As city dwellers give up on the Great Australian Dream and opt for apartment living, men are facing the reality that they may never be the proud owner of a garden tool shed. In response, Generation Cave-Deprived is taking their need for tinkering, building and destruction to the kitchen, with the aid of powerful kitchen appliances and utensils. " ?I don't have a shed to store the loud tools I always wanted" ?, says Paul Cartwright who owns a unit in Melbourne, "so I take it out on food with my blender, juicer or high carbon knife set" ?. Dr Rob Heard, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, believes such behaviour is a result of social learning, "From a very early age, boys are encouraged to focus their energies on rugged pursuits. If men can't retreat to their backyard shed, they want to at least enjoy some of pleasures associated with it." ? One of those pleasures is to show the new kitchen toy to mates while the womenfolk are left to gossip around the dining table. However, just any machine doesn't guarantee collective grunts of approval. "You can't have a fully-automatic espresso machine. It's all about being in control" ?, says Dan Sanger, proud owner of a $500 Gaggia Classic, and resident of the aptly named Sydney suburb of Manly. "To make great coffee I need to tamp just right so the two shot basket runs evenly from each spur. Plus the slip on turbo-froth adaptor makes better steamed milk." ? While knowing that high above Australia's largest cities, otherwise peace-loving men are cutting, dicing, grinding and crushing defenceless cups of fruit, vegetables and coffee beans may not be cause for concern. That it may not be long until they are strutting around with filters and steam wands dangling from their belt, is something none of us dare contemplate. |
