Monthly Archives: October 2010

Minimalist Kitchen

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Everything in our kitchen, minus some storage containers in the fridge.

Aaron and I eat at home everyday, cooking from scratch wherever possible. You might think this requires dozens of kitchen gadgets, but we pared down our kitchenware so that it all fits inside a regular suitcase.

So what is in our kitchen?

  • 1 pot
  • 1 pan
  • 2 knives
  • 2 forks
  • 2 spoons
  • 2 pairs of chopsticks
  • 2 cups
  • 2 bowls

We don’t use these appliances:

  • Dishwasher
  • Slow cooker
  • Blender
  • Microwave
  • Toaster oven
  • Electric mixer

Fancy tools aren’t as necessary as people think.  Nobuo Murakami, a famous Japanese chef, always cooked in an ordinary kitchen before he published a new recipe. He didn’t need first-class equipment to create his French delicacies.

If a great French chef doesn’t need a fancy kitchen, perhaps an ordinary cook doesn’t need fancy appliances, either.  I believe that eating well doesn’t require a kitchen cluttered with specialized tools. Like our great-grandparents, who lacked these gadgets, we can use simpler methods to prepare delicious meals.

Kitchen minimalism inspires me to be creative about using simple tools while cooking. After I stew soup, I use the same pot to knead bread, stir-fry rice, and steam vegetables. When I’m finished baking my tuna casserole, I use the same pan for baking cookies. Our water bottle doubles as a rolling pin.  Be creative with what you have, and you’ll avoid wasting space.

It’s important to choose tools that are versatile. Soup bowls are better than dinner plates because bowls can also hold liquids. Once I learn how to use a paring knife, I can use it to peel fruits and chop vegetables. A cast iron skillet can serve both as a wok and as a baking dish. In my minimalist kitchen, I aim for a higher usefulness-to-volume ratio. Cooking with less kitchenware requires planning, but having more versatile tools means less clutter.

I now have less to organize and fewer dishes to wash. We only have one bowl, one spoon, and one fork for each person.  We wash dishes more often, but we no longer dread the chore. In the past, dishes tended to accumulate until dishwashing became a terrible headache. Now, it takes no more than 15 minutes to clean up when we cook a huge meal.

Entertaining guests is possible even with a minimalist kitchen.  When you invite friends and family over, serve finger foods instead of traditional meals.  Prepare healthy and simple snacks that can be eaten without plates and utensils. Vegetable sticks, fruits, and bite-sized sandwiches are good choices.  Sometimes, friends offer to bring their own plates and spoons.  Less equipment hasn’t hindered quality time with guests.

Most of the clutter in our kitchens are rarely used.  They take up counter space and they complicate your life. A minimalist kitchen will simplify your life and give you peace of mind.

What’s in your kitchen? Are there things you rarely use that just take up space?

Food from the Farm

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CSA Program let us have fresh, natural food from a real farm.

Supermarkets are not the only places to shop for groceries.  Depending on where you live, you might be able to get fresh, natural food from a real farm.

For the last three months, I’ve been a member of a community supported agriculture (CSA) program at Tanaka Farms.  A CSA is a subscription where you agree to pay a fixed amount of money each week in exchange for a share of the farm’s produce (I pay $56 for 20-30 lbs. of produce).

Here’s a list of what we got from this week’s CSA box:

  • Green Beans
  • Carrots
  • Sweet White Corn
  • Romaine Lettuce
  • Swiss Chard
  • Spinach
  • Napa Chinese Cabbage
  • Red Beets
  • Fuji Apples
  • Valencia Oranges
  • Tanaka Farm’s Strawberry Jam

The program has encouraged us to experiment with new vegetables, including kale, swiss chard, and beets.

The basic idea behind a CSA is to turn the customer into a shareholder of the farm.  The subscriber doesn’t just buy food; he shares in the risks and rewards of farm ownership. The subscriber pays a fixed amount of money each month and reaps whatever the farm produces that week.  CSAs have their own unique variations, so you’ll have to check out your specific local program for details.  Some programs ask you to participate in actual farming; some programs are very flexible and allow you to select your own produce; our program offers home delivery.

