The Island

I stand by the importance of having the right tools for the job, regardless of where that might be. Utensils for cooking effectively, such as the right flipper or knives, are crucial as much as the right hacksaw or rotary tool are for the first steps of building something. In the future I will show you my workbench and carefully chosen tools, but today the focus is on the surface essential to safely cook.

The top level of the island pictured above is a standard countertop height. It still has a significant degree of functionality for me but is primarily my wife's surface for her kitchen needs. The lower surface is a mirror image of the top level of the island with the two essential aspects. Firstly, the fact that I can roll under it anywhere along the front or sides. Secondly, the lowered height of it, which was chosen based off of other surfaces that have worked well for me. Having this large surface available to me has given me almost complete freedom in the kitchen to cook as effectively as I do.

A plug-in at each end of the island allows me to use multiple electrical appliances at the same time and the front 15 cm of the upper-level, where you see the coffee grinder, salt shaker and pepper grinder, is accessible to me to help keep my work surface as free as possible. If I had to do it all over again, given the space available to us, I would have rotated the island 90° and made it another 15-30 cm wider. Too often I am left with a slightly tighter preparation area than I would like when there is a hot pan or wok beside me. I am careful, but this has caused the occasional burn. Thankfully I have not, yet, spilled a vessel of hot food on the floor.

Though height is important, the most important thing is by far the fact that I can roll right under it and be facing forward while preparing. The same goes for being able to roll under a sink, be it in the kitchen or bathroom, or my workbench downstairs. Anytime I have been forced to pull up parallel to a vanity, and twist my body to try to use the sink, it results in a back ache and shoulder pain after an extended period of time. I can get by but I really appreciate having my work surfaces fully accessible.

Source: Custom made by the cabinet company who worked with our home builder. Easily done by any cabinet maker.

French Press and Travel Mugs

One of the more frustrating aspects of using a wheelchair full-time is the necessity of having your arms free whenever you need to go anywhere, even on level ground. I'm not comfortable carrying a hot cup of coffee between my legs for any length of time because there really is inadequate space, and too unstable of a surface on the wheelchair cushion, to get your beverage and yourself to your destination without spilling.

My best travel mug to date has been the one pictured on the right. It has an entirely airtight seal so even when I do drop it it never spills anything more than what was left in the rim from the last sip. The open handle design is just the right size to snugly fit over the top part of the fork my wheelchair before the frame bends down to form the foot rest. I can comfortably travel with it hanging from the frame of my wheelchair, remove it easily for a drink, and replace it to carry on.

The French press/travel mug on the left is just that. A single serving French press ready to go. As mentioned last week, I wanted to talk about a French press. Just about any coffee aficionado you speak with will quickly declare a French press superior to a drip coffee maker. The tell is in the taste. This mug can be used as a regular travel mug with a standard, but hardly airtight, lid or as a French press to go or to be poured into a different mug. Unfortunately, in addition to the high price, shipping that exceeded the high price and heavy handle that makes it very tippy (not good for anyone let alone a quadriplegic), the screens in the plunger and the pour spout do not do the best job keeping the grounds out of what you are drinking. Maybe it has more to do with my cheap grinder and inexperience.

My ideal solution is yet to be found.

Sources: 

French Press: Amazon.com

Travel Mug: Department stores or specialty kitchen shops. This one was from Loblaws/Superstore

Kettle and Coffee Maker

Paralyzed hands with limited sensation need to respect hot beverages but that doesn't mean they cannot be enjoyed independently. For me, the key is in the shape of the handles, reliance in The Gloves, to insulate from any hot surfaces touched, and to stabilize with a second hand.

Kettle

The shape of the handle on the kettle is important to my safe pouring. However, the most important aspect is the contour, or lack thereof. The squareness and sharp edge of the handle, as opposed to round and more ergonomic, makes it safe for me to stick a thumb under the topmost part of the handle and not worry about that thumb slipping out of the handle while tipping the kettle by the bottom to pour. Round handled kettles are much more likely to slip off my thumb and splash or spill, the consequences of which I don't care to think about. Those sharp edges provide something to catch a thumb joint on.

Coffee Maker

As with the kettle, the focus of the above photo is the handle. By catching my thumb in the topmost crook of the handle, the rest of the weight being borne by the flat of my hand, I can safely pour from this carafe when it is less than three quarters full. If I am making more coffee than that it is very likely there will be enough of us that someone of the group is able-bodied and could pour until it is low enough that I could handle it.

That is the drip coffee maker. Next week we will address mugs and French presses.

Source: Department Stores - The rounded ergonomic handles are almost ubiquitous now. If you cannot use those a modification or adaptation may be required.