The wrong day to wear the Anthropologie tank top. |
On Saturday as Owen and I were leaving for the cob oven-building workshop, my husband said, "I hope it isn't too much fun. I really don't want you to build an oven in our yard."
He said it kindly. I think he knows he's playing a thankless but necessary role in the sitcom of our marriage. I think he deserves an Emmy.
The workshop was held in a mysterious new art/garden/sustainable living center a mile from our house. I don't understand the business plan at all, but they now have a fabulous new oven courtesy of our workshop. Is that the business plan? People pay for workshops in which they build the center's infrastructure? Shrewd! In a few days the clay will be dry, they'll scoop out the sand, coat it with plaster, fire up the oven to 800 degrees F, and start baking phenomenal pizzas.
The plank-topped platform in back is what we started with. |
As to the oven, "cob" is the old English word for durable, sustainable earthen material that was once widely used in construction. I dislike the word "cob." I don't know why. What to call a cob oven if you dislike the word "cob?" "Earth" sounds sanctimonious. "Mud" sounds dumpy. Clay?
In any case, we mixed a lot of cob, stomping to a Pandora station that played folksy songs in Spanish.
Owen and some other cats mixing cob. |
We made a round, hollow base for the oven that we filled with empty Jim Beam and kombucha bottles.
I dutifully opened a bottle of wine last night to use in our oven. |
Over the brick floor, we mounded a dome of damp sand.
We smoothed it out a lot after this photo was taken. |
Somehow, by the end of the day, we had this.
Just like my mother, Owen has a passion for clay. |
There are many, many details I couldn't write down because my hands were covered with cob and just a day later I can't remember them. What ratio of sand to clay for the base? For the dome? How much? Mix it until its the texture of oatmeal? Or a milkshake? Etc. I wish I had a recipe, but I guess I'll figure it out as we go along. I have a lot of regular work this week, but Owen and I are going to forge ahead, try to get something done on the oven, however small, every day.
Fabulous ! Great work to you and Owen!
ReplyDeleteKelly @ parsleyandpumpkins.wordpress.com
Even though it may sound sanctimonious, there's a great little book called Build Your Own Earth Oven by Kiko Denzer that I bought a few years back. I really, really want my own outdoor oven. My husband is resistant.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, you can find it here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/build-your-own-earth-oven-kiko-denzer/1103542671?ean=9780967984674
Jackie -- I have that book. What is wrong with our husbands???
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you have it. I know!! Stupid husbands. :) He won't let me have chickens either. In his defense, the covenance of our vinyl village won't allow them either. Must. Move. Soon.
ReplyDeleteI think my husband just sees himself carrying big bags of clay down to the yard where I will make a giant mess. In his defense, I've made a number of messes over the years. He is mostly very tolerant.
ReplyDeleteI need to pick up that book. If we owned our little plot of land, I could convince my husband to help me build an oven back there. And now that I've seen the building in action, I feel like I NEED one!
ReplyDeleteExcited to follow this process! Goats don't eat clay do they?
ReplyDeleteWait a minute. I just realized my husband would be into building a cob oven in the backyard. What's wrong with me that I haven't started building one yet?
ReplyDeleteI feel like there's some fantasy book in which some creatures are called Cobs, like the goblins in The Princess and the Goblins?
ReplyDeleteAre you and Owen going to be working on the oven you built at the workshop, or the one in your own backyard. I must say, I think I'm with your husband on this one---wood-fired pizza is cheap and plentiful in the world.
is that clay local?
ReplyDeleteGinny -- why yes, yes it is.
ReplyDeleteJen, my son and I used that Kiko book as a loose guide to build an oven in our backyard in Napa one summer several years ago. Despite being pretty half-assed about following the instructions, we succeeded. Pizza was made:
ReplyDeletehttp://whinecountry.blogspot.com/2006/06/fire-it-up-dan-came-up-from-berkeley.html
Good luck!
Cheers to baby-steps everyday! Excited to see the progress and the final product.
ReplyDeleteI love this post. A particular favorite is the reference to "Owen and some other cats."
ReplyDeleteI just turned to my husband and asked if we should build a pizza oven in our backyard and he looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears. Have the goats, perchance, worn him out?
