10% discount given to those carpooling, walking or biking to workshops
10% discount for those bringing a friend
Workshops:
The Clay Oven Workshop
Basics of Natural Building
Lite Straw Clay workshop
Clay oven cooking class
The clay oven workshop
Learn the basics of Natural Building while sculpting sand and clay into a beautiful and functional pizza oven. But wait, not just a pizza oven, but the center of a culinary mandala of possibilities! From Argentinian empanadas to Italian calzones, focaccia and flat breads. As the saying goes: everyone has to eat!
Why not make it an experience!
The clay oven dates back to time immemorial. The use of natural materials to build with remains the most widely used practice on the planet. In this course you will learn a simple primer which will allow you to meld the materials under your feet into viable structure. You will learn a few very important principles of natural building. We will talk about the three most used materials at length including sourcing. We will sculpt a beautiful oven! This oven (and future ovens) will fuel us for our most important endeavors!
BASICS OF NATURAL BUILDING
Natural building is simply the use of natural material to build form. In this course we will explore the many and varied uses of natural building around the world. We will spend time first on selecting and sourcing materials which includes testing of soils for content, then move into hands-on work with a few of the materials local to us. We will experiment with different wall systems such as Cob, Adobe, Lite Straw Clay (Slip Straw), and maybe a few others. Bring your design ideas and questions. As always, and with most of our offerings, wear old clothes and prepare to get dirty.
LITE-STRAW CLAY WORKSHOP
Also known as Slip-straw or Super Adobe. Learn why this is a perfect material for the Pacific Northwest, from ease of building to long-term performance. As always, we will discuss materials, including sourcing. We will learn the best and most appropriate uses of the material, and of course we will build with slipstraw to create a fantastic project!
Clay Oven Cooking Class
It is commonly thought that a baking oven and a pizza oven are one in the same. This is true some of the time-let me explain. A traditional pizza oven typically has the fire in the oven burning while cooking. A baking oven, on the other hand, takes the fire out after it is hot and seals up the door. A pizza oven usually has thinner walls, not as much insulation, thus allowing it to heat up faster. In other words, you could bake out of a pizza oven, but not as long and not as much since it cools down faster without insulation. The pizza oven is primarily for flat breads such as focaccia and ciabatta, and pita and of course meat and vegetable pies such as empanadas. All of this we will explore as we fire up the clay “pizza”oven and cook a variety of sizzling goodness! You will walk away with tips on how best to fire the oven and get the most out of the heat it produces. We will share with you a few of our favorite recipes, including our popular gluten free dough. Come with an appetite, a pizza topping and a beverage of your choice and be ready for a fantastic culinary experience!
Consulting & Design
Please contact Eli Adadow for your Natural Building questions
First phone conversation free. Consulting fees apply based on project type. Call for fee.