My friend lives in a very small home with three children. We were musing on how in the world did the pioneers manage to live, with good-size families, in one-room log cabins? So I’m going to explore this topic, for any of us who would like to pare down and live a little more simply.
Firstly, what was in a one-room log cabin? One corner of the room would have been the kitchen, with a fireplace over which to cook, or a wood-burning stove/oven, or both. I imagine their barrels of flour, beans and other foods might be stored here as well. Some pioneers were lucky enough to have a small pantry added to the cabin, or perhaps a cold cellar outside. But they had no refrigerator, and no sinks with running water. For tools they used skillets and pots just like us, but of course they didn’t have any electrical appliances. So if you want to simplify your kitchen, here are some challenges for you:
LEVEL I: Get rid of all processed foods. Learn to stick with natural and simple ingredients. The pioneers lived off of flour, cornmeal, beans, sugar, coffee, a kind of baking soda, lard, a few spices, salted, dried or fresh meat. If they were lucky they’d also grow or gather fresh herbs, vegetables and fruit, some of which they canned or dried for the winter. They might also have a cow for milk and butter, or hens for eggs and meat. It’s very satisfying making healthful meals from simple ingredients. Another plus is you’ll likely lose weight if you stop eating processed foods.
LEVEL II: Also get rid of those appliances you don’t use very often. These could include the waffle iron, the juicer, the rice steamer, even the electric mixer. Mine broke and I’ve just been using a hand masher ever since (although I do use my Cuisenart as a mixer sometimes).
LEVEL III: I dare you. Get rid of the microwave. I’ve done it. It’s easy to heat up leftovers on the stove, and they taste so much better. We also use our toaster-oven to heat food quickly.
LEVEL IV: For those who want to be authentic. Get rid of all small electrical appliances. Rely on hand-crank mixers and mashers. Chop your food by hand. Get a coffee percolator for the stove. The only thing I’d keep is the toaster or toaster-oven, because it’d be difficult and dangerous to toast bread over the flame or on an electric range. Imagine all of the counter space you’ll suddenly acquire if you take on this challenge! Your kitchen will look so nice and uncluttered. Of course, you should hang on to the fridge and stove/oven. And if you just cannot live without your Vita-Mix, blender, or Cuisenart, then choose one and try to live without the others for a few months. You might find you don’t really need it all that bad once it’s in storage for 6 months.