Kitchen remodeling, Franco style
I was at the university getting ready for my Spanish exam, and my girlfriend, who is responsible for design and remodeling, talked with a remodeler from the old school. Our apartment is mostly open space, loftlike I guess. We want to keep the old defining characteristics that you can't find anymore, while updating to make better use of the space. The kitchen is what they call an "american" kitchen, with a bar so the chef can talk with the guests or family directly while preparing the food.
So, the guy enters the apartment, and immediately starts talking without stopping, about what he would do. Change the original wooden windows and doors for aluminum, replace the gas stove with an electric one, put in a wall where the bar is to separate the kitchen and install a door so the chef could be completely isolated, and put in a cheapo drop ceiling and flourescent lights. He said he would call us when the estimate was ready.
I was surprised he didn't offer to tear out the marble counters and replace them with vinyl covered particle board. My girlfriend was just happy that he didn't break anything while he was wheeling about the apartment. I wanted to interview the old man for this post to get an idea of how those in his generation view the world, but the idea got vetoed because his office is just down the street.
As a side note, we're starting to see old Franco portraits for sale in the classified section of the local newspaper.
posted by Odysseus at 11:46 AM
4 Comments:
Hmmmm. He forgot the bar stools with stainless steel legs, and vinyl seats.
On the left coast of the good old US of A, we have plans to remodel our kitchen. We plan to go American style. Remove a Wall between the Family Room and the kitchen, then put in an Island with Bar Stools so I can cook while talking to my guests or family members. We also plan to do recessed lighting. We won't start to next Spring, but doing the planning now.
You however get to do this in Spain, while I get to do this in the Sierra Foothills of California.
Olive recipe for you. My wife and I got hooked on Spanish Olives when we were in Spain a year ago.
Get a sampling of cured Spanish Olives, then jarred in brine, or some type of vinegar based liquid. Pour out the liquid and risk the olives with water.
In a quart sized jar, add in the peels of one lemon, and one lime (julienned). Add in half a dozen, cracked, whole Garlic cloves. Add in a couple of sprigs or Thyme, and Rosemary. Add in some crushed red pepper flakes, and a few whole dried red peppers. Drain the mixed olives thoroughly then pour them into the jar. Get some good Spanish Olive Oil (Arbequino), and pour into the jar until the Olive mixture is covered. Seal the jar and shake it up to mix the spices fully throughout the mixture.
Within two days you can start pulling samples and eating. Eat within 3 months. As you eat more and more olives, the jar should have an excess of Oil. You can use the flavored Oil in Salad Dressing, or other cooking purposes.
FYI. If you go to winesearcher.com, you can track down supply of the Artadi, Vinas De Gain, 2003. Looks like the closest to you is a number of retailers in Barcelona.
Poco a poco, as they say here. We're interviewing more remodelers in the next few months.
That olive recipe looks excellent! I have a bead on some local olive oil that we love, and the central market is full of olives in brine. I'll let you know how it turns out. I've also sold my girlfriend on paying more than an euro for several bottles of the wine you've recommended, if only to see what we're missing, and we'll be in Barcelona in the beginning of July.
I'm a lighting nut. In my opinion, lighting makes all the difference in how people feel in a place. A lighting system (or lack of) that brightly shines directly in your eyes, like we had before on a ceiling mounted rack, is a good way to get rid of guests.
I imagine you'll have an easier time in Cal with your kitchen, but I wouldn't imagine it will come cheap, either. But you don't want to skimp on the kitchen. I can't wait to get a new gas stove with a special paella burner!
Hope you get a good dry summer!
I got the recipe for the Olives from a Chef in Berkeley, at a small Tapa restaurant there.
Enjoy.
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