Purpose of this blog

This blog will really be a true web log. I will post here about different wood-fired ovens as I find them.

If you know of any wood-fired ovens I should know about, you can send an e-mail to me. (If you build wood-fired ovens, I would like to hear from you too.)

There will lots of posts and lots of labels, since I plan to create one post for every appropriate web site that I find, and however many labels it takes to describe each one (usually at least the type of page and the location of the oven).

The accumulated information will still be found at the real Quest for Ovens web site links pages, but that is not updated as frequently as this blog will be.

If you are from outside the US and Canada, let me know what you find interesting about it. I see that I get visitors from India and Iran, and other faraway places. I'd like to know what draws you to this blog.

I received e-mail from the organizers of the BBC Two television show asking if the Saint Paul Bread Club could post a notice about their show Great British Bake-Off for amateur bakers. The information they gave me is now accessible through a link. (The organizers don't have a web page for the show itself yet.)

Please share this with any amateur bakers in Great Britain you may know, or post the link where they might see it.

Thanks.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Inferno, State College, Pennsylvania

Inferno, a Neapolitan pizza place is part of Dante's Nightlife, State College, Pennsylvania.

The web site is Flash-based and the info for Inferno is not linkable.

Friday, January 28, 2011

White Bear Lake United Methodist Church, White Bear Lake, Minnesota

The Minneapolis StarTribune has an on-line version of an article about the White Bear Lake United Methodist Church, White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and their community oven.

There is information about other community ovens here.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Maitardi, Miami, Florida

A Dine Magazine on-line article about Valentine's Day dining options near Miami mentions Maitardi, Miami, Florida.

Maitardi's web site is entirely Flash based, so it's not possible to copy and paste information from there to here.

The article says in part, "Design District’s only oak-shaded romantic outdoors venue, Maitardi, is celebrating Valentine’s Day exotic flavors, brick-oven specialties and music by jazz vocalist Lenard Rutledge."

Pizza Pi, East Lansing, Michigan

A Lansing City Pulse article reviews Pizza Pi, East Lansing, Michigan.

The review has a nice picture of pizzas in the wood-fired oven.

The review says in part, "Little known facts: Organic, wood-fired pizza tastes better and makes you smarter. OK, so only the first part is verifiable, but if you stop into Pizza Pi along the Grand River corridor in East Lansing, you´ll probably learn a thing or two about what makes a fine tasting pie."

Community Oven, Tourém, Portugal

My Google Alert snagged a mention of a Flickr photo of a community oven still in use in Tourém, Portugal.

The photo caption says in part, "It was buit in 1868 (or earlier). Note that even the roof is made of stone...."

I'm always impressed by old ovens that are still in use.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Pizzeto, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Here is a blog post about another wood-fired pizza place as part of a much larger complex, in this case the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

The blog post says in part, "A variety of gourmet dining options are available through the resort's 11 restaurants, from Brazilian steakhouse Ipema and The Market international buffet to Asian Teppanyaki at Zen and brick-oven pizza at Pizzeto."

The web page for the restaurants (not a simple URL that can be used) says in part, "Pizzeto offers artisanal brick oven-style pizza as well as other Mediterranean influenced dishes."

Modern Apizza, New Haven, Connecticut

A press release about new food concepts at Safeco Field mentioned the biography of one of the contributors, who happens to run Modern Apizza, New Haven, Connecticut.

The press release says in part, "When celebrities and dignitaries come to New Haven, they make a beeline for world-famous Modern Apizza. Originally called State Street Apizza, Modern Apizza was founded in 1934 and has been in the same spot ever since. For more than 22 years, Bill Pustari has served as chef-owner of Modern where he serves New Haven-style thin-crust apizza (closely related to Neapolitan-style Italian pizza) which is baked in a coal-fired brick oven. Modern's uses the highest quality ingredients including fresh Grande Mozzarella and a specific lot of San Marzano tomatoes grown specifically for Modern's pies. Modern has received numerous accolades over the years including Yahoo! Travel's pick for #3 pizza in the U.S., Playboy magazine's top ten in the country as well as the New Haven Advocate's Best of Reader's Poll for "Best Pizza" twelve years in a row."

Christopher's Crush, Phoenix, Arizona

A Phoenix New Times blog entry reports on the kitchen bar at Chrisopher's Crush, Phoenix, Arizona.

