The Wood-Fired Blog
Wood-Fired Croatia (or more accurately, Istria)
Aug 29, 2013We just returned from a very nice trip to Croatia. I have wanted to explore the Dalmatian coast for years, and the timing was right this summer. Our older daughter spent the summer working on campus in Boston (a very cool research project on pre-fab building using 3D modeling software and CNC laser equipment) and she had two weeks off before the start of school. And we put it to... Read More
Bread Baking and Oven Temperature
Jun 01, 2012We received an email question today from a member who has bee following my bread quest who was interested in hearing more on bread baking temperature. It’s a really good topic; one that deserves a lot more attention. One of the habits I have developed over years of wood-fired bread baking is a general (and probably misguided) disregard for oven temperature accuracy. Pizza ovens (and all wood-fired masonry ovens) are... Read More
Pizza Ovens and Real Estate
Jun 01, 2012We are on a roll. Two Forno Bravo ovens in the real estate section of two different newspapers in one day! From the Post and Courier in Charlotte, SC. 225 W. Poplar St. — Art deco-inspired Wagener Terrace home coolly adds functionality for disabled child. Be sure to look at the slideshow to see our oven. In the corner of the yard is the redone garage, painted a festive yellow. It’s now... Read More
A Pizza Oven Can Help Sell Your House
Jun 01, 2012There are a couple of fun things to note on today’s NY Times Real Estate article, The Kitchen’s Day in the Sun. If you are a part of the Forno Bravo community, you probably already know this, but a great outdoor kitchen or pizza oven can help you sell your house; even in today’s extended down market. And even if your oven isn’t the feature that makes the sale happen,... Read More
Peppers Roasted Over Wood
May 30, 2012Mark Bitman of the NY Times is one of my favorite writers on any topic, and I have enjoyed seeing his transition from being a pure food columnist as “The Minimalist”, to being a columnist in the editorial department writing about our food supply and food policy. At the same time, he is still doing great stuff with recipes. Here is a link to today’s How to To Everything column: Great... Read More
Water and Dough Structure
May 29, 2012I have been experimenting with baguettes recently, including different approaches to fermentation time, better folding techniques, improved methods for loaf shaping, scoring, placement in the oven and steam. Now I am going to start trying to hone in on the optimal hydration for my flour of choice and my oven—Trader Joe’s All Purpose Wheat flour and a Presto pizza oven. As a general rule, wetter (higher hydration) doughs produce bread... Read More
Paella is Becoming Popular This Spring
May 28, 2012A second article on Paella in the NY Times in one week. It makes me happy. Paella is really picnic food, ideal for a casual gathering. The idea is to hang out, slowly preparing the ingredients and then lazily sipping a drink or two while the rice cooks. And if there are friends who want to help, all the better. Especially when it comes to fava beans. They require a... Read More
Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread
May 28, 2012600 grams whole wheat 200 white whole wheat 200 AP flour 600 grams (60)% water 10 grams (1%) yeast 20 grams (2%) salt 40 grams olive oil 30 grams honey 2 cup old fashion oats (3-5 minute cooking) 2 cup boiling water Pinch of salt Please forgive my slightly funky recipe format, where I mix baker’s percentages and grams with cups—but the bread came out really well, so I will... Read More
Craigslist, Profit Compression and Pizza Ovens
May 27, 2012I’ve been thinking about the NY Times Douthat column on Facebook and commerce, and there is one thing I want to add to my posting (Physical Goods in a Virtual Era). In his column, Douthat notes that Facebook is no General Motors, and that despite their $100B market capitalization, they don’t actually employ very many people 9 (a tiny fraction of GM’s payroll in it’s heyday). In fact, even Apple,... Read More
