When I first set eyes on our little kitchen in England I thought it was nearly perfect for our year here. The only potential problem I saw was the tiny, BEKO cooker. In England the stove\oven is called the “cooker”. It makes sense because that is its job. I looked at “cooker” and twisted my mouth and turned my head peering into its tiny oven. “Oh, well. We will have to make it work I thought. Cooker was probably installed when the house was built in the 1950’s. The kitchen had been moved but it looked like cooker moved too and was as old as the house.
I quickly learned not to judge Cooker by her size or her age. She is quite efficiently built and only uses the amount of power to complete the needed recipe. For instance the oven portion is divided into a top grill (or broiler) and a baking oven. That is very smart! Why heat up an entire large oven just to broil a small item. The top grill oven can hold 8 to 10 chicken breast. And does a very nice, neat job of breakfast bacon rashers.
The lower oven portion amazingly can hold two large, whole chickens. I buy two at a time and cook them at once using power to heat the oven only one time and make almost 5 meals out of them. (that is info for another post). Two chickens come out of Cooker perfectly browned and juicy. I have never seen an oven cook so perfectly.
Orange sour dough French Toast and Bacon Rashers
Her stove top burners are plain metal circles. Plain but very practical. They don’t scratch, chip,or get food stuck on or in them. They easily wipe clean. The enamelled white top comes shiny clean with only a bit of baking powder.
Yorkshire Puddings
Cooker is old, small and not the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. But she wins big in the cooking and energy efficiency department. We are becoming fast friends. Tonight Cooker and I will be whipping up a yummy southern meal to serve our new friends Lynn and Kate. Lynn and Kate will be headed over for dinner as soon as they lock up at the Crusty Bun.
Southern Christmas Cooking going on here today!
Merry Christmas,
Beth
GILESGATE JOURNAL 
Carolyn and I spent 4 months in a very small Connecticut farmhouse between major moves. Noting similar quaint differences from what we were used to …. We have since looked back on that time as one of our finest memories of moving about. You will cherish all the wonderful memories you are making. Your blog is brightening our holidays. Love to all …Marv
It truly is a great opportunity. The work is going well and I think we are all learning a great deal. Thanks for being such a blessing to us!
Looking forward to bacon rashers in Durham!
I’d just like to say both the cook and the cooker did an excellent job the meal was delicious. Loved hearing stories from the south and had such a laugh. The bairns played their instruments for us and must say they did an amazing job. Beautiful, clever, polite kids a credit to Beth and Rob. Thank you so much for changing from strangers to friends. Even the table decorations were wonderful, handmade by Megan. Josh is so funny he reminds me of my son when he was younger, just adorable. Thanks again for a lovely evening and making me feel so welcome love Lynn xx
Thanks Lynn. It was fun having you and Kate over. Looking forward to sharing another meal with you again soon.
Beth
All the way to England to have dinner with a couple of red necks how blessed are you lol.X. Thanks again hun it was lovely x