Given the weather report in France for the next few days, I thought this might be an appropriate choice for today. Forecasts are calling for temperatures as high as 23°C/73°F in Amboise over the next few days. Far from oven temperatures, it should be just perfect for cycling or doing anything outdoors. The photo of this fabulous iron oven was taken in the kitchen at château Chenonceau.
Cast iron ranges like this were a huge technological change in the kitchen. Most of the famous historical French chefs who developed haute cuisine were people who were early adopters of this newfangled device and understood how to use it to their advantage. Big households who employed a cook had to send her off for training or more commonly, buy an instruction manual that she had to work through. Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management was the most popular in Britain, but I don't know what the French and American equivalents were. If anyone knows I'd be very grateful to learn. I talk about this to clients and Americans have never heard of Mrs Beeton, so it falls a bit flat with them.
ReplyDeleteneat old oven! you are getting our weather from ealier this week and i'd like it back please ;)
ReplyDeleteFinders keepers...
DeleteI was just wondering what on earth the title the four had to do with the photo before I realised it wasn't quatre but oven... It's fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI'm not too happy with these temps. I'd like cold now. And a real winter after that instead of mild and balmy and wet...
I would love to have some snow this year. Last year was so mild it hardly felt like winter at all.
DeleteI like the look of it.
ReplyDeleteHere we've had a couple of weeks worth of off and on rain. Today dawned with blue skies... but given the weather patterns, I'd be amazed if we get through the day without a shower or two.
That would be more normal for us. Cooler temps with more rain.
DeleteWe're in for another nice day today (Friday). I'm getting some outdoor chores done.
ReplyDelete