Kitchen Quotes

“Even when I try to stir myself up, I just get irritated because I can't make anything come out. And in the middle of the night I lie here thinking about all this. If I don't get back on track somehow, I'm dead, that's the sense I get. There isn't a single strong emotion inside me.”
― Banana Yoshimoto

“There are times when wisdom cannot be found in the chambers of parliament or the halls of academia but at the unpretentious setting of the kitchen table.”
― E.A. Bucchianeri

“The place I like best in this world is the kitchen. No matter where it is, no matter what kind, if it’s a kitchen, if it’s a place where they make food, it’s fine with me. Ideally it should be well broken in. Lots of tea towels, dry and immaculate. Where tile catching the light (ting! Ting!)”
― Banana Yoshimoto, Kitchen

“It's the smell of him in the bathroom, all I need to get ready for the day. Watching him get dressed, and the sound in the kitchen; a slow hum of a song and his movements, picking things to eat. The way I could observe him, for hours, just go on with his day – or as he sleeps – simply breathing in and out, in and out, and it's like the hymn that sings me to peace.
I know the world is still out there and I know I'm not yet friendly to its pace, but as long as I know him with me, here, there, somewhere – us – I know I have a chance.”
― Charlotte Eriksson

“I was also sick of my neighbors, as most Parisians are. I now knew every second of the morning routine of the family upstairs. At 7:00 am alarm goes off, boom, Madame gets out of bed, puts on her deep-sea divers’ boots, and stomps across my ceiling to megaphone the kids awake. The kids drop bags of cannonballs onto the floor, then, apparently dragging several sledgehammers each, stampede into the kitchen. They grab their chunks of baguette and go and sit in front of the TV, which is always showing a cartoon about people who do nothing but scream at each other and explode. Every minute, one of the kids cartwheels (while bouncing cannonballs) back into the kitchen for seconds, then returns (bringing with it a family of excitable kangaroos) to the TV. Meanwhile the toilet is flushed, on average, fifty times per drop of urine expelled. Finally, there is a ten-minute period of intensive yelling, and at 8:15 on the dot they all howl and crash their way out of the apartment to school.” (p.137)”
― Stephen Clarke, A Year in the Merde

“Afterwards, they always had tea in the kitchen, much the nicest room in the house.”
― Flora Thompson

“We quickly became friends with other art faculty members such as the ceramist Jim Leedy and his wife Jean and art historian/artist Bill Kortlander and his wife Betty. I also began taking classes in Southeast Asian history with John Cady, who had resigned from his position at the U.S.[CB4] [mo5]  State Department because he thought it would be a huge mistake to get involved in a “land war in Southeast Asia.” In 1966, his warnings were starting to become all too obvious as the Vietnam war grew and protests against it emerged. Dr. Cady was in the thick of the protests and was even being shadowed by the F.B.I. After I finished my BFA in art in 1966, I began work on a master’s degree in history at Dr. Cady’s urging. He and his wife became frequent guests at our parties”
― Mallory M. O'Connor, The Kitchen and the Studio: A Memoir of Food and Art

“This is terrific. What a gorgeous kitchen. You’ve decorated it so beautifully. Now you’re going to have to clear all the counters. Vases. Books. Knickknacks. Get rid of all that stuff. I mean, it is just beautiful. Beautiful. I love what you’ve done with this house. Make sure you put it all away.” ~Real estate agent (p.76)”
― Dominique Browning, Slow Love: How I Lost My Job, Put on My Pajamas, and Found Happiness

“My mom absolutely LOVED all things English, so it’s not too surprising that she loved English tea parties. When she and I traveled—which was frequently—we often found ourselves in locations (Vancouver, Ottawa, London, Bath, Cardiff, to name a few) where we could take advantage of that lovely English custom of “taking tea.” So, for a special surprise party, I invited a dozen of Mom’s Gainesville friends to “take tea” with us. Even though it was December, it was warm enough to use the screen porch and the deck. That’s the “Florida advantage!”
― Mallory M. O'Connor, The Kitchen and the Studio: A Memoir of Food and Art

