<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter" style="border:0 none;" src="http://www.remain-silent.com/cm/kitchenenvy/Cairns_historic_outback_kitchen_west_of_Cairns.jpg" alt="cairns outback kitchen" width="450/" height="317" /></p>

Now before you think I've gone absolutely mental with my choice for this weeks Kitchen Envy I want you to pause and give this space a chance. One of the best trips I've had to date involved backpacking across the Australian outback. We slept on swags (roll up mattresses in lieu of sleeping bags) , showered under roofless campground showers and cooked communal meals in a makeshift outdoor kitchen. It was bliss.

Sure, there was the threat of dingoes but cooking your dinner by burying a cast iron pot full of potatoes under a roaring bonfire created a meal not quickly forgotten. I think the fresh air and ingenuity that goes into al fresco cooking makes food that  much better..and I envy that. The above picture is of a <a href="http://www.friendshipforce-aussie.org/modules.php?name=Cairns">historic Outback kitchen west of Cairns</a>. If it was cleaned up and organised it would be an amazing space and thats why its the source of some major envy:

- <strong>That phenomenal teal stove</strong> is not only a great vintage piece but looks like it operates on coal or firewood. Imagine the smell of cedar or *Australian Sandalwood burning in that stove, filling the space with their warm nuzzly aroma.

- <strong>Those corrugated walls</strong> are quite primitave and functional too. It's not too precious to smack a nail in it and hang a saucepan up, or, in my personal choice, some funky old artwork!

- <strong>Stone floors.</strong> I have a really bad rep for dropping and breaking stuff in the kitchen. My butterfingers means that I like no nonsense floors that assure a clean break and easy clean up. Wood floors inevitably get scratched, tile and I have grout issues...but stone. Ahh its simple, natural and easy to sweep and mop without any hard feelings.

- <strong>Open Cabinetry.</strong> Now I am not sure if the open cabinetry in this kitchen is intentional but there is certainly space for it! In an environment like this open cabinets means you can instantly see if a pesky snake has snuck into your cupboards...no scary surprises for me! Also the space available to extend cabinetry means the inclusion of more worktops. More often than not an outback kitchen like this is not going to be used by one person but a group at a time..lots of space to allocate people to tasks is just perfect.

So what do you think of this outback kitchen? Tons of potential or just a hot mess?

<i>image by <a href="http://www.friendshipforce-aussie.org/modules.php?name=Cairns">friendship force australia</a></i>

<font size="1">* Australian Sandalwood market is trying to make up for India's Sandalwood shortage in recent years so uhm, yeah don't burn it. </font>