This is the business-end of one of our local bread ovens. Each farm had one, and each would take its weekly turn to fire it up. The good ladies of each farm would then take their dough to the week's designated oven, and bake their bread for the whole week.
A fire was lit inside the oven with bundles of dried wood and about a cubic metre of oak. This was kept going at a healthy blaze until the next day. The ashes were then scraped to one side, and the loaves put to bake.
This particular oven, which belongs to my friend Terry (St Theresa of The Floral Tribute), also has a small secondary oven (far right), which no doubt took lots of the hot ashes, and was used to cook stews, etc.
There was recently a government backed project to build new communal bread ovens in villages, but I've not heard of one being built. Maybe there was no enthusiasm.
No-one uses their ovens these days. Occasionally someone will hold a Pizza Party; but that's as far as it goes.
I'm thinking of building a small version up at our barn; a bit like the one in Jamie Oliver's garden (if that means anything).
I was just talking to a good friend and fellow bread maker and we so want to build one....I would Love to bake breads in one and pizza too!!! I wonder how big or small they could be...have you ever seen a smaller one??
ReplyDeleteIt is a dream of mine to do this one day!!
Smaller ones do exist, but I would think an interior of about 1 metre diameter would be fine. Not difficult to build.
DeleteHappy St Valentine's Day to all, and Happy posthumous Birthday wishes to my old mate Jock.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice Valentine's Day too! I am always amazed at all the old stuff over there, we are a young country and don't have all those wonderful old buildings and ovens.
DeleteHappy posthumous b'day wishes to Jock, as a fellow NZ'er. I wish I had known him.
ReplyDeleteI am madly envious of Jamie O's kitchen, especially that outdoor oven.
I scoured the imags of those bread ovens but I can't see a single "On/Off" switch or timer. Where was the temperature set?
ReplyDeleteThat sounds a bit like our wood-fired kitchen cooker. There IS a thermostat, but it's 'advisory' only.
DeleteThat oven is strikingly similar to the scared spring outlet at the Roman Baths here. Ours is too wet for pizza though.
ReplyDeleteThat is a dream of mine to have an outdoor oven in the style of Jamie Oliver. Once my house renovations are over I will look into it seriously. I'm sure I could find a small space in the garden.
ReplyDeleteWith a reasonably dry pergola nearby... It's a must!
DeleteUsing one of those ovens is one of my dreams - probably a hopelessly romantic notion, might be a lot more difficult and messy than I imagine.
ReplyDeleteSure does look handsome though!
Hmmn. Saturday night I might be in Bentiaba jail but a communal bread oven might be a good idea. If I get off with just a caution I'll look into it. The problem here is getting the hard flour and decent yeast.
ReplyDeleteWe can send a file (in a cake), if you think it would help!
DeleteWhat a lovely tradition...I hope it makes a comeback.
ReplyDeleteI think that would be fabulous in your barn,not just to look at but it would be so great to gather round with the kids,keeping tradition alive,you know if you ever sell the place Cro the kids will be so keeps evolving. sad as the wonderfulness of it just keeps evolving.
ReplyDeletenow I must check out Jamie O.'s kitchen...I know who he is but not a clue about his oven. i think how very smart of people to have communal bread ovens...it was/is such a staple, and cooking it communally is just a wise use of resources, plus it turns a "chore" into a social gathering.
ReplyDeleteGo for it. I can almost smell the bread baking
ReplyDeleteI agree - go for it!
ReplyDeleteNever tasted bread baked this way - but would imagine it tasted sublime.
It the early days of my marriage I would bake bread at the weekends - coo, nothing better than warm homemade bread rolls with lashings of melting butter, ham and pease pudding. Yummy! And Chelsea buns freshly iced. Yummy!
Then I got lazy...
Anna :o]
One of the cottages we rented in Normandy had a bread oven in it and I wondered how they worked. It was quite small and there didn't seem to be room enough for a fire and bread too!!! I love the sound of that old village tradition of baking the week's supply of bread though the bread must have been pretty dry and stale without preservatives like they use now-a-days by the end of the week. The taste of fresh French bread and aroma of it must have been fantastic !
ReplyDeleteBuilding one of these is on my list of Things I get to do someday and has been for nearly two years. You inspire me, Cro.
ReplyDelete