Chapter 117 Mud Oven

I had many nightmares that night, all of them about the hunter.

I dreamt that a hunter opened the door with a gun, came in and killed Xiao Di and Xiao Gua, and then tried to do something indecent to me.

Later, I dreamed that the hunter didn't open the door, and I shot him again and again. The hunter turned into a demon, his face covered in blood, and came to take my life.

I ran up the slope to the mountain, and kept running and running, but no matter where I went, the hunter could catch up with me.

I didn't sleep well all night, and when I woke up I had a slight headache. I sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) holding my quilt, lost in thought, feeling extremely depressed.

"Get out of bed and move around a bit, you'll feel better in a little while."

I comforted myself with these words, then dressed, folded the blankets, and quickly got off the heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed).

My younger brother followed me closely, as if he sensed that something was wrong with my mood.

I worked more efficiently than usual today, starting the fire, feeding the pigs, chickens, and rabbits all in one go.

After quickly finishing all the work, I was slightly sweaty and even felt much better.

Make some desserts; eating more sweets will improve your mood.

Besides making pancakes and steamed buns, I'd love to bake some cookies and cakes, but unfortunately I don't have the tools.

Why not get a grill that I've been thinking about but haven't made yet?

I'm going to build an oven by the wall near the gate in the yard. I read a book on making ovens a while ago, so I can make a rough one.

The sun is shining brightly today, and it's not too cold, making it perfect for baking.

First, pull the small cart and dig up some clay.

During the autumn harvest, reddish-yellow clay was found on the mountainside outside the pond.

Just like last time when I dug the soil, the soil was frozen solid, so I could only use a pickaxe to dig it out bit by bit, and then use a shovel to load it into a wheelbarrow. The wheelbarrow was full of soil, which should be enough.

After bringing the soil back, carefully pick out the stones and other debris inside.

Bring over a bundle of straw and cut it into 10-20 cm long pieces.

Mix some clay with water to form a mud of suitable viscosity, then gradually mix in straw. The mud with added straw will not crack when using the oven later.

Take the remaining clay and mix it with sand to form a sticky mud.

Before I moved here, Brother Liu helped me stock up on bricks. We built a platform against the wall, layering bricks and sand and mud, carefully laying the foundation so that the oven could last.

The platform was built to a height of 50 centimeters, and after it was built, the oven was officially made.

First, bend many wires into arches, tie them together with rope to create a model of an oven, leaving space for the oven opening.

Place the oven model directly on the platform, and paste mud made of clay and straw onto the model to a thickness of about 6 centimeters.

When applying the mud, leave space for the furnace door according to the model, and place the chimney directly above the furnace door, a little inside.

After applying this layer of mud, push the rest of the mud into the windshield to prevent it from freezing into lumps.

Wash your hands and go inside to rest for a while.

You have to wait for this layer of mud to dry for most of the day before applying another layer, otherwise it won't dry completely.

After lunch, I took a short nap and then started applying the second layer of mud.

The second layer is made of mud, a mixture of clay and a small amount of sand.

The thickness is controlled at 3-4 cm, and this layer serves as insulation.

The mud on the windshield was still sticky and soft, just right for use now.

I gradually applied the mud to the outer layer. Once it was almost done, I threw away my tools, took off my gloves, and used my hands dipped in warm water to continuously apply the mud to both the inner and outer layers, creating a smooth shape.

Even if my hands are freezing, I have to do this step by hand. I want a smooth and beautiful oven, not a rough and unrecognizable one.

After applying the smoothing agent, I quickly put on my gloves and squeezed my fingers, which were a little sore from the cold.

Some were worried that the wire might not be strong enough, so they found some wooden boards, lined them with plastic sheeting, and made a support frame inside the oven.

Once that's done, the oven is basically finished.

But looking at the mud on the ground, I saw it was a mixture of clay and a small amount of sand and gravel. It was a shame to throw it away.

Observing the shape of the oven, I had a sudden inspiration and decided to make it look like Totoro.

I saw Li Ziqi's short video before, and she made a Totoro bread oven. So I can make a Totoro oven too.

Find narrow, flat wooden planks and insert them on either side of the oven chimney. Pick up some clay from the ground and, based on the two planks, sculpt long, ear-shaped pieces.

Then, the parts of the wooden plank that contact the oven were firmly secured with mud on both the inside and outside to prevent smoke from escaping.

Then, using a small wooden stick, I drew eyes, a small nose, and whiskers above the stove opening, using the stove opening as Totoro's big mouth.

Mission accomplished! The Totoro in front of me is a bit comical. It's not exactly exquisite or beautiful, but it's cute and funny.

Once the oven has reached this stage, there's no need to do anything more; just let it continue to air dry for two more days.

After tidying up my tools and cleaning up the mud in the yard, I went back inside, took off my mud-covered clothes, took a hot shower, and finally finished today's task.

It's great to be working; all my worries are gone. Compared to the low mood I felt when I first woke up this morning, I feel much better now.

The physical labor had exhausted most of my energy, and I fell asleep without realizing it after watching a TV series for a while.

Three days later, I saw that the clay layer of the oven had hardened, so I carefully took out the wooden support frame inside and began to prepare for firing the oven.

When firing and reinforcing the oven, the initial temperature should not be too high. This was my first time making one, so I was extra careful.

Add some twigs and kindling to the stove to start a small fire. When the fire is about to go out, add a few more twigs.

This continued for an hour, and then I gradually increased the intensity of the fire.

Following the instructions in the book, I patiently burned it for three hours, and the reinforcement was basically completed.

After the oven cooled down a bit, I gently tapped it with my fingers. It was indeed very sturdy, somewhat like a ceramic jar.

I'm not sure if I can use the oven right away after making it. I plan to let it sit for another day and start baking tomorrow.

I got up very early the next day, and the thought of baking something delicious in the oven made it impossible for me to sleep.

After finishing his daily chores, he sat down at his desk with a very serious expression.

Find a cookbook, specifically looking at the dishes that can be baked in the oven, and finally summarize the dishes to be made today: baked cookies, baked buns, and baked bread.

Baking bread requires proofing the dough, so you need to prepare the ingredients in advance.

Mix flour with yeast, milk powder, sugar and a little salt until well combined. Add two eggs and a little water to form a soft dough.

Cover the basin with a pot lid and place it on the heated brick bed to proof.

According to the instructions in the book, the oven needs to be preheated before use, and now is the perfect time to bake it.