Looking for a full sized gas stove...vintage!

[46Kit]

Doug, how much space do you have to work with? There are a lot of awesome old ranges out there that can be had cheap if you're patient. From the sounds of it your range must be nestled between cabinets if the Chambers was too big? Too bad, otherwise you could take it to the next level of obsolete technology and get a wood fired stove or a combo wood/gas unit:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/app/2689941771.html

This baby will heat your house in winter too, but I can't imagine it would be much fun to bake with in summertime!

Regards-HW

PS -- I've recently been trying to learn about cooking with a wood fired cook stove, but have not been able to figure out the purpose of the lift-out circular covers in the cook top. I understand this was the only way to add wood to the firebox on the earliest stoves, but they seem to have been universally retained once the side-loading firebox came along. I thought maybe it was to expose cast iron cooking vessels to more direct heat, but apparently this is not the case and removing the round covers while the stove is in operation will only result in a very smokey kitchen! Anybody here know the true purpose of these round covers or are they just a traditional design holdover?

[Woodbutcher]

I have an old Erie tea kettle that is made to drop into the stove with the burner cover removed. Don't know if any other cooking pieces worked that way.

[Kevin A]

Some cast iron waffle iron bases have provisions for nestling in one of the holes.

[dratkinson]

...
PS -- I've recently been trying to learn about cooking with a wood fired cook stove, ...

In late 2010, Chris Kimbell had an hour-long PBS documentary based on Fannie Farmer's cookbook and, with 12 chefs, cooked a 12-course fancy holiday meal on a large built-in (not free standing) wood stove/oven for ~20 guests.

If you search for "documentary, Farmer's Last Supper" you should be able to find it for sale.

I remember watching the documentary and it was amazing to watch the food preparation and cooking techniques they had to reinvent... as a lot of the wood/old-time cooking conventional wisdom had been forgotten. It was not written down because everyone knew how to do it.

I remember, during one course, they stoked the fire and didn't notice until the oven temperature was over 800-degrees---not good for the baked meat dish. Imagine, a dozen chefs and wait staff during the winter, in a small kitchen standing next to an 800-degree oven, drinking ice water and "sweat'n like a pig".

It was most interesting.

More information about the documentary "Fannie's Last Supper": http://www.fannieslastsupper.com/index.php

Kitchen pictures from the evening:

[46Kit]

I caught the tail end of that show several months back, but forgot all about it (the memory just ain't what it used to be...). Probably what piqued my current interest in wood fired stoves! That and a general interest in wood fired cookery topped off with an interest in off-the-grid appliance options. Thanks for reminding me about this show, I'll have to look into catching it from start to finish!

Regards-HW