Resembling small domes, clome-style ovens came to be known as beehive ovens. The dome shape is not an accident of style. The interior curvature aids in the even distribution of heat to the floor of the oven.



The clome oven is considered by many to be the ancestor of the modern-day wood-fired pizza oven that has become a common fixture in many restaurants.

The operating principle behind the clome oven is the same as any other masonry oven. Constructed primarily of clay, the clome oven was somewhat unique for the time. The clome featured a heavy door, usually made of clay, which would allow the oven to heat up quickly and could be used to control the internal temperature. Like any type of oven the idea is to trap enough heat for a long enough period of time to heat or bake items of food. Clay, certain types of brick and other earthen materials such as adobe have extraordinary heat retention properties.

Since the clome is a black oven, the fuel source is fired in the baking chamber. Once the oven reached the appropriate temperature, the fuel would be raked out or pushed off to the side. The fuel source could have been wood, coal or peat. As a black oven, the location of the clome oven was critical, since it did not feature chimney. The clome would be placed near a fireplace allowing the smoke and other products of combustion to vent through the entry and up the fireplace chimney. Since the clome is a direct-fire oven, the interior of the oven would blacken.

Like many wood-fired ovens, the clome oven could reach temperatures of up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit so it would have taken a good bit experience to use one. Being made of clay, the oven, if properly cured and fired, could withstand these temperatures since clayware is kiln fired at temperatures exceeding 1200 degrees Fahrenheit. There is little doubt that the presence of soot and ash affected the taste of the food. This phenomenon is not unlike the flavor enhancement that is achieved by todays backyard BBQ grills.

It goes without saying that cooking and baking with a clome oven was a laborious task. Fuel would need to collected, a fire started, food prepared and then would come the job of monitoring the cooking process.

The same basic technology that fueled cooking in the Middles ages is still in use today. A number of manufacturers offer backyard, wood-fired ovens for residential use. A popular accessory for the deck or patio, these unique ovens can be used for everything from pizza and Indian tandoori, to European-style breads and baking vegetables. Outdoor wood-fired oven can be purchased as complete units, do-it-yourself kits or built from scratch.