Tips for keeping a little Paris kitchen
Judging from the feedback from the series, it seems I am not the only one cooking from a little kitchen. While Paris' kitchens might be particularly petite, many of us urban dwellers are confined to small culinary spaces.Over the years I have been picking up some pointers for making the most of the minute, so I thought I'd share some of my discoveries. If you have any tips of your own, I'd love to hear them.Here are a few tips:1. Make the most of the space. I have a set of plastic draws housing heaps of ingredients which I have stuck a wooden board on top to create a makeshift work surface. Not ideal for rolling out pastry (it can be a little rickety) but it works for most other daily cooking!2. Open shelving looks pretty and allows you to find things faster. It also looks more homely and is perfect for storing items you regularly use. Place the serious kitchen candy at the front and decant things into pretty jars.3. You can create the illusion of space with clever under cabinet or under counter lighting, or even a mirrored splash back.4. Downsize your devices. Think you want that Kenwood and the Magimix? Find an appliance that is small and compact and does all the jobs you require, like this one. Many everyday kitchen products come in compact form and some gadgets can be fixed under cabinets or shelves to clear space from the worktop.5. Use all your wall space. Magnetic knife strips can be really useful and a good way of showing off your nice knives. I hook metal utensil holders on a rod to house all my wooden spoons and bits and bobs. My whisks hang from hooks under my shelves; pretty and practical!6. I love my kitchen tiles and they add a certain je ne sais quoi to my little home. So try and make a statement with one nice feature, even if the rest is quite basic.7. Always wash up as you go. You'll become a lot more resourceful with the items you have and won't end up with a massive pile up at the end of your meal. Rather a dessert finale than a pile of dirty dishes I say.8. Work the Parisian fridge. I have a window box filled with herbs and I grow some radishes, beetroot and salad leaves out there. The window also serves as an additional storage space and I keep root vegetables and other bits and bobs out there.It might be small, but my Little Paris Kitchen is perfectly formed.If you want to read more about my favourite Parisian places, head over to Khoollect and read Rachel Khoo's 24 hours in Paris. You'll get the ins and outs of how I spend a day in one of my favourite cities in the world.
