A “peel”, or “slice”, was a type of shovel or long-handled spatula used in fireplace cookery. A cook could use it to rearrange wood in the fire, to remove ashes, to create “burners” on the hearth by making piles of hot coals, and to place and remove food from the deep cavity of a beehive oven set into the wall. The long handle kept the user at a distance from the heat.