Menu for a home w/o a kitchen

Mark Shaw said:

A crew is going to come and demolish my early-70s era kitchen
on the 5th, preparatory to rebuilding it from floor to ceiling.
I anticipate being completely without kitchen facilities for
the entire month of July, and probably well into August.

.... and September... and October...

Quoted message said:

What do others who've gone through this kind of thing have to
offer in the way of survival tips?

I have a good gas grill and a propane cooker, so any prepar-
ation not requiring an oven is probably not an issue. I'm
thinking more in terms of storage and cleanup.

When I was a kid we lived through a major renovation of our house.
Food prep was in the dining room and it was crowded. It was just a
hassle and there's no way around it. You'll have to make it up as you
go along. Fortunately, the pain is forgotten after a few days in the
completed kitchen (and "completed" is the keyword here!).

Paper plates, plastic cutlery, and for easy clean-up, don't cook
anything with major grease!

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

On Thu 30 Jun 2005 07:05:23a, Mark Shaw wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

A crew is going to come and demolish my early-70s era kitchen
on the 5th, preparatory to rebuilding it from floor to ceiling.
I anticipate being completely without kitchen facilities for
the entire month of July, and probably well into August.

What do others who've gone through this kind of thing have to
offer in the way of survival tips?

I have a good gas grill and a propane cooker, so any prepar-
ation not requiring an oven is probably not an issue. I'm
thinking more in terms of storage and cleanup.

Thanks!

Worst case for cold food storage, a cooler and ice. Better to buy a small
refrigerator that you could use as an extra in the pantry or garage.

Disposable plastic or paper plates and plastic utensils are easiest. If
you must wash up, a utility room sink or the bathroom are about the only
options I can think of.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974

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Mark Shaw said:

A crew is going to come and demolish my early-70s era kitchen
on the 5th, preparatory to rebuilding it from floor to ceiling.
I anticipate being completely without kitchen facilities for
the entire month of July, and probably well into August.

What do others who've gone through this kind of thing have to
offer in the way of survival tips?

I have a good gas grill and a propane cooker, so any prepar-
ation not requiring an oven is probably not an issue. I'm
thinking more in terms of storage and cleanup.

A month to redo a kitchen? Mine was a matter of days. The cupboards had
been ordered ahead of time and I was given an installation date. I had to
rip out the old cupboards and counters. That took a few hours. When I got
home from work the next day the now cupboards and counter were in place. I
had to cut a whole for the sink and hook that up.... another hour and a
half. The kitchen was then usable but I had to paint and paper. A few
years later we did the floors, ripping up the old tiles and had a
contractor lay a cement lathe in preparation for ceramic tiles. That
involved one day of work on the lathe, let it sit for a day and then the
tile was laid on the third day. A professional crew should be able to do a
kitchen within a week.

Wayne Boatwright said:

On Thu 30 Jun 2005 07:05:23a, Mark Shaw wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What do others who've gone through this kind of thing have to
offer in the way of survival tips?

Quoted message said:

Worst case for cold food storage, a cooler and ice. Better to buy a small
refrigerator that you could use as an extra in the pantry or garage.

We're planning to just move the kitchen fridge a few feet into
the living room, so that ought to be covered.

It's the only one of the appliances we're keeping....

Quoted message said:

Disposable plastic or paper plates and plastic utensils are easiest. If
you must wash up, a utility room sink or the bathroom are about the only
options I can think of.

I was thinking of a washtub and a garden hose out in the alley,
actually. And after dark. 🙂

--
Mark Shaw
========================================================================
"Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of mnshaw@
celestial fire called conscience." - George Washington gmail.com

"Wayne Boatwright" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Thu 30 Jun 2005 07:05:23a, Mark Shaw wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

A crew is going to come and demolish my early-70s era kitchen
on the 5th, preparatory to rebuilding it from floor to ceiling.
I anticipate being completely without kitchen facilities for
the entire month of July, and probably well into August.

