[Sca-cooks] Fwd: Oven temperature question

[Terry Decker]

Considering that many medieval towns were very cautious about permitting
ovens inside the town, I would say that the danger of a fire was real.  All
it takes is a small accident to start a fire that would burn out a group of
adjacent wooden structures without firebreaks or firewalls.  A baker whose
livelihood depended on being allowed to use his ovens would have been extra
cautious about not giving cause to have his license pulled.

Also, the embers were not inside the oven.  They were removed to clear the
oven floor for baking.  I think they would have been removed in buckets of
water to eliminate any danger of fire.  That being the case, the oven
wouldn't be relit until the next baking run to keep from wasting fuel.

BTW, the better ovens have a closeable vent above the door to create a
circular draft inside the oven chamber, so there would have been two
openings.  And the door would probably have been wood and flammable.

Bear

> What fire danger? You are keeping the embers in a big chunk of stone
> and mortar. The only opening is the door, and that has a closure of
> some type. Where would the embers go to cause a fire? In addition the
> area around the ovens, in the pictures I remember, seem to be pretty
> clear of burnables.
>
> The cost of the fuel wasn't insignificant. I don't think they would
> have thrown out something that would have saved them some wood, and
> time, in bringing the oven back up to temperature.
>
> Stefan
>