One of the fun things about my job is the correspondence I get to have with people about their projects. Jed Wallach of Wild Flour Bread in Freestone, CA sent me this photo of their recently rebuilt oven.
With a hearth measuring 7’ x 9’, this is the largest wood-fired oven that I have personally come across. Jed reports that they are able to do 5 loads of 80 loaves each in the oven on a given bake day.
This place and oven have a soft spot for me because I had met a baker there while working on the OAEC Oven and ended up spending my day off apprenticing in the bakery. It is located amidst a garden in the wine country of California and is a very popular destination for bicyclists traveling those roads to stop, have a scone and a cup of coffee, and pack a loaf for later.
Some images from their website for additional context:
