Ergonomic eating

The kitchen has always been the centre of the household, but in recent years it has moved out of its hidden back quarters to dominate the home for entertainment and eating purposes. For this reason it has become increasingly important to plan a kitchen that allows free movement as well as optimum utilisation of light and space.

The ergonomic kitchen is one that is designed to suit you. The right kitchen design should create a working environment that takes into account the exact movements of the person using it.

This can include giving careful consideration to working heights for preparation, cooking and cleaning. The ergonomic kitchen should also take into careful thought your present and future physical abilities so that your kitchen will always be able to live up to the demands of your lifestyle.

The layout plan should also make sure that cooking supplies and appliances are within easy reach, as well as provide adequate room to walk between kitchen cabinets. An ergonomic design should ensure that the kitchen is easier to work in so as to reduce stress on the body. The necessary safety concerns should also be addressed, especially when it involves children and pets.

The design should not give children or pets easy reach to areas where there are knives, china or heavy equipment. Cabinets with magnetic locks and a breakfast bar in the kitchen where children can be under constant surveillance are also ideas to consider.

Keeping some of these thoughts in mind will help you make the most of your kitchen and help you enjoy your time in the most important room of the house.

- The writer is a communication arts student at the Mount Carmel College, India

Strawberry shortcakes with strawberry sauce
For the strawberry shortcakes
- 5 1/2 fl oz double cream
- 1 vanilla pod, seeds only
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 4 ready-made shortbread rounds
- 3 1/2oz fresh strawberries, hulled, halved
For the strawberry sauce
- 3 1/2oz fresh strawberries, hulled
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- 1/2 lime, juice only.

- STEP 1: For the strawberry shortcakes, place the double cream, vanilla seeds and icing sugar into a bowl and whisk until the mixture forms soft peaks when the whisk is removed.
- STEP 2: Place a shortbread round into a chefs' ring on a serving plate, slide the halved strawberries down the inside edge of the chefs' ring, cut-side facing out, and then fill the ring with half of the cream mixture. Place another shortbread round on top of the cream and then carefully slide the chefs' ring off. Repeat on another serving plate to make another strawberry shortcake.
- STEP 3: For the sauce, place the strawberries, icing sugar and lime juice into a mini blender and process until smooth. Add more lime juice or icing sugar to taste, then pass through a sieve.
- STEP 4: To serve, drizzle the sauce over the shortcakes.

We love…

Warehouse home stores
There are a few about town… and we can't get enough of them. The one-stop shop where you can pick up the cooking range, cabinets… all the way to the forks and knives you will use for serving food.

With themes and patterns aplenty, there is something for everyone. IKEA anyone?