12. The Kitchen

The kitchen was the heart and center of Il Poggio, and this is where Elisabetta could be found at  almost any time of any day.


Remember, Il Poggio was built in medieval times by one  the Medici family as a country estate, so the kitchen was planned to prepare the food (and banquets) for thirty or more people at every  meal. 

The kitchen was big. and rather dark because there were windows on only one side.

The far side--away from the window light--was well-lit by modern standards by electric light but was still rather darkish and country kitcheny.


In the farthest corner--away from the windows-- was a wood-burning fireplace which was always alight. 

This was not a floor fireplace necessary for heating but an old-fashioned table-high fireplace with a wide brick hearth and a wide smoke hood which was used every day for cooking of the most marvelous foods.


Elisabetta had a strong high stool near this fireplace and from this stool she directed all the activities of her Bed and Breakfast.

I saw, as one of my tasks, that there was always a plentiful supply of all sizes of firewood from kindling to logs for her to burn. 

There had been a hard frost two years before my arrival which had killed the trees in a nearby olive grove so,  stacked  in one of the out-buildings, was a good supply of seasoned, dry olive wood--choice cooking fuel.

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