Fire In The Oven!!!

Thursday, January 27, 2011


Last night while watching television, I heard a loud beeping noise. First I thought it was from the tv, but then as it continued I realized something was wrong. I went into the kitchen and found I had a fire in the oven and smoke everywhere.

Yesterday, I worked all day on a couple of loaves of Rye bread. When I say all day, I really mean 30 minutes here and then 30 minutes there. Mostly the bread is fermenting or rising. One of the doughs had fermented for 6 hours and was working on its final rise. The other loaf was a walnut-date bread. I had shaped it into a wreath and it was almost ready to be baked. Then, I didn't pay enough attention and accidentally preheated my top oven to 500 degrees instead of the lower oven. Needless to say, all my bread dough was rising in the oven that was slowly heating to 500 degrees. (Along with my grandmother's vintage crock...luckily and surprisingly it didn't break.) Not good for dish towels though. They were in flames.

It felt like those times when you think you are making great progress on a quilt, only to find out you have to take out stitches because you pieced something wrong or, after stitching a large motif on a sampler and finding out you are off 1 thread. As my friend Cherie says, "You want to rip your head off and throw it across the room." (Cherie has quite the way with words and images.)

I went ahead and baked the walnut bread anyway to see if it might turn out. I added a candle for the picture above hoping to divert your attention from my bread. Everything looks better with a candle don't you think?

This is what the bread should look like. I took a picture of Richard Bertinet's bread from his book Dough.

Mine doesn't look like his at all....but I'm giving it a second go this morning. I'm feeling hopeful.


This baby is rising now. It will be ready to bake soon. I better go pre-heat the oven. Believe me, I'm going to be more careful today!

Until later dear friends,

Alma

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22 comments

  1. Lady TruffleJanuary 27, 2011 at 11:40 AM

    Stacy! You are too funny. . . just put a cute ribbon on your loaf and it will look just as awesome as Richard's! "Show me the Dough"!

    Patti

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  2. sunnyJanuary 27, 2011 at 11:40 AM

    That is totally something I would do. Good luck today!

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  3. Quilt it and Dotty www.quilt-it.nlJanuary 27, 2011 at 11:48 AM

    Well you had a fire in your oven. I had a fire in my quiltshop. One quilts was ruined, and luckily the shop was unharmed. I have the strangest thing happening to me. You were in my dreams last night and desided to do some jogging around the garden. People loved it and joined you. You also loved my vintage bottle cap magnets with dogpictures in it and asked for a bargain. And of course I gave it :-).
    This morning we started to make lovely kits with ribbon, buttons and my friend Dorien said to me, why don't we put the bottle caps with dogs in them. The color just beautiful. So we did. And you started it! So strange. What a fire can do to you. Happy eating.

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  4. GiovannaJanuary 27, 2011 at 11:56 AM

    Ouch! That must have been scary... Glad you're ok, and enjoy the new bread :-)

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  5. UnknownJanuary 27, 2011 at 12:00 PM

    It's good to know that I'm not the only one out there that would do something like that! I'm glad to see your back in the saddle baking today! lol

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  6. MargaretJanuary 27, 2011 at 12:01 PM

    Wow! I'm glad the fire wasn't worse than it was! You're really baking the bread these days -- it's so cool! Good luck with your second try.

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  7. Lisa SJanuary 27, 2011 at 12:10 PM

    Oh MY!! So glad the fire was contained to the oven.
    Good luck today!

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  8. GerryARTJanuary 27, 2011 at 12:22 PM

    Alma, Alma what an adventure! !
    Once burned
    twice shy.

    Candle-lit Hugs,
    Gerry

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  9. Michelle~Sugar House CreationsJanuary 27, 2011 at 12:29 PM

    Oh no! LOL! It makes me laugh because it reminds me of my mistake. I had just taken the tuna noodle casserole out of the oven and placed it on top on the burners to cool for a minute. I went to get the boys and then we heard an explosion from the kitchen. I had forgotten to turn the burner off from when I was preparing dinner, and, well, the Pyrex dish full of tuna noodle casserole had exploded all over the kitchen. Pizza for dinner!

