Outdoor Ovens

Introduction: Fire! It’s what sets us apart from all the other animals. Man’s ability to build fire and use it to cook has shaped the very way in which we live.

Chapter One: Underground - Hangi, Imu, Luau – are all terms given to the underground ovens of the Pacific Rim. Building a fire and making a subterranean oven can often be the focus of a religious or cultural ceremony or rite. It can also be a means for poachers and brigands of remaining undetected in the hills around the Mediterranean.

Chapter Two: Overground – From earth to clay to brick. This chapter looks at the development of the oven in all its guises (tandoors, pizza ovens etc) and the rise and fall of the public bakery.

Chapter Three: Wandering free – Portable ovens, from the ceramic Hibachi to the cast iron Dutch oven.

Chapter Four: Enough to feed an army – Innovation in the military kitchen. From the ‘Soyer Stove’ of the Crimean war to modern military catering, this chapter looks at the development of military ovens used for victualling whole armies.

Chapter Five: Sweet suburbia – The rise of barbecue culture

Chapter Six: No Smoke Without Fire – A look at hot and cold smokers and their uses.