babyluck

Thanks for all the helpful comments. Here is an approximate floor plan of the current kitchen: I also downloaded the IKEA software but got aggravated with it so I just did it in Quark. It was a very helpful exercise in and of itself. Other comments: - "Tiny" may have been the wrong word. "Awkward" is more like it. My current kitchen is larger but with almost a worse setup. Also, we have a computer corner and an eating area since we have no dining room or office. I know there are plenty of smaller kitchens out there. - A dishwasher is an absolute must. Not because I can't live without one, but because I have been for 8 years. Having one will allow me to cook and bake more, since neither of us is good at keeping up with dishes. It's a personal choice but one that will make me very, very happy! I don't think I'll really miss the cabinet space since I have plenty in the pantry, and can put up upper cabinets. - We do have a dining room (you can see the doorway in the layout). I'm fine with using it for everyday eating. I want to make sure it gets used and not just for formal dinners. But I still balk at the idea of taking the table out of the kitchen. Hopefully it is attached in a way that we could take it down intact, then have the option of putting it back up. A table for 2 would make sense now, but not when we have kids. - Bungalow Kitchens--there is another book, too, called Bungalow Basics: Kitchens. I think the one you've suggested looks better. In fact, it's in my shopping cart... - Pot rack: I have one too. Very useful. And will be even better when I don't need to keep paper towels, tupperware, sugar & flour, etc. on the top shelf. I like the CD holder idea too.

Yes, I had planned to put the dishwasher next to the sink. Doesn't look like there's 24" on either side so will probably need a new cabinet. Therese, you can't really tell from the pictures but that wall is rather close to the table & chairs--it would mean the table would have to come out. You're absolutely right, though. The only horizontal space anywhere near the stove is the table itself.

It's funny--I started looking for a place to buy our first house by proximity to ethnic food and good supermarkets. But I fell in love with a place that has neither. Then I said I need to have a spacious kitchen and a dishwasher. My husband and I fell in love with a 1925 Craftsman-style bungalow that has neither. Hey, at least it has a gas stove. We intend to do some remodeling in a few years to get some extra space in the kitchen, so I don't want to do anything major right now, but I do want to preserve the original features while making the space more workable (and add a diswasher!). Prep space especially is very limited. The kitchen is 9x10 with a 5x5 attached pantry. There is beautiful built-in cabinetry in the pantry but just one original cabinet above the fridge in the kitchen itself. There is a standard Home Depot-type cabinet with sink that has been added. That's where we'd like to put the dishwasher--either carve out a space for it in the existing cabinet or get a new unit for that space. The main limiting factor is the built-in table that swings down from the wall. I love it, but allowing space to eat around it cuts down on the possibilities a lot. Here are some pictures, going clockwise around the kitchen starting from the living room entrance: Believe me, there will be more hanging from this area than 3 pans and a potholder. This area is too shallow for cabinets (the fridge, which the owners are taking, is sunken in) but I have lots of ideas in mind, such as using medicine cabinets for spices, etc. Here is a shot of the cabinet over the fridge, the pantry, and the built-in table: To the right of the table is the door to the outside/basement, then a radiator in just the wrong place: And we're back to the living room doorway: All comments & suggestions welcome!

Good news--problem solved. We found a great house with a gas stove. Should be moving in December. Only problem is, there's no dishwasher, and the kitchen is quite tiny, though there's a pantry with beautiful built-in cabinetry. I foresee another thread...

I'm really not sure how I feel about that...

I think so. There was a woman eating at the bar last time we were there but she was dating the bartender. I knew I saw that somewhere. I vote for a merge.Will report on last night's dinner ASAP. P.S. I'll start a new thread on the Stage House, but since I mentioned the price earlier I thought I should mention that it wasn't $70--it was $115. I didn't complain, of course (I'm not my mother), but it was a little bit of a shock. The website lists all of the courses with the wine pairings and then states $70 Sun-Thurs; $115 Fri & Sat. But apparently that is without the pairings. (They haven't updated their website but the meal last night was an add-on to the summer tasting series.) They seem to always have a lesser-priced alternative to the degustation menu, not just during the summer.