Anyone who has ever built a clay oven knows the best way to get one built is to hold a workshop. It's how we did ours, although our base is bluestone. I never saw the bottle technique before. Must be a CA thing. Your husband will love it once it's built. I find men go all Fred Flintstone over these things and tend to become more interested in using them than most women. I do recommend getting one of those digital hand-held temperature gauges to tell how hot the oven gets, but otherwise the primitive technique works beautifully.
ReplyDeleteI think we all have the same husbands: no oven; no chickens. What is the base of the oven that apparently was there when you arrived? I have longed to do this for years. Love hearing about it all!
ReplyDeleteThe secret, taught to me by my dear mother, is to tell one's husband about the idea, endure the eye roll, and then, about a week or so later, begin the project. The husband will come over to tell you how you are doing it wrong and he will take over the project. This is especially effective if there is dirt, motors, tools or fire. As 2 of the 4 are present - it should be happy family event.!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this idea. Is the book mentioned in comments a good reference on how to make this?
ReplyDeleteThis looks really neat -- bet you could make some amazing bread in that oven as well. But what are the bottles for?
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I have been talking about a brick wood burning oven in our back yard! Pizza and bread...yum (we live in San Jose). I started following your blog after reading your book...which I greatly enjoyed, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThere's a mysterious sustainable living "farm"/commune 2 miles from my house; they sold me some incredibly bitter lettuce one day. The process went something like this: Me: "How much is it?" Young hippies: "well, we were thinking, like, maybe $2?" Me: "Okay, I'll take some." Young hippies: "Well, here's a bag, and you like, take what you think is fair." Me: "GODDAMMIT! That never works! I take too much and you passively-aggressively say things like 'wow, that'll make a lot of salad' or I don't take enough and I feel cheated! Just give me the damn bag of pre-measured lettuce! IT'S THINGS LIKE THIS THAT SEND PEOPLE TO SAFEWAY!!"
ReplyDeleteI should find out if they have a cob oven or if they're planning to Tom Sawyer their way into getting one like your place.
Ida: Nice article about the ice cream! Inspiring, as always - makes me want to make some!
ReplyDeleteHi Jen. Not a fan of ice cream but your piece was a lot of fun! It pretty much confirmed why I dislike ice cream cookbooks.
ReplyDeleteHi Tipsy. I've missed you! Your dad told me about the oven and I'm thrilled. Your base looks fab.
ReplyDeleteTwo things:
1.) as I'm sure you know, here in New Mexico those ovens are traditional and ubiquitous. Ancient. It was pretty much the only way the Spanish/Pueblo indians cooked.And here they're called called horno which I think is a pretty word. (Pronounced "orno" as you also well know.)
2. I'm planning to build one this Fall (or next Spring) and have the base laid. Mine is elevated. I'd attach a photo if I could. Anyhoo, since the mud horno abounds here, I'm going to do more of a Pompeii thing just for a change of pace. The very slight difference is adding a little entry chamber with a chimney from the chamber rather than the igloo part.
In any case, the Forno Bravo site is terrific in terms of construction, measurements, lay-outs and Q&A. An active forum.
Their photo gallery of readers' ovens all over the world is a lot of fun! Some very creative ways to finalize the deal (which is also a lot of extra work and why most people simply leave the things mudded over (aka adobe.)
Here's a link to the gallery of 52 photos.
http://www.fornobravo.com/pizza_oven_photos/residential_ovens/Thumb51.html
I apologize for hijacking this thread but my excitement boileth over. Love your site! I'll check in more often. Half of Taos is reading your book. A star you are.
