Get Covered Up
Spud Larkin
at one point or another. We recognize them by their signature hats and
chef aprons. Chefs have used cooking aprons for a countless number of
years. Not only is it the attire-of-choice at many high-end
restaurants, chef aprons are a functional accessory to their
wardrobe.
Chefs wear cooking aprons for several reasons. One reason is that they
are dealing with a variety of food ingredients for many hours each
day. They have to have a means of keeping their clothing free from
dirt, stains and odors. They also need pockets to carry utensils from
one part of the kitchen to another. Chef aprons serve a variety of
purposes and most of us will admit that chefs wearing cooking aprons
have a more professional look.
Men and women have worn kitchen aprons for centuries. Traditionally,
women have been the primary homemakers in a family. Although times
have certainly changed and things are not as cut-and-dry as they were
before, the same tends to hold true. Kitchen aprons have been an
important piece of attire in women's history. The use of cooking
aprons likely precedes that of written history with several scholars
noting the use of aprons even in the time of Adam and Eve. My
favourite memory of my grandma, is wearing an apron, she always wore
whether cooking or not.
Kitchen aprons, or cooking aprons, have been worn to protect clothing
from dirt, grime and smelly odors. They serve as a towel to dry
freshly scrubbed hands. The pockets of kitchen aprons have been a
wonderful tool for carrying utensils, kindling wood or even an
occasional treat for a child. It is simply amazing to consider the
long and rich history of cooking aprons and how they have changed
along with societal standards. Todays kitchen aprons still serve the
same functional purposes but tend to come in a larger variety of
styles, colors and with catchy one-liners.
Jerry Avins
Two Julia Child episodes bring a grin to my face when I remember them.
In one, she dropped the turkey she had just taken from the oven, then
calmly wiped it off with her apron, put it on the platter, and said to
the camera, "Remember: you're alone in the kitchen."
In the other, she described the way to squeeze a lemon and avoid pits in
the juice: "Squeeze the lemon through a scrupulously clean cloth." Then
she picked up a corner of her soiled apron and squeezed the lemon
through it.
An apron is a handy garment!
Jerry
--
Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get.
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