The history of summer kitchens unveils a tale where necessity birthed invention, later transcending into luxury--a brilliant testament to human evolution if there was one! Originating in medieval Europe, these structures functioned as separate entities from main houses to prevent heat build-up during sweltering summers and potential fire hazards--oh how pragmatic our forefathers were! But let's not limit our appreciation just yet. When night falls and temperatures drop, does that mean we retreat indoors? Absolutely not! Our summer kitchens keep us warm on cool nights with their radiant crowning jewel; fireplaces or fire pits which aren't merely functional but add a certain rustic charm to our space. Landscape gardener Victoria is a firm believer in cooking outdoor year round, provided you're warm enough. ‘I love cooking outside in the autumn and winter on dry days. Think lunchtime rather than evening if you plan to host in the winter as it gets dark so early and is often much colder once the sun sets.’ Where’s the best place to install an outdoor kitchen? RELATED: 15 100-Year-Old Houses That Haven’t Aged a Day The single main reason for building a small summer kitchen was to keep the main house cool by preparing meals elsewhere. When looking out from the kitchen you want great views of the surrounding areas and your wonderful garden space.

Summer Kitchens by Olia Hercules (Bloomsbury) is an intriguing book. Part recipes, part social history, it is a fascinating account of a disappearing phenomenon in the Ukraine where Hercules spent her early years. Memories of women gathering in their summer kitchens to preserve the abundant harvest for the long winter months are part of her upbringing and Hercules sets out to capture not only the recipes but the stories. She is an evocative writer, drawing in the reader with her intelligent storytelling. Any food writer who manages to quote Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita in their cookbook has my full attention. Fast forward centuries later, we have now transformed this utilitarian corner into hedonistic havens that amplify our lifestyle quotients tenfold! Today's summer kitchens embody architectural finesse with state-of-the-art appliances nestled within stylish layouts surrounded by comfortable seating arrangements--all under open skies! To those who think they can slap down some countertops around a grill and call it an effective workspace--please stop! A poorly planned layout can transform your culinary endeavors into chaotic mess rather than symphony of efficiency! The basis for any effective workspace is functionality; this means considering how you cook, what equipment you'll use frequently, storage requirements--the whole nine yards--and then organizing these elements into efficient work zones.This large open-plan space we designed and built for our client in Winchmore Hill consists of a double galley layout with a grand island sat in the centre. The perfect ‘kitchen triangle’ has been added with the three main areas close together, including appliances from Wolf and Perrin & Rowe. The kitchen has been completed with our stunning traditional shaker style with raised and fielded panels on the door and the drawers are flat fronted, which is a beautiful combination. While summer kitchens are primarily found in upstate New York and the Midwest, 18th-century houses in the mid-Atlantic region—like Virginia—often separated the kitchen in a distinct, usually wooden, structure. Unlike summer kitchens of the north, these discrete workspaces were the main kitchens and were used year round rather than seasonally. Inside these kitchens of the 18th century—be they seasonal or not—little would actually signify the space as, well, a kitchen—at least to modern-day dwellers. "The whole notion of a kitchen with purpose-built cabinetry and countertops is very modern," said Carlisle. "We don’t see kitchens like the ones we’re used to until after 1930."

The Ukrainian take on baba ganoush – its third cousin, quips Hercules – was smoky and silky as all good baba ganoush is. I didn’t think that the addition of butter (whisked into the beaten aubergine) added enough to the finished product to justify the extra fat content. However, the idea of serving it spread on top of pan con tomate was a good one. I often make this easy to prep toasted bread with garlic and tomato as it is a great accompaniment to a table of mezze or even a starter in itself. I had never thought of adding a topping to it other than chopped, ripe, tomatoes and basil and pools of top-quality olive oil.Start with the sink. That’s where you’re going to spend a lot of your time, cleaning, prepping, and doing dishes. You’ll also want a beautiful view while you’re doing your work, right? In a time when we strive to declutter for our overall wellbeing, storage is of the utmost importance in current kitchen trends. Especially in kitchens where we need so many 'things', from the ingredients to the cooking equipment. Well-placed, concealed kitchen storage ideas are a saviour for the aesthetic of our kitchens. When dinner is finished and you're relaxing with full tummies, what better way to keep the evening going strong than by cosying up under blankets and lighting up your fire pit ideas? Store a selection in baskets that you can bring out in one lot for your guests when the sun goes down.