SC - Re: Bee Hive Oven

[Librarian]

Bob & Bobbe Crain wrote:
> 
> I have been interested in building a bee hive oven.  Can any one help
> me find a reference to the proper design and construction of a bee hive
> oven?   Thank you.
> bob
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>  |    Bob & Bobbe Crain    |
>  |   yeti at harborside.com   |
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>           \_)    (_/Try Regia Anglorum's web-page far an excellent article and 
illustrations/photos of a bee-hive oven, plus a step-by step account of 
how one was constructed from historic finds, and used at re-enactments 
to bake bread.

I am currently workingon a simpler version, which, though not 
historically correct, may well be easier to construct and/or transport 
and re-use. It involves a large clay flower pot ($10.00-$20.00 in my neck 
of the woods) with a  6-8 inch hole knocked in the top  rim and a smaller 
one with the entire bottom  knocked off (about $1.50). Place the large 
one upside down in the fire-pit and the smaller one in the side hole, 
with this 'mouth' facing the interior of the fire-pit. Cover with damp 
earth and top with sod taken from the fire-pit, leaving the hole in the 
top uncovered ('Bread and Salt' refers to the hole in the top being used 
as a "burner" in Eastern Europe. In non-slavic areas I gather this was 
not necessarily the case. For a cooking burner for pots, tho, the hole 
would need to be larger, and you would need an alternate 'vent'. Don't be 
alarmed if fire shoots out the hole. I surmise this is normal). Build a 
fire inside. Let it get hot enough to mostly dry the mud. When ready to 
bake, rake out the coals and put your bread dough or other item inside 
(on a flat rock, bakestone, or pan unless you like to eat cinders. I 
can't see why you couldn't rest the oven on one a paving flint). Allow to 
bake as needed.

I havn't tested this, mind you, but have read reports that the flower-pot 
works well on it's own, and it was a small leap for my mind to make it 
into a bee-hive oven. If it ever stops raining I am going to test this 
thoery, to see if it works. It's worth a shot, and I havn't much to loose 
except time and 2 clay flower pots! I have shamelessly stolen the 
flower-pot idea from an article in Stefan's Florilegium, a gathering of 
history-related re-enactment articles, mostly from the SCA newsgroups, 
containing useful information. One file is on construction bake ovens, 
and there are some excellent ideas. Your search engine should be able to 
find the Florilegium for you, if you are not already familliar with it. 

L. Herr-Gelatt/Aoife
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