Lake Atitlan, Panajachel, Guatemala

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Life in Guatemala A to Z: Kitchen

I had a gourmet kitchen in my home in the States, fully equipped, because for a time I was running my cookie business out of it, making 80 dozen chocolate chip cookies a week. And it was where I tested all 100 recipes for my family cookbook last year.

Part of the preparation of moving to Guatemala was getting rid of stuff-- so much stuff! The hardest to let go of were all my kitchen utensils and pans and tools and mixers and serving dishes and knives and double ovens.... you get the idea.

I figured we'd find a studio apartment with a mini-fridge and a hot plate. My cooking days were over!

And then we happened upon a two bedroom house with a full kitchen-- oven, regular-sized refrigerator, hot water in the sink faucet, counter space-- in Panachel real estate lingo, a "gourmet kitchen."

And now that we're settled in, I'm back to enjoying cooking. We eat simple, healthy meals, prepared fairly quickly and then we clean up.


I wash the dishes (no dishwasher!) and my husband dries and puts them away. It's rather sweet, because he never did much to help out in the kitchen ever before. But we've found it a very warm and homey and comforting routine, this simple meal prep in our "gourmet kitchen" in Panachel.

20 comments:

  1. My sister is big on cooking, which is great for the rest of us, because it means we get treated to some fantastic cakes, breads and other stuff. Preparing, eating and clearing meals together is a lovely thing to do. :)
    Sophie
    Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles - A to Z Ghosts
    Fantasy Boys XXX - A to Z Drabblerotic

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  2. ooh It looks lovely and sounds heavenly :)

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  3. Do you miss cooking all those cookies?

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  4. I love my kitchen too though it's not fancy. I know where everything is and hate when it gets invaded.

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  5. Oh how I look forward to the time when I have a panajachel gourmet kitchen again.

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  6. wow to the cookies! I was thinking "will it never end" at Christmas when I baked but you got me beat by a mile:) well a thousand miles:):) I find, people seem to eat healthier when they live abroad-not as much fried stuff and instant goo as I called it (thinking of that marshmellow spread I see in the aisles)

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  7. Hi Karen
    I see have a different life these days which you are enjoying to the full.
    So happy for you,

    I am getting back to BlogLand slowly
    Marguerite and friend has suggested I have a serious makeover LOL but as I have posted I have so far resisted!! LOL

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  8. My daughter and I watch House Hunters International - we dream of that home in an exotic place someday. But we always moan when they show the kitchens. I think I'd be willing to make the trade...I think!

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  9. To this day I have never had a dishwasher. I don't really understand what they are for...
    Your kitchenn looks gourmet to me.

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  10. I love that you and your hubby wash the dishes together and that you found a nice place to live. Hotplates get old, even for me who doesn't cook.

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  11. How do you wash dishes without dishwater? Also I wish I had a kitchen right now and I don't even like to cook!! I have no sink, no stove, no countertops, no cabinets, nothing. I just have a fridge, a table that has my microwave, toaster over and coffee pot on it and another table with my crock pot, for prepping food and for eating off of.... I miss having a kitchen!! It's amazing the awesome things I can cook with my microwave, toaster oven and crock pot, but I miss being able to boil water for boiled eggs or pasta on a stove. Someday I'll have a kitchen... someday. :)

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  12. When we lived in England we had a double over and big gas hob. Here in Greece we have two hot-plates and a small oven, but it's surprising what you can cook when you put your mind to it. The only trouble is that I'm sure sometimes the power company waters down the electricity.

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  13. That should, of course, be "double oven"!

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  14. Love that you chose this word too! It looks like a lovely kitchen and a big change from what you were used to. The good thing about a smaller kitchen is that everything is easily accessible...and you can only use so many pans! Loving your A-Z series :)

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  15. What an exciting adventure you are on! I have read all your A to Z posts so far and look forward to continuing.

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  16. I have an old farm house whose kitchen isn't the typical for old farmhouses. It's so difficult to work in, with very little counterspace, so my dream kitchen will have usable surface area everywhere. I love to cook and am determined to teach my kids that cooking from scratch is the only way to go!

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  17. Hi Karen .. we never know what will happen when we move .. and I too didn't want to loose my kitchen goodies - I've hung on to them .. yet don't really use them -just cook, like you, simple fresh meals. It's great your hubby is joining in though .. and I love the box of fresh foods - Hilary

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  18. It may be hard to give up so much stuff, but doesn't it feel good after you do it? Like you're lighter (for the lack of a better word). I'm glad that you are feeling at home there Karen.

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Comments are welcome!