18th Century Baking at the Miksch House - Every Friday thru December 27, 2019

Friday, September 20, 2019 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM Miksch House

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly Friday Baking in a Wood-Fired Brick Beehive Oven

Join Sister Hilary every Friday in the yard of the Miksch House to see the way Sister Henrietta Miksch historically baked her gingerbread to sell to customers over a period of about 30 years.  You never know what will be on the menu for the day and you might be asked to go out in the garden and grab one of the ingredients.  Sit down, ask questions and enjoy the atmosphere of the totally immersive environment of the Miksch House.

The reconstructed brick beehive oven is stacked with wood and burned down to hot coals.  Baking starts at 9:30 am by firing up the beehive oven.  It takes a few hours for it to get hot enough to use.  While we are waiting, food is being prepared for baking.   After the coals are removed, the oven is allowed to cool to the proper temperature before inserting trays of ginger cakes, bread, or other baked goods.  It is the heat from the hot bricks that bakes the delicious treats.  You can sit, chat and even help in the process.

 

October 29, 1799 (Auf. Col.) [Aufseher Collegium=Board of Supervisors]

“Br. Thomas Buttner has a mind to undertake the bakery…Collegium think the best place will be the lot next the schoolhouse, opposite Philip Vogler.  He wishes permission to bake gingerbread, but for many years this has been the chief source of income for Br. and Sr. Miksch, so that cannot be changed now.  Until the bakery can be built he will live in the little house of the departed Br. Triebel, and rent the bake-shop of the Single Brethren.”  Records of the Moravians in North Carolina, Vol 6, p. 2630.

 

 

 

 

 

Miksch House – Request front door access for least steps of 4 up, back entry is 4 steep steps up, the beehive oven is outside and accessible