Everything And The Kitchen Sink

 Kitchen sinks are often not thought of as being a vital part of a kitchen, yet they are. They're part of the prepping process along with being the key to clean up. They should not only be in sync with the surrounding decor but in good working order too.

Sinks have been around since our Neanderthal days. These early ones were simply a rock with a concave middle i n which rain water collected. Hopefully our ancestors knew to wash greens and veggies  plucked form the dirt or washing excess blood from animals before roasting them. Throughout history castles had some kind of sink and drainage in the kitchen.It wasn't until the 1800's that a proper kitchen sink was invented. They were first made of metal and were basically a sink within a sink. These metal troughs were built into cabinets and home chefs then used them for the same purposes we do now, washing and cleaning food, utensils and dishes along with pots and pans. Wealthy homes had copper or nickel silver ones. The last is an alloy made from a combination of zinc copper and nickel. Poorer homes probably had ones made from tin. Rich homeowners had what's known as a butler's sink, one that's inserted into a counter  where food prep happened. Other homes had what's known as farmer's sinks which has a sink on the edge of a counter ,making ti easier to do washing. By the 1920's homes had indoor plumbing and that meant sturdier sinks. They were usually made from manganese silicon and carbon. Porcelain was standard after the Second world War.

Now sinks can be any style and made from any material, There are a lot of choices to choose from if you are looking to replace. your old one Many homeowners have fallen in love with stainless steel sinks. These are low maintenance and require very little upkeep (unlike porcelain ones that have to be constantly scrubbed and bleached). However they do show water spots and scratches They have different thicknesses called gauges, yet it doesn;t really matter about the thickness.Granite sinks are also at the top of the popularity list. They are not only pretty but sturdy. Old school copper is another fine choice and thanks to its' consistency copper sinks are always hand wrought. it will come with a patina, or shiny finish which will brown over the years. This is normal due to being exposed to air and water. You can also choose another sturdy material - namely  stainless steel. These retain their beauty for decades if they have an enamel coating .Otherwise they will rust.Other materials used are fire clay, a type of ceramic fired to dry at high temps. You can also go for stone or enamel acrylic or solid surface sinks are less expensive than all of these however they have to be treated with kid gloves. They can easily scratch if scoured with steel wool pads.

Sinks are one of the most vital parts of a kitchen. They help in prep and washing up. Choose one that fits your needs.

Tea And The Perfect Kettle

One of the best things about chilly winter days is a soothing hot cup of tea. It's more refreshing than a coffee and lighter on the palate than hot cocoa.What makes the perfect tea? The perfect kettle, of course!!

What is the perfect kettle? I had to ask myself that today as I browsed both the Target site and Target's actual shelves. Our old kettle's handle broke, ending thirteen - fourteen? years of constant service.(it's seen in this blog's signature photo) We not only heated water for endless cups of tea - but also for instant espresso, hot cocoa ,oatmeal and instant soups. It could have lasted for another decade - save for the plastic handle breaking.  A tea kettle is vital to any household, especially one as tea addicted as mine. Going out to buy one was a must.I had wanted a stainless steel one, like our other. That was until I saw this beauty.

It's from Chantal (29.99 from Target) and what drew me to her (is she like Mrs.Potts from Beauty And The Beast?) is the sleekness. I love the ergonomic handle that makes her easy to lift and pour. Another big selling point was the lever on the handle's underside, It automatically lifts the spout cover. This is a huge plus  because it  was a pain to always lift the old kettle's cover.That required a a pot holder to do this. She is also a whistler - another bonus.

This tea kettle is a bit more delicate than the other. It is completely coated in enamel which means it can't handle intense heat for long periods of time.If the enamel melts she becomes  a fancy watering can for the garden.She  also only holds two quarts while the old kettle could handle about three and a half to four quarts.Still, she is a beauty , especially with that glossy, shiny navy blue coating.She is going to be handled with care. .The interior needs to be washed if there are any mineral build up which unfortunately will happen  thanks to us having hard water.. Luckily there is an instruction booklet and it suggests washing  away any mineral build up  by boiling white vinegar and water for twenty minutes. How can you tell when that happens? The kettle's interior will have a white powdery deposit, thanks to a high  magnesium and calcium content,It can be a real pain to remove if left untreated for long periods of time.

What makes for a good cup of tea? My Chantal tea kettle. I look forward to many cups of tea with her.