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Whatever Happend To Summer Kitchens
Years ago, a common feature on many farms was the summer kitchen. It was usually an airy porch or a small building near the house where the farm wife could prepare meals or preserve summer produce without creating heat and discomfort in the farmhouse.
Most of them are torn down now or are used for something else,
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Whatever Happend To Summer Kitchens FARM HOME Kitchen 5-5-27 Years ago, a common feature on many farms was the summer kitchen. It was usually an airy porch or a small building near the house where the farm wife could prepare meals or preserve summer produce without creating heat and discomfort in the farmhouse.
Most of them are torn down now or are used for something else, but Arlene Rigg, of Bishop Hill, Ill., wants to keep pleasant memories of a summer kitchen from her childhood alive. So, she and her husband, Dick, built a 12-ft. by 20-ft. summer kitchen from scrap lumber for under $200 on their 15-acre farm.
Their cozy summer kitchen includes antiques and furnishings from a bygone era. There is an old cookstove, a pie safe, cream separator, dry sink, icebox, butcher table, and many utensils and tools to give the kitchen a realistic and rustic feel.
"My family tells me I should have been born 100 years ago," Arlene says. "I collect antiques to help me preserve my memories of life on the farm the way it used to be. And I love baking."
Arlene has written a cookbook based on her experiences called "Summer Kitchen Memories". But there's more to it than just recipes. "It's not just a cookbook. It's a little trip down memory lane," she says. "It also includes pictures and illustrations from my summer kitchen."
Many people have come to Bishop Hill to talk to Arlene about fond memories and to try her home-made Norwegian and Swedish cooking out in the summer kitchen.
Arlene has also entertained some extra special guests at her summer kitchen. She baked a special cake for the King of Sweden a few years ago. And the Consulate General of Sweden tried some of her pastries another time.
Arlene's book is printed on heavy, plain brown paper ù similar to grocery bag paper. It even has a special binding made from her homespun wool. Her collection of authentic recipes and memories sells for $4.
To order a copy, or just to share a few memories, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Arlene Rigg, Box 11, Bishop Hill, Ill. 61419 (ph 309 927-3359).
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