Specifically, they give it an A+ for prices and selection during their happy hour specials.

The review says in part, "A wide selection of items including wood fired pizzas, gourmet burger and frites, soups, entree salads, and a cheese plate are featured at half price."

It later says, "The restaurant is modern and clean, and the kitchen bar contains a beautiful brick pizza oven."

Castiglia's, Fredricksburg, Virginia

A fredricksburg.com blog entry says that Castiglia's will be closed for remodeling while in brick oven is being installed.

The blog entry says in part, "A crew led by owner Luigi Castiglia is building a wood-burning brick oven that will cook pizzas in the authentic style used in Naples, Italy. Luigi Castiglia’s brother is now in Naples getting trained on making authentic Neapolitan pizza, whose thin crust cooks in less than two minutes in the oven’s almost 900-degree heat."

The restaurant's home page says in part, "Castiglia’s Will be closed for remodeling starting on January 24th for 3-4 weeks."

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Scratch Brick Oven, Johnson City, Tennessee

An online article by the Johnson City Press recorded the results of a fund-raising pizza contest.

The article says in part, "Nearly 450 people voted on the city’s best pizza Sunday night at Pie Wars: Clash of the Slices, a fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club of Johnson City put on by Young Professionals of the Tri-Cities. After sampling slices from Knights Sports Bar, Luke’s Pizza, Main Street Pizza, Mellow Mushroom, One12 Downtown, Pizza Inn and Scratch Brick Oven, the famed brick oven pizzeria won over the hearts and taste buds of attendees."

Greenbrier Farms, Easley, South Carolina

I got a Google Alert that included a web page update for Greenbrier Farms, Easley, South Carolina.

The photos that they link to includes a picture of a brick oven.

One of the picture captions says in part, "Greenbrier Farms in Easley held its Triple B event Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010. Greenbrier provided all-you-can-drink beer from Community Tap, plus all-you-can-eat brick oven pizzas and live bluegrass music."

The farms' events page mentions, "Our 5,000 sq ft farm house facility offers a fully-equipped kitchen, double brick ovens, and a welcoming porch, complete with rocking chairs, that offers an impressive view of the picturesque pond and sprawling farm."

Tosca, Montclair, New Jersey

A Montclair, New Jersey, entertainment site, mentioned Tosca, Montclair, New Jersey.

The site says in part, "If you want to have dinner and get to your movie at the Clairidge on time, there’s probably no closer, faster option than Tosca, Church Street’s new Italian featuring brick oven pizzas, pastas, paninis, and salads for lunch as well as more substantial fare (think osso bucco) for dinner."

Tosca also has a Facebook page.

Pompeii Pizzeria, Elk River, Minnesota

A member of the family mentioned Pompeii Pizzeria, Elk River, Minnesota.

It's one of the newer Neapolitan pizza places in the Twin Cities area, although it's in a far northwest suburb.

My family reports that the pizza there is very good.

They got some recent coverage on KARE-11.

Another link on KARE-11.

They make their own mozzarella daily.

Update March 25, 2011: There was a restaurant review posted in the blog, Monica's Nest. It included some good pictures and had nice things to say about the place.

American Pie Brick Oven Pizza, Hallandale Beach, Florida

Apparently American Pie Brick Oven Pizza, Hallandale Beach, Florida, is part of a new race track and mall complex near Miami, Florida. The complex web site calls the place Miami Shopping Mall: The Village at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Florida. (The street address on the web site calls it Hallandale Beach.)

The restaurant's web page says in part, "Casual restaurant featuring multiple varieties of specialty pizzas and other food items." It also has a picture of a pizza inside a wood-fired oven.

The hours, address, and phone number are also provided.

J. G. Domestic, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A food, drink, and gossip site for Philadelphia has a bit about J. G. Domestic, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

It says in part, "… this kitchen is flexing its muscle through vivid seasonal flavors drawn from across the land, and, as a result, more spontaneity than most any other Garces restaurant. The brick-oven flatbread delivered an earthy whiff of Oregon truffles and chanterelles scattered over creamy white asparagus béchamel piqued with Jasper Hill cheddar."

