Yesterday, The HH and The Girl visited the Royal Palace of Madrid and the pictures they sent back were so cool, I just had to share.
Well actually, they didn’t take any pictures of the formal rooms in the palace… Just the kitchen. Which if you ask me, is pretty much the best part of any house. 😉
Below is a photograph of an early refrigerator {or really, a cabinet that was filled with ice to keep its contents cool}.
“From the first designs of the New Royal Palace that was to replace the Alcázar in Madrid, the kitchen occupied a large area on the first floor of the building’s basement, with enough space for the different Trades of the Royal Household related to food to develop your work as easily and comfortably as possible.
It was not for nothing that it was about the feeding of royal people and the court. The current Palacio kitchen is the result of evolution and the passing of the years to which the advances that were being made in this field were incorporated.
Stoves, ovens, hot plates, dumbwaiters and one of the first refrigerators are good examples of this. Other elements to highlight are those that are part of the kitchenware such as molds, pans, bowls, basins, knives, wooden forks and spoons, weights and scales, mortars of different sizes and other utensils for daily use.
The space is divided into various sections depending on the role that is carried out in each place by cooks and assistants. Work perfectly organized and supervised by the Senior Cook, ultimately responsible for royal food.”
Look at that range!!! And all those beautiful copper pots!
You can read more about the royal kitchen on the palace website HERE.
The garden behind the royal palace.
Oh how I wish I could have gone on this research trip with them. The food, the museums, the gardens, the weather!!! But someone had to stay home and keep Miss Lucy company.
Oh the things we do for our furry friends. 😉
Here’s to a wonderful weekend, wherever you are.
Have a good one,
~Mavis
Lynne says
I’m actually equally jealous of both you (for the luxury of a week a home alone) and the HH and Girl (for such a wonderful trip). I love to get a sense of how people lived when I visit old towns, and I agree that the kitchen in a palace or grand estate is the closest to relatable life you can see there.
My mother grew up in a home with an “icebox” – there was an iceman who delivered big blocks of ice. How very interesting to see such a beautiful one in the palace kitchen! Even real working furniture and appliances were made with such craftsmanship and artistry, once upon a time.
I hope you have accomplished your many goals for this week, and that your family enjoys a safe and comfortable journey home.
Della Roche says
Are they visiting Toledo while there? When my son was 19, I took him on a business trip I had in Madrid and he researched what he wanted to see there (besides soccer) and Toledo topped his list. We took the early morning train and walked through the whole area, which in addition to the stunning scenery has the most interesting history of being one of the few places that Christians, Muslims, and Jews lived in harmony decades ago. I highly recommend a train ride there!
Dianne says
Beautiful gardens behind the home. Do you know how many ovens that were in that stove? Looks like quite a few. Thanks for the pictures!
Mavis Butterfield says
8!
Dawn says
It’s beautiful–all of it! Those gardens…..