“Almost every family has their own Christmas traditions (if, indeed, they celebrate Christmas) and we certainly had several. First, the house was thoroughly cleaned and decorated with wreaths and paper chains and, of course, the Christmas tree with all its sparkling lights and ornaments. The cardboard nativity scene had to be carefully assembled and placed on the mantle. And there was the advent wreath with its little windows to be opened each morning. And then there were the Christmas cookies. About a week before the holiday, Mom would bake several batches of the cookies and I invited all my friends to come and help decorate them. It was an “all-afternoon” event. We gathered around our big round dining table with bowls of colored icing and assorted additions—red hot candies, coconut flakes, sugar “glitter,” chocolate chips, and any other little bits we could think of. Then, the decorating began!”
― Mallory M. O'Connor, The Kitchen and the Studio: A Memoir of Food and Art

“I asked Bill what career path he thought I should take, and he replied, “Live the artist’s life.” For years I pondered over his advice. What did it mean to “live the artist’s life?” I finally came to realize that there were no written codes, no hard and fast rules. You didn’t have to starve in a garret or drink yourself to death or cut off your ear. You didn’t even have to literally “make art” physically. The art was your life—your values, your outlook, your passions, your point of view. It was the things you cherished, whether they were people or places or ideas.”
― Mallory M. O'Connor, The Kitchen and the Studio: A Memoir of Food and Art

“Living the artist’s life, it turns out, is full of surprises. Yes, it is about being sensitive to beauty, about creating exquisite objects and developing a critical eye and drawing inspiration from the rich tapestry of the surrounding world. In some intriguing and evocative way, it is also about delving into the very depths of human perception, into the wellspring of consciousness itself, and living to tell about it. And for John and me, it has also always been about the planning, preparation, and enjoyment of good food. Sixty years later, we’re still following that path.”
― Mallory M. O'Connor

“Después cuando al fin lo conocí, pensé que transmitía una sensación de aislamiento, no se por qué. Aunque su forma de ser y de hablar eran dulces, me pareció que estaba solo.”
― Banana Yoshimoto

“Despite a few exceptions, I have found that Americans are now far more willing to learn new names, just as they're far more willing to try new ethnic foods... It's like adding a few new spices to the kitchen pantry.”
― Firoozeh Dumas, Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America

“Lucy settled into August's kitchen as if they were a family.”
― Susan Richards Shreve, You Are the Love of My Life

“Параноята е чесънът в кухнята на живота, винаги можеш да сложиш още малко, нали?”
― Thomas Pynchon, Bleeding Edge

“Torture Cuisine by Stewart Stafford

Kitchen death growls,
Whipping that cream,
Beating those eggs,
Burning all the toast.

Knifing diced cheese,
Drawn, quartered ham,
Straining tomato sauce,
Crushed-down walnuts.

Peeling potatoes naked,
Then smashing them up,
You say purée, I say mash,
Turkey and chicken skewers.

© Stewart Stafford, 2022. All rights reserved.”
― Stewart Stafford

“Please one more
kiss in the kitchen
before we turn the lights off”
― W.S. Merwin, The Essential W.S. Merwin

“In pickleball, you're supposed to stay out of the kitchen. I guess it's not a sport for women.”
― Jarod Kintz, Eggs, they’re not just for breakfast

“From farm to table, that’s my goal. Of course, I want to get there cheaply, by cutting out the greedy middleman carrying all my groceries from the trees to my kitchen.”
― Jarod Kintz, Eggs, they’re not just for breakfast

“Home is the starting place of love, hope and dreams. It's the place where families gather and friendships are made. It's also the place where we all need to be healthy, safe and comfortable”
― Homebestchoice

“He had flowing coarse parted fiery crimson hair and with coals for eyes his entire smooth ruddy face seemed to be holding back a furnace that ignited the rest of his head; he utilized his umbrella as a poker to close the door and walked into the hearth of the house - the kitchen table.”
― J.S. Mason, Whisky Hernandez

“I think olive oil is meant to be shared.”
― Kayleigh Zubrod

“The biggest thing I have thrown at my ex during an argument was a kitchen spoon. I missed and broke an ornament. I need to work on improving my aim.”
― Steven Magee

“And on cold days, and even on days that weren't all that cold, the rest of the servants, the yardman and the upstairs maid and so on, all black, would crowd into the kitchen with the cook and me. They liked being crowded together. When they were little, they told me, they slept in beds with a whole lot of brothers and sisters. That sounded like a lot of fun to me. It still sounds like a lot of fun to me.”
― Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Deadeye Dick

“the kitchen was all black and white and red tiles; nice and gothic, except that the black and white was tile and the red was blood—lots of it. I mean, I suppose that’s gothic, too. It wasn’t supposed to be on the walls, though.”
― W.R. Gingell, Between Family

