The kitchen really is the heart of the home. It's the first place family and friends gather, not only to prepare and eat food, but to chat, sip tea, snack on home-baked cookies, unwind after a tough day, and reconnect with loved ones. The latest in the Simple Pleasures series of books, Simple Pleasures of the Kitchen captures the essence of the kitchen. It offers a cornucopia of recipes, food-based crafts, and family activities, as well as stories from kitchens around the world. Simple Pleasures of the Kitchen is a book―and a gift―sure to warm anyone's heart, no matter what the weather. Organized by season, the book offers: Spring Flings - The Savor of Summer - Autumn's Abundance - Cozying Up in Winter Susannah Seton's Simple Pleasures books continually delight readers with their down-home, heart-warming recipes, crafts, and activities that bring the whole family together. Susannah Seton is the author of Simple Pleasures of the Home , Simple Pleasures of the Garden , Simple Pleasures for the Holidays , and coauthor of Simple Pleasures: Soothing Suggestions and Small Comforts for Living Well YearRound . She lives in Berkeley, California, with her husband and daughter. Simple Pleasures of the Kitchen Recipes, Crafts, and Comforts from the Heart of the Home By Susannah Seton Red Wheel / Weiser, LLC Copyright © 2005 Susannah Seton All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-57324-871-6 Contents AcknowledgmentsForewordA Kitchen Love AffairSpring FlingsThe Savor of SummerAutumn's AbundanceCozying Up In Winter CHAPTER 1 Spring Flings Blest be those feasts, with simple plenty crowned, Where all the ruddy familyaround ... —Oliver Goldsmith Other People's Kitchens I love to travel for pleasure and need to travel for work, but I've spent enoughtime in hotel rooms. That's why, if I plan to be in an area for a week or more,I rent a place with a kitchen. Nothing relaxes me more after a hard day's workor a long day of sightseeing than to putter around a kitchen creating awonderful meal. I once rented a house in Norfolk, England, because it was called "The MustardPot" and was shaped like a condiment container. The house was on an estate, anddelightful. In addition to a large, fully equipped kitchen, there was a glassed-inporch. The estate called it "The Conservatory." No matter how rainy anddreadful the weather proved to be, there was a glorious sunset visible from thatroom. A small dining table and chairs enabled us to eat all our meals and drinkour wine overlooking the beautiful fields as the colors changed from pastel tosaturated to the velvet tones of night. In Cornwall, the large farmhouse kitchen was a welcome refuge from traffic lanesthat were little more than trails, with room for only one car at a time andhedges so tall one couldn't see past them. A simple trip to the pub or the newsagent's was enough to send me scurrying back to the warmth of the large oaktable and the nested metal mixing bowls. I was perfectly happy to stay in thekitchen. The long, narrow, well-equipped kitchen at Culzean Castle in Scotlandgave me the view over the cliffs toward Arran and Ireland through narrow,sparkling windows while rabbits scurried and pheasants strolled under the windowin the warm May sunshine. Cape Cod kitchens retained the pungent sea odors as Isautéed scallops or unwrapped fried clam strips. Suburban kitchens reeked ofLemon Pledge and Mr. Clean, while city kitchens often retained the aromas ofChinese takeout and Mexican salsa. I venture into the kitchen at parties, offering to help prepare food. I wanderin and attack the pile of dishes that accumulate in the sink. Parties aredifficult for a shy person. But in the kitchen, I can participate in anactivity, and it makes it easier for me to converse with strangers. "'Can youhelp me find the dishwashing liquid?" is easier for me to say than, "I hear Nobuis still hot." Time spent in a kitchen makes me feel included in the life of the community. I'ma participant instead of an onlooker. I can see, smell, taste, feel, and hearthe nurturing, nourishing aspects of the time and space I inhabit. That gives mean awareness and appreciation for the world around me. Kitchens make thepersonal universal and the universal personal. My own hearth is the heart of myhome. Other people's kitchens allow me to honor their hearts and hearths. —Christiane Van de Velde Some people like to paint pictures, or do gardening, or build a boat in thebasement. Other people get a tremendous pleasure out of the kitchen, becausecooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, or woodcarving, or music. —Julia Child Easy Spring Decorating • Brighten up your kitchen table with a new look—a piece of oilcloth in a brightfloral pattern or a few yards of gingham, both available at fabric stores. Ortry a flat single bed sheet. • Buy a flat of wheatgrass at the health food store and place it in the center ofthe table for a patch of green in early spring when you are