The Grand Street community bread oven
Where the neighborhood comes when it wants to get fired up.
Chew on this: In Albany's Grand Street neighborhood, they're not just breaking bread with their neighbors, they're also baking bread.
In a formerly vacant lot, volunteers built a communal bread oven, known as the Bread Oven Gathering Space. The large outdoor oven, which stands about five-and-a-half feet tall and is about three feet wide, is made of cob -- a clay mixture -- and sits on a pedestal of stacked stone. It's covered by a wooden pergola, with a few carved stone benches next to it. Surrounded by the beginnings of summer gardens, it's like a little oasis in the middle of the city.
Community residents and members of the Albany Free School had long wanted to turn the vacant lot into a gathering place. Jonah Vitale-Wolff of Hudson Valley Natural Building led the project, with help from local organizations and many volunteers. Money was raised through grants, and construction began in the summer of 2006. In spring 2007, an opening ceremony was held, complete with a blessing from a local Buddhist nun.
The oven gets fired up several times a month by rotating community members, who are welcome to use it as long as they have been shown how to do so safely and properly. Vitale-Wolff says says there's a right way to fire up the oven -- which isn't hard, but takes practice -- and many wrong ways to do it.
You can see the oven for yourself by heading over to the corner of Grand and Wilbur Streets. Although it's primarily used by the immediate community, Vitale-Wolff says they definitely want to invite other people, too. Anyone who's interested can contact him at jonah@hvnb.net for more information.
Workshops using the oven were also held at last fall's Albany Skill Share.
You can also check out this online slide show of the oven.
(Thanks Stephen!)
Find It
Grand Street community bread oven
Grand and Wilbur Streets
Albany, NY 12202
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Comments
I didn't realize Albany had local Buddhist nuns. I mean, it makes sense, but I never stopped to think about it. You know what else I never realized? The fact that Albany is the jewel in New York's crown. Because if that's what it says on the city's official webpage, you know that claim is solid.
... said Pantaloons on May 20, 2008 at 11:36 AM | link
In response to Pantaloons, the Buddhist nun in question is peace activist Jun Yasuda, who lives at the Grafton Peace Pagoda.
... said jess on May 20, 2008 at 1:29 PM | link
it's beautiful. and so freaking awesome!!! i must bake a bread in it, or at least watch someone else do it. i was so sad to miss out on the demo last year. 2008 is my year. the year of the bread. thanks for posting this!
... said renee on May 20, 2008 at 5:58 PM | link
This is why I love AOA. Thanks guys.
... said celinabean on May 20, 2008 at 9:09 PM | link
Possibly the most amazing find of the year.
... said Carrie on May 20, 2008 at 10:04 PM | link
lighting of the bread oven using a modified bow drill:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VJ0KXRJdAI
... said dylan on Apr 6, 2009 at 10:34 AM | link
They used it to make chocolate chip cookies during a house-tour of the neighborhood back in September. Needless to say, a few people skipped the tour.
... said -S on Apr 6, 2009 at 10:44 AM | link
Now I want pizza, and all I have for lunch today is this oxtail soup. Bummer.
... said B on Apr 6, 2009 at 11:01 AM | link
The bread oven is great but it wasn't built by volunteers. It was funded through a grant of some kind and Jonah Vitali Wolf got PAID to do it. Also it is not fired up several times a month but it is used by a select few who know how to use it. Never the less check it out. Maybe the workshop will open the space to more residents of grand street and the surrounding area.
... said andria on Sep 25, 2009 at 11:11 PM | link