Another challenge in restoring vintage recipes is deciphering vintage oven temperatures. The oven thermostat was not developed until the 1930’s. Prior to that, a common way to test oven temperatures without a thermostat would be to sprinkle a pinch of flour in the bottom of the oven and gauge the oven temperature by how quickly the flour turned various shades of brown. Another challenge in regulating temperature was that vintage bakers could be using a wood burning stove, a coal burning stove, a gas stove, or an electric stove, each with its unique set of challenges in maintaining baking temperatures.

Vintage Oven Settings