Another post from the same source has an annotated 360 degree view, but it's not clear that the restaurant really has a brick oven. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Adriatic Restaurant and Bar, Salem, Massachusetts

A "hot list" by the North Shore Art Throb mentions the Adriatic Café, Salem, Massachusetts (although apparently it's really the Adriatic Restaurant and Bar).

The bit about the Adriatic says in part, "Adriatic is a casual dining restaurant featuring the cuisine of the regions surrounding the Adriatic sea. Fresh fish and seasonal vegetables, together with a brick oven pizza, create the main menu, plus there is a full wine and cocktail list."

City Pizzeria, San Diego, California

The pizza reviewers at Serious Eats Slice had a review of City Pizzeria, San Diego, California.

The review says in part, "In downtown San Diego, a legitimately good slice of pizza can be hard to find. It turns out the best way to quell a pizza craving is to go a few blocks off the main drag to City Pizzeria, a thin-crust pizza shop that proofs its dough overnight to perfect its texture and flavor. Pizzas are cooked in a vintage brick oven and feature fresh, high quality ingredients. For $3 a slice (or $6 for two slices and a drink), you can't beat it."

It has pictures of some slices, but not of the oven.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Craig's, Los Angeles, California

Eater LA has a short piece about Craig's, Los Angeles, California.

It says in part, "Here the eats are primarily American with a touch of Italian, pasta is made in house, there's a wood-fired pizza oven, and...fried chicken."

There are some pictures as well.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Mozza Mia, Edina, Minnesota

A restaurant review in one of my local papers, the StarTribune, covered a new pizza place in Edina, one of our western suburbs. The name of the place is Mozza Mia, and it sounds very good.

The review has a picture of one of the wood-fired oven.

The review says in part, "Throw in dough that rises for 24 hours and two high-temperature wood-burning ovens (fueled by oak with the occasional toss of Italian cherry wood for extra smoke) and you get a distinctive crust that's thin but sturdy and slightly blistered, with a marvelous crackle on the outside that yields to a lightly chewy, slightly bready interior."

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Hot Italian, Sacramento, California

The Sacramento News & Review has a story about the Italian chef behind Hot Italian, Sacramento, California.

The story says in parts:

"Hailing from La Spezia, Italy, Fabrizio Cercatore brings authentic neapolitan pizza to Sacramento at Hot Italian (1627 16th Street). Featuring the same one-size-fits-all thin-crust pizza Cercatore serves at his restaurant in Italy, Hot Italian also offers salads, paninis, gelato and free Wi-Fi. The atmosphere and quality ingredients offer a true taste of Italy in Midtown."

"What I see in many Italian restaurants here is that they are afraid and they change. They compromise authenticity and quality. I use the same wood-burning oven that I use in Italy, and the same dough machine that I use in Italy. … It was a little more expensive to bring here, but I’m sure it’s the quality I want."

Monday, January 10, 2011

Vergennes Laundry, Vergennes, Vermont

There is a Burlington, Vermont Free Press on-line article about where to eat breakfast that mentions the Vergennes Laundry, Vergennes, Vermont.

The review says in part, "Three big tables, shared by customers, occupy most of the dining space. I felt lucky to snag a deck chair by the big window, and had to drag myself away to return to work, and Burlington."

The Laundry had been the subject of a couple other pages before.

Here was how they got started (including a schematic of their oven).

The Addison County Independent had an article about the start of construction.

FireWorks, Corvalis, Oregon

An on-line article from the Corvalis Gazeette-Times talks about the evolution of the FireWorks Restaurant and Catering, Corvalis, Oregon.

It's an interesting article, which says in part, "Shufelt’s training in Old World cuisine fits perfectly with the restaurant’s wood-fired oven and newfound focus on pizza. Anyone who has spent time in Italy will tell you that pizzas were meant to be cooked the wood-fired way. It creates a crispy thin crust that can turn a thin-crust hater (present company included) into a believer. Shufelt and Liff-Anderson are convinced their venue now has the best pizza in the mid-valley."

Pizza Tonight, Richmond, Virginia

Richmond.com has a piece about Pizza Tonight of Richmond, Virginia.(The contemporaneous blog for Pizza Night has a correction.)

This is a story of a hobby turning into a business.

The story says in parts:

"You had to be friends or friends of friends to get invited to the Deroche’s house in the Fan to enjoy Victoria’s homemade pizza dough. At Pizza Club, Victoria provided the pizza dough and her guests got to top it with whatever they wanted: from fresh feta and basil to pizza carbonara with pancetta, eggs and hard cheeses...."

