The need to achieve a more ecological and sustainable consumption in the home, added to the trend of slow-cooked stew gastronomy, has made wood-burning fireplaces an ideal alternative in country houses.
From Paratureforma we tell you why these traditional kitchen designs are fashionable and what are the latest additions applied to the new models.
Origins of stoves with wood-burning fireplaces
The origins of traditional stoves with wood-burning fireplaces, also known as economical stoves, date back to the 17th century, thanks to the creation of the British inventor John Sibthrope, who patented a type of freestanding metal cooking cabinet powered by wood or coal.
In 1802 and thanks to the invention of cast-iron stoves, a new model of cast-iron wood-burning stove was developed, whose system, with a greater number of accessories and uses, is considered the forerunner of modern kitchens.
In Spain, two types of stoves with wood-burning fireplaces were marketed, the first and more economical ones were made of white sheet metal and the second ones, known as “black stoves”, were designed and manufactured in black enameled cast iron and with golden brass fittings, whose price was higher.
More recently, economic stoves have coexisted in the same space as modern kitchens, especially in country houses, due to their weight and volume; even nowadays it is possible to enjoy the type of slow fire gastronomy provided by this type of traditional wood-burning stoves, in some homes that also preserve them as an element of great decorative value.
Materials and parts of the wood stove
Wood stoves had two compartments that were used to create combustion: the brazier, located in the upper part of the cabinet, was used to introduce and burn the charcoal or wood, while in the lower part there was a drawer in which the ashes were deposited.
On one side of the kitchen there is a wood-burning oven and on the kitchen kitchen countertop was the fuel feeding mouth, formed by a round piece with circular rings that could be extracted individually, to adapt to the size of the pot or casserole and the intensity of fire needed for each stew.
Nowadays, the new wood-burning stoves are manufactured in cast iron, as the original models, or in steel, a lighter and more functional material with respect to the needs and characteristics of the kitchens of the 21st century.
Advantages of kitchens with wood-burning fireplaces
If you are a true nostalgic of the most traditional cuisine and bet on a more responsible and ecological consumption, you are in luck! Wood stoves are back in fashion and have new uses and properties that make them perfect alternatives to consider.
Among the main advantages of this type of stoves, the most important is undoubtedly the more sustainable and ecological aspect, since the consumption of gas or electricity is totally reduced, besides being able to be used to heat the home, since they can be integrated into the heating system of the house, thanks to the coil that serves to heat the water of the radiators, as a conventional boiler.
New wood-burning stoves: applications and innovation
Thanks to advances in technology, new stoves with wood-burning fireplaces significantly reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and monoxide, as well as particulate matter, one of the major climate change problems of the 21st century.
Unlike the old wood-burning stoves, whose fronts were totally opaque, in some new designs the fronts are made of glass, so you can enjoy the magic of the fire burning, in complete safety.
There are models with contemporary lines, perfect for the most modern kitchens, and vintage designs, with their characteristic turned brass fittings. Both options can be installed between the kitchen furniture or freestanding, and also have accessories that are complemented with gas or electric burners, perfect for combining two types of cooking, the faster and more modern and the more traditional.
Would you bet on new stoves with wood-burning fireplaces for cooking?
Enjoy a healthy and traditional gastronomy with wood-burning fireplaces, an ideal proposal for rural homes and country houses.