Me, too. And I was just a lowly events planner coming in to check out the space for a seminar. He insisted that I sit down and share the staff meal (spicy Asian-style egg noodles and iced tea with ginger syrup) and gave me a tour of the library. What a great guy.

Stage House Restaurant, Scotch Plains We're going there tonight! Sorry I didn't mention it sooner--tonight is the last night to take advantage of the $70/head 5-course tasting menu "Best of Summer" (wine pairings included!). It's available Sun-Thurs only. They do the same thing all summer featuring a different seasonal ingredient or theme each time. This week & last week the menu was comprised of the 5 dishes restaurant patrons voted the best. I still don't know what we're having but it will be good. They have several tasting options normally--here's the website.

That sounds AMAZING. I've never heard of it--don't think it exists here, but then I'm on the other side of the country. I vow to make it as soon as I get a decent ice cream maker. What kind of bread, specifically, would you use? I looked briefly online and found several recipes, each pretty different. One even used grapenuts (cereal) instead of bread. One called for ground hazelnuts and yogurt. Some are just frozen in trays and others use ice cream makers. What is the traditional approach? Thanks for letting us know about this strange and delicious-sounding treat.

Gorgeous!

Exactly what I was thinking. I can't eat soup out anymore (except at really great restaurants) because it just doesn't match up to my own. The only place I can think of is Café Pierrot in Sparta. Don't know if that's near you. They have good quality homemade soups (although they're not listed on the website) and wonderful baked goods. Sweet place for a nice lunch and worth checking out anyway. There is a location in Andover as well but it is just a bakery.

There is a recipe for duck confit in Lora Brody's slow cooker cookbook. Apparently it can be done. I wouldn't buy the book, though. For marie-louise--the crockpot I have is a Rival SmartPot that turns off and goes to warm after the programmed time. I am out of the house for the same amount of time and that's why I wanted one like that. However, it sucks. #1 it's way too hot, the lid doesn't fit properly, the outside gets hot, liquids boil on the low setting and the lid dances & sputters--water vapor does escape from the ill-fitting lid, so at least that takes care of the reduction problem! but it's not really what you want if you're going to leave something unattended. #2 you are locked into either 4 or 6 hours on High or 8 or 10 hours on Low. When the cycle finishes it goes into Warm mode but you CANNOT turn Warm on otherwise. This presents a huge problem if you see that the food is done and want to end the cycle but hold it for a while, or if you are serving on a buffet. The Low setting is way too hot and will actually burn the food and curdle your creamed soups. Toughens meat, too. This is the one I have, but I have a slightly older model. They at least put a plastic handle on it so we wouldn't burn our fingers on its blistering exterior. If anyone has a better solution for those of us who are out of the house for more than 10 hours, or can't plan to be home at a certain time, I'd love to hear it.

It was me--so glad you liked it.

I'll try this one--here's a few thoughts: A coffeeshop has a more limited menu. Short enough to be posted on the wall rather than published in an 8-page folio. Not open for dinner.

Either do it by hand w/ a microplane or do as KatieLoeb suggested (I do this too): grate in the food processor, then put in the metal blade and pulse until the pieces are small enough. It doesn't really make them finer, though--just shorter. But if you keep processing, you'll end up with carrot pulp anyway--soft like baby food but without the additives.

It's an older home--1920s. Which makes it even sillier because there's nothing modern about the architecture and details of the house. How badly they want to sell? This is NJ--I think they would laugh in my face. Very helpful, thanks. Interesting that the author was told not to use cast iron on her glass cooktop. I wonder if that is just a liability issue so that if you drop the pan and break the cooktop, it's not under warranty? I'm pretty sure that glass is just not my style, though it may work for other people who are just as serious about cooking! Or more. We had regular electric coils when I was growing up, and although I enjoyed cooking then, it was really a breakthrough when we moved to a house with a gas range.

