Thanks to a whole different reason, my kitchen was in a photographable shape for the first time in a long time. It's not that I don't keep the kitchen clean, it's just that I see some parts of the kitchen as a higher priority than others when it comes to scrubbing. But those lower priority parts still show up in photographs.

So I thought I'd show you the tiny, tiny space where the magic happens, even though (or possibly because) thanks to weather and viral bullshit, there hasn't been much magic happening at all. This is my kitchen:

Yep, that's it. Just wide enough for the oven door to open into, and for two friendly people to pass each other in a pinch. Still, I've managed to put meals out of here for... a very long time. Coming up on a decade, maybe? Needless to say, the kitchen will be a major consideration wherever we end up living in the future. So here's the business side:

That's a dishwasher that never washes dishes, on account of it needing to be hooked up to the sink. You can see how problematic that would be. It's used for storing cleansers, and the top is for my three major small appliances - stand mixer, food processor, rice cooker. The rest is bagged snack storage, occasional miscellany, and a power strip.

The stove is serviceable. That's my cast-iron grill/griddle there, an indispensable part of my arsenal. To the right of that is my main prep station, with Kapoosh knife block, overflowing spoon holder, main veg cutting board, and common shelf-safe vinegars and sauces. The fridge top is even more storage for strainers, my grater, and a couple of frequently used cast-iron pans.

This side is mostly storage and cleaning. Lesser-used spices, my cutting boards, cooking oils, prep bowls, and honey are kept here along with dishwashing paraphernalia. Every square inch of open counter space is used to store miss en place, which is usually enough unless there are dirty dishes piled up to the left of the sink. Don't look at me like that. You know you do it too.

That little pantry closet in the back is a life-saver. I don't know how I'd store everything I need without it. Canned goods, pastas, Costco quantities of tiptop bags... if it's not heat- or light-sensitive, odds are you'll find it shoved in here. Or not find it, depending on how messy it is at any given moment.

When I really think about it, I sometimes wonder how I'm able to do half the things I do in here. And then I remember the days when I spend half my cooking time dropping shit, breaking shit, or knocking shit over, and I realize how I do it. Lots of swearing and stubborn persistence.