I have a good gas grill and a propane cooker, so any prepar-
ation not requiring an oven is probably not an issue. I'm
thinking more in terms of storage and cleanup.

Thanks!

Worst case for cold food storage, a cooler and ice. Better to buy a small
refrigerator that you could use as an extra in the pantry or garage.

Disposable plastic or paper plates and plastic utensils are easiest. If
you must wash up, a utility room sink or the bathroom are about the only
options I can think of.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*

A bathtub works great too! (Not everyone has a dishwasher or a large
kitchen sink..........)

kili

On Thu 30 Jun 2005 07:51:08a, Mark Shaw wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

Wayne Boatwright said:

On Thu 30 Jun 2005 07:05:23a, Mark Shaw wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What do others who've gone through this kind of thing have to offer
in the way of survival tips?

Quoted message said:

Worst case for cold food storage, a cooler and ice. Better to buy a
small refrigerator that you could use as an extra in the pantry or
garage.

We're planning to just move the kitchen fridge a few feet into
the living room, so that ought to be covered.

It's the only one of the appliances we're keeping....

Quoted message said:

Disposable plastic or paper plates and plastic utensils are easiest.
If you must wash up, a utility room sink or the bathroom are about the
only options I can think of.

I was thinking of a washtub and a garden hose out in the alley,
actually. And after dark. 🙂

That'll work!

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974

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Mark Shaw said:

A crew is going to come and demolish my early-70s era kitchen
on the 5th, preparatory to rebuilding it from floor to ceiling.
I anticipate being completely without kitchen facilities for
the entire month of July, and probably well into August.

What do others who've gone through this kind of thing have to
offer in the way of survival tips?

We moved the fridge to the basement. Used the microwave, a propane
burner either outside or in garage (depending on weather) and a
toaster oven. Now and then the grill. It wasn't as bad as you might
think. The dust and filth was much more bothersome. (Change your
furnace filters weekly).

--
The Doc says my brain waves closely match those of a crazed ferret.
At least now I have an excuse.

Dave Smith said:

A month to redo a kitchen? Mine was a matter of days. The cupboards had
been ordered ahead of time and I was given an installation date. I had to
rip out the old cupboards and counters. That took a few hours. When I got
home from work the next day the now cupboards and counter were in place.

We're taking everything down to the bare walls, so the rebuild
is also going to involve painting and plastering. We also have
a drop ceiling (essentially a huge light soffit) that's coming
out; that comprises a bit more than half of the ceiling area
that will have to be rebuilt.

We also have to run gas in from the attic for the new range,
move a bunch of electrical outlets around, etc.

Personally, I think the contractor is being a little pessimistic
on the time estimates. But maybe that's realistic.

--
Mark Shaw moc TOD liamg TA wahsnm
========================================================================
"All of my mistakes are giving me ideas." - Natalie Lileks

Mark Shaw said:

Quoted message said:

Disposable plastic or paper plates and plastic utensils are easiest. If
you must wash up, a utility room sink or the bathroom are about the only
options I can think of.

I was thinking of a washtub and a garden hose out in the alley,
actually. And after dark. 🙂

Be careful of where you dump it. You don't want to attract insects
and vermin or leave residues. Frankly, I think the bathtub would be a
better bet. Put the washtub on a stool or small table.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

Simply grilled meats and veggies is probably the easiest in terms of
cleanup. Straight from the store package to the grill. No dishes except
the serving plates and the spatula or tongs.

Also, kebabs on wooden skewers are easy. You'll use a chopping board
and knife, but the skewers are cheap and you toss them when finished.
You may even be able to find pork "city chicken" that is already cut
up. Shrimp and scallops can go right on without cutting, so you can
avoid the meat/veggie combo on the cutting board. Use grape or cherry
tomatoes, mushrooms, and you can avoid chopping anything except the
onions and peppers. You can cut those on a paper plate with a single
paring knife.

