SC - possibly OOP - wood stove

[Ceridwen]

> Greetings Melisant,

First let me express my congratulations (and envy). You have a treasure indeed!

> I've just moved house into one which boasts, lurking in a corner of the
> kitchen, a genuine, purportedly fully functional, Aga wood stove - one of
> those ones with the big insulated covers for the plates, and heavy metal
> doors on the firebox and oven.  We haven't tried playing around with it yet,
> but plan to this weekend, when the Shire Cook's Guild are going to move in
> and try it out.  Not really period, of course, but at least it's cooking on
> a fire, far more authentic  than electricity! :>
>
> So - does anyone have any experience with these stove-monsters, or any
> handy/helpful hints, suggestions or warnings? Some of our other cooks have
> used them before, but I have *no* experience with these things, and wouldn't
> even know what kind of fuel to feed it.
>

An Aga can be either coal or wood fired. First things first, however... check (or
have someone check) the chimney and pipes through the walls for soot or creosote
buildup. If there is a lot of either, or an obstruction  of any kind(bird nest,
debris, etc) you could wind up with a very nasty chimney fire. Also check the
firebox  and ash pan to see if they ned to be cleaned/emptied. Locate and check the
damper mechanism to be sure it moves. This controls the air flow to/from your fire.
If it is stuck in a closed position you will get a smoldering, smoky fire with
little heat, if stuck open it can creat too great a draft and you will have a *hot*
fire really fast. If the stove has been in use recently by the former owners this
should have been taken care of, but if you don't know for sure, do it anyway.
Wood or coal as fuel is up to you, depending on availability/cost. If using wood,
it should be dry and free of bark. (we split rounds into 1/4 or 1/8). Kindling
(tinder should be finely split (1/4 to 1/2" diameter) so it will catch quickly. You
can use some wadded paper to help it catch. Use a good hand ful of each, and lay a
split on either side of the kindling in the firebox. Make sure the damper is open
about 3/4 of its' total and put a match to the paper and kindling. (do not use an
accelerant like lighter fluid!!!!) When the paper/kindling has caught, close the
firebox. If you have a window to observe the fire, keep an eye on it, if not you
can check it  now and then to be sure it's still lit. You will be able to feel the
heat on the stovetop soon.
    These things take time to heat up (my grand's cookstove is not insulated like
an Aga, and preheating to cooking temp can take an hour with a good fire. Put a pan
of water on one of the burners and see how long it takes to start to steam. Check
the fire frequently, adding fuel as neded to keep a clear, bright fire. Adjust the
damper if it seems too high/ hot or too slow. When it gets going, the heat will
last a long time even without a fire, so as you cook, only add the minimum fuel to
keep the temperature even. This will take *practice*, I assure you.
   Even if the oven has a built-in thermometer, use one inside it anyway to check
the calibration of the existing one, as they can be "off" by as much as 50 degrees.

    I wish you the best... these stoves are economical, practical, and beautiful.
It can be a frustrating thing to learn for a person who is accustomed to gas or
electricity, but is a life-long skill well worth learning.
    I grew up in the mountains of Pennsylvania, and cooked on an antique wood-fired
kitchen range for 10 years. I miss it a lot especially in the winter, as it truly
tends to make the kitchen the heart of the home. I don't think it would work where
I am now in Florida, as our winters aren't long or cold enough to justify a
constant heat source, but I *do* miss it, even the gathering, splitting, stacking
wood and taking out the ashes.
Best of luck,
Ceridwen


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