We all know that oven means a hot chamber which we use to cook or bake different food items like roast chicken, cake, cookies, etc.
The term ‘oven’ refers to a particularly heated environment. People name it ‘oven’ because the compartments of the cooker become at scorching temperatures for baking or cooking food items.
People mostly used the word ‘oven’ in the second world war. The gas chamber of Nazi concentration was called ‘oven’ as it was too hot inside. Over time people know ‘oven’ better as a cooking appliance with a hot chamber.
Why Is It Called an Oven
Oven gets its name from the word “oven,” which refers to a hollowed-out, hot cooking chamber. The word comes from several languages, but Latin and Proto-Germanic roots are the most prominent. The word ‘oven’ comes from the early English word ‘ofen,’ sometimes spelled as ‘ofn’
In the 12th century, people knew the oven as a clay chamber used as a cooking function of an open-hearth fireplace. People used the fireplace to cook through the stone plate or metal dishes. And they used clay chambers to bake or cook bread and meat. That clay chamber was the primary evaluation of the modern oven.
Origin of The Word ‘Oven’
Old High German called the similar chamber ‘ovans,’ and The Dutch used the proper spelling ‘oven’ first. The word comes from the German word ‘ovans,’ They used it to describe the hot clay ovens.
Those ovens use small pieces of wood. When the fire went out, they cleared the other ashes rather than igniting coal. Those coals heat to cook ar baked food. Finally, they sealed the door to cook or bake the food effectively.
In the 15th century, those clay ovens became popular among people, becoming commonplace in most households.
Modern Use of the Word ‘Oven’
From the origin of the name oven, we get that people named hot clay chambers ‘ovans’ in the 12th century. Over time modern ovens have come through a long path of revolution from those ovens. And they get different names according to their function of cooking or baking:-
Gas oven
The gas oven works the same as the electric oven except for the heating burner by gas. The gas burner heats the heating coil and spreads temperatures around all edges of the oven. It requires less time to reach hot temperature than an electric oven. Therefore, a gas oven consumes less energy means less cost. a gas oven is a better option for roasting meat. However, many people are frightened of using gas in their houses for safety purposes and require expensive gas fittings.
Electric oven
The electric oven is the most used in households as it is reasonable, easy to run, and has a suitable setup. It uses the electric heating rod to produce heat. Plus, this is trendy for its controlling system, and you can easily run an oven by following some simple steps-
1. Press the switch-on button.
2. Set the heat from the volume button.
3. Set a timer for your dishes.
Now your electric oven is ready for use.
Convection Oven
The convection oven is popular in food restaurants because it can cook within a minimum time. The main difference is a convection use a fan to create an airflow inside the oven, and you can cook delicious meals at a lower temperature. It will cook meat more crispy and juicy. For those advantages, the convection oven has become popular nowadays.
Microwave oven
A microwave oven uses electromagnetic waves to bake or cook your food. Though the microwave is mainly used as an appliance for reheating foods, it can do much better now. Still, roasting meat is a difficult task for this oven.
Toaster oven
The toaster oven is the lightest oven and costs very minimum energy to run. It uses an electromagnetic field to toast your bread. For our daily breakfast routine, this oven is an indispensable part.
There are also many more types of oven-like furrion, conduction, and roaster. They are famous for their specific function.
Frequently Ask Question
When the First Official Oven Recorded?
The first official oven was recorded in 1490 and they used bricks and tiles. From the ancient period, people used fire to cook food and to worm themselves. From the evaluation of the cooking function, they started to use a clay chamber in the 12th century. And this Dutch chay oven was the unofficial first oven. But the French made a modern oven pattern and recorded it as the first official oven in the world.
Conclusion
‘Oven’ is a very old word that comes through a revaluation. When the first enclosed container was used to heat items, particularly food, it needed a name, and because it was unlike anything else that had existed before, the name given to it was also new. But it was not ‘oven’ as we spell it today.
Before the 12th century, ovens were used for the first time. The name is Middle English, deriving from Old English ‘ofen’ also pronounced as ‘ofn,’ which is related to Old High German ofan oven or Greek ipnos oven.
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