The Itty Bitty Kitchen handbook is written by Justin Spring, a Manhattan apartment-dweller who grew up on a 36-foot catamaran where the kitchen consisted of a camp stove, ice chest, and a bucket. With that background, it’s no surprise that he has written a great book for all of us who cook in small spaces.
This book begins with a kitchen purge that helps you organize the tools you need in a small kitchen in the order of importance. He reiterates what we already know in that it’s not how much, but how few things you actually need in the kitchen if you’re willing to think creatively. Cramming too many things into your small kitchen, just makes it dysfunctional….and could lead you to living on take out, like poor George who is mentioned in the book.
This book covers every aspect of cooking in a small space, from stocking it with the right ingredients to understanding which appliances are really necessary. For example, toaster ovens are dispensable, while blenders aren’t because they can do the work of mixers and food processors. The book has 101 creative recipes for anyone with a basic understanding of cooking. Some examples are: “Blender Bernaise,” “One-Pot, No-Mess, Toaster Oven Brownies”, and “Chicken and Rice in a Pot.”
And when you’re finished cooking, Justin Spring offers some great cleaning tips using alternative cleaning products. Think about it, while strong commercial solvents can be are useful, many also have toxic effects causing dizziness, nausea, and skin rashes in the people who use them in very small spaces. Plus, getting more use out of product you have means less products to buy and store.
