14 things familiar to us that cannot be found in the American kitchen
There is little to surprise a modern Russian woman. And for us, kitchen gadgets are a piece of cake; we master them at a high level and even cope with some new items with a bang. In addition, many of us remember cooking devices from the times of the USSR. However, we can get confused if we find ourselves in the kitchen of another state or even on the territory of another continent.
Some of our compatriots, having moved to the United States for permanent residence, tell us what familiar and standard items you will not find in the homes of American housewives.
The content of the article
Washing machine
In Russia, many residents try to install this type of equipment in the bathroom, if the space there allows. In extreme cases, you can often see an automatic machine in the kitchen, but this will not surprise anyone - it is much easier than without it at all.
But in America there are no washing machines in the kitchen. They are installed either in the utility room, or in the basement or garage, or even use the services of public laundries. But the latter institutions are more likely the lot of either bachelors, or owners of rented housing, or those who live in a small house where there is simply nowhere to put equipment.
Water heating tank
During the reign of Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev, houses with gas water heaters installed in the kitchen began to appear en masse in cities. Moreover, the size of the room itself did not matter at all - install it, period. But in the USA, it is customary to place a water heater in the basement, although there are exceptions in this country.
There are cases when the water heating tank is generally located in the closet in the bedroom. Our women do not understand such a system, because it can be placed at least in the corridor, but the bedroom...
Heating batteries
In America, decentralized heating is still more popular, when the air is heated using gas or electricity and then distributed throughout the apartment thanks to air vents. In this case, the heat source can be located in the pantry, basement, garage. Centralized heating, like ours, is extremely rare.
Door
An American kitchen is not just a separate room. Sometimes this is one spacious room that serves as a dining room, a living room, and often a hallway. In the best case, the zones will be separated from each other by an arch, shelving, a transparent partition or a bar counter. But you rarely see a door in the USA.
Curtains
There is dense window decor in American homes, but it is mostly hung in the bedroom, living room or nursery. The maximum that an American housewife can afford in the kitchen is small curtains that play only a decorative role. Sometimes it's just blinds.
Drainer
This thing is absolutely unnecessary for Americans, and maybe even completely incomprehensible.
If a US resident has enough money, a dishwasher or a house helper will dry the dishes for him. Otherwise, they do the same as we do - wipe away the moisture with a dry towel.
Electric kettle
In general, in the USA you can buy everything - any equipment. And an electric kettle too. But Americans don't use this handy device.
In fact, residents of the country have good alternatives:
- they can heat water in the microwave;
- pour from a cooler (which is used frequently);
- install a dispenser that is configured to constantly supply hot water.
By the way, the unpopularity of the electric kettle has another good reason. The fact is that almost any device is designed to operate from a 220 V network, and in the USA the maximum voltage is much lower - 110 V. It is unlikely that an electric kettle will work with such indicators. You can, of course, buy equipment that fits these parameters, but then the water in it will take a long time to heat up, and electricity in the USA is an expensive service.
Teapot
Americans love different drinks, but the most popular is coffee. It is for this reason that you will always see a coffee machine in the kitchen, but it is unlikely that you will see dishes for brewing tea. However, you can still find French press in American kitchens.
Oilcloth on the table
The maximum that Americans are capable of is setting the table with some kind of festive tablecloth on the occasion of a special celebration. In ordinary life, nothing covers it.
By the way, the oilcloth on the table is an echo of the Soviet period, but not the American one.
Water filter jug
Residents of the United States are very critical of the quality of the liquid they consume, but you won’t find a filter jug in their homes. Usually they install special systems under the sink, where purified water flows from an additional tap.
Another option is store-bought bottled water.
Plants on the windowsill
In Russia, even if you don’t really like indoor flowers, you will still put something on the windowsill: a small cactus, an unpretentious begonia, useful chlorophytum or other plants. We also like to grow our own greens on the windowsills: from dill to balcony tomatoes.
Perhaps our American friend would take note of this, but there are no window sills in their kitchens.
Breadbox
Square bread is especially popular in America - ideal for sandwiches. And they simply store it in the kitchen cabinet.
Beaker
Our Russian women immediately notice one feature. They are terribly lacking a measuring cup, which is so helpful when preparing certain dishes that require a specific amount of different products.
Even for comparison: our recipes are often described in milliliters or grams, but in America everything is measured in spoons and glasses (and special ones, not table or dessert glasses).
A jar of kombucha
To be honest, at one time Americans liked the infusion of kombucha, and even enjoyed popularity for some time. It's not only delicious, but also wildly healthy.
However, now they also love it very much, although they insist that the miracle potion is not at home - in the supermarket you can find a slightly yellow drink. It is not cheap and is called a rather strange word - kombucha. For some reason, the American women refused to insist on it at home.
