The Perfect Play Kitchen

I make no secret of the fact that I hate (hate!) cooking.  The mess, the dishes, the smells, the large margin of error.  Yuck.

I do, however, love children's play kitchens.  Since before Margaret was born, I've been window-shopping online, putting together my dream play kitchen.  There are so many fun and whimsical options out there these days.  Nothing like the plain wooden sink-and-oven with plastic fruit I remember from my Kindergarten classroom.

My favorite kitchen has got to be the Kidcraft red vintage kitchen:

This toaster from Plan Toys fits the style of the kitchen perfectly.

I really like Haba's play foods, because they mirror the things we eat at home:
Pita Sandwich

Deli Sandwich

Ravioli

Tagliatelle Noodles

Farfalle Noodles

Chicken 

Their fanciful desserts are darling:
Muffins

Petit Fours

Melissa and Doug have some nice wooden basics:
Cutting Fruit

Pantry Products

Fridge Food

Condiments 

They also make some quirkier sets:
Grill Set

Stir Fry

Sushi

Pizza

As far as dishes and cooking implements go, I love Ikea's line.  Affordable and realistic-looking:
Plates and Bowls

Cups

Flatware

Cookware

Tea Set

Clearly, I have a bit of an addiction.  Fortunately, we aren't planning to give Margaret her kitchen until her second birthday, so I have another whole year to feed my obsession.