bread loaf
We knead to bake!

2004 Saint Paul Bread Club Community Oven

We will meet for the community oven on July 17, at 3 p.m. at the St. Agnes Baking Co., 644 Olive St. in downtown Saint Paul.

A community oven is where people (such as residents of a village) gathered to use one oven that the community shared to cook their food and bake their bread, conserving fuel.

For us, the community oven will actually be four ovens provided by St. Agnes for our use.

Will any dough be provided?

Yes, but the amount and kinds are not known in advance.

Can you bring your own dough?

Yes, and probably in any amount you are likely to have.

Should I bring dough ready to go into the oven?

Any dough you bring should be out of the ovens by 4:30 (to allow some time to cool). That means it should either be in pans (or on baking sheets) when you bring it, or else it needs be risen and in pans by 4:00. (I have made some doughs that, having been put in pans, will rise enough to be baked in about 45 minutes.)

What temperatures will the ovens be at?

Whatever makes sense for the dough and pans in use. Two of the ovens are convection ovens and all have steam injection.

Are there any hearth ovens?

There is a baking stone the size of a small table top that will be in one of the ovens for breads that want direct application of heat.

What else will be going on at the bread club meeting?

Klecko is planning on giving his own usual presentation, and David S.Cargo will present information about bread baking resources on the Internet. Mr. Cargo will also be talking about the field trip to the hearth oven in Wisconsin. Other presentations might be added as time permits.

The "I" speaking above is David S. Cargo, maintainer of the SPBC web pages.