Outdoor Kitchens : Ideas For Planning, Designing, And Entertaining

Here is a book for next year.  Outdoor Kitchens : Ideas For Planning, Designing, And Entertaining by Joseph R. Provey (2008.  ANF 643.3 PRO) is a full-colour, glossy page book filled with photographs, diagrams, instructions, and suggestions for anyone contemplating living in their backyard.

Apparently, people today are bombarded with technology all their waking hours and cooking and dining outside is the answer to keeping them sane.  I actually agree with this.  Being outside preparing and eating our food is very reminiscent of our childhood when the days were long and golden and the height of ecstasy was a hotdog burnt over the fire and slathered with mustard.

As adults we of course have moved on from the little campfire and the hotdog, and now are envisioning lovely barbeques, wood-burning fireplace ovens, tables, comfy chairs, decorative statuary, canopies and all sorts of other practical and whimsical features.  This book has sections on figuring out what you want and where to put it, the myriad of fixtures and storage options, safety issues, efficiency considerations, and throughout are great photographs and instructions on how to do some projects.

There is one tiny section that is questionable.  Its title is “Electronics Alfresco”.  What is that, you might ask.  The book says “You don’t have to leave your video and audio comforts behind when you spend the day in your outdoor kitchen”, and then goes on to talk about outdoor televisions that come with all-weather enclosures said to be waterproof.  It is only one page so I can forgive the intrusion.

At the very end is my section - “Kitchens For Every Budget”.  Here are a few  projects including a couple that might be doable to enjoy this summer.  The Kitchen In A Cart and the Kitchen In A Shed both have a materials list and some directions on how to assemble. 

>> Find this book in VIRL’s catalogue

Taken with permission from Gloria Novak’s “Good Reads at the Library”