The Kitchens of the Witches

There was never a dull moment in Salem, Massachusetts during the 17th century. Things in the town started to change and nobody quite knew why. They came up with the most outrageous explanation for the unexplainable. In fact, the kitchen played an unusual role in this, but more on that later.

The kitchens themselves were something we would all dream of having in our homes right now. When we see this in an old home it’s something we find crucial to preserve. Whether or not it is used for cooking is up to how risky you are, but the aesthetics of this station are unparalleled.

The witches of Salem cooked in open hearth kitchens. They stood over their large pots with herbs hanging from the ceiling to dry over the smoking fire. The fire was surrounded by brick with a rustic mantle made of stone or wood. Pots lined the mantle and had their own little resting shelves in the hearth for when they were getting too much heat. This form of cooking meant that when preparing a meal, the cook would have to spend hours tending to the fire and the food to make sure nothing fell out of place. The lack of modern appliances meant they had to get creative on how to preserve their food. They would usually either dry, salt, smoke, or pickle to make the fresh produce and local meat last as long as possible.

Why did kitchens play a role in the Salem Witch trials? Superstition.

Three symbols raised superstition if seen in a Salem kitchen; a broom, toad, and cat.  

These three symbols remain 300-400 years later. However, now they’re mostly used to decorate our yards for the fun filled candy coma holiday.

Happy Halloween!