At the Common Ground Country Fair

Fifty-thousand people and a weekend of brick oven baking, broiling, and slow cooking left me well-fed and well exposed. I spoke with so many people who were interested in brick oven baking and gave a talk on building the ovens to last a lifetime.
The weather, despite dire predictions, turned out to be summery and welcoming.

I also tested a premise regarding the viability of community brick oven use.  After arriving at the fair, I walked around to the Farmer's Market corners of the fair and offered farmers an exchange of their raw product for the same products (vegetables and meats) returned baked or roasted with a loaf of bread or on pizza.  Three vendors took me up on the offer producing delicious food and all around smiles when I walked over to their farm stand with a gourmet lunch.
Thanks to Moarhill Farm for produce and to Tide Mill Farm for an organic chicken that we roasted.

Each day ended with the baking of two or three batches of hearth loaves and the handing out of warm bread before everyone went to their campsites for the night.

I'd do it again in a hearbeat, or in the case of the Common Ground Fair, next year.

The next blog post will be originating in Dordogne, France where I will be exploring regional brick oven cooking. Bon appetite!