I was enchanted to discover this California specific kitchen feature on Remodelista recently.
Called the California Cooler, this very specific sort of cupboard was California's answer to the root cellar (and an old-school sort of refrigerator). It was a popular pantry variation in homes and apartments constructed in the beginning of the 20th century.
Read on for details on how it works and why it might be a good idea to bring it back!
The California Cooler takes advantage of the West Coast's temperate climate by offering a pantry unit that has screen covered vents to let in cool outside air. Located on an outside wall of the kitchen, the cooler's openings have downward facing louvers on the outside to allow in air while at the same time keeping out the rain and screen or mesh covers on the inside to keep out insects. Occasionally, the cooler is not on the outside wall, but vented into a basement or arishaft. The shelves are also screen material, or wooden with holes drilled into them for circulation.
As the refrigerator came into common use, many California Coolers were covered over or converted to regular shelving. But today they are popular again, offering a cool, well-ventilated place to store fruits, vegetables and other pantry items. Some people claim that fruits and vegetables last longer in the cooler, a lot like they would in a root cellar, which is often not an option in California. It's not likely that California Coolers will replace refrigerators entirely but they do offer a clean, off the grid alternative for food storage. And that's not a bad thing!
For more information and photographs, visit these links. Be sure to read the comments where there is a lot of interesting California Cooler lore:
• Remodelista's kitchen remodel featuring a California Cooler
• Thy Tran's article in Bay Area Bites
• The Petch House
Related: A Communal Kitchen
(Image: Thy Tran from Bay Area Bites)
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that's a cool idea...but not something that would work in florida
My grandmother in England never had a refrigerator, just a cupboard similar to this for even her milk and cheese! It helps that she had it delivered twice a week and it was raw/fresh but how amazing to imagine how recent the refrigerator really is!
I've been wondering what the real name of these was for ages! These are very common in old San Francisco apartments, where I first encountered them. They do an excellent job of keeping pantry and produce items cool and the circulating air allows veggies a longer shelf life. One thing I noticed is that they always have strong locks / closures on them, since opening the doors can let quite a cold breeze into your home.
When I was a kid people in northern part of Russia used to have small boxes hanging outside the kitchen windows to store food, which would work especially well in winter.
There aren't very many places in California where something like this would work year-round. California is very geographically diverse. Here in the high desert having 105+F air allowed to circulate around foods for 4 months out of the year would be a bad thing.
We had one of these in an old apartment in Santa Barbara! The building was built at the turn of the century and had an airshaft coming up from the basement (it had a basement!) into the kitchen. It was the perfect pantry even on the second floor and it's one of the things I miss most about that apartment.
Well, that and the avocado tree out back.
One drawback to it in an apartment setting- it sounded like the downstairs neighbors were *in* our kitchen when they had a loud discussion near the pantry :)
I always wondered about these (living in SF myself) - but worried they might attract mice or other unwelcomes. Anyone ever have issues?
My mother grew up with a similar configuration. For a few years, my "pantry" was a 4'x6'x2' wire rack, underneath an air conditioning vent. I loved how the constant air circulation helped keep things fresher. If I ever build a house, I will have an a/c vent into the pantry.
I've had either one of these still in use or the obvious history of one in almost every Bay Area home I've lived in. And yes, it only works in climates like the inner Bay Area, Monterey, SB and other coastal spots. But it works well! I wouldn't keep milk in it, but fruit and vegetables lasted a long time in them.
Ours has sadly been stuccoed over, but our heating bill is probably happier since that cabinet doesn't like to stay shut.
@missstacy - we didn't have vermin issues in ours for the 5 years we were there, but we also have cats. Underneath the wooden slats was a tight-mesh screen that did a good job of keeping the pantry mouse-proofed.
Ack. I like the idea, but the one I had in San Francisco was a superhighway for ants.
I adore California Coolers! In one old apartment we discovered a tiny birds nest in there (after apparent screen failure), it was kinda sweet thinking you were sharing your kitchen with a bird family. I left mine intact during my recent kitchen renovation. I've been keeping wine, vinegars and oils in there, but I will have to give the veggies a try too.
We just discovered that we had one! So fascinating!
Trina
A country farmhouse