Did you know that Focaccia is Italian for ‘the bread baked in the hearth’?

I choose this heading, because I love making focaccia, just with salt, olive oil and rosemary drizzled over the top… and because I want to write about the most nourishing part of our homes, - the kitchen! It is the powerhouse of the home, where food is prepared from many magical ingredients that are brought in from all kinds of sources, often from all over the world. The farmers have worked hard all year to grow our food, and now it is our turn to be nourished by it, - once we have given it the final touches.

They say that kitchens sell houses, - this is how important they are!

However, they are just a tool. The cook is the artist and alchemist, the secret ingredient is love!

This reminds me of a little story: A famous photographer goes to a party, where the host welcomes him and says: I admire your photographs, - you must have an amazing camera!

After an absolutely fabulous dinner, the photographer says to the host: Thank you for a delightful meal, - you must have an amazing oven!

Anyway, - back to Buildingbiology. The question I get ask very often about the kitchen is about induction cook tops: Are the electric energy fields from the magnetic induction unhealthy? The answer is: Yes, BUT…. not really. Gas cooking combustion fumes are quite unhealthy and require a powerful rangehood to be sucked out of the kitchen, and simple electric cooktops also have large magnetic fields.

The second-most question asked is about the formaldehyde in kitchen cupboards, as they are mostly made from veneered particle board, with contains formaldehyde, a toxic gas. Thankfully, they are enclosed and painted, so the formaldehyde can’t escape. I still have to find a kitchen with high formaldehyde readings. If you are worried, take out the shelving and paint the back strip of the shelves, where you can see the particleboard. This will reduce the leakage even more.

Back to the power of the kitchen, where the food for the family is prepared. There is the pantry and the fridge, where it is stored, and all the gadgets we have to make things easier. A powerhouse of processing activity!

With all the appliances, consider not having a bed on the other side of the fridge wall, to avoid the fields of the cabling and the compressor.

Keeping your rangehood and filters clean is important, - and make sure to give your dishwasher a cleaning-tablet every now and then. Especially so, if you often use it on eco mode and low temperature.

The water filter is always an issue…. some like the water from the tap, just as is. Others go all the way with a reverse osmosis system and re-mineraliser. If you are keen to install a filter, just google your area or take a look at http://www.healthyhomehub.com.au/contents/en-us/p3055_Purestream-Water-Filters.html

During lockdown, cooking and eating (and cleaning up!) together is particularly important. Get the kids involved, call your partner to make dessert, - the kitchen is a great focal point to nourish our relationships, our bodies, and our souls!

I’m going to start a fire in the backyard, now: Time for sausages and breads on sticks. - When you pull the perfectly baked hot bread off the stick, fill the hole with jam and sour cream, or even butter. Yumm!