Where the Magic Happens

In light of the fact that last night was St. Patrick's Day (and therefore I was out drinking and celebrating instead of cooking) I thought this would be a good time to show those of you who have asked, exactly where it is that I cook and take the photos on this blog. As I've mentioned recently (and you may have noticed in the new banner) I've moved from Murray Hill on the east side, to the very far west side of midtown Manhattan, known as Hell's Kitchen. Although this move comes with the occasional gaggle of prostitutes on the corner and the odd drug dealer behind a lamppost, it also comes with a great deal more space, 14-foot ceilings, and crown moldings. Not only do I have an actual bedroom (I never thought I'd see the day), but I also have a much larger kitchen and a hallway(!).

That's right, a random strip of empty space that leads to another room. It's like a dream come true. It's also exactly the right amount of space to set up my lighting equipment, a step ladder and a large cutting board to take pictures of my meals--hot off the stove. Now, I realize most home cooks don't have heavy duty photo lighting just hanging out in their homes, but I happened to get mine for free from work (it was sent for promotional purposes). It's also really convenient to have this space available since I used to set up my shots in the four feet of empty space between the sofa, bed and radiator in my old place, a teeny tiny studio.



This kitchen may not seem like an upgrade, but believe me, my past two apartments have had some of the smallest kitchens known to man. Despite being separate, full kitchens, they had not one inch of counter space (which led to chopping on a cutting board over the sink) and could barely fit just me, let alone two grown adults. This kitchen has room aplenty, and even though it's still small by most standards, I have more than enough room for a large pantry shelf. And the best part of all? A gas stove! After two years with an electric stove it still felt like I was constantly retraining myself to cook with those uncontrollable coils. Now I can truly control the cooking temperature on my stove top, and maybe it's just me, but I'm pretty sure my water comes to a boil faster. That may just be in my head, but a girl can dream, right? Anyway, welcome to my new kitchen (and hallway!), I hope you like what comes out of it.

-Laura