Kitchen Tour: Kittie’s Precision Micro Kitchen
Kittie lives in a 170 square foot studio, so you can imagine how small her kitchen must be. The original Pullman kitchen dated from the 1920’s and was like a narrow closet behind french doors.
When Kittie renovated her apartment, she knew she wanted to build a working kitchen regardless of how miniaturized it would have to be. Unlike many New Yorkers who use their micro apartment as an excuse to eat out every night, Kittie feels strongly that it “is possible to make real meals in a tiny studio kitchen, even with no range and minimal equipment.” So she does.
To prove her point, upon my arrival at her apartment, Kittie handed me a list of dishes she creates, using only her microwave, single-burner cooktop, crockpot, and immersion blender:
BREAKFASTS: BACON & EGGS, FRENCH TOAST, PANCAKES, HOT OATMEAL
SOUPS: CARROT & GINGER, CREAM OF LEEK & POTATO, CHICKEN VEGETABLE
BEEF & BARLEY, BROCCOLI CHEESE, MINESTRONE, SPLIT PEA, LENTIL VEGETABLE
CASSEROLES & STEWS: BEEF IN RED WINE, CHICKEN CASSOULET, VEGETABLE CURRY
CHICKEN & RICE, BEEF STROGANOFF, VEGETARIAN 3-BEAN CHILI
PASTA: FETTUCINE ALFREDO, SPAGHETTI PRIMAVERA, CHICKEN & MUSHROOM RIGATONE
MEXICAN: CHICKEN FAJITAS, BLACK BEAN NACHOS & HOME-MADE QUESO
DESSERTS: JAM SPONGE PUDDING & CUSTARD, NUTMEG RICE PUDDING, LEMON SHORTBREAD COOKIES, CHOCOLATE COOKIES
Kittie’s Response to The Kitchn Survey
What’s your cooking style?
Simple, easy-to-fix healthy meals.
What inspires your kitchen?
Memories of “baking day” with my Mum
What is your favorite kitchen tool or element?
I love the fact that I was bold enough to create a kitchen that looks like a stylish cocktail bar, and that I can actually cook real food in it using only a small microwave, a single-burner cooktop and a crock-pot
Best cooking advice or tip you ever received:
Learn the basics before you get creative! (I’ve eaten a lot of “experiments”, not all successful!)
Biggest challenge in your kitchen:
The size – it’s a 51″ wide x 21″ deep recess in a 10′ x 17′ studio!
Biggest indulgence:
The natural stone tile, and the granite counter that looks like clear ocean water rippling over sand.
Dream tool or splurge:
Someone else to actually do the cooking for me
What are you cooking this week?
Spinach Breakfast Omelettes, Home-made Chicken Vegetable Soup, 3-Bean Vegetarian Chili, Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
What cookbook has inspired you the most?
“The Farmhouse Book of Cookery” given to me as a wedding present 32 years ago by a lovely, elderly family friend.
What’s the most memorable meal you’ve ever cooked in this kitchen?
Pear, Gorgonzola & Walnut Salad, Pasta Primavera with Light Parmesan Sauce, Steamed Individual Raspberry Sponges and Custard (not healthy, but a yummy treat!)
Resources
Wall Tile: Daltile natural stone brick mosaic in champagne gold
Granite: Sourced locally
Lighting: Natural onyx pendant lights, sadly now unavailable
Cabinets: Thomasville from Home Depot, natural maple
Cabinet Pulls: Mosaic satin nickel
Filler Pull-out: Rev-A-Shelf
In-cabinet pull-out drawers: Custom from customdrawerboxes.com
Bar Stools: Lattice from homedecorators.com
Refrigerator: Avanti 19″w under-counter with real freezer
Cooktop: Sunpentown portable single burner ceramic cooktop, fitted into custom pull-out drawer so it doesn’t take up counter space
Sink: Inexpensive Kindred bar sink, fancy Danze faucet and deck-mount, soap dispenser from Overstock
Microwave: Haier, the smallest available to fit in my 12″ deep island cabinets
Small Appliances: Toaster, small crock-pot, immersion stick-blender, stock/soup pot & frying pan
Dishes: Overstock
Glassware: Mikasa Cheers Pastel
• Check out the rest of Kittie’s Home on Apartment Therapy.
• Kitchen Tour Archive: Check out past kitchen tours here
We’re always looking for real kitchens from real cooks.
Submit your kitchen here.