Chocolate Pizza and More!

It was pretty busy today for the oven. Since I did some work on the oven earlier this week, I had to hold off doing any cooking (The heat from oven would mess up the setting of the concrete) for the past few days.

But today we did a regular batch of dough for three pizzas and I also prepared for baguettes. I made the pizza dough in advance two days ago so it was ready to go. The baguettes, though, took the whole morning to prepare.

Baguette dough is a multi-step recipe requiring a starter dough, which is prepared in advance. The starter needs a one hour warm up after coming from the ref. After mixing with more flour, it needs a two hour rise. After rolling and forming the baguettes, they need another 45 mins to an hour to proof before baking. From start to ready to bake, its about four hours. Baking, thankfully, only takes ten minutes.

In between waiting for the baguette dough to rise, I also prepared pizza for lunch. Since the oven had to be fired up anyway, may as well make pizza! We had a cheese and tomato pizza and an italian sausage pizza to go along with lunch. I still had dough left for one more and we were all done eating so I decided to go do something I had always wanted to try: dessert pizza. After checking what we had in the kitchen to work with, I settled on chocolate with apples and pears pizza.

Now you may not think of pizza as dessert but it actually works pretty well. Very much like a crepe, it's just a base for anything you want to put. So we grated some semi sweet baking chocolate and put that on the dough. It was topped with apple and pear slices, a sprinkling of cinammon and another layer of grated chocolate. The kids got involved so we had to put Nuttela and peanut butter, too!



The result was quite yummy. It was gooey and went really well with ice cream. We ran out of vanilla but strawberry worked fine. The peanut butter burns really quick, so we won't have that next time. But the chocolate melted just like mozarella cheese and the apples and pears were still firm.



Oh, and the baguettes came out very tasty, too. Better than the last time, but still needs a little more tweaking. Nice crust on the bottom, but the top needed more browning. I need to work on the oven temperature and the dough consistency.

Prettying Up the Oven

Spent most of the holidays doing finishing work on the oven. Some functional work, but mostly cosmetic touches on the oven. The main task this time was to fix up the front of the oven to make it look more presentable. Here are the before and after pictures.









On the left is the before - what the front has looked like since I started using the oven for cooking. It is rough and unfinished. On the right is the completed finishing work. I lined the sides with brick tiles and created a arch over the oven entrance in an attempt to soften the look of the oven. I will probably paint over the rough concrete just to get away from the ugly gray finish, too.


These are work in progress pictures, showing the stages of construction before the completed work. Notice the use of wood scaffolding to hold up the arch as the concrete sets.













One other improvement I did on the oven was to put a vent on the top of the chimney. This sends most of the smoke away from the house. It will also help keep the rain out of the oven. The vent is the concrete addition on top of the chimney bricks, it is open on the other side to let the smoke out.



While the oven is more presentable now, there is still more work to be done. Next up on the job list is to put brick tiles on the sides and the front of the oven base. I estimate this will take about two weekends of work to complete. The problem, as always, is finding the time to schedule the work. If I cook, I don't have time to work on it. If I do brick work, I can't cook for a few days while the cement dries up. My preference, of course, is to cook! Then we get to eat pizza!

Baguettes!

I know its been ages since I've posted, but since I started cooking there haven't been any major developments. When I'm baking pizza, I can't work on the oven. And lately, all I've been doing has been baking. But today the big development was baguette success. My attempt at baking wood fired bread came out pretty good. They were nicely browned and the insides were soft (though a tad bit chewy). Needs some work with getting a good thick crust (higher temperature I think) and more flavor as this one came out a bit bland. However, these came out nice so I just need to tweak the recipe a bit.

Now, I need to decide if I should work on the oven next week or bake again. Sigh. Decisions, decisions!

You might be wondering what else needs to be done, now that the oven is fully operational. Its actually mostly aesthetics, but will make the whole thing look nice. From the picture below, you can see that the outer cement coat is complete, it just needs a coat of paint. I need to get that done before the rains start to complete the waterproofing of the oven. I also plan to line the base of oven with brick tiles, since its just plain concrete now.


The main work I want to accomplish is to fix the front of the oven. As you can see below it is still very rough. I plan to put smooth coat of concrete in front and line it with brick tiles to give it a more finished look.


And just so you know, the pizza is still great. I've been experimenting with flour combinations and length of kneading time, to try and get a light dough with crunch. At this point, I am partial to a 50/50 blend of regular bread flour and 00 Italian pizza flour. I plan to try using 100% 00 flour one more time. I did this back when I was just baking in a regular oven and was not happy with the results. But with the wood fired oven and higher temperatures it just might work out.

