Wood-fired in MA

[valhalla]

Hello Everybody! I am well on my way down the slippery slope and have just finished a long 3 month construction of my wood-fired oven. I've arrived here after years and years (...and years!!!) of struggling with everything from poor rental-quality apartment ovens when I was in college/ grad school, temporary firebrick contraptions built on top of a Weber grill, a real oven after getting a real job (Wolf dual fuel with the optional baking stone and element), a Williams-Sonoma "beehive" oven (a birthday gift from my wife - I love you!!!! however, when actually having to use it ....it was the thought that counted - right?). Here is where I finally ended up - a Le Panyol model 83 from Main Wood Heat in a seriously well insulated stone house. I worked with Giuseppe "Joe" Ventriglia at Terrascaping to bring the whole project to life. I'll post a link for a whole series of construction pictures if people are interested. The stone mason who did all of the work with the Connecticut white line granite is a true artist and craftsman. Each piece was cut by hand and set with minimal mortar to the concrete block foundation. So far, the oven has been working great. It doesn't take much wood or time to get up to temp (800-1000ºF) and holds the heat well over days. My goal is to improve my pizza and dough making skills, in addition to high/medium/low heat cooking and baking. Even though it's the middle of winter here in Massachusetts, I've fired the oven at least once a week since construction finished. I'm looking forward to learning more from everybody's experience and sharing mine!

- Blaine

[dellavecchia]

I would love to see pics of your oven. Welcome to the forum.

John

[Tracydr]

I'm very jealous of your oven. Welcome to the forum. I'm a newbie, too.

[valhalla]

I've uploaded a series of construction pics to my photo stream. I'd like to hear what you think!

https://www.icloud.com/photostream/#A15oqs3qGfoWBy;F81734D8-15AE-49A5-813E-204A4DAFCF13

[JConk007]

Stunning !    man the ovens just keep getting better and better here !! What info do you need  to get cookin?
John

[Michael130207]

Thanks for the build pics. That is ridiculously beautiful! I am completely jealous. I love the use of copper and is that a slate roof?  Are you a mythology fan or did you go to school in New York?  Enjoy!

[valhalla]

John (dellavecchia) - I've posted a link to some of the construction pics. I've learned a lot form your contributions on this forum.

John (JConk007) - I really liked the look of your oven too. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery? What info do I need? Well, I'd like to replicate some of Bakeshack's beautiful pizzas.

Michael - Thanks! Yes, it is a copper and slate roof. There are some pics in the build of the guys cutting the tiles. As far as my user name, it is more from my love of New York and the Metropolitan Opera. I tend to like Wagner You wouldn't be surprised what I've named my cars - Brunhilde and Loge. I thought Valhalla was appropriate for this project  

[deb415611]

beautiful build

[bfguilford]

Absolutely gorgeous!

[dellavecchia]

I love the whole space you created. I am really interested to see how the Le Panyol performs with Neapolitan pizza.

John

[valhalla]

I love the whole space you created. I am really interested to see how the Le Panyol performs with Neapolitan pizza.

John

John - if you want to see how it it performs with one of your Neapolitan pizzas - come on by! You would be more than welcome.

[CopperTop]

Blaine,

Congratulations on your Le Panyol 83!  Beautiful set up you have there.  How are you liking the oven so far?  Are you baking breads? pizzas?  I just finished a two-day workshop on WFO on a Le Panyol 120 in your neck of the woods.  Well, closer to you than it was for me.  Check out my most recent blog about my experience at The Stone Turtle Baking and Cooking School.   (blog site is www.pizzastalker.blogspot.com).  I highly recommend the class if you are new to using a WFO. After firing my oven 7-8 times, I found the class to be a review.  If you're in a similar experience as I am...used it but wonder if it's being used optimally...I'll be happy to share with you my experience/notes in class. I've learned to be more patient with the oven and myself. Pre-heating. Firing techniques that saves wood. Looking forward to firing mine this weekend and making as much dough/pizzas in the next two weeks before my training (Neopolitan)  with Roberto Caporuscio in NYC.

Happy Baking! Looking forward to seeing more pics

Sharlene

[scott r]

wow,   another amazing oven.    congrats and enjoy your new purchase!   

[derricktung]

Welcome to the forum!  (From one new member to another!)  Wow, that oven is gorgeous... I've definitely got WFO envy!