Grilled quesadillas are good. Plop a tortilla on the grill, fill one
side with cheese, peppers, onions, whatever, avoid the edges (or cheese
will leak into the grill). Fold unfilled side of tortilla over. Flip
when is starts to brown. If you have asbestos hands, plates aren't even
required for this one. Use store bought salsa and/or sour cream to go
with it. If you want meat inside, grill it first, then make the
quesadilla. Note from experience, bacon is a bite to grill. It flares
up worse the a greasy burger.

Baked potatoes can be done on the grill, but they still take a long
time. Corn is great on the drill. Soak it, cook it till the husk browns
and maybe even gets a bit black, then peel it and eat. Asparagus is
good grilled.

Cast Iron pots and pans can be put on a grill if the grill is large
enough for them.

If you really must do a chili or pasta dish, put everything in one pot.
Add the pasta directly to the sauce when ready. You can always add more
liquid to the sauce if needed, but the pasta will absorb the sauce
better this way, and it is great if you like thick sauces.

Many things can also be done in foil packets. The key is to use heavy
duty foil. You may also need to ventilate the packets a bit if you seal
them too well. I've done many kinds of potatoes and veggies like this.
It is easy to burn these things because you can't see them, so cook
slowly. A potato gratin type thing can be done if you are careful.

Dean G.

Mark Shaw said:

A crew is going to come and demolish my early-70s era kitchen
on the 5th, preparatory to rebuilding it from floor to ceiling.
I anticipate being completely without kitchen facilities for
the entire month of July, and probably well into August.

What do others who've gone through this kind of thing have to
offer in the way of survival tips?

I have a good gas grill and a propane cooker, so any prepar-
ation not requiring an oven is probably not an issue. I'm
thinking more in terms of storage and cleanup.

Thanks!

Before they ripped out our kitchen for renovations, we cooked a lot of
'freezer meals' (casseroles, lasagne, pizza) and froze them in
individual portions. Then the freezer was moved out into the living
room, and the microwave placed next to it for the duration. We washed
the dishes in the laundry or bathroom, whichever one was usable at the
time (we had a complete renovation, and for some time we didn't have
anything at all except a toilet!) We also ate a lot of takeout food
and sandwiches... usually a sandwich for breakfast because it was easy
to fix before the workmen started at 7.30 or 8am, then we went to the
mall at lunchtime to use the restrooms and we ate there, and then we
came home in the afternoon when the workmen packed it in and had
freezer food or takeout for dinner.

--
~Karen aka Kajikit
Crafts, cats, and chocolate - the three essentials of life
http://www.kajikitscorner.com

Karen AKA Kajikit said:

Mark Shaw said:

A crew is going to come and demolish my early-70s era kitchen
on the 5th, preparatory to rebuilding it from floor to ceiling.
I anticipate being completely without kitchen facilities for
the entire month of July, and probably well into August.

What do others who've gone through this kind of thing have to
offer in the way of survival tips?

I have a good gas grill and a propane cooker, so any prepar-
ation not requiring an oven is probably not an issue. I'm
thinking more in terms of storage and cleanup.

Thanks!

Before they ripped out our kitchen for renovations, we cooked a lot of
'freezer meals' (casseroles, lasagne, pizza) and froze them in
individual portions. Then the freezer was moved out into the living
room, and the microwave placed next to it for the duration. We washed
the dishes in the laundry or bathroom, whichever one was usable at the
time (we had a complete renovation, and for some time we didn't have
anything at all except a toilet!) We also ate a lot of takeout food
and sandwiches... usually a sandwich for breakfast because it was easy
to fix before the workmen started at 7.30 or 8am, then we went to the
mall at lunchtime to use the restrooms and we ate there, and then we
came home in the afternoon when the workmen packed it in and had
freezer food or takeout for dinner.

