From: A Kitchen Alphabet
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itchens have changed through the ages with the available technology. Before chimneys, the hearth was often in the center of the room, and kitchen areas were situated so as to share their warmth with other parts of a dwelling. Much of what we take for granted about kitchens are fairly recent developments—even the idea of using precise measurements was not common until the second half of the nineteenth century.
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A Month of Sundries 