On 1/20/2024 at 12:51 PM, Smithy said:
I had the unfortunate and wild (to me) experience of moving into an apartment with NO DRAWERS in the kitchen some years back. This was in northern Minnesota, you understand, so a very different culinary perspective. I had to set up several baskets and bins that sat atop the kitchen counter to accommodate the flatware, napkins and cooking utensils (spatulas, stirring spoons, knives, etc.) that I felt I needed. If you don't use drawers, where do you keep those things? Do you really use so much fewer than we do? Please show where you store them, and what they are. I may have to reassess my kitchen.
I anticipated someone asking this.
First, I must say my kitchen and the average Chinese family's kitchen probably differ. I cook western food about 25% of the time which my neighbours don't. Different cuisines; different techniques; different tools.
For example, the most used tools, maybe the only tools in a Chinese kitchen are a cleaver, a wok scoop/spatula, a ladle and a strainer which normally hang on the wall beside the burner unit. Mine hang there, too for easy access, but my collection of 'essentials' is wider. Here is my kitchen wall in the rental before last.
The strainer on the left, the wok scoop on the right and the ladle right of centre would be enough for my neighbours. Most wouldn't even know what the others are for, especially the microplane. One tool is missing, I notice. My fish descaler. Must have been a fish night.
Smaller items usually sit on countertops in containers like this.
This one is about 8 inches tall. It usually contains large spoons, a meat mallet, poultry shears etc. I also have a smaller one for teaspoons etc.
I have three of the larger ones, but my neighbours probably just the one. I'm a bit of a gadget addict.
Chopsticks live in dedicated boxes, either wall mounted or free-standing.
Image from online shopping site, Taobao
Knives and one of my sharpening steels are in a couple of knife blocks like this. The other steel is hanging on the wall.
Image from online shopping site, Taobao
OK. I'm a kitchen knife fetishist, too. My neighbours make do with a cleaver and maybe a paring knife.
I like this system My tools are always to hand* and I don't need to go rummaging in drawers when I need something.
At the same time, I see some advantages to drawers. I guess it's what you get used to that matters in the end.
* They aren't to hand at the moment. Emptying boxes with a (healing) broken back is a slow process. A friend is coming tomorrow to help.
