When Chef Joe had to miss some time for family affairs, charity events or his own engagement party, Southfork Kitchen functioned without a hitch.
Some time before, in his monthly column in Harper's, DeVoto had written a diatribe against the stainless-steel paring knife, which, he complained, would not take an edge or perform any useful kitchen function.
The fascinating magic of watching a high-level kitchen function lies partly in the accretion of detail, as you see the dishes being constructed in layers and with the kind of expertise that, as in a good theater production, makes the most difficult feats look easy.
Plus, the company throws in an altimeter, barometer, digital compass, thermometer, stopwatch and kitchen sink functions.
It is also hard to imagine any ambitious kitchen could function safely during dinner rush if the staff were impaired.
The kitchen's function was to inflate aristocratic bellies, the better that Rowlandson's cartoons could satirise them, but it is still a noble space.
Setting a goal that relates to how you want your kitchen to function better is more helpful than blindly tackling a long list of cleaning and decluttering jobs, so consider what you personally want to get out of this week.
The goal is basic comfort and function: kitchen, Dad's office, master bedroom, two bedrooms for the kids and a living room.
