I visited friends in a prosperous suburb and had occasion to do a little cooking. Nothing fancy. Just a simple summer dinner on the back patio. Along the way I discovered the limitations of their exquisite kitchen. I was politely informed that the marble counters should never be touched since they’re delicate. Marble is a soft porous stone that’s easily marred by acidic substances such as tomato sauce, wine, vinegar, and lemon juice. Even an ordinary glass of water left on the counter will permanently discolor the surface.

They learned this the hard way and had the counters professionally restored and sealed at some expense. All activity in the kitchen must now be mediated with spoon rests, butcher block slabs, coasters, placemats, and eternal vigilance. It’s a gorgeous kitchen, but it’s kind of a pain to work in. Marble is a fantastic material for a kitchen if it’s used selectively for rolling out pastry dough and such. But when applied in the wrong manner, the whole arrangement is a triumph of style over functionality.

In the formal dining room in this same home is a cherished piece of carefully framed artwork. The pegboard, apron, and utensils were once part of the late Julia Child’s home kitchen and were purchased at auction from her estate. Notice the inclusion of the old electrical outlet and light switch. For context, the other half of these same pegboard panels are on display at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.