Does anyone else think that carrot cakes are generally too light in color and taste? I like a darker brown color, not that pale tan. 100% dark brown sugar or even a mix of brown sugar and molasses. I don't think oil in cake is necessarily bad. David Lebovitz's magnificent Fresh Ginger Cake calls for a cup of oil and it works very well. I'm not saying melted butter in carrot cake would be so bad, though... My mother requests carrot cake nearly every year on her birthday, so I'm quite interested in finding the perfect one. She likes them dark and definitely not too sweet.

Thanks for all the comments. The listing states that it is a brand new cooktop--probably just replaced a gas range, since 95% of the properties where I am looking have them. That means that the gas line would be in place. But I know that it would be one of the last things to get done, because I just couldn't justify swapping out something that's in perfectly good condition when there will undoubtedly be more important things to fix. So if we bought it, I would be using it for at least a few years. From your comments, I can guess that my experience cooking on it would be OK but not great. And that I would melt a little plastic in the process.

We're looking for our first house and of course the kitchen is a big consideration. Today, I found myself dismissing an unseen house out-of-hand because it had a glass stovetop. Am I being ridiculous?

Great! Let's say Tuesday. Thursday is our actual moving day so that might be rough. 7:00 good?

Does that mean you're not coming?

Is anyone interested in meeting Mr. Babyluck & myself at China 46 any weeknight M-Th between now and next Thursday, July 1? I've been working in Ridgefield for over a year now and haven't gone there yet. Seems the group dinners are always on a weekend night and it is much more convenient for me to do after work. I haven't gone there for lunch because (1) someone mentioned it is much better for dinner, and (2) I don't want anyone from the office to go with me except for one Chinese woman who probably wouldn't want to go with me. I have held myself over with trips to Han ah Reum, where the food court is much more lunch-hour friendly. We are moving to Manhattan on July 2. I will miss Han ah Reum terribly and feel awful that I haven't been to C46. Please help me assuage my guilt. I would love to have some of you join us to guide us through the menu if you can make it. (Fridays are no good for me because we get out early during the summer.) P.S. Don't feel too bad for me. We are moving to an office 2 blocks away from Kalustyan's. How lucky can one girl get?

I would concur--I totally love the place but the food is hit-or-miss. Loved the stout. We liked one of the beers so much that we got a jug to take home but it was flat when we opened it the next day. Guess that's a tricky thing to get right?

I think you will be quite happy, if not blown away, by Momotaro. Good introduction to Japanese food for a beginner since it is quite a homey atmosphere and the non-sushi dishes are very well prepared and never overcooked. Also, just to clarify, the Thai place is just called Thailand, not The Thai House. I love Mojave Grill & Theresa's, and the Indian places on 27, but they are more of a time commitment. Brian, are you sure it's Paterson you're thinking of? It's more like 40 minutes from Clark.

I worked in Clark for 5 years and in fact I just came back from Bally's there. I really don't think there's anything within short walking distance from the hotel. The only interesting place to eat would be the White Diamond, but that's probably a little more casual than you're looking for! Less interesting, but good: Momotaro, dependable & charming Japanese, Tarantella's, probably better for lunch, their dining room is kind of blah, The Thai House, downmarket Thai in an old diner, food is par for the course for suburban NJ. There is an "Irish" pub called Molly McGuire's that used to be Casual Times. I haven't been there since they changed their image but it is one of those places that has good food and is definitely preferable to Bennigan's. Speaking of which, don't let anyone drag you to Steak & Ale or Chili's. Steak & Ale is OK during the day but depressing at night. For a relaxing and uplifting dinner, I would definitely say Momotaro. I don't think there are any expensive restaurants in Clark. I have a soft spot for it but it's really just a parkway exit.