"But now, this pizza club is going public with Pizza Tonight, gourmet pizza kits handcrafted by the Richmond couple...."

"And in a few weeks, Victoria hopes to bring her brand new portable wood fire oven -- which is currently en route from Colorado to Richmond -- to farmer’s markets where she can fire up a gourmet pizza pie on the premises….just for you...."

(04/17/11) They  must now have their oven, since they have a new portable oven business described on their page.

Sago, Destin, Florida

A Destin.com review of the Sago restaurant inside of the Palms of Destin Resort and Conference Center, in Destin, Florida, had some nice things to say.

The review says in part, "The focal point of the room is the wood-burning oven, which is in a glass front enclosure."

Grana, Riverhead, New York

There is a restaurant review of Grana, which does not seem to have a site of its own.

It's not clear if it is in Riverhead or Jamesport, New York.

The review says in part, "And last, but not least, is the wood-fired oven pizza staring customers in the face on the far side of the open kitchen upon entering Grana. The clay composing the interior of the oven was imported from Tuscany, Plath boasts, and the oven itself is instrumental in giving Grana's pizzas a unique taste the chef took years to fashion. Indeed, before building an oven in Grana's kitchen, Plath honed his pizza-making skills at home in his own wood oven – which cooks around 700 degrees – for years."

Pizzeria Lola, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Sometimes people suggest places to me, and that's what happened in this case.

My daughter told me that there was a new pizza place with a copper-clad oven not far from where she lived in south Minneapolis. It's near 56th St. and Xerxes.

The sign on the outside just says "Lola," but apparently the name is really Pizzeria Lola.

I actually stopped by to peak in the window where I discovered two things.
  1. They don't open until 5 p.m. on Sunday (I was there at 4 p.m.).
  2. The door of the oven faces into the kitchen, not out into the dining area.
For me, part of the important ambiance of a wood-fired oven restaurant is being able to see the oven in use. (It's part of the show, if you will.)

So, Lola is not as good a dining experience as they could be. I'll have to try their food when I have time.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Piza e Vino, Johannesburg, South Africa

A review in The New Age profiled Piza e Vino, Johannesburg, South Africa.

The review says in part, "In terms of overall ambience, Piza è Vino does not disappoint. The first thing you’ll notice is the eclectic décor. A striking mosaicked, wood-burning pizza oven and pillars greet you as you enter the cosy restaurant. Parquet and black-and-white-tiled floors and a giant wall of green Peroni bottles make up the interior. The aroma of the pizzas is inviting and got my taste buds watering from the moment we arrived."

Hearth Wood Fired Bread, Plymouth, Massachusetts

A Boston.com page reviewed the bakery Hearth Wood Fired Bread, Plymouth, Massachusetts.

The review says in part, "Peter Nyberg’s new wood-fired stone oven in Plymouth is a custom, 60-ton version of the wood-fired stone ovens that have become so popular (mostly for pizza making) in recent years."

Their home page says in part, "Our artisan bakers create each loaf using a natural levain (live sourdough starter) not commercial yeast, shape each loaf by hand and bake in a 60-ton, 18th century wood-fired brick oven."

05/26/11: Added a link with more details about the business.

Aziza's, Richmond, Virginia

I stumbled on a mention of Aziza's, Richmond, Virginia.

Their home page says in part, "Aziza's is a family owned and operated restaurant, pizzeria and bread bakery. We feature Richmond’s first 100% wood fired, hand built, brick oven along with locally sourced ingredients for our food preparations."

Napa Wood Fired Pizzeria, Rochester, New York

An IrondequoitPost.com restaurant profile cover the Napa Wood Fired Pizzeria, Rochester, New York.

The profile says in part, "If you’re looking for a leader in this pizza genre [wood-fired pizza], head to Napa Wood Fired Pizzeria. The newest location opened in October in the South Wedge and serves slices for lunch and dinner."

Pizzology, Carmel, Indiana

An IndyStar article reviews Pizzology, Carmel, Indiana.

The review says in part, "Local chef Neal Brown's Pizzology opened in Carmel a little over a year ago and quickly drew pizza-loving patrons with its selection of authentic Neapolitan-style pies, flavorful pastas and interesting starters."

