Funny thing, hobbies. You complain when you don’t have time to do them, yet feel relieved when you have a break from them. Since the oven went kaplooey last Sunday, I’ve had time to do other things. These things include cleaning, vacuuming, cooking, swimming, and watching movies. Not exactly high-octane stuff, but I’ve gotten some balance back in my life. The house is clean, the pantry is stocked, and some to-do items have been crossed off the list (with extreme prejudice!).
For example, we’ve had a garage filled with old appliances. Okay, not filled. The rest of the space IS filled with boxes from the move and other excretia that needs sorting. Friday I Had Enough, and took pictures and posted six ads on Craig’s List. By mid-day Saturday I’d sold three things (TV, air conditioner, microwave) and made $140. That’s enough to buy a cheap oven. Ah, but I jump ahead of myself!
Friday afternoon the appliance repairman came out to the house to perform a biopsy (electroscopy?) on the oven. His skin was caramel colored and he had a caricatured Italian accent. I think. But his name was Ken and we were gabbing over the drawbacks of modern ovens too much for me to ask him his motherland. Turns out the main circuit board of the oven is fried, and the total bill for repair would be $320. Whee-ha! That’s almost triple what we paid for the thing, and there’s no guarantee it wouldn’t happen again in six months. There are some places where silicon wafers and hair-thin wiring are not appreciated like, say, in a 500-degree oven. And for the love of God, why? Mechanical thermostats can work fine and accurately! And they’ll last longer than a tweenie’s attention span!
[roar]
See what technology made me do? Now I feel bad. Well, not really. Now I’m dedicated to finding an older and simpler oven. One that, heaven forbid, might suggest some use for heating and baking things. Rather than acting as a large digital clock. Because I’m crazy like that.
Once an oven is found, I’d like to rethink my baking hobby. It seems I was getting into too much production, and over-extending myself. I’d like to do more baking for us at home. After all, if we can’t eat and enjoy it, what’s the point? Vowing to eat more homemade bread is like a New Year’s resolution to have at least on piece of chocolate per day, but I’m nothing if not committed.
So…does anyone have a vintage Wedgewood double oven that is fully functioning that they’d sell me for less than 4140?
Writer, architect, father, husband.
Anybody moving who doesn't want to bother selling that Wedgewood oven and just loves all you do with your bread baking and wants you to have that oven because you're so cool—-NO? Well, what do THEY know?! How about trying Seth's heating epoxy trick? Will that generate enough heat to bake bread? No–I'm no help?? Life is all about balance anyway.
wouldn't a modern convection oven be good for baking breads? by the way, we used to have a wedgewood oven when i was a small child.
Convection might be better, and certainly faster, but it's one more variable added to my already complex process. Plus they aren't cheap. I think I'll probably just be getting a more modern oven.
I do miss the bread and Red Baron, but it's nice to have more swimming time, no?