Traditional ovens are still used in many households in the Kalotaszeg region of Transylvania (Romania).
Photo by Ágnes Fülemile, Balassi Institute/Hungarian Cultural Center
Sweet bread—called “chimney cake” because of its shape—is cooked in an indoor oven.
Photo by Ágnes Fülemile, Balassi Institute/Hungarian Cultural Center
Folk ovens (búbos or boglyakemence) may be square, barrel-shaped, or round, and they may accommodate three to eight loaves of bread. The hearth opens into the kitchen and a bank around the edge allows space for cooked items to cool. A small corner nook may also serve as a sleeping place for children or elderly people. In rural areas, the ovens may burn straw, corn stalks, and sometimes cow dung kneaded with straw, which provides a steady heat.
