New medieval clay bread oven

Earlier this year, I made medieval clay bread oven and unfortunately after much use it met it's demise.  It was fired up, very hot and ready to be used and then a horrible storm started with hail and heavy rain and the back of the oven blew out.  But in October I built a new oven.  Smaller than the last oven and much easier to travel with.   The construction process was the same, clay mixed with a little sand, straw and water.  The inner frame is a woven basket covered with fabric then the clay mixture.  

Once the clay dries to a leather stage, usually I wait over night for this to happen; I then build a small fire and slowly build it up to where it then burns out the fabric and basket, in this case two baskets and dries the clay on the inside.  It then is hard enough to bake in.  Each time the oven is fired, it will harden more.  Like when you are firing in a kiln the heat dries the clay.  

 The oven itself was built on a wood litter and will be added on a cart, hopefully some time this spring.  The weight is over 100 pounds and takes two people to lift.  The inside is large enough for a couple rounds of bread or two medium pies. 



 

New year and new post

Well it is a new year and my New Year's resolution is to post every other week things that I am working on.  I have been very lacked in that respect.  So to catch up I will post some things that I have been doing.  I have attending demos and built a new bread oven as well.  Made more hats and currently working on some hood and clothing.  

Happy New Year Everyone!  

Playing with dough.....playdough that is

As I was passing through the hall I heard Isabelle say, "Elizabeth, look at my clay oven".  I took a peak in the room and saw she was making a clay oven out of playdough.  I told her when she finished to come and get me so I could see it.  A few minutes later she called me and and said "Here is the door mommy it even has a handle".  She made it to look just like our oven door.  To think, my daughter is building a clay oven, something she learned, a piece of history, really something that changed the way people lived and ate for centuries and she is playing with the concept right now.  I just got called for the finished project, she was so excited.  She opened the door and jumped up and down and said, "I even put a little fire in there".  That is really awesome! I will post some pics later.

Butter churning beauties.....

The girls really enjoyed teacher butter making during my bread class.  This was the third time the taught butter making.  Although, they were a little more shy this time.  The butter did get made though and enjoyed with the rolls made during class. 

This picture was actually taken at a demo we were doing in June.  The girls look so cute with there smocked aprons and there head wraps.  They wanted to look just like Mommy.  

A closeup on the churn  You can see one of the little three legged stools in the back ground their Daddy made them.  

  Here is a closer look at the stool.  They are the perfect height and the girls just love them!

From Clay to Bread class

Many people have asked for a copy the class I recently taught on the Medieval Bread Oven so I have included it here on my blog.  The class can be found on the right hand side as a link to on the blog itself.  Enjoy!

 

From clay to bread 

Recreating a period clay oven and using it

 By Duchess Ilish O’Donovan