There is no easy way to say this, so I am just going to say it: My kitchen has been demolished.
It was unavoidable. Trust me. I would have preferred to avoid the full-on gutting of my hallowed kitchen - especially in the midst of the pandemic. But the crisis revealed dangerous flaws in my kitchen, which could not be remedied without construction. Was hoping to make it a minimal fix, but my 9-year old Ikea cabinetry crumbled quickly. Was able to save the countertops though.
How long will the repairs and renovation take? Let's just say - a while...
Luckily, I have very good friends who live across the hall who decamped to their country home at the beginning of the pandemic. They have been generous enough not only to allow me to store all the contents of my kitchen in their apartment, but have allowed me to store myself here as well.
Most of my kitchen gadgets and pantry staples are bagged and boxed up, but there are a few I made sure would be available during my stay. Top on that list were my sous vide and my Dutch oven. Both have already proven themselves as kitchen superstars, as I try to keep to fairly basic cookery while I am staying in my pals' home. Simple meals that taste like more have been on the menu.
For pastas, I am not making complicated sauces. Instead, think packaged mushroom ravioli, boiled up and drizzled with brown butter and sage. Or think al dente penne tossed with radicchio sauteed with red onion and garlic, topped with Ricotta Salata and toasted pinenuts (the latter "toasted" in the microwave). Shrimp can easily be prepped in the sous vide and tossed in the fridge for a no-clean-up Shrimp Cocktail. Eggs are an easy go-to as well, whether I am making Lox, Eggs and Onions to serve with some sliced cucumbers and a toasted bagel, or frying one up sunnyside to sit atop a few leftover spears of asparagus warmed in the microwave, showered with grated Parmesan.
Basic can be delicious.
Will I be dreaming of more complicated fare that I will tackle in my "new" kitchen? Of course! But in the meantime, simplicity rules.
