Building an Earth Oven: a hands-on workshop

Wood-fired, retained heat ovens have been used for millennia all around the world to bake everything from bread and pizza to meat and vegetables. These are the ovens that bread as we know it was invented for. The even, radiant heat from all sides makes crusts with the perfect combination of crispness and chewiness. In this one-day workshop you will learn to build an oven from free or inexpensive natural materials: clay, sand, straw and bricks for the floor. Instructor Michael G. Smith has been building with earth and straw since 1993, when he helped found the Cob Cottage Company in Oregon. See his web site: strawclaywood.com. For more information: michael@strawclaywood.com or phone 530-796-3714.  The workshop is on October 19 in Rumsey (Capay Valley) from 9am to 4pm.