Almost every home in modern society has a kitchen. This room dedicated entirely to cooking is something everyone is familiar with. Most people don't know how different their modern room is from its original predecessor.
Even people in Neolithic times had a kitchen of some sort. It was where everyone gathered together to cook the kills that were brought in. There is evidence of cooking in caves, in the remains of the plains peoples, and in almost every early culture. It was in Roman times that this room took on a stronger identity.
In the days of the Roman empire, slaves were in charge of cooking. The wealthy families did not want to be associated with the lowest class of their culture, so cooking was done in a room of its own, the kitchen. Stoves and ovens in this room were also used for heat so the bathroom was oddly enough attached to the kitchen in these early days.
The lower classes in Rome had to share their kitchen with other families. Some people were able to afford portable bronze stoves. The stove itself originated however in Japan and was called a kamado. The kamado was fired with wood or charcoal and had a hole in the top as well as one in its front. Pots of food were put through the hole in the top, where they would hang by a rim of the pot until they were ready. The Japanese also had a room with a fire pit in it, used for cooking side dishes. This was called an irori and was their version of a room just for cooking.
In the middle ages or Medieval times, European kitchens resembled longhouses from the Iroquois nations of North America. A fire was built beneath the highest peak of the house and a hole in the roof let the smoke out somewhat. However, at some point it became important to have more socializing going on in a person's house and all the smoke made this difficult. The kitchen became a separate room and in some cases a separate building altogether. After the advent of the chimney, cooking was improved because smoke was easier to direct away from the room in which dishes were to be cooked.
Far from having its own building in modern ages, the kitchen has now evolved to being defined by what it holds. Some kitchens are considered 'eat-in' while others are meant for the true cooking connoisseur. A room meant for cooking will usually require a sink, a stove, a refrigerator and cabinets. Add to this an oven, a microwave and a dishwasher, and you have a modern Western kitchen.
A kitchen is still vital to a house and almost every home has one in one form or another. Some are meant for aspiring chefs, and others are going to be more specific to the family. Some kitchens are modest and some are bigger than other people's living rooms. No matter the size, the influence of the kitchen is still felt today.
Even people in Neolithic times had a kitchen of some sort. It was where everyone gathered together to cook the kills that were brought in. There is evidence of cooking in caves, in the remains of the plains peoples, and in almost every early culture. It was in Roman times that this room took on a stronger identity.
In the days of the Roman empire, slaves were in charge of cooking. The wealthy families did not want to be associated with the lowest class of their culture, so cooking was done in a room of its own, the kitchen. Stoves and ovens in this room were also used for heat so the bathroom was oddly enough attached to the kitchen in these early days.
The lower classes in Rome had to share their kitchen with other families. Some people were able to afford portable bronze stoves. The stove itself originated however in Japan and was called a kamado. The kamado was fired with wood or charcoal and had a hole in the top as well as one in its front. Pots of food were put through the hole in the top, where they would hang by a rim of the pot until they were ready. The Japanese also had a room with a fire pit in it, used for cooking side dishes. This was called an irori and was their version of a room just for cooking.
In the middle ages or Medieval times, European kitchens resembled longhouses from the Iroquois nations of North America. A fire was built beneath the highest peak of the house and a hole in the roof let the smoke out somewhat. However, at some point it became important to have more socializing going on in a person's house and all the smoke made this difficult. The kitchen became a separate room and in some cases a separate building altogether. After the advent of the chimney, cooking was improved because smoke was easier to direct away from the room in which dishes were to be cooked.
Far from having its own building in modern ages, the kitchen has now evolved to being defined by what it holds. Some kitchens are considered 'eat-in' while others are meant for the true cooking connoisseur. A room meant for cooking will usually require a sink, a stove, a refrigerator and cabinets. Add to this an oven, a microwave and a dishwasher, and you have a modern Western kitchen.
A kitchen is still vital to a house and almost every home has one in one form or another. Some are meant for aspiring chefs, and others are going to be more specific to the family. Some kitchens are modest and some are bigger than other people's living rooms. No matter the size, the influence of the kitchen is still felt today.
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For more options of fully assembled or fitted kitchens, check out the Wren Kitchens website. Range includes both modern as well as traditional styles. Please visit the showroom at Howden to check out the ranges. Also use the free online kitchen planner tool to design your dream kitchen.
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