Rumford roaster

The Rumford roaster is an early cast iron oven, invented by Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford,[1] around 1800.[2] It was part of his development of the kitchen range, which gave more control of the cooking and saved fuel.[3] He published his research in 1805.[4]

The Rumford roaster is a cylinder of cast-iron set into a brick wall. It is heated by a separate firebox below, and the ashes fall into a lower box. Coal or charcoal is burned to get the oven and bricks up to temperature, then the bricks continue to heat the oven after the fuel is burnt.[5][6] Rumford's invention distributed heat evenly around the food. A system of moisture-venting tubes and blowpipes improved browning.[4]

A similar design, the Reip "Bake Oven and Roaster", was patented by Henry Reip in 1825.[7][8]

The Rumford roaster was often built next to a Rumford fireplace, in the wall of a kitchen.[5]

The Rumford roaster was ultimately made obsolete by improvements in cast-iron technology. This allowed the development of the closed-fire cooking range, which enabled even more control over cooking.[4]

At the World's Columbian Exposition, 1893, a kitchen design described as the "Rumford Kitchen" was exhibited.[9]

Examples

See also

References

  1. ^ https://streetsofsalem.com/2013/02/01/rumford-roasters/
  2. ^ a b Radocchia, Jane Griswold. "Rumford Roasters". Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  3. ^ Blake, Anthony; Crewe, Quentin (1978). Great Chefs of France: The Masters of Haute Cuisine and Their Secrets. H. N. Abrams. pp. 20–21. ISBN 978-0-8317-3961-4.
  4. ^ a b c Ferry, John H. (2001). "Food for Thought: A View Toward a Richer Interpretation of the House Museum Kitchen" (PDF). CRM: Cultural Resource Management. 24 (4). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 May 2004. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Rundlet-May House - Front Kitchen". Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Rundlet-May House - Rumford Roaster". Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  7. ^ Reber, Patricia Bixler (1999). "Iron wall ovens". www.angelfire.com. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  8. ^ "Researching Food History : Rumford Roaster - never before seen pieces". Researching Food History. 17 February 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  9. ^ "Ellen Swallow Richards: Rumford Kitchen: Institute Archives & Special Collections: MIT". 13 April 2003. Archived from the original on 13 April 2003.
  10. ^ "The Remond Family". Hamilton Hall. Retrieved 2 December 2024.