I like the idea of personally connecting with a single farm.  If you purchase from a grocery store, much of the produce comes from all over the country, possibly all over the world.  You don’t really know how your food is produced or where it comes from.  You’re placing your faith on a label that claims the food is organic.  By purchasing from a local farm, you get more transparency: you can visit the farm in person to see if you approve of what’s going on.  I went on a tour of Tanaka Farms, and I got to explore about 5 acres of their pumpkin patches and strawberry fields.  Along the tour, I was allowed to hand-pick some carrots, onions, and beets.

CSA programs offer many benefits for both the farmer and the customer. Locavores will find it hard to beat a CSA program: if you pick up your produce direct at the farm, the food doesn’t travel at all.  No oil is necessary to ship the food, and your food will probably come with less packaging.  Our produce comes in a single, reusable cardboard box rather than wasteful plastic wrap which doesn’t biodegrade.  Foodies will enjoy the fresher-tasting, seasonal harvest.  Lastly, more of your money goes towards supporting the farmer and the local economy instead of the retailer.  In return, you get a better price.  From our experience, purchasing from a CSA is slightly cheaper than purchasing from our local Albertsons grocery.

Take a look at some of the local CSA programs near you at Local Harvest and the Eat Well Guide.  If you live in Southern California like me, you have a big selection of farms you can choose from.  The CSA program has been so helpful for us that we only occasionally shop at grocery stores now.  Apart from growing your own food, buying fresh from the farm might be the best way for you to get reasonably priced organics.

Are there any CSA programs or farmer’s markets where you live?

Tiny House Dreams

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Tiny houses save you money and simplify your life. (Photo by Tumbleweed Tiny House Company)

I’ve been dreaming about purchasing a Tumbleweed house (1) for about 4 months now.  My interest in small homes began last year, after I quit college to start my own company.  I wasn’t wealthy, so I had to be creative in saving money.  By far, rent was the greatest expense in my budget, using about 60% of my income each year.  I quickly realized that the smaller my house, the smaller my bill, and the more time and energy that I could spend on starting my business.

Society has taught us to purchase the largest houses we can afford.  Houses are no longer just shelters; they have transformed into status symbols.  Many people commit their entire lives to purchasing ever larger homes to win this social prestige.  No house is ever big enough or grand enough to satisfy you when your motivations are wrong.  I didn’t see the point of being in debt for thirty years to purchase an enormous house I didn’t need, so I needed to find another way to live.  Later that year, I stumbled upon the small house movement.

Many Americans are beginning to embrace the new social movement of the small house.  Pioneers of this movement are promoting tiny houses to minimize environmental impact while saving you money.  Some of the Tumbleweed homes are smaller than 100 sq. ft., a complete house smaller than the size of a large walk-in closet.  Although the size is small, you can still live large: they are equipped with a full suite of amenities, including heating and air conditioning, kitchen, refrigerator and microwave, and washer and dryer.  The simple act of downsizing helps save real estate space, building materials, and heating and cooling costs, thus helping the environment.  The price is a bargain, too: you can live in a small house for under $30,000 instead of taking out a $500,000 home loan.

I quickly realized that small houses would provide tremendous financial freedom and flexibility for us.  I have no intention to purchase a home to prove my social status to my neighbors; I’d much rather see my money donated to a worthy charity or church.  Moreover, the lack of long-term financial commitment makes it easier for Hsinya and I to experiment with more risky business ideas.  We talked it over, and Hsinya loved the idea of living in a tiny, cozy cottage, but there are still a few caveats.

The Tumbleweed House requires a significant upfront investment that we can’t afford right now.  The materials themselves cost $20,000, and labor costs another $20,000.  I’m considering building the house myself, but even at the lower price tag, it’s going to take a year to save up enough money.

We would also lose our current mobility.  Because we work online, we can literally do our work anywhere in the world.  Hsinya and I want to limit all our possessions to four suitcases, so we have the flexibility to move on a moment’s notice.  A Tumbleweed house would tie us down to a plot of land, which would seriously hinder our flexibility.

The small house movement has a lot to teach us about living minimally.  Bigger isn’t always better, and living small can be elegant and economical.  For some of you, the Tumbleweed might just be the perfect way to start your Greenimalist lifestyle.  If I get the chance, I may arrange a visit to one of these tiny homes and post a video tour online.  Hopefully this will spark your own tiny house dreams in the future.

Could living in a tiny house benefit you?

  1. Tumbleweed Tiny House Company by Jay Shafter: http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/