Best thing about winter? Lighting up the wood-fired stoves.

Outside Herman the bread oven is being fired up for some baking in a couple of days’ time.

In the house – Hester is busy as well, warming the house and undertaking prep for some upcoming dishes, plus soups and the inevitable kettle at a rolling boil.

In the cooking school – long before dawn tomorrow, Carmichael the wood burning slow combustion stove will be fired up to bake some of the breads in the Making and Baking Yeast Goods class.

That just leaves out the pizza oven outside the back door, but that is used mainly for smoking garlic and meats.

Three out of four ain’t bad though.

No need at all to use the electric or gas stoves today.