We’ve been anticipating the kitchen remodel at Glover Gardens almost as long as there has been a Glover Gardens. That would be since 2008, when the Grill-Meister and I married and blended our families, christening his home since 1992 with a name that reflected our new status. If you’re following the blog, you’ll know that the day is finally here, that the rose-colored tile is going the way of the dodo bird, 8-track tapes and pet rocks.
Suffice it to say that “Yay!” is not a strong enough cheer of delight for this event that has been so long in coming. “Hallelujah!” is much more like it. But while I can’t wait to replace the old girl, we did have some good times in this outdated pink-tiled culinary palace.
Some really good times.
People are what made this kitchen a delightful place to be. We made some great food and lovely memories together.
I remember cooking with my late father in this kitchen, making what our family calls Harvell Enchiladas, which are basically fried cornbread cakes covered with cheese, onions and enchilada sauce. They are a remnant of my grandmother’s time as a schoolteacher in New Mexico in the early 1930s, and probably endured as a family recipe and legacy because they are extremely filling and supremely cheap to make—and being cash-poor was a constant state of being for my Dad’s West Texas family. Harvell Enchiladas made it into my Mom’s repertoire (from when she and my Dad were young and poor), so they are a taste memory for me, too.
I loved being with Dad in this kitchen (or any kitchen). This was at Thanksgiving in 2015, the last one before he got sick.
Apple pie-making was a family affair that Thanksgiving; two engineers peeled the apples with a rickety tool that’s going bye-bye with the pink tile, and one engineer was the project manager and pie completer.
The Best Eater and The Grill-Meister 
The Girl Who is Always Hungry makes a mean apple pie
We made more than one Thanksgiving more thankful by documenting our gratitude on bay leaves, gathered around the island.
My grandmother was thankful for grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 
Marvelous millennials: my nieces, son and bonus son 
Gratitude pears on a background of pink tile
Cooking together is a joyful activity. There’s been lots of that in this kitchen.
My beautiful sister-in-love 
Who is one of the funniest people I know
Bonding happens in the kitchen. The pink tile didn’t inhibit that!
Beyond eradicating the pink tile, the size of the island (too small!) and the tightness of the space around it are the main reasons I’m so glad to be renovating. Everyone ends up in the kitchen at a party, right? Our island is always doing double and triple duty at a party. And when the party includes cooking together, space is really tight. But the fun factor has always been there.
Colleagues from Brazil and Norway making pelmeni 
Add in Scotland and the US – it was an international dish made in the pink-tiled palace at a party
I won’t miss the pink tile or the tight spaces, but I wouldn’t trade the memories we’ve made here in this galley kitchen for anything.
We’ll make more memories in Glover Gardens Kitchen 2.0. Stay tuned!
This post is part of the Glover Gardens Kitchen Remodel Series. To see the rest of the chapters, click here.
© 2021, Glover Gardens
Good times indeed! : )
More to come, Grill-Meister!