I have secured the ultimate Craigslist find! Those of you following along on my journey know that I have been searching high and low for the perfect wood burning stove for the farm. I will say it again, it is not easy to find a good condition vintage wood cook stove in Arizona. We simply do not need them and, as a result, they are often neglected. However, check out my find! I am convinced this stove was intervention from a higher power. This is an antique French stove made by Godin. It is capable of burning both coal and wood. Hand painted enamel and solid cast iron make this a stove that is not only practical, but absolutely beautiful. I cannot believe the luck at finding this gem!
Now, for those of you who have been following my blog you are aware that I purchased an electric range that was built to look like an old-school wood burning stove. I love that stove as well, but that one was really a compromise because I was having such a tough time finding a wood burning stove that would both serve to heat my house safely and be a reliable stove for cooking. I still have that one and my friend is excited that I will be giving it to her if all goes as planned with this Godin.
Anyone who has spent any time in Oklahoma in the summer understands that is can get very hot and humid. The idea of firing up a wood stove makes me sweat just sitting here. So, to accomodate for the warmer months of the year I will be purchasing and induction cooktop to rest on the top of the stove and I will do any baking in a dutch oven on my BBQ or in a solar cooker. Once the night gets cooler though, this baby will be fired up and gently warm the house as well as cook the dinner.
This stove is very heavy because it is a dual fuel stove. It burns both coal and wood. Coal stoves are even thicker cast iron because coal burns hotter and longer than wood. Coal sits on a grate, whereas wood sits directly on the firebox. Coal produces higher BTU's than wood. Stoked twice a day and when cooking, this stove will provide gentle heat on the coldest of nights. Did you know that chimney fires do not occur as frequently when burning Anthracite coal? Coal burns hot and cleaner than wood, thus preventing build up in the pipes. No chimney fires is a good thing!
This gorgeous stove is going to be the centerpiece of my kitchen. I cannot wait to show the pictures that I have in my minds eye once they are a real. My kitchen will not only be practical and economical, but will be stunning as well. Ooooh ya!
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