Cooking on the Aga at Erw Wen
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An Aga is a traditional cooking range and original models were heated with solid fuel. However, the modern Aga in Erw Wen runs on gas. Thus it is constantly hot and needs little, if any, attention. Erw Wen has the type of Aga shown in the picture. It has two large hotplates; one fast, one slow. Also there are two ovens, one for roasting or baking, the other for simmering or warming.
Those that know about Agas think that there is no other way to cook. Those that don't may feel daunted at first. But there is no need. Just plan your meal, curl up with a Trollope (Joanna) while the meal cooks itself.
Agas are ideal for meals such as soups, casseroles and roasts. There are roasting pans, large Le Creuset casseroles and frying pans and skillets, so you are very well equipped to cook for the large numbers that Erw Wen can sleep. You can also cook toast on the hot plate (although there is an electric toaster if you prefer).
Ovens The top oven is the hot one, used for most cooking. The lower is cooler and is used for slow cooking and can be used for warming plates and other dishes. There are two large hot plates. The left hand plate is the really HOT one and the right hand one is less fierce - for simmering. Up to three pans at once can be placed on the hot plates.
Cookbook There is an Aga Cookbook in the cottage for your use. In it are plenty of recipes for you to try.
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History The original Aga was a Swedish design introduced to the UK about 80 years ago. It remains outstanding in its ability to cook food with better taste and flavour. This is a stove that has become a legend in its own right. The story begins in 1922 when a Dr. Gustaf Dalen, a world renowned Swedish physicist and Nobel Prize Winner, lost his sight following an explosion during an experiment with pressurized liquids and gases. He was now housebound and realised his wife was exhausted by the constant need to care for and watch over food as it was cooked. Although unable to see, he was determined to develop a stove that was easy to use, and which also produced good results. Adopting the established principle of heat storage, he combined a solid fuel heat source, two large hotplates and two generous ovens into one robust and compact unit -- the AGA Cooker. By the standards of the day the Aga represented a very efficient use of energy!
Click here to see the Wikipedia article on the Aga Cooker