you will like [URL=http://jacket-dresses.net/]moncler cheap[/URL] for more detail PFxedcpM [URL=http://jacket-dresses.net/ ] http://jacket-dresses.net/ [/URL]
ReplyDelete5oYrp ghd flat iron
ReplyDeletefWxb cheap ugg boots
cHvy michael kors bags
7fDzx GHD Hair Straightener
3vFdr burberry sale
8uCzh chaussures ugg
0gHea ghd hair straighteners
9jWod louis vuitton purses
7hCah Michael Kors
0aTvu ghd hair
8fDew ugg boots cheap
4oWad nfl jerseys
7yFwa michael kors sale
5zNva lisseur ghd pas cher
4iJgt cheap uggs
kUtu ghd flat iron
ReplyDeleteoSvt ugg boots sale
jAlx michael kors handbags
6yIty GHD
5hKmp burberry outlet online
3cQnz bottes ugg
4cGce ghd
6sAlj louis vuitton bags
4mAxm michael kors bags
3iAut ghd hair straightener
7vRry ugg boots cheap
7hPzj cheap nfl jerseys
6aAdw michael kors purses
3nLan ghd france
4pEee ugg boots sale
qZdg coach outlet
ReplyDeletezWdx ugg boots
xEyu michael kors
5dJqk ugg boots sale
7bXoz chi hair products
7kNpp michael kors outlet
6mCww nike nfl jerseys
2sArl coach outlet store
0eCuk north face outlet
5aEca botas ugg
1gHsz cheap ghd straighteners
0bSrb michael kors bags
7xWrn nfl shop canada
1cElc ghd baratas
1rHps discount uggs
Victory won¡¯t come to me unless I go to it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.michaelkorsoutletei.com/ 3h6x2j0e2a5e1o9e
http://www.longchampsaleukxz.com/ 7j7d5c6h0n9g8c2h
http://www.cheapfashionshoesas.com/ 2s9v5c7z6x2k9n7n
http://www.burberryoutletsalexs.com/ 5u8j1m2f1n6o3k9e
http://www.nflnikejerseysshopse.com/ 8y6b7s0w4o0t2z5d
http://www.cheapnikeshoesfreeruns.com/ 3o9l8m9y3c5l6j6h
http://buy.hairstraighteneraustraliae.com/ 9q6v8r8g6b2c9g8z
http://www.buybeatsbydrdrexs.com/ 7d4q9f2t3a0n8x5i
http://www.uggsaustralianorges.com/ 4q3z1h9y1i2j8e8w
http://www.cheapbootsforsale2013s.com/ 9j8x9w8l8u8o7i2u
http://www.cheapnikesshoescs.com/ 0c2a0z3e7z1s1c1o
click to view [URL=http://guccioutlet6.devhub.com/]gucci handbag outlet[/URL] online LymxyXaY [URL=http://guccioutlet6.devhub.com/ ] http://guccioutlet6.devhub.com/ [/URL]
ReplyDeleteghd france ieirzawp ghd lisseur wzfjggns GHD Pas Cher lkbwvekw ghd tpkrmzaq lisseur ghd pas cher glwgnpxq Lisseur GHD eznpqsko styler ghd tikvpwpl
ReplyDeletenike norge evmgufps nike shox dame tmijhaec nike shox norge kiihzhjk nike shox sko obipaefm nike shox bfumaxfi nike sko norge bcoyonqa nike sko p? nett viqdtakh nike sko lwhjfmao nike xtwwkhjp
ReplyDeletehollister canada, louis vuitton australia, nike roshe, north face uk, michael kors outlet online sale, ralph lauren online, supra footwear, converse sneakers, chanel outlet, burberry.com, ugg, louboutin shoes, abercrombie and fitch, gucci outlet, thomas sabo, burberry, ralph lauren outlet online, nike.com, juicy couture handbags, converse chucks, coach factory online, oakley vault, nike air max, chanel handbags, nike air force, abercrombie, eyeglasses frames, ralph lauren outlet, adidas shoes, flat iron, air jordan shoes, louis vuitton, hermes bags, lululemon canada,lululemon outlet, polo ralph lauren, oakley outlet, nike.dk, chanel purses, m a c cosmetics, puma online, kate spade handbags, tiffany canada, nike air max, michael kors australia, michael kors handbags clearance, burberry.com
ReplyDeletenike outlet store
ReplyDeletethe north face outlet
canada goose outlet
cheap uggs
cheap jordan shoes
bottega veneta outlet
michael kors handbags
dallas cowboys
black friday deals
longchamp handbags outlet
north face jackets
michael kors outlet
chicago blackhawks
adidas outlet
fred perry polo shirts
wedding dresses uk
snow boots
louis vuitton handbags outlet
juicy couture tracksuit
michael kors outlet
1118minko
happy diwali sms
ReplyDeletehappy diwali
diwali images
happy new year 2017
new year shayari
new year images
happy navratri
independence day sms
raksha bandhan sms
online sbi personal banking
happy birthday wishes
free web hosting
