Still room: Difference between revisions

The still room is a room found in most great houses, castles or large establishments throughout Europe dating back at least to medieval times. The preparation of many household compounds was done in this space; distillery was only one of the tasks carried out there.

Originally, the still room was a very important part of the household. The lady of the house was in charge of the room, and she taught her daughters and wards^{[1][failed verification][better source needed]} some of the skills needed to run their own homes in order to make them more marriageable. As practical skills fell out of fashion for high-born women, the still room became the province of poor dependent relations.

A still room in a Renaissance great house would be equipped with distillation equipment, and a waist-high brazier or chafing dish. There might well be an adjoining stove room, with a small stove and slatted shelves for drying. Spirits, wines, syrups, and waters were distilled.^[2]

Medieval households also made many perfumes, such as rosewater, and powders made from orris root, lavender, and calamus; and dried meadowsweet and germander, hyssop, rosemary, thyme, violet, and woodruff.^[3]

Medicines were prepared, cosmetics and many home cleaning products created,^{[citation needed]} and home-brewed beer or wine was often made. Herbs and flowers from the kitchen garden and surrounding countryside were preserved for flavoring food^[4] and processed tinctures, distillates, and syrups.^[4] peppermint-based ointments, soaps, furniture polishes, and a wide variety of medicines.^[5] The still room was a working room, part science lab, part infirmary, and part kitchen.

In later years, as physicians and apothecaries became more widely spread and the products of the still room became commercially available, the still room increasingly became an adjunct of the kitchen. The use of the still room devolved to making only jams, jellies, and home-brewed beverages, and it became a store room for perishables such as cakes. The still room was staffed by the housekeeper or cook, then later by the still room maid.

Stillrooms were also used for preparing afternoon tea; not just the beverages, but sandwiches and cakes.^[6]

If beverages were not dispensed from food service counters, then the design of commercial kitchens in hotels and restaurants traditionally included a still room where tea, coffee and other beverages were prepared and dispensed. These would be located immediately adjacent to hotel lounges. Central in the still room would be a gas or electric water boiler and separate coffee brewers. Crockery, tea pots and coffee pots would also be stored here.

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