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  10. LaurieJanuary 27, 2011 at 2:35 PM

    oooohhh noooooo :( did it at least taste good? and yes, EVERYTHING looks better in candle light! Have a grand day - Laurie

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  11. JulieJanuary 27, 2011 at 3:51 PM

    Oh, this is so something I would do (have done). usually, I leave a burner on the stove going and then put a plate on it and never think about it again until the plate explodes...

    Your bread looked great - there was a candle in that pic? I agree with Patti - just put a red ribbon on it and call it good, hahaha.

    julie

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  12. pajudieJanuary 27, 2011 at 4:00 PM

    Oooo - scary, Alma. Glad you're ok. I must thank you so very, very much - I received the Moda jelly roll that I won on your fabric giveaway - it's absolutely beautiful and I'm really excited to find an appropriate pattern to showcase it. Thank you so very much again :o)
    Judie

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  13. Cathy LloydJanuary 27, 2011 at 4:20 PM

    Oh how I hate exploding items in the kitchen! It makes such a mess for "the maid" to clean up! LOL!

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  14. TerryJanuary 27, 2011 at 5:27 PM

    At first I thought the candle was a glass of milk you'd magically flamed - the perfect drink to go with fire-roasted bread! Glad your fire was just a little one and that your grandmother's crock survived unharmed.

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  15. LindaJanuary 27, 2011 at 5:52 PM

    Just love to hear your stories! LOL! Makes mw feel alittle better knowing that a professional has some of the same mishaps that I'm prone to. Happy baking today!....been watching and listening about the new book, you know the one with your class projects in it? Don't know what you have named it....but WHEN is it due out? I can hardly wait!!!!Linda

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  16. PatSloanJanuary 27, 2011 at 7:34 PM

    OMG!! I have 2 ovens too.. and ONLY use my bottom one for baking on the stone.. i better be careful or I'll have a twin to your oven fire!

    i have set a dish towel on fire once... but just that once.. and not at my house .. just saying

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  17. AnnaJanuary 27, 2011 at 7:38 PM

    oh my $%^& Alma...I bought the brotform because I thought you could bake bread! lol I think I am going to be in trouble next week. As it is I have sour dough starter that I have to treat like a baby!

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  18. WoolenSailsJanuary 27, 2011 at 10:12 PM

    Glad it was contained, that can be scary.
    I used to bake home made breads, but I can't have yeast now, so no more breads.

    Debbie

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  19. AnonymousJanuary 27, 2011 at 11:39 PM

    Hello Alma,

    I'm looking for speakers for the year 2012 (April thru November)Davison Evening Star Quilt Guild (Davison, MI). I was wondering if you or Barb would be willing to speak to our group and possibly offer a workshop.
    Please let me know what your availibility is, what your fees are and what your travel expenses may be.

    I look forward to hearing from you,
    Lisa Burmann
    burmannstudios@yahoo.com
    www.burmannstudios.com

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  20. Mary @ Neat and TidyJanuary 28, 2011 at 4:46 AM

    Hilarious! I've just ordered one of Richard Bertinet's books from the library thanks to your suggestion.

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  21. MonicaJanuary 28, 2011 at 8:49 AM

    thank goodness you and your home were safe! and only the bread was ruined (and your dish towels). I did something similar. I had little protective strips on the edge of my oven racks to protect from burning your fingers but I forgot and left them on when I decided to use the cleaning option on the oven. I smelled something chemical and I turned off the cleaning function, let the oven cool down and when I opened it the protective strips were literally black ashes. I was lucky too!

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  22. RebekkaJanuary 28, 2011 at 11:35 AM

    Hi, Alma.

    I'm glad the fire was contained in your oven. I bet this episode got your heart racing, yes? We had a grill fire under our carport last Monday, so I can empathize with your fire starting adventure.

    I have a stitching question. Are you and Barb going to be coming out with more Loose Feathers designs? I haven't heard about any upcoming ones, and thought I'd ask.

    I hope you have a great weekend.
    Rebekka

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