Oh, the complete renovations took about ten weeks. We ended up with a
new kitchen, laundry, bathroom, toilet, and ensuite, and they retiled
the passage to match. There was so much mess and dust and noise
involved that we didn't have the energy to cook ANYTHING, even when we
had the space! (the cabinets were sitting in the livingroom for about
a week waiting to be installed, and then the bathroom fixtures took
their place)
At the end of it it was definitely worth it though... I miss that
kitchen! lol

--
~Karen aka Kajikit
Crafts, cats, and chocolate - the three essentials of life
http://www.kajikitscorner.com

Mark Shaw said:

A crew is going to come and demolish my early-70s era kitchen
on the 5th, preparatory to rebuilding it from floor to ceiling.
I anticipate being completely without kitchen facilities for
the entire month of July, and probably well into August.

What do others who've gone through this kind of thing have to
offer in the way of survival tips?

I have a good gas grill and a propane cooker, so any prepar-
ation not requiring an oven is probably not an issue. I'm
thinking more in terms of storage and cleanup.

Thanks!

assuming you *do* have a water source, this is what i do when we go
camping, and it works well.
get at least 3 large dishpans.
set up a "three compartment" setup- soapy hot water for soaking, clear
hot water for scrubbing off, and a third with either more hot water for
rinsing, or with a mild bleach solution if you are germ-phobic (and with
no hot tap water right at the ready, I would go the camping route, i.e.
a little bleach.)

for storage, plastic milk crates should work ok. I would invest in some
dry ice to keep perishables cold- or see if you can hold off on tossing
your old fridge and set it up in a sheltered area outside (or the garage).

--

saerah

"It's not a gimmick, it's an incentive."- asterbark, afca

aware of the manifold possibilities of the future

"I think there's a clause in the Shaman's and Jujumen's Local #57 Union
contract that they have to have reciprocity for each other's shop rules."
-König Prüß

Mark Shaw said:

A crew is going to come and demolish my early-70s era kitchen
on the 5th, preparatory to rebuilding it from floor to ceiling.
I anticipate being completely without kitchen facilities for
the entire month of July, and probably well into August.

What do others who've gone through this kind of thing have to
offer in the way of survival tips?

Find good, local take-out.

gloria p

Curly Sue said:

Mark Shaw said:

Quoted message said:

Disposable plastic or paper plates and plastic utensils are easiest. If
you must wash up, a utility room sink or the bathroom are about the only
options I can think of.

I was thinking of a washtub and a garden hose out in the alley,
actually. And after dark. 🙂

Be careful of where you dump it. You don't want to attract insects
and vermin or leave residues. Frankly, I think the bathtub would be a
better bet. Put the washtub on a stool or small table.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

if you have an area of your yard that you can dig up freely, you can dig
a "grey water" pit, and dump waste in there.

--

saerah

"It's not a gimmick, it's an incentive."- asterbark, afca

aware of the manifold possibilities of the future

"I think there's a clause in the Shaman's and Jujumen's Local #57 Union
contract that they have to have reciprocity for each other's shop rules."
-König Prüß

Mark Shaw said:

A crew is going to come and demolish my early-70s era kitchen
on the 5th, preparatory to rebuilding it from floor to ceiling.
I anticipate being completely without kitchen facilities for
the entire month of July, and probably well into August.

What do others who've gone through this kind of thing have to
offer in the way of survival tips?

I have a good gas grill and a propane cooker, so any prepar-
ation not requiring an oven is probably not an issue. I'm
thinking more in terms of storage and cleanup.

Went through it last year, so here is my advice:
- Buy plastic dinnerware. The only things we had to wash were salad
bowls, knives and big spoons, and that helped a lot.
- Can you keep your old fridge for a while? If possible, do, set it up
in whatever room you'll be eating in. What we did was to keep the old
buffet, put it in the living room, store all the plastic dinnerware
and other necessary stuff in there, store our microwave on it, and set
our old fridge beside it.
- Don't buy bottled salad dressing. They all taste foul IMO. A simple
dressing of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, all of that
drizzled on the salad in the bowl, is just as easy and much nicer.
- Since you have a grill, use it. Grilled meat of course, but also
grilled pizza, grilled vegetables (cut up vegetables in chunks, lay on
aluminum foil, drizzle with oil, lemon juice, spices, whatever you
like, close foil, grill), grilled shrimp...
- Buy prewashed green salads.
- Tell everybody around you that you're kitchenless. That way you'll
get lots of invitations :-) (not really kidding, it was fun!)
- Go to the restaurant occasionally. Nice to have some hot ungrilled
food once in a while :-)
- Whenever you get really tired of camping in your old home, envision
your new kitchen!

