About Us

Hi and Welcome to White River Kitchens the home of the kitchen the warmth of the hearth and a hearty meal.

Here is shared all things to do with the centre of the home. Recipes, how tos and equipment for each of our kitchen areas

How Did the Websites the Name Come About?

I wanted something that represented my home area.  In the county of Cornwall, there is a river that runs white with the clay deposits that are washed from the hills to the sea.  For generations, the clay industry has been the lifeblood of the area.  What more can say home than that industry that gives work and puts food on the table?  And without water, nothing would grow.  Had I discovered the picture before I had named my site I might have named it differently.  However, this water flows through towns and villages, it flows out to the sea which is another important area for Cornwall.  It is about connection, sharing community, food and fun and growth.

Why We Arrange The Kitchens The Way We Do

They are designed so that all the things that are important to look at are all kept together so rather than going to recipes for a bread or cake recipe, for example, you would go to the baker area.  This saves you time as everything is in that section. There are also more general areas for storage, food etc that do not come under our special areas.

Each area is of specific significance.

The Frugal Kitchen

You don’t necessarily have to be short on cash to live a frugal lifestyle.  For many these days, it is a lifestyle choice.  Being economical with money and food is a good idea.  Not being wasteful with food is not only good economic sense but also makes good sustainability and green sense as well. Sometimes frugal and green go together and other times they clash.   I live a very strict frugal lifestyle most of the time with the occasional blip.

The Bakers Kitchen

Baking your own things whether it be bread or cakes is a necessity if you are running a frugal or green kitchen or if you want to lose weight. It is also a must if you want to avoid or reduce the increasing amount of chemicals and junk that goes into processed foods these days.

The Chocolate Kitchen

I have always had a passion for chocolate and know that many of you do too. Whether it be in chocolate form, or in cakes or ice cream, chocolate is important.

A few years ago I went on a day course on how to make real chocolates.  The course was over full and hectic and the kitchen huge and cold stainless steel as you would expect from a professional kitchen.  I didn’t enjoy the course at all but I did come out with some amazing chocolates at the end of it. I think chocolate making should be fun and that you should get something different than you would in the shops

The Kitchen Garden

I have my own allotment and grown my own fruit, vegetables and herbs for several years now.  Cooking from fresh is always different from frozen and cooking your own produce has the greatest satisfaction when eating it and the reassurance as to what has gone into your food.  I try new things most years.

The Green Kitchen (coming soon)

With the move ever increasing to green issues more and more manufacturers are realising the profits in this.  This area is for items specifically for equipment that is green or for articles on green issues in the kitchen.

The Preserves Kitchen

The preserves kitchen is especially for those that like to preserve their produce or buy in and preserve produce.  Part of having a garden or allotment is the joy of making your own jams, marmalades and other preserves. Many of the recipes here will be the ones I use from things grown in my own allotment.  Some will be bought in items.

The Christmas Kitchen

Having a Christmas kitchen is a given as Christmas plays such a large part in so many lives especially in the UK. Why isn’t there other religious celebrations?  Simply because this is about the areas that are known and I don’t really celebrate other religious holidays and don’t know how to cook for them or what goes into them so I feel these areas are best left to those that know them.

Why This Theme?

I was looking for a picture for the front page for one of the sections and I came across one.  It immediately spoke to me.  I was immediately transported back in time to being a child and suddenly realised that I’d got it all wrong.  My site was wrong. Kitchens weren’t about gadgets and tools and clinical things.  They were so much more than that.  They were, are and should be about home and hearth.

About family, fun laughter and tears.  About sharing not only food but conversation.  About life.

So you will see that my previous posts are quite different than now, hopefully still useful.  Now my site is about what a kitchen really is.

The Hub of the Home