So I'll leave you with my favorite pizza - Margherita (basic cheese with tomatoes and a sprinkling of fresh basil leaves).

Pizza!

Here it is, the first pizza to come from the oven. This is the payoff from five months of weekends working on the oven and it was all worth it. I could do with a better food stylist for the pictures, though. This was a basic cheese, tomato and mushroom pizza, by the way.

It doesn't look great, partially because it had already been attacked by the resident pizza monsters that hang around my house. But I will point out a key attribute from a wood fired oven pizza - slight charring on the rim and browned edges. You can't tell from the picture but it had the crunch on the crust that I had not been able to achieve with my regular oven.

The most satisfying part of this is that it came out good and I know what to work on to make it better. If the first pizza had been a total disaster that would have been a major let down. As it was, the pizzas got better as the night wore on.

Anchovies with Cheese and Tomato

More Anchovies and cheese. This was actually one of the better pizzas of the night, nicely browned edges, even cooking. Practice makes perfect I guess.

I made eight pizzas tonight, more than I have ever done before. Because the oven performed so well, it was quite easy. With the high temperatures the pizzas cooked in 5 minutes or less, depending on how hot it was. Peak temperature in the oven was over 800 degrees.

Overall, things are performing as expected. It takes about an hour to get to cooking temperature and it looks like it will hold the temperature well. When I quit for the evening, the bricks were still registering a temperature of over 500 degrees Farenheit after the fires had been banked and it was just the coals inside.

I am quite happy with the first pizza run. I've made some mental notes on things to improve on to get even better results. It is so satisfying to have things work out fine after working on this since July, not knowing how it would come out.

Pizza day has finally arrived and it was a success!

Fire In The Hole!

Its not the nicest picture, but this is the first fire lit in the pizza oven! Dec 7 goes down as the date of the first fire. We're not yet at pizza stage but we are getting there.


All the elements are coming together. I got a delivery of wood last week, so it's stored under the oven, waiting for the big day.


The following pictures are from the second firing, which I just did today Dec 9.

Loading up the oven (just kindling wood and paper this time).


Rafael getting ready to light it up!











Flame ON!

These are still pretty small fires to slowly break in the oven. I need to run a series of seven firings, before it can handle pizza temperature. Each firing I target a temperature higher than the previous one, until we get to 900 degrees F. The first fire went up to 200, the second one up to 300, and so on. At this rate we'll be ready to really cook by Sunday.

Also you'll notice that the finish on the oven is still quite rough. I need to smooth the finish and work on the stucco look; and maybe paint it too. But all of that is cosmetic touches.

Its been five months since I started this project in July and now this oven is ready to bake!

Vent and Chimney Done!

The vent and chimney went up on Saturday and the oven is looking ready to go!

Last week (Nov 22 amd 23) was devoted to making the vent. It was actually a challenging task of making the form - masonry speak for the wood shape that the concrete will be poured into - and pouring the concrete. It took the better part of a day to put the form together. I made it using Hardiflex fiberboard, instead of plywood, screwed on to metal strips called furring. Once the form was done, I mixed up the concrete to pour in. I realized just how back breaking this work can be. It is a very strenuous task to mix up a batch of concrete and I had to make multiple batches.

So if you remember from the last post, there was nothing on top of the bricks in front of the dome. The white structure beneath the chimney is the concrete vent. The other surprise for me, was just how much the thing weighed! I could barely move it across the lawn by myself, let alone lift it up into place. Must have weighed about 50 kilos. I had to enlist the help of Rafael and the driver next door to get it into place.

The chimney was much easier. Very straightforward brick laying. A welcome change from the last phase of the bricks on the dome. You can see the completed chimney in the next picture.



This is the state of the oven when I left it today. I finished placing the insulation (that's the white stuff all over the dome) and the wire mesh around the insulation. I also started the first layer of concrete to seal up the whole thing. I had originally planned on finishing the first concrete layer this long weekend, but I under estimated the work.

Mixing cement is a real pain! I mix bigger batches now but it is very taxing. I would have wanted to go on to do some more, but my back and leg muscles were screaming. Oh well, at least this work is not complicated so I can do a bit more at night to catch up on my timetable.

I know I said first week December and I was hoping to fire up after next weekend. But it looks like it might be pushed back a week, but no more than that.

RFP is getting really close. I can taste it already!

