Hi everyone. We haven't posted any new Cavalcade of Food episodes for a few months, which I usually share here, as I've been spending most of my free time working on a commercial building I purchased a year ago with the intent on housing my collection of large and small appliances, cookbooks, typewriters, records and hi-fi's, cookware, dishes, and everything else I have collected over the past 30 years.
A few miles from my cottage, where I usually record the Cavalcade of Food episodes, is a small town that had a Ben Franklin variety store on the main street for 83 years. We went there all the time and got to know the owners. When they told us they were retiring (they were the third generation to run the store) we were heartbroken, as we really loved the place. Then it occurred to me that it would be the ideal building for my stuff. The store closed on December 30, 2017 and I purchased it in February 2018.
In addition to housing my collection of things, I am almost done building a kitchen studio which I designed so that I can easily swap out the stoves (and maybe a fridge or two) as often as I please. Now I finally have most of my collection under one roof. Once the studio is complete, we will start recording new episodes from there, although we will continue to record at the cottage, too. I will also have cooking classes and demonstrations, typewriter parties, and have the building available for special events. A few years from now, when I retire, I may include a retail section in the front of the store, but for now it's really a museum and event space.
The sign on the front of the building finally went up last month and the place is simply called "Cavalcade." I'm including some posts with pictures of the place I've taken over the past year. Maybe down the road it could be a spot for an AW event, although I only have one washing machine and it's not even vintage! I'm a stove nut so maybe it will need to be a "Cook In"?!?
Anyway, I just wanted to share what was going on with you all.
Here is a photo taken the last summer the Ben Franklin was open (2017) and the building today with the Cavalcade sign.
Thanks,
Kevin
A few miles from my cottage, where I usually record the Cavalcade of Food episodes, is a small town that had a Ben Franklin variety store on the main street for 83 years. We went there all the time and got to know the owners. When they told us they were retiring (they were the third generation to run the store) we were heartbroken, as we really loved the place. Then it occurred to me that it would be the ideal building for my stuff. The store closed on December 30, 2017 and I purchased it in February 2018.
In addition to housing my collection of things, I am almost done building a kitchen studio which I designed so that I can easily swap out the stoves (and maybe a fridge or two) as often as I please. Now I finally have most of my collection under one roof. Once the studio is complete, we will start recording new episodes from there, although we will continue to record at the cottage, too. I will also have cooking classes and demonstrations, typewriter parties, and have the building available for special events. A few years from now, when I retire, I may include a retail section in the front of the store, but for now it's really a museum and event space.
The sign on the front of the building finally went up last month and the place is simply called "Cavalcade." I'm including some posts with pictures of the place I've taken over the past year. Maybe down the road it could be a spot for an AW event, although I only have one washing machine and it's not even vintage! I'm a stove nut so maybe it will need to be a "Cook In"?!?
Anyway, I just wanted to share what was going on with you all.
Here is a photo taken the last summer the Ben Franklin was open (2017) and the building today with the Cavalcade sign.
Thanks,
Kevin
