Kitchens [antikvár]

INTRODUCTIONRECIPES FOR DELICIOUS KITCHENSVkitchens are as varied, inspiring, and delicious as the food that's served forth in^^^TV this bounteous state. The tasty kitchens of some of Cahfornia's top interior designers, \ % * architects, and chefs are presented on these pages for inspiration. ^ CaUfornia kitchens are comfortable, easy-going, and surprisingly traditional in style. While you might expect Californians to be experimental and willing to leap on the newest trends, most opt for familiar styles with a twist. ^ Berkeley chef Alice Waters's kitchen has a big bay window, a brick fireplace, and a large copper sink that glints and gleams at her as she rinses fragrant herbs and vegetables fresh from her garden. Napa Valley chef Thomas Keller, owner of The French Laundry, loves classical music playing on the stereo, fresh flowers, baskets of farm vegetables, a good stock of extra-virgin olive oils, and Champagne chilling in the refrigerator. Oakland chef Paul Bertolli, co-owner of Oliveto, likes to have a fireplace for grilling, his own home-brewed balsamic vinegars, and a view of vegetables flourishing in his garden. ^ Once kitchens were afterthoughts, laboratories, or drab and unfulfilling utilitarian corners hidden below stairs. Today they are the most used, enjoyed, and lived-in part of a house or apartment. ^ Kitchens today must be much more than just a place for cooking. Now they are action-central the hub of the house. They have to perform well as an arena for preparing, cooking, and enjoying meals; as a family room; and as an inviting place for socializing. They should also provide efficient and decorative storage. Ideally they will accomplish it all with style. ^ That's why billions of dollars are spent every year updating and improving old kitchens. Even a kitchen that was remodeled ten or fifteen years ago is probably very outdated with unfashionable appliances and colors, and an unworkable, time-wasting layout. ^ In this book, you will find hundreds of style ideas and practical recommendations as well as provocative opinions from trend-setting chefs and architects. You'll also notice that the emphasis here is on designing a kitchen to suit your needs not for the resale value or to follow design trends, and especially not to impress others. Many of the pleasures of a truly satisfying kitchen are spelled out here, and you're encouraged to dream, imagine, and open your mind to new possibilities for your kitchen. Rather than letting name-brand appliances or plastic laminate counters dictate