The kitchen was the center of the home for puritans, and there were good reasons: A place to store food, a warm, fire-lit area where they spent the majority of their time, meals could be shared with family and friends, it was something puritan families valued. The kitchen is an area of the house that is often overlooked both in how it looks, and how it operates. Puritan homes were all about order, from their dress to the meals that were served and prepared. The kitchen was placed in the center of the house for a reason: all good Puritans knew that the best place for a woman’s work was in her own home.
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One reason the kitchen was the hub of the puritan home is because people needed to eat and prepare food
One reason the kitchen was the hub of the puritan home is because people needed to eat and prepare food. The kitchen was also used for other activities like schooling, religious meetings, as well as entertainment and relaxation.In this article I will be talking about why kitchens have become the heart of our homes today. The kitchen is the most important room in the house whether it’s a small kitchen or a large one.
Their popularity has also grown because it has been proven that an open plan kitchen makes entertaining a lot easier.Kitchens are now being designed for multiple purposes so you can not only cook meals but also entertain your guests by having them sit at your counter or island. There are many different types of kitchens to choose from such as: U shaped, L shaped, Galley, Gourmet and Outdoor Kitchens.
Women from all classes had to spend a lot of time in the kitchen
The kitchen was the hub of the puritan home. Since the main meal of the day was dinner, which was served at noon, all of the meals had to be prepared by the housewife and her daughters. In addition, since most families made their own candles and soap, these were also prepared in the kitchen.Another reason why women spent so much time in the kitchen was because it was custom for all of the neighbors to drop in several times a day. Women from all classes had to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
Puritans had a strong work ethic
Puritan homes were ascetic, meaning that they shunned luxury. Puritans believed in the dignity of work. They did not believe in idle leisure. God called on people to work hard and to avoid empty pastimes. In fact, it was sinful to waste time on entertainment and on the accouterments of the upper classes.
Puritans considered cooking to be a necessary evil. They were suspicious of indulgent eating and drinking, which they saw as wasteful. However, Puritans also recognized that eating was necessary for survival. Meals were therefore simple affairs, with plain food prepared by hardworking womenfolk.
The kitchen was an opportunity for women of all classes to experience their freedom
The kitchen was the hub of the home, where much of women’s influence could be seen. The Puritan woman was expected to manage her household and cook for her family.The kitchen was an opportunity for women of all classes to experience their freedom. While a man, who was generally away from the home or in his study or bedroom, might have directed the work, the kitchen was a place where women saw control over their own work.
There were things about the puritan kitchens that have changed since then
The kitchen was the hub of the Puritan home, because it was the place where food was prepared and consumed. This is the same reason why kitchens are still considered to be the hub of today’s homes.In addition to preparing and consuming food, puritan kitchens were used as a place where families would gather to spend time together and discuss important decisions that were made within the household.
There were certain things about puritan kitchens that were similar to our kitchens today
The kitchen was the most important room in the seventeenth-century house. The hearth was the heart of the home, and the kitchen was where most of the household activities took place.There were certain things about puritan kitchens that were similar to our kitchens today. For example, they had ovens in which to bake food, and a chimney, which was used for heat and cooking. They also had tables and chairs for eating, as well as storage space for their food and utensils.
Cooking in the kitchen at this time required a lot of preparation
Cooking in the kitchen at this time required a lot of preparation. Puritans had to butcher their own meat and make their own cheese, butter, and other dairy products. There was no refrigeration to keep them from spoiling so most of the food had to be used or eaten quickly. They also baked their own bread and cakes, usually about once a week.
Conclusion
The kitchen was the pinnacle of efficiency in the puritan home simply because they had very little technology to use. ‘Technology’ back in the 1600’s and 1700’s entailed a lot of human labor, especially if running a farm or plantation, so everything had to be within arm’s reach so a wife or servant could have her hands free for other duties.
The Puritan kitchen was a place of hard work, but also an important part of their family’s life. In contrast to the rest of the house, the kitchen was considered to be a warm, friendly and domesticated space. For example, where upholstered chairs and decorations were forbidden in the main living room of the house, it was commonly accepted for the area around the hearth to be kept in check instead.
