AH-BEETZ

[Essen1]

Terry,

Please accept my sincerest condolences. I'm truly sorry for your loss. I'm sure your Mom's legacy will be a great inspiration for your new place in Vancouver.

Good luck with your new endeavor!

[gabaghool]

If this thread is still going, Id like some info please, it would be greatly appreciated.

I realize that HEAT is a huge, huge factor inmaking New York style nabladan hybrid.  Other than a coal oven, what oven can provide this type of heat....I would think 800 degrees would be a starting point.

I know Apizza Scholls swears by his ELECTRIC deck oven.....  I know electric gets hotter, but I  need more info before Im convinced.
DiFaras uses a plain ole gas deck oven, if Im not mistaken.
I don't think a wood oven is the right type either.....I may be wrong, but I think a wood oven is great for AUTHENTIC Naples style pizza, California style pizza, both with a thick,softer dough......no?

Varasano, whos dough website reflects many many years of research and experimentation, uses an oven called "Pizzamaster", I believe that may be electric also.......

And lastly, I have read that Terry is getting his oven from Sweden,  is so, would you mind telling me the brand, so I can do proper research?  I would greatly appreciate it.

Well, thanks for your imput, and I am looking forward to hearing from you.

[scott123]

Gabagool,

Electric and gas ovens that can reach coal temps have been discussed recently here:

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,14339.0.html

Pizzamaster is electric and based in Sweden.  From what I understand, the Pizzamaster oven Jeff Varasano uses in his Atlanta pizzeria is custom built, and, as far as I know, it reaches the highest temperature of any full size commercial deck oven in the U.S. There's Chinese countertops that go higher, but not real deck ovens.

Hopefully Terry will chime in, but if he is, indeed, getting his oven from Sweden, with his well known penchant for coal pizza and faster bake times, it sounds a lot like he's getting a Pizzamaster.

[Matthew]

Gabagool,

Electric and gas ovens that can reach coal temps have been discussed recently here:

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,14339.0.html

Pizzamaster is electric and based in Sweden.  From what I understand, the Pizzamaster oven Jeff Varasano uses in his Atlanta pizzeria is custom built, and, as far as I know, it reaches the highest temperature of any full size commercial deck oven in the U.S. There's Chinese countertops that go higher, but not real deck ovens.

Hopefully Terry will chime in, but if he is, indeed, getting his oven from Sweden, with his well known penchant for coal pizza and faster bake times, it sounds a lot like he's getting a Pizzamaster.

Scott,
FWIW, The Pizzamaster that Jeff uses is standard issue.  The high heat thermostat is an option at an additional cost.  One of my suppliers is a Pizzamaster dealer & they had one on display in the showroom.  My guess is that that's the one that Terry will be using.

Matt

[scott123]

Matt, according to this page here, it's more than just a thermostat:

http://www.atlantacuisine.com/2009/10/qa-with-jeff-varasano-of-varasano%E2%80%99s-pizzeria/

After a few disappointing tests out on the West Coast, I headed to a little town called Boras, Sweden. The oven was the clear winner and Christer proved to be as good as I’d hoped. The best thing was that during our conversations it was clear that we both had in mind nearly the same design for a next generation oven that is wildly different than anything on the market now. Yet independently, we had come to very nearly the same design. That oven is off in the future though.

For this round we took his basic design and made a few modifications. There are extra heating elements, and also we had to make many component and design changes to get the oven certified by Underwriter’s Labs. Christer even flew in from Sweden for the final round of inspections.

[Matthew]

Matt, according to this page here, it's more than just a thermostat:

http://www.atlantacuisine.com/2009/10/qa-with-jeff-varasano-of-varasano%E2%80%99s-pizzeria/

Not sure buddy.  That's what the sales rep told me.  Maybe since it worked out so well, it's now optional

Matt

[tdeane]

The oven I am using is a Woodstone Mt. Adams model with infrared. Deck temp 800 degrees and 1000+ in the dome. I was going get a Pizzamaster but the rep in Canada isn't quite on the ball.

[scott123]

Matt, Varasano's opened it's doors in March of 2009, and I'm sure that Jeff was dealing with Pizzamaster well before that, so, perhaps, in the last 2 1/2 years, Pizzamaster has changed it's core offerings to accommodate the new breed of heat junkies.

Terry, is it the WS-MS-5-RFG-IR found here?

I'm curious, have you tried a traditional all Caputo Neapolitan dough with it, and, if so, can it break the 90 second bake barrier?

[Matthew]

The oven I am using is a Woodstone Mt. Adams model with infrared. Deck temp 800 degrees and 1000+ in the dome. I was going get a Pizzamaster but the rep in Canada isn't quite on the ball.