“Everything was breathing, increasingly sparkling, swathed in the gentle sunlight. The pretty scene was brimming with life, but my soul was pining for the desolate streets of winter and for that river at dawn. I wished my heart would break and get it over with.”
― Banana Yoshimoto, Kitchen

“Embrace Efficiency, Elevate Flavor: Smart Kitchen Tools for Culinary Adventurers
The kitchen, once a realm of necessity, has morphed into a playground of possibility. Gone are the days of clunky appliances and tedious prep work. Enter the age of the smart kitchen tool, a revolution that whispers efficiency and shouts culinary liberation. For the modern gastronome, these tech-infused gadgets are not mere conveniences, but allies in crafting delectable adventures, freeing us to savor the journey as much as the destination.
Imagine mornings when your smart coffee maker greets you with the perfect brew, prepped by the whispers of your phone while you dream. Your fridge, stocked like a digital oracle, suggests recipes based on its ever-evolving inventory, and even automatically orders groceries you've run low on. The multi-cooker, your multitasking superhero, whips up a gourmet chili while you conquer emails, and by dinnertime, your smart oven roasts a succulent chicken to golden perfection, its progress monitored remotely as you sip a glass of wine.
But efficiency is merely the prologue. Smart kitchen tools unlock a pandora's box of culinary precision. Smart scales, meticulous to the milligram, banish recipe guesswork and ensure perfect balance in every dish. Food processors and blenders, armed with pre-programmed settings and self-cleaning prowess, transform tedious chopping into a mere blip on the culinary radar. And for the aspiring chef, a sous vide machine becomes a magic wand, coaxing impossible tenderness from the toughest cuts of meat.
Yet, technology alone is not the recipe for culinary bliss. For those who yearn to paint with flavors, smart kitchen tools are the brushes on their canvas. A connected recipe platform becomes your digital sous chef, guiding you through each step with expert instructions and voice-activated ease. Spice racks, infused with artificial intelligence, suggest unexpected pairings, urging you to venture beyond the familiar. And for the ultimate expression of your inner master chef, a custom knife, forged from heirloom steel and lovingly honed, becomes an extension of your hand, slicing through ingredients with laser focus and lyrical grace.
But amidst the symphony of gadgets and apps, let us not forget the heart of the kitchen: the human touch. Smart tools are not meant to replace our intuition but to augment it. They free us from the drudgery, allowing us to focus on the artistry, the love, the joy of creation. Imagine kneading dough, the rhythm of your hands mirroring the gentle whirring of a smart bread machine, then shaping a loaf that holds the warmth of both technology and your own spirit. Or picture yourself plating a dish, using smart portion scales for precision but garnishing with edible flowers chosen simply because they spark joy. This, my friends, is the symphony of the smart kitchen: a harmonious blend of tech and humanity, where efficiency becomes the brushstroke that illuminates the vibrant canvas of culinary passion.
Of course, every adventure, even one fueled by smart tools, has its caveats. Interoperability between gadgets can be a tangled web, and data privacy concerns linger like unwanted guests. But these challenges are mere bumps on the culinary road, hurdles to be overcome by informed choices and responsible data management. After all, we wouldn't embark on a mountain trek without checking the weather, would we?
So, embrace the smart kitchen, dear foodies! Let technology be your sous chef, your precision tool, your culinary muse. But never forget the magic of your own hands, the wisdom of your palate, and the joy of a meal shared with loved ones. For in the end, it's not about the gadgets, but the memories we create around them, the stories whispered over simmering pots, and the laughter echoing through a kitchen filled with the aroma of possibility.”
― Daniel Thomas

“Anastasia Bauer walked around the house on her way to the kitchen. She wasn’t sure why, but that was always the first spot to go to in the morning, after going to the bathroom of course. There was just a desire to see what was to be eaten for breakfast. The kitchen was the meeting place where the first ‘good morning’ was to be said and everyone gathered with one desire, the desire for food. She was sure this mentality annoyed their mother, 8 kids, well 7 kids since James was at seminary, all gathered in one spot begging for food. But it was a sort of tradition, and you could not skip out on this.”
― Eliza Rockhill

“Our deepest secrets are nothing but unsung songs, Lyra."
Palmyra would always repeat this to Lyra at every opportunity.
"And certain vegetables,
Palmyra would repeat to Lyra at every opportunity,
"when held in the hand of the cook, can just pick these secrets up and listen to them being silently sung.”
― Suzy Valtsioti, Lyra's Kitchen: A Culinary Chronicle of Simmering Secrets