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Pele's Fire Catering, Jacksonville, Florida

I saw a Google ad for Pele's Fire Catering, Jacksonville, Florida, on this blog page, so I followed the link.

The home page doesn't say where they are located, but the area code indicates the Jacksonville area. The home page says in part, "Specializing in Gourmet Neapolitan Pizza. Come visit us every Saturday at the Riverside Arts Market."

Pele's Fire Catering has a page on Facebook.

Bend Pizza, Bend, Orgeon

It seems like Bend Oregon must be a hotbed of mobile pizza businesses.

Now I have found Bend Pizza, which seems to be the third mobile pizza business in Oregon that I have found today.

Their "About Us" page says in part, "In the Spring of 2010, Chris set out to make the first-ever, MOBILE BRICK OVEN, in Central Oregon! Employing his own passion, and with just the right amount of help from others with a little expertise in masonry and fabrication... Chris has successfully built his Mobile Brick Oven... and is ready to start making fresh, delicious pizza for the masses!!"

The Pizza Cart, Bend, Oregon

A post in the Visit Bend blog mentioned The Pizza Cart, Bend, Oregon.

The post says in part, "The Pizza Cart offers hot brick oven pizza. You can get thin crust personal pies made with hand-rolled dough, homemade sauce, local meats from the Redmond Smokehouse, hand roasted vegetables and fresh delicious cheeses."

Pyro Pizza, Portland, Oregon

While looking for a different restaurant on the web I stumbled across mention of Pyro Pizza, Portland, Oregon.

They also seem to have a Facebook page.

Mamie's Cafe and Bakery, Marthinsburg, Pennsylvania

I don't know anything about this place, but they did claim on their site that they were having brick oven pizza.

Cotogna, San Francisco, California

An entry for an SF Weekly blog reviews Cotogna, San Francisco, California.

The review says in part, "But I found myself thinking over and over again about Cotogna's spit-roast pork, tiny carrots caramelized in the oven with honey, pappardelle with lamb braised in the wood-fired oven."

Another blog had a trip report there; their report says in part, "The space showcases many wide glass windows, exposed woods (everything seems brown in here), and a wood-fired oven (with spare wood surrounding the entrance)."

Elanta Wood-Fired Bagel Cafe, Seattle, Washington

A Seattle food blog entry recounted a visit to Elanta Wood-Fired Bagel Cafe, Seattle, Washington.

The entry says in part, "The doors were unlocked and employees were busy hoisting long paddles of bagels in and out of the large wood oven."

Community Oven, Kerikeri Domain, New Zealand

An item for the Bay Chronicle of New Zealand reports on the plans to build a community oven.

The report says in part, "A public pizza oven using adobe and recycled materials will be built at the Kerikeri Domain during the Envirofest in March. NorthTec tutor Grant Steven has been teaching natural building methods and how to build adobe wood-fired ovens for more than two years and is keen to see a large, naturally built adobe wood fired oven one in the park."

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Flames Brick Oven, Westchester, New York.

According to a restaurant review, the owner of the Old Stone Trattoria had previous worked at Flames Brick Oven in Yonkers (also with a Facebook page).

Old Stone Trattoria, Chappaqua, New York

A restaurant review in a food blog for the Lower Hudson profiles Old Stone Trattoria, Chappaqua, New York.

The review says in part, "If you’re in the mood for a warm brick oven and a cozy neighborhood trattoria, come down to Angelo Tradito’s new place in Chappaqua."

TRIO A Brick Oven Cafe, Greenville, South Carolina

A list of The Top 5 Restaurants in Greenville for Local Fare mentions Trio A Brick Oven Cafe.

The listing for Trio says in part, "Trio A Brick Oven Cafe offers both indoor and outdoor dining. It features pizzas made right in their brick oven."

The Trio home page says in part, "An eclectic fare of gourmet wood-fired pizzas are a specialty--with sauces made fresh daily and in such intriguing combinations as roast chicken with basil pesto. A wide variety of homemade pasta dishes like sautéed crawfish and rotini are another specialty of the house. Rotisserie-cooked chicken as well as a variety of wraps and sandwiches round out the menu."

Uncle Cheffy Brick-Oven Global Cuisine, Manila, The Phillipines

A food blog entry from half-way around the world mentioned a place I'm never likely to get to, Uncle Cheffy Brick-Oven Global Cuisine, Manila , The Phillipines.

