Finished Enough #DIYKitchen

On Easter Sunday, sixteen days after tearing out the old kitchen, we hosted our first dinner in the new kitchen. The physical and emotional exhaustion of working morning to night for weeks washed away in the company of the people we love most. The counters might still be in progress, cabinets still empty, and trim still in the garage, but we can cook!

As our friend Krash, who helped with the kitchen, said, "this is your best kitchen yet." He apparently doesn't believe us when we say we're not doing this again.

Updates soon on Kenmore Pro appliances (after they're fully serviced, ahem), IKEA delivery disaster and generous response, zinc counters, and a mid-construction trip to the delightful Billy Ireland Cartoon Museum.

In the meantime, this afternoon I'll be at Wilmington College speaking on a panel as part of the Food Symposium. I'd love for you to join me - it's free!

Finished Enough #DIYKitchen

On Easter Sunday, sixteen days after tearing out the old kitchen, we hosted our first dinner in the new kitchen. The physical and emotional exhaustion of working morning to night for weeks washed away in the company of the people we love most. The counters might still be in progress, cabinets still empty, and trim still in the garage, but we can cook!

As our friend Krash, who helped with the kitchen, said, "this is your best kitchen yet." He apparently doesn't believe us when we say we're not doing this again.

Updates soon on Kenmore Pro appliances (after they're fully serviced, ahem), IKEA delivery disaster and generous response, zinc counters, and a mid-construction trip to the delightful Billy Ireland Cartoon Museum.

In the meantime, this afternoon I'll be at Wilmington College speaking on a panel as part of the Food Symposium. I'd love for you to join me - it's free!

Ten Days...Still Incomplete DIY Kitchen

Distractions like mushrooms, transplants, work and baby chicks aside, our DIY kitchen still isn't completely functional. So much for the ambitious schedule.

But we have been working day in and out. The IKEA cabinet delivery was a disaster but we're working with them to make it right.

We do have double ovens, sink, dishwasher, a vent hood, and many cabinets installed. The newly installed bamboo floor puts our house-original oaks to shame. I painted, some walls twice, and still am not convinced that 'Homey Cream' is the right color.

The cook top comes in Thursday, if all goes as promised. Zinc sheeting is flattening in the basement and ready for building the counter tops.

The poor pets and child are ready for the noise and disruption to be finished. So are Alex and I. We're hosting Easter dinner on Sunday for twelve, so I guess it's time to get back to work!

Ten Days...Still Incomplete DIY Kitchen

Distractions like mushrooms, transplants, work and baby chicks aside, our DIY kitchen still isn't completely functional. So much for the ambitious schedule.

But we have been working day in and out. The IKEA cabinet delivery was a disaster but we're working with them to make it right.

We do have double ovens, sink, dishwasher, a vent hood, and many cabinets installed. The newly installed bamboo floor puts our house-original oaks to shame. I painted, some walls twice, and still am not convinced that 'Homey Cream' is the right color.

The cook top comes in Thursday, if all goes as promised. Zinc sheeting is flattening in the basement and ready for building the counter tops.

The poor pets and child are ready for the noise and disruption to be finished. So are Alex and I. We're hosting Easter dinner on Sunday for twelve, so I guess it's time to get back to work!

A Mycophilia Interlude

Our #diykitchen renovation project should be taking all our time, but we're distracted by babies. Tiny seedlings, baby chicks, and these exciting newborns.

Way back in the late autumn, I built a bed of wood chips, straw, and oyster mushroom spawn. It was old, suspected non-viable spawn from Swainway Urban Farm worthwhile only of a couple hours effort towards experimental outdoor mushroom growing.

When I saw tiny chocolate lumps, I knew they were mushrooms but they looked nothing like the oysters Swainway Urban Farm cultivates regularly. As the outdoor primordia grew, covered by fabric to shade and retain moisture, the tops flared and developed their characteristic scent of the sea. We have a bed of wild growing oyster mushrooms!

