California coolers

[rowanf]

Talondeep.jpg
Originally uploaded by rowanf.

This weekend we wandered across the street to look at the house that is for sale on the opposite corner. It has really been fixed up and looks nice. But what made the visit interesting is that we were chatting up the folks showing the house and invited them over to see ours. The woman looked at our kitchen and said "Oh, you have a California cooler." We had never heard of such a thing but it is a way that folks at the turn of the 19th century made their pantries. The bottom of the cabinet open to both the basement and attic. The shelves are mesh or wooden with holes in them and the cool air circulates and you can keep butter and cheese, wine and onions, and such foods cool. Ours has solid shelves now but is open to the attic and I am sure she is right. So I learnt something new about the house!