Nathalie in Switzerland

Mark Shaw said:

We're taking everything down to the bare walls, so the rebuild
is also going to involve painting and plastering. We also have
a drop ceiling (essentially a huge light soffit) that's coming
out; that comprises a bit more than half of the ceiling area
that will have to be rebuilt.

We also have to run gas in from the attic for the new range,
move a bunch of electrical outlets around, etc.

Personally, I think the contractor is being a little pessimistic
on the time estimates. But maybe that's realistic.

We redid our kitchen like you, completely (down to new electricity in
the walls), and it took exactly 4 weeks (everything was made to
measure).

Nathalie in Switzerland

Mark Shaw said:

A crew is going to come and demolish my early-70s era kitchen
on the 5th, preparatory to rebuilding it from floor to ceiling.
I anticipate being completely without kitchen facilities for
the entire month of July, and probably well into August.

Count on it taking longer. I did something similar and it went over 8
weeks...and I didn't allow demolition to begin until the new cabinets
were ready to install and all the new appliances were at the store,
ready for delivery and installation. Everyone I know who did a remodel
had it take longer than planned.

Quoted message said:

What do others who've gone through this kind of thing have to
offer in the way of survival tips?

Disposable plates, cups, napkins and "silverware". Keep out a few real
plates, serving platter, some real silverware, some knives, your basic
seasonings, dish towels, a few bowls, cutting board, etc. Make
yourself a mini-kitchen in another room.

I moved my dining room table into the family room and used an
appliance cart to hold plastic storage bins for the things I've
listed. The table served as a prep/serving area and a storage area.

If you have a dining room that wont be in the main traffic path, use
that for your mini kitchen.

Depending on where you store stuff, get some plastic drop cloths!
There will be dust and other stuff flying all over and you want to be
able to keep your mini-kitchen protected. I also put my microwave on
the cart and had that available too.

Quoted message said:

I have a good gas grill and a propane cooker, so any prepar-
ation not requiring an oven is probably not an issue. I'm
thinking more in terms of storage and cleanup.

Look at the things you now use to prepare for grilling, cooking and
serving. You're going to need to keep those items out somewhere else.
The trick is to find a place that can be covered during the day and
accessible in the evening.

Having your fridge available is a huge help. Lunches here were
sandwiches, pre cut fruit from the local market and some store bought
sides.

Also, you'll need all the things you use to clean up. Dish soap,
kitchen towels, scouring pad, etc. I used dish towels on the bathroom
vanity to stack things as I washed them, then other towels to dry
them. I kept all that in the bathroom.

Speaking of bathrooms, remember the workmen will be using your
bathroom while they are there. You're going to have a lot more
clean-up and go through a lot of towels.

I had intended to do a lot of grilling during my re-do, but it ended
up being such a pain, we did take-out most of the time. Get some
menu's from your favorite local places and keep them handy.

Another thing to remember..there will be all kinds of folks coming to
your home to do work. If you can't be there every minute, you need to
protect your valuables, including check books and extra checks.

Debra

Think of it this way : If the contractor says three days, and it takes
a week, he may have to deal with an angry customer, whose home is his
work site, for four days. If he says it'll take a two weeks, and he is
done in one, then usually the customer is happy instead of angry. It
took the same amount of time, but one customer was very happy, and the
other was very angry. I'd always overestimate a bit. Something
unexpected always happens, and you should have at least a day of fudge
factor added in, more for big jobs.

Dean G.