Coincidentally I was reading Eugenia Bone's Mycophilia: Revelations from the Weird World of Mushrooms as our oyster mushroom mycelium was running. My brain soaked in Eugenia's journey from a culinarily-motivated hobby hunter to a seasoned amateur mushroom expert. Written like a memoir but full of scientific accuracies, Mycophilia goes deep inside the worlds of wild mushroom harvesters, research mycologists, psychedelic mushrooms, and gatherings that include all aspects of mushroom love and lore.

Mycophilia sheds light on the wild and mysterious kingdom of fungus. Fungus live among and within us, in many ways that we barely understand. A few species can kill humans, many are benignly inedible and several are among the healthiest (and tastiest) things to eat. Fungi have potential for remediating oil and toxic spills and they are critical to healthy soil. Eugenia Bone shares all these facts and more in her easy-to-read, fascinating book, recommended for anyone who wonders about mushrooms.

A Mycophilia Interlude

Our #diykitchen renovation project should be taking all our time, but we're distracted by babies. Tiny seedlings, baby chicks, and these exciting newborns.

Way back in the late autumn, I built a bed of wood chips, straw, and oyster mushroom spawn. It was old, suspected non-viable spawn from Swainway Urban Farm worthwhile only of a couple hours effort towards experimental outdoor mushroom growing.

When I saw tiny chocolate lumps, I knew they were mushrooms but they looked nothing like the oysters Swainway Urban Farm cultivates regularly. As the outdoor primordia grew, covered by fabric to shade and retain moisture, the tops flared and developed their characteristic scent of the sea. We have a bed of wild growing oyster mushrooms!

Coincidentally I was reading Eugenia Bone's Mycophilia: Revelations from the Weird World of Mushrooms as our oyster mushroom mycelium was running. My brain soaked in Eugenia's journey from a culinarily-motivated hobby hunter to a seasoned amateur mushroom expert. Written like a memoir but full of scientific accuracies, Mycophilia goes deep inside the worlds of wild mushroom harvesters, research mycologists, psychedelic mushrooms, and gatherings that include all aspects of mushroom love and lore.

Mycophilia sheds light on the wild and mysterious kingdom of fungus. Fungus live among and within us, in many ways that we barely understand. A few species can kill humans, many are benignly inedible and several are among the healthiest (and tastiest) things to eat. Fungi have potential for remediating oil and toxic spills and they are critical to healthy soil. Eugenia Bone shares all these facts and more in her easy-to-read, fascinating book, recommended for anyone who wonders about mushrooms.

Lessons in Demolition

1) Demolition is fun for the first swing. Then you will get tired. Lil effectively removed zero material but has been a trooper about entertaining herself while we work.

2) You will need a sawsall. We had two going at once a few times.

3) You will struggle with certain tasks until you find a way that works. Eventually Alex figured out a wedge method to remove three ceramic tiles and backing at once, which made that layer of tear out go much more quickly.

4) All the demolition will create dust and debris. Everywhere. You will sneeze, sweep, dust, and sneeze some more.

5) You will find surprises. Like this soffit under a soffit. And the person who used square headed screws every two inches in the tile underlayment. And the person who was really excited about the stapler and added spiral nails to the sub floor just for good measure. Curses all!

6) Eventually you will come to a stripped down, patched, empty room that represents serious satisfaction.

Next up is adjusting electrical, plumbing, and gas. Then new lights, flooring, cabinets, and appliances. The hardest labor is over!

Lessons in Demolition

1) Demolition is fun for the first swing. Then you will get tired. Lil effectively removed zero material but has been a trooper about entertaining herself while we work.

2) You will need a sawsall. We had two going at once a few times.

3) You will struggle with certain tasks until you find a way that works. Eventually Alex figured out a wedge method to remove three ceramic tiles and backing at once, which made that layer of tear out go much more quickly.

4) All the demolition will create dust and debris. Everywhere. You will sneeze, sweep, dust, and sneeze some more.

5) You will find surprises. Like this soffit under a soffit. And the person who used square headed screws every two inches in the tile underlayment. And the person who was really excited about the stapler and added spiral nails to the sub floor just for good measure. Curses all!

6) Eventually you will come to a stripped down, patched, empty room that represents serious satisfaction.

Next up is adjusting electrical, plumbing, and gas. Then new lights, flooring, cabinets, and appliances. The hardest labor is over!