Another Picture of the Dome

Just wanted to show off the dome again, so here is a better perspective on it. Also I wanted to explain the amount of additional work that is needed before I can start cooking.

First of all that area on the right side (in front of the dome) is where the vent and chimney are going. That section needs to be topped off with a concrete vent and then a brick chimney goes on top of the vent. Fabrication of the vent will happen over the next week.

Secondly, after the vent is done, an insulating blanket will go over the dome and part of the vent. This will help hold in the heat and ensure the oven reaches the higher temperatures needed for pizza.

Finally, another layer of concrete goes over the insulation and the vent. This is pretty much cosmetic, but as you can see, the dome doesn't look very nice. I am going to attempt a stucco style finish on the igloo that will cover the dome. The insulation and finishing steps will happen the week following.

So, hopefully all goes well. These final stages means venturing into new territory again for me. Pouring the concrete vent and laying the concrete with stucco finishing are things I have never done before.

The Dome Is Done!

I finished the dome today! A week behind schedule, because of the rain last Sunday, but I was able to close the dome. I really pushed things along to get it done today and it got more exciting as I got down to the last brick. This last brick is called the keystone and had to be cut to fit the hole. A snug fit locks all the other bricks in place and makes it structurally sound.

The laying of the keystone was a major event and I made sure to have full photo coverage, thanks to my son Rafael.

This is the keystone just before it gets put in.



This is the spot where the keystone goes in.



Putting the keystone into place.



Applying the mortar to secure the keystone.



Today is a major milestone for me and it feels great to have finally made it this far. Over the next few weeks I will finish the vent and chimney, put the insulation and finish the housing (got to make it look presentable!)

Then its time to fire it up! Still looking good for first week of December for RFP!

Almost there . . .

From this view it looks like the dome is done, but I still have a few more chains to go. Chains is brick layer speak for a row or line of bricks.



From the top view, you get a clearer idea of how much more there is to go. It really is about 10 to 15 more bricks that need to be mortared in place. But the going is really slow.



The actual brick laying is quite tedious now, since the only way to do it is to stand over the dome. This means bending over, putting each brick down and adding mortar to hold it in place. Its quite tiring since I am stooped over for extended periods. And I also have to climb down from the stand to get more material (bricks and mortar) then climb back up. A decent work out actually.



But what slows down things most is the constant cutting and shaping of the bricks to fit snugly. As I get closer to the top of the dome, the curve is sharper and the straight bricks don't really fit well. Most of the previous chains were built on half-bricks, but now as I get to the top, I use quarter-bricks as well to get a better fit. I've also had to cut wedge shaped bricks for a better fit. More detailed pictures next time.

I had hoped to close the dome this weekend, but Sunday afternoon was a bust. I made good progress on Saturday and on Sunday morning. But it rained all afternoon. It would have been better if it was just a sudden downpour, but it was a slow steady drizzle that never let up.

I'm seriously thinking about working in the evenings now just to make up for lost time. If only the mosquitoes would cooperate . . .

11 Levels and Rising

Up to the 11th chain of bricks now, moving into the homestretch. From this picture you can see that the brick are going in almost vertical, which makes construction slower. There is a lot more waiting time now while the mortar sets to hold the brick in place before I can move on.

Its also tougher to hold the bricks in place as the angle gets steeper. I now also use sticks cut to length to hold up the bricks aside from the styrofoam guides. This is a top view of the progress to date.



I figure I should be able to close the dome in another two weeks. After that there is:
1. more insulation around the dome for heat efficiency
2. finish the vent and chimney
3. final finish on the exterior of the dome to make it look neat (haven't really decided on what finish to use yet)

This is one way: Gabled House

This is another way: Igloo

Decisions! Decisions!

All in all still looking good for an end November RFP (ready for pizza) date!

Construction Back in Full Swing!

I was away for a few weeks, which is why the blog hasn't been updated. And, of course, no work on the oven either.

I got back from San Francisco last Oct 2 and since the jet lag got me up early, I started working on the Saturday morning after we arrived. It was quite productive since I finally fixed the opening of the oven. This portion of the work has been the most challenging so far since it is not the straightforward brick laying I have been doing the past weeks. It required a lot more planning and cutting the bricks into special shapes to make the opening merge with the rest of the dome.










The picture on the right shows the temporary bricks and wood I put in place to hold up the bricks spanning the opening. The temporary structure was needed to keep the bricks in place while the mortar dried. The picture on the left shows the front view of the oven. This is where the pizza will go in! This work was completed last weekend.

