As winter approaches I find myself drawn to cooking soups, chili, roasts or any entree that requires several hours of simmering or roasting.  Hearth and home take on a particular sweetness as the weather begins to chill and spices whiff throughout my house enveloping me in a deep sense of comfort.  The simple pleasure derived from the smell of food cooking conjures images of The Little House on the Prairie where families gathered around the fireplace to warm their bodies, cook a meal and to share each other’s company.  The kitchen has become the modern-day hearth; the place that draws people together, and for me this is particularly true in the winter when I abandon outdoor grilling on the patio for the warmth of the kitchen stove.  Like a magnetic field pulling on our heart-strings, the kitchen calls to the place within us that seeks sustenance and nurturing.  Have you ever noticed how people gravitate to the kitchen during a party?  Kitchens come in all shapes and sizes, from a gourmet layout to a mere galley way.  But they all share one thing in common; they draw people together effortlessly, like a bee to honey.

With the holidays around the corner, the kitchen takes center stage in the home as lavish Thanksgiving dinners are prepared and pies, cakes and cookies are baked to be dispersed throughout the neighborhood, at the office or holiday party.  I will be in St. Louis for Thanksgiving this year where my dad will make his traditional oyster dressing and along with my mom, prepare the turkey, green beans, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy as well as crescent rolls.  Everything will be made from scratch, including the whipped cream for the pumpkin pie.  Though all 15 of us will come together around the dining room table to partake in the feast, it is in the kitchen that we congregate natrually, indulging in home-made fudge, washing dishes together or purely savoring the nearness of good food, family and friends.

(First photo compliments of Kitchens & Interiors International)