Eggplants, stoves and the never ending kitchen construction

My earliest Tinos memory involves my Grandmother Iakoymina standing by the propane gas powered stove cooking. She was an amazing cook and many people I encountered, even this summer (and she's been gone now 18 years), still talk about one or more of her various entrees or desserts. I, in particular, remember how succulent an eggplant dish was. No eggplant has ever measured up since and I almost avoid eating them in disappointment.

As you can tell from the picture, the propane gas powered stove is still in use today. That stove has to be more than thirty years old and although Dad bought an electric stove with oven a couple of years ago, the electric stove has been little more than a shelf to put things on. That might soon change.

Today, Faviana and I came home from an early morning beach day to discover that the kitchen cabinets had finally arrived. We have been in Greece for over a month and although these were ordered over six months ago, the carpenter arrived today, along with three of his workers to put them in.

Well, they measured, they cut, the drilled holes in the stone walls. They placed the bottom cabinets, the placed the refrigerator. They even placed the upper cabinets. However, the upper cabinets were put in 3 cm too low and now the lid of the kitchen stove grinds against the hood everytime you open it. Four of the cabinets were not cut yet. The carpenter and his crew left with the promise to come back soon.

We believe they'll be back within the two months that we have left in the village but you're never really sure with the way people work here. Dad says he's going to ask them to raise the cabinets another few centimeters when they come back to put in the four missing cabinets.

The kitchen looks really nice. We cleaned out the cabinets, put in our groceries. Washed all the cups and dishes as they were all covered in dust that the carpenters kicked up. We'll put those away tomorrow. Funnily enough, the little propane gas powered stove is still alive and kicking. The old travel proven valise that propped up the stove is now in the kotoi (the old stables) but the stove itself resides on top of the new spangled electric stove and Dad made this fantastic eggplant imam on it that almost rivaled Yiayia Iakoymina's.