This weekend involved more work on the opening and the merging with the dome structure. Much harder than I had thought and more brick cutting. Each brick on the opening needed to be cut to shape to fit. More detailed pictures on that later this week.

But this is my new get up when I cut bricks. There is a lot of dust flying when I cut and grind, so an old t-shirt wrapped around my head is a very effective filter. Now I understand why construction workers look this way!



Now that construction is on again, I need to re do my timeline. The going is slower now that the angle of the bricks is steeper. There is a longer wait for the mortar to set firmly before I can move on to other bricks.

At the moment it is looking like early December for the first pizza, if all goes well!

8th Level, Going Up!

Another good weekend of brick laying. The bricks are now up to the 8th level and there are about 4 to 5 more to go. The going should get easier since there are less bricks as it goes higher.



I need to do a lot more brick cutting now to fit the odd spaces. There is a lot of dust and debris flying around so I now wear safety goggles when cutting or grinding. Safety first!



And work has finally started on the opening. This part is a bit tricky. Its not the same work as just putting the bricks down and moving on to the next brick. Figuring out how to frame the opening and how the bricks are going to go in place using the angle iron to support it over the opening took some thinking. I'll spend more time on this next week and hope to complete a level of bricks across the opening.



Getting closer to pizza time!

Rome Wasn't Built In A Day . . .

. . . and neither were the pizza ovens in Pompeii.

I've been asked about when there is actually going to be pizza coming out of the oven and the truth is I really don't know. While I do want to be baking pizza and bread right away, the oven project is not something that can be rushed. Some of the limitations (aside from the lack of experience and skill of the mason) that I need to deal with are:

• I have a day job (thank God!) and I can only work on the oven on weekends.
• The weather needs to cooperate. If it rains hard, I can't work because the mortar will get soggy and won't set. If it is overcast and gloomy, the mortar takes longer to set, so the work goes slower.
• I need to figure out what I am doing as I go along. While I have plans, they are not detailed about every aspect of the oven. There are still some design issues I have not settled in my mind yet (vent and opening of the oven, exterior appearance to be more specific).

Having said all of that, the rough time line in my head is:

• Dome construction - 2 more weeks
• Vent and opening - 1 week
• Exterior insulation and housing - 2 weeks
• Firing (the oven needs to be slowly broken in before it can hit the 900 degrees target temp) - 1 week
• Recipe testing / fine tuning - 2 weeks

If you add it all up (this is a sequential project time line, no parallel tracks) it is about 8 weeks, assuming the weather holds up.

Halloween Pizza anyone?

Power Tools and Progress Update

One really cool aspect about this project is that I am enjoying it on so many levels: there is the DIY part of me (power tools and fix it projects) and then there is the techy nerd part of me, too.

The DIY part is pretty obvious. Even more fun than getting new power tools, is actually using them! This is me cutting up bricks with my angle grinder. On every level of bricks I need to cut a keystone brick to fit in the odd space left and the angle grinder takes care of this job very nicely.




Now for the nerd part. When I finally get to fire up the oven, I'll want to keep track of the temperature inside. For the surface temp of the oven floor I have an infrared thermometer that I can use to check temps.



But I'll also need to keep track of the temp of the bricks so that I know when they are heat saturated. When the bricks are at the correct temp, then the oven will stay hot for a few hours and the fires can be banked. For that, I am installing thermocouples. These are wires that are embedded in the brick and then they connect back to the thermometer for a read out. So far I have one for the oven floor and one located halfway up the dome.










To install these, I drill a hole in the brick and put a special thermally sensitive wire inside.



And, of course, drilling holes means getting to use power tools!






Lastly, a progress update. The weather has been cooperative this weekend, not too much rain and nice cloudy skies so not hot at all. The only drawback was that the work was a little slow because the mortar would take longer to dry and set. I am now up to the 5th level of bricks and it is getting more challenging to keep the bricks at the right angle. The picture on the right shows a close up of the wood inserts that I use to hold the bricks at the right angle while the mortar dries. After it sets, the inserts can be removed and the space is mortared up.

Getting closer to fire up date!

Last Weekend's Work

Got a lot of work done last long weekend.

Went up to three levels of bricks.

This is the first level, relatively easy to get started on building the dome.



This is the front view and side view.












The challenge as I build the higher levels is getting the angle of the bricks tilted correctly. This is the main reason for the styrofoam center, it helps align the tilt.

When it is all done, there will be about 10 to 11 levels of bricks, so I still have a lot of building to go.