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[Roy Morgan <k1lky AT earthlink.net>]

On May 15, 2008, at 9:44 PM, Gene GeRue wrote
:...The ideal rural kitchen ... would be immediately
> accessible from the outdoors, at most with a mud room as a transition.

New England Story Time:

Folks prized really fresh sweet corn.

During sweet corn time, the well established New England housewife  
would get supper ready and send the oldest son out to the other end  
of the corn patch.  The garden was spaced a carefully calculated  
distance from the kitchen door, and the rows of corn were aimed  
directly at the door.

When every thing was ready except the corn, and the water was at a  
full boil, she'd go to the door and wave to the son. He'd run as fast  
as he could between the rows, picking the best ears of corn as he  
ran.  He'd then shuck them while crossing the space to the kitchen  
and dump the cleaned ears into Mom's apron. She'd quickly dump them  
into the boiling water.

If he dropped any along the way, he'd have to go back to pick  
replacements, because the time lost to picking them up would make  
them too old for the pot.

Roy Morgan
k1lky AT earthlink.net
Lovettsville, VA 20180