25 YEARS AGO ON AMBERGRIS CAYE   BY ANGEL NUÑEZ

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The San Pedro Micro Wave

S ome of the best journey cakes or Johnny cakes, sweet bread, creole buns or even salt bread used to be baked in a special oven that was actually made right here in San Pedro. It never had any electronic faults nor defects, but it did rust after some time and needed replacement. I'm talking about the "drum oven" that was used over the fire hearth.

Let's learn to make one. First cut along the circumference of a metal drum about 10 inches high. Use the bottom of the drum. Now remove the top lid of the drum using a cold chisel and a hammer. You also need to get 2 pieces of steel rods to place on top of the oven thus providing a surface for the lid to rest upon.

Now let's use the "horno" (oven). Place the oven over some rocks so that you can build a fire underneath. Heat the oven from below. Once properly heated, the lid is placed on top of the open end. Place most of the hot coal on top of the lid so that most of the heat will come from above.

Now place the journey cakes in the drum or oven and place the lid. Bake for some 15 minutes or less checking periodically. If baking too fast or burning the cakes, then remove some heat from below.

In this drum you ,can also bake the birthday cakes and sweet potato puddings. Yes you can bake anything that you do in a micro wave, except a little nicer. This oven does add a little "smoke flavour" that everyone enjoys. Try the San Pedro micro wave oven of 25 years ago. There's a lot of fire wood and coconut husks.

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