pnb net banking activation
sol result
metro card recharge
Diwali 2016 rangoli patterns
ReplyDeletehappy new year 2017
ReplyDeletehappy new year
happy new year 2017 sms
happy new year 2017 shayari
happy new year 2017 quotes
happy new year 2017 images
happy new year 2017 wishes
happy new year 2017 wallpapers
happy new year 2017 pics
happy new year 2017 cliparts
happy new year 2017 gif
happy new year 2017 poems
happy diwali
happy diwali 2016 sms
happy diwali 2016 wishes
happy diwali 2016
happy diwali 2016 quotes
happy diwali 2016 images
happy diwali 2016 messages
happy diwali 2016 greetings
happy diwali 2016 cards
ctet sept 2016 result
ctet sept 2016 answer key
ctet sept 2016 answer key
ctet sept 2016 result
latest govt jobs 2016
happy navratri 2016
happy navratri 2016 sms
happy new year 2017
ReplyDeletehappy new year
happy new year 2017 sms
happy new year 2017 shayari
happy new year 2017 quotes
happy new year 2017 images
happy new year 2017 wishes
happy new year 2017 wallpapers
happy new year 2017 pics
happy new year 2017 cliparts
happy new year 2017 gif
happy new year 2017 poems
happy diwali
happy diwali 2016 sms
happy diwali 2016 wishes
happy diwali 2016
happy diwali 2016 quotes
happy diwali 2016 images
happy diwali 2016 messages
happy diwali 2016 greetings
happy diwali 2016 cards
ctet sept 2016 result
ctet sept 2016 answer key
ctet sept 2016 answer key
ctet sept 2016 result
latest govt jobs 2016
happy navratri 2016
happy navratri 2016 sms
uptet 2016 application form
uptet 2016 admit card
uptet 2016 hall ticket
uptet 2016 sample paper
uptet 2016 result
uptet 2016 counselling
uptet 2016 answer key
uptet 2016 merit list
uptet 2016 exam dates
jee main 2017 application form
jee main 2017 admit card
jee main 2017 result
jee main 2017 answer key
jee main 2017
aiims mbbs 2017
aiims mbbs 2017 application form
aiims mbbs 2017 admit card
aiims mbbs 2017 answer key
aiims mbbs 2017 result
aiims mbbs 2017 counselling
ailet 2017
ailet 2017 application form
ailet 2017 admit card
ReplyDeleteailet 2017 answer key
ailet 2017 result
ailet 2017 counselling
assam cee 2017
assam cee 2017 application form
assam cee 2017 admit card
assam cee 2017 answer key
assam cee 2017 result
assam cee 2017 counselling
bvp cet 2017
bvp cet 2017 application form
bvp cet 2017 admit card
bvp cet 2017 answer key
bvp cet 2017 result
bvp cet 2017 counselling
aipmt 2017
aipmt 2017 application form
aipmt 2017 admit card
aipmt 2017 answer key
aipmt 2017 result
aipmt 2017 counselling
aipvt 2017
aipvt 2017 application form
aipvt 2017 admit card
aipvt 2017 answer key
aipvt 2017 result
aipvt 2017 counselling
Annamalai University DDE Hall Ticket DEC 2016 Exam
Annamalai University DDE Result DEC 2016 Exam
comedk 2017
comedk 2017 application form
comedk 2017 admit card
comedk 2017 answer key
comedk 2017 result
comedk 2017 counselling
jeecup 2017
jeecup 2017 application form
jeecup 2017 admit card
jeecup 2017 answer key
jeecup 2017 result
jeecup 2017 counselling
mahatet 2017
mahatet 2017 application form
mahatet 2017 admit card
mahatet 2017 answer key
mahatet 2017 result
mahatet 2017 counselling
mpppt 2017
mpppt 2017 application form
neet 2017 sample papers
ReplyDeleteneet 2017 result
neet 2017 answer key
neet 2017 online registration
neet 2017 exam date
neet 2017
neet
merry christmas 2016
merry christmas 2016 sms
merry christmas 2016 wishes
merry christmas 2016 wallpapers
merry christmas 2016 images
merry christmas 2016 shayari
jee advaned 2017 application form
jee advaned 2017 admit card
jee advaned 2017 sample papers
jee advaned 2017 result
jee advaned 2017 answer key
jee advaned 2017 online registration
jee advaned 2017 exam date
jee advaned 2017
jee advaned
gate 2017 application form
gate 2017 admit card
gate 2017 sample papers
gate 2017 result
gate 2017 answer key
gate 2017 online registration
gate 2017 exam date
gate 2017
gate