Terrifying Technology

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This morning we began the task of familiarising our new kitchen and slowly returning items to it.

Kitchen 1

Here is a reasonably complete view across the sink to the long work surface. To the left we have the fridge/freezer and ovens alongside the larder, opposite which are the induction hobs.

Fridge/freezer, ovens, cupboards

Alongside these latter is the small cupboard bearing Richard’s new door.

Dining areaSink and dining area

 

Looking across the sink area to the long window we have the dining table.

Jackie by bins

There is a cluster of waste bins under the sink.

I needed Jackie’s assistance to microwave my coffee this morning. She remembered this process, but found

Jackie with instruction books

the rest of the instruction booklets rather daunting.

Needless to say the room will now need expert decorating to do justice to the work of Kitchen Makers and Crestwood. We will have to wait for the money from France for that.

Much of the day was spent carrying items in from the library, wiping off the dust, and placing them in cupboards. We have decided to keep the free-standing Chinese cabinet in the kitchen in order to display the glasses. It also blends well with Richard’s oak shelving.

This evening we dined on a second helping of Mr Chan’s Hordle Chinese Take Away with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Concha y Toro.

164 comments

  1. Beautiful! What a difference! When all is settled, I expect Jackie will be in kitchen heaven. By the by…Great picture of her.

  2. And a sigh of relief was breathed. The kitchen looks wonderful, very bright. After it gets a bit “lived in” it will be perfect.

  3. Love Jackie’s expression :). I can so relate to this post its been a year and I am still learning new things about my range. I also recently learned by mistake the new refrigerator has a alarm which scared the hell out of us. I wish you both luck in this world of technology..lol

    1. That’s hilarious – why on earth would a refrigerator need an alarm? – Actually if it could alert me to the rotting vegetables I bought with good intention but never ate, that WOULD be a help.

  4. Jackie’s expression! 🙂 The kitchen is beautiful. The company did great work–as you’ve been documenting. I’m sure Jackie will get the hang of all the new technology before very long–and we will all be drooling over the photos of her delicious dinners.

  5. 😀 We don’t often see Jackie wearing anything less than a thoroughly gleeful expression, so this shot is priceless and says it all! The kitchen is thoroughly gorgeous – I can even imagine myself cooking up a storm in there!

    1. That’s a good idea Brian, but I will settle for a drink of champagne to go with the first meal I manage to produce with this very hi-tec kitchen!

  6. Looking lovely! I know exactly how Jackie is feeling having perused the instructions of new equipment. At the end of the day, all you need is a switch to turn the oven on, not several that heat up either the top, bottom or side either with or without fan whilst cleaning the inside during optimum cooking time. It’s all too much ???

  7. The kitchen looks fantastic! It’s so bright and airy! Try to enjoy it and don’t stress too much with the new equipment…you’ll figure it out. Jackie’s expression is priceless! 🙂

  8. Love it! You will be so happy there! I like your decision to keep the free standing cabinet. It fits perfectly. It will take some getting used to the high tech aspects, but you will both soon be navigating the kitchen like experts!

  9. The placid facade holds formidable technology in its folds. Jackie might appreciate a kitchen robot that assists her with the gadgetry, or something like Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa to communicate her wishes to the electronics in moments of confusion. You can even send instructions for the fridge, oven and dishwashers even while you are roaming in the forests!

  10. Kitchen looks wonderful – No doubt somethings will need time to get used to . My crazy oven with all its electrical programming still does my head in.

  11. An induction cooktop! … is it all it’s cracked up to be?

    Jackie, your terror-face is worthy of immortality!… when all else fails, there’s always google. 😀

    1. Yes it is, at least that is my humble opinion. I have been a life long user of gas when cooking, now if I had the choice between gas or Induction cooking, (I don’t as there is no gas in this area) I would choose to have induction. It reacts in the same way as gas, you can turn the rings up and down and get an instant reaction just as you would with a gas ring, it rarely gets so hot that you could not wipe a spill off the ring immediately with a cloth held in an ungloved hand! That I find amazing. It is all done somehow, with magnets, only draw back is that you need to have pans that are able to react to magnets, iron,or steel, it won’t work with aluminium as I found to my cost. Once you have your new set of pans then you’re all set. Last but not least, cleaning it is a doddle! smooth glass top one wipe and you are done. On my model the control button that you can see is held in place magnetically, just lift it off and wipe! J

      1. I second everything you say, Jackie. When I moved to France I had the choice of bottled gas (which I had once before and hated) or induction. I had always thought nothing could beat natural gas but honestly induction wins on every score and since I had a good set of le creuset I was all set with no further investment. That said I would advise that when buying pans you keep receipts because I have been bitten once by a new frying pan that said it worked on induction and didn’t. Your kitchen is absolutely gorgeous …. a triumph and fitting of a culinary Queen. Enjoy it all ?

  12. I love your new kitchen. It is looking really gorgeous and the standing cabinet looks like it was a part of the kitchen really. I am sure Jackie the culinary Queen will have lots of fun cooking meals in this well-organised kitchen. I miss the beautiful kitchen I had in my house in France as the one I have here is so old that I don’t even feel like cooking in it. I believe it is as old as the house which is more than 35 years old now and that’s a lot as per Dubai standards.

  13. The perfect expression for the maze of instructions that comes with technology. I pine for the old days when kitchens had appliances rather than “technology”. To my enormous surprise when I purchased a new stove not too long ago the broiler pan was considered an add on item and had to be purchased separately. Who would have guessed that?! Certainly not me. And what arrived was a 9 x 11 flat tin that just sits (or rather floats around) on the bottom of the oven. Rather than fitting into slots and pulling in and out like a rack. This new design is perfect for pouring meat juice on your feet.
    Nothing like a kitchen remodel to get people talking!!!!

  14. Whoopeee, finished! It looks fabulous, and I love the colour scheme and the layout and appliances. I agree with the previous comments on gas vs induction. If I had my druthers I’d swap over, even though I’ve always preferred gas before. Great expression on Jackie’s face. I imagine that bottle on the window is no more by now?

  15. This was so amusing seeing Jackie’s face full of puzzlement and letting us know you two show such amenable and joyous times together. ? ?
    The free standing China cabinet is gorgeous and fits right into your new cabinets!
    Did you mean to say Chinese or China cabinet, Derrick? You hopefully don’t mind my old “teacher” role to ask!? ?
    I use my microwave often but my son has been staying here so we cook more on the stove, plus I made cookies this weekend. Maybe your new kitchen is motivating me, or maybe staying inside and cozy is my respite before the new week begins.

  16. Holy! That looks amazing! Hello hello and congratulations on getting it all together. I love that cabinet style and your slim refridgerator! Very smart and well done 😀 How’s it working out?

  17. That was so beautiful….. The serenity in that home ..? …would naturally pop open your creative hub….residents in this krib got lots of space to birth awesome inventions

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