Cookhouses

Cookhouses. . Here in Key West the separate cookhouse kept the heat away from the house and reduced the risk of fire. The cookhouse behind the Oldest House dates to approximately 1838 and is the last remaining original cookhouse in Key West. Emeline Watlington had a servant to do most of the cooking, but she was involved with the planning of daily meals. This kitchen has a beehive baking oven, used for various baking needs. Charcoal was burned in the hearth. Most cookhouses had spits for roasting meats. Pots and kettles could be swung over the fire for cooking., Cookhouses were dangerous because of women's fashions - long, full skirted dresses that could easily catch fire. They spent hours keeping the fire and oven hot to cook all planned food and meals for the day. With lack of refrigeration many foods were canned, pickled, dried, or salted., In Key West, seafood made up a large portion of their protein diet. Local fish included conch, fish, turtle and crustaceans. A majority of the local population had backyards or kitchen gardens that would produce fruits and vegetable for the household.