Hi Terry,
Hope all is well.  Let me guess; Alfa Cappuccino?

Matt

[Matthew]

Matt, Varasano's opened it's doors in March of 2009, and I'm sure that Jeff was dealing with Pizzamaster well before that, so, perhaps, in the last 2 1/2 years, Pizzamaster has changed it's core offerings to accommodate the new breed of heat junkies.

Terry, is it the WS-MS-5-RFG-IR found here?

I'm curious, have you tried a traditional all Caputo Neapolitan dough with it, and, if so, can it break the 90 second bake barrier?

Never used it.  The display for people to test out is the standard model.

Matt

[tdeane]

Hi Scott,
I'm not using Caputo flour so I haven't tried but there is a Neapolitan place in town that is using a woodstone and they are claiming a 90 second bake.  From what I've seen though, their crust looks pretty blonde.  I've also heard from people that have eaten there that they saw the thermostat set to 700.  00 won't brown at that temperature nevermind in 90 seconds.

[tdeane]

Hi Terry,
Hope all is well.  Let me guess; Alfa Cappuccino?

Matt

Yep. I couldn't get prices out of the guy. Everything was like pulling teeth. Very frustrating!

[tdeane]

Scott,
FWIW, The Pizzamaster that Jeff uses is standard issue.  The high heat thermostat is an option at an additional cost.  One of my suppliers is a Pizzamaster dealer & they had one on display in the showroom.  My guess is that that's the one that Terry will be using.

Matt

I believe you are correct. The high temperature is an option that they offer now. That's the one I was going to get.

[tdeane]

Terry, is it the WS-MS-5-RFG-IR found here?

That's the one except I am getting the stucco model. As you can see it needs a little repair and painting.

[JConk007]

Terry,
Sounds like Mr. Cappuccino should try some Expresso ? Either makes to much or not on commision? I am in sales and allways allways get back to the customer for better or worse.
I assume you grabbed this from a shop that was closing? probably for a song There is a new place by me with that oven and they have it set at like 580?? But oh yes advertising that "woodfired pizza" I have also seen many of the Woodstone ovens on ebay and very reasonable. Is this addition to or replacment for your gas deck?  Good luck with it! When will you be up and running? Are you planning  on changing your dough formula/recipe for this oven?
Thanks John

[tdeane]

Terry,
Sounds like Mr. Cappuccino should try some Expresso ? Either makes to much or not on commision? I am in sales and allways allways get back to the customer for better or worse.
I assume you grabbed this from a shop that was closing? probably for a song There is a new place by me with that oven and they have it set at like 580?? But oh yes advertising that "woodfired pizza" I have also seen many of the Woodstone ovens on ebay and very reasonable. Is this addition to or replacment for your gas deck?  Good luck with it! When will you be up and running? Are you planning  on changing your dough formula/recipe for this oven?
Thanks John

Yeah, I think most people with Woodstone ovens run them pretty low, but they do get really hot if you crank them up. I am using a slightly different dough recipe at this restaurant than I did at ah-beetz. For starters, I am using 00 flour(not Italian) and I will be proofing the dough in my curing room. I'm making all the cured meats at this restaurant so we turned the walk in cooler into a curing room. Still using a sourdough starter. We should be open in 3-4 weeks but the liquor license is probably about 5 weeks away.

[gabaghool]

    Im beginning to think that the TYPE of fuel isn't whats important, but simply.....heat.  Coal is the big thing now, its an advertising point.  I live in Connecticut so I've tried most of the pizzerias that have the reps.  I personally like the new york places that use the fresh mozz (or actually its NOT really fresh mozz but a salted CURD thats used in more than a few NY pizza places) than New Haven places.  I like charred spots, but too much is just too much.  Check out Roadfood pics for photos of many NH pizza places.  Now thats CHARRED.  In fact, Pepes has found that they CANNOT put out pizzas as dark as their original NH place in any of their other locations, cause people just don't want them that dark.

Thanks for the info on pizzamaster.  I really am surprised to find out that an electric oven ISN'T just a second rate oven.  I know ALOT of people think it is, just like I did.  And, professionally, it HAS to run you more to use.  But, Apizza Scholls is the first place destination place I've ever heard of that used one ON PURPOSE.  And that lead me to find even more pros that like them.  I guess the whole IDEA of a coal oven is a bit overwhelming....the size, the expense, the knowledge and experience needed to run one correctly, it all makes me wonder if its worth it, if you can replicate it with another fuel type.

[gabaghool]

Tdeane

Do you use ANY cake yeast along with your sourdough starter??  Thank you