy dbl oven, never had a sep cooktop with 5 burners at umpteen k btu's, never had granite, never had a fancy vent, or a built in dishwasher. We also bought the fancy kitchenaid pro stand mixer, and a cuisinart elite, several new pots/pans. Me being the creature of habit that I am, I still use my little mini prep plus, the old pans, I rarely use more than one burner on the cooktop ever, still have not used the bottom oven - lol - the manual is sitting in it! One day, I'll break down and open the new food proc, and the stand mixer - actually soon. I'm on a quest to make my own hot links in the next few weeks. Just sayin, it definitely ain't the tools. I'm gonna have to re-train my brain to cook using the new tools. I probably looked like an idiot making 8 batches of salsa for a party a few weeks ago in my mini prep when my 16 cup was sitting right there in the box. I have the system down pat though, and I bet I whipped it out in the same time that it would take to make the same amt in the 16 cup - or so I told myself. I'm actually doing some stuff for another party this wknd - maybe I'll break down and bust it out.

I think that a lot of the problem are these stupid HGTV programs where they tear out perfectly good (and often new) countertops to put in marble. Everything needs o be stainless, marble, and the like.

Another argument for not watching TV.

Ha! You should see my kitchen in Paris! We are in the process of selling our condo in Chicago and moving to Minneapolis but for June/July, we're in Paris renting an apartment in the 5th. The kitchen is big enough to fit one person, semi-comfortably. The stove is a four burner electric stovetop (the kind that looks all black except when it's on and then it's like glowing red disks). The fridge is a college style that doesn't have a working freezer section. The oven is a large toaster oven and there is a small microwave. There are two cabinets, under the sink and a rolling cabinet that housed the silverware and a few knives.

I moved from a full Viking/Bosch kitchen in Chicago with plenty of cabinet space (and all of my great knives and pots/pans). When we got to Paris, I checked out the kitchen and then made plans to go to E.Dehillerin for an all-purpose small knife (like a 5 or 6 inch chef's knife (25 euro - not bad), and then hit BHV (department store) for the cheapest non-stick 10 inch or so frying pan. I also bought a silicone spoon. We make great omelets in the kitchen and we've also had pretty good stir fry, chicken, sauteed veggies, fried potatoes, and some other things. It helps to have a fantastic market down the street on Tues/Thurs and Sat and an Erick Kayser boulangerie around the corner but it's serviceable.

The one thing my wife and I have commented on after two weeks here, is that we really don't need everything supersized. This kitchen, although I really miss my utensils/knives/pans, works just fine - but then again we're out to eat at least 50% of the time. Maybe our kitchen in Mnpls will be something in the middle...