1. In Neeve's kitchen there is a stove that looks like an Aga and then over on the other side, there is a regular stove. Why would Neeve have both? Will that make her cook any better?
2. In the Pub's kitchen, there is a French poster which has the word "Herve" in the corner which is the only part of the poster that is shown since it is near the table that someone is always sitting at talking, eating chocolate cake, etc. Is this a well known poster?
I'm literally watching as I'm reading this post and look up and, lo and behold, Niamh and Ambrose are IN the kitchen and there are the two stoves! Serendipity! I have to say, one looks like it is stacked with stuff, so maybe it doesn't work and is simply being used as cabinet space. I have a non-working portable dishwasher in my kitchen that is currently serving that very purpose. I notice lots of details in this show that defy explanation but seem wonderfully real to life.
No idea about the poster! :D
I also happened to notice the very same set-up in Father Mac's kitchen.
shareIt is not uncommon for the old stove types like an Aga (well old in theory as you can still buy one and have it installed if you have the space and your floor can bear the weight) to be in situ---and also a modern cooker as well.
The Aga either does not work anymore in these old kitchens because the gas flame has been turned off when the home was converted to electric. Or it's also because even though Agas are amazing things, it takes a certain acquired skill to cook on them. And not everybody has that skill automatically. Also, when converting a kitchen or adding to it in an old place, it might simply be too expensive to have the Aga people in to dismantle the thing and haul it away.
It's not bad to keep it if you have it--even if you don't cook on it it provides a constant source of steady warming in a kitchen--the dogs and cats love it, and make their beds as near as possible! ha
If you've ever seen one installed it's a huge deal. They prepare the area, then they send in a crew of people with the heavy, heavy, heavy metal bits and build it right in the home. It's a big project. To dismantle it takes equal skill.
Also, cooking on one today is not intuitive. It has to be learned.
There are still a lot of them about--old and new, and these kitchens often have a new cooker too. Many of today's kitchens that sported an old Aga (and even some modernized ones where a posh Aga has been installed to impress the neighbors with your poshness) also requires a regular cooker in order to be able to do certain things you cannot do on an Aga.
I went to a cooking school with both. And we learned on both, as they required different skills. So it became clear to me after that why so may opt to have dual cooking stoves.