The review says in part, "Looking for a different twist of taste, we found ourselves intrigued by the interesting treatment Uncle Cheffy offered to your normal Pizza.... We ended up with Beef Medallion - Steak Tagalog and a Brick oven baked Uncle Cheffy Favorites Panizza. I must also commend their fast and courteous staff for making our dining even more enjoyable."

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza, Carle Place, New York

While trying to find information about a place called Anthony's Brick Oven, I found Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza, Carle Place, New York.

I don't know anything about it, but there it is.

Brick Oven Bread and Cheese Shoppe, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania

A food blogger has an entry with a picture of bread from the Brick Oven Bread and Cheese Shoppe, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania: "Bread Cooling on the Rack @ Brick Oven Bread Shoppe - December 9."

The home page of the Brick Oven Bread and Cheese Shoppe says in part, "Our passion for great food has moved us to open an artisan bread and cheese shoppe where we can share our brick-oven baked breads and our epicurean selection of specialty food items with our community and neighbors."

01/24/2011 Wood Fired Pizza Class, Brooklyn, New York

Most of the time what I see are businesses where you get to eat food prepared in a wood-fired oven, and maybe even watch it get made and cooked.

Here is an opportunity to get some hands-on experience: 01/24 Wood Fired Pizza Class

The description says in part, "This Interactive class will cover Wood-fired cooking in the pizza oven with our friend at Best Pizza. Anthony Falco and Angelo Womack will teach how to do everything and more in the wood fired oven.... This small class will really give you the know how not only to use one, but to build your own wood fired pizza oven, on a trailer, or in your yard!"

Of course, you have to pay the fee and go to Brooklyn Kitchen, but that's not so bad.

Stop 50 Wood Fired Pizzeria, Michigan Shore, Indiana

An on-line column from the Michigan City News Dispatch profiled the Stop 50 Wood Fired Pizzeria.

It describes the history of the Stop 50 including its inspiration and philosophy.

The column says in part, "The community is responding positively to the restaurant. Beginning his fifth year of operation, not only has [founder] Chris [Bardol] received a great response of support from the local community, Stop 50 has gained regional recognition, and has been featured in many newspapers and publications."

Saison, San Francisco, California

Sometimes the clues to finding a business with a brick oven are easy to overlook.

My Google Alert brought my attention to a Easter SF food blog about a place called Dcantr.

Buried in the piece was this line, "I was too busy savoring winning items from the brief but show-stopping-good menu, like ... a braised Petaluma chicken leg cooked with podi spices in Saison’s outdoor wood-fired oven."

So, it's not Dcantr that has the oven, but Saison. It does not look like a place for casual dining....

Monday, January 3, 2011

Queen Margherita, Seattle, Washington

A mention of the Queen Margherita, Seattle, Washington, in the news blog, Magnolia Voice, has a picture of the oven and a quotation from an entry in Urban Spoon.

8/3/11: Discovered they have a Facebook community page.

Alder Wood Bistro, Sequim, Washington

The Alder Wood Bistro is a bistro with a wood-fired oven located in the small town of Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State.

I have visited it, but not eaten there. (I found it after I had already eaten on the last day of my last visit to Sequim.)

Their home page says in part, "handcrafted wood-fired cuisine from the hearth of Sequim."

Steve's Wood Fired Pizza, Boca Raton, Florida

I was just chasing some links when I found a link for Steve's Wood Fired Pizza, Boca Raton, Florida.

The web site doesn't have a current copyright date, so I don't know if the business is still operating or not.

There does seem to be some activity on the restaurant rating sites (like this yelp listing).

Bella Pizzeria, Spring City, Pennsylvania

A Mercury Muncher blog post profiles Bella Pizzeria, Spring City, Pennsylvania.

It says in part, "A huge menu unfolds to a variety of foods, included a wide selection of handcrafted pizza options, all cooked in a brick oven. Feedback from the customers is that the pizza is great...."

Their menu is on-line, but they don't appear to have a web site of their own.

twentyeight degrees, Boston, Massachusetts

A Boston food blogger posted about a restaurant in Boston named twentyeight degrees.

The post mentions and includes a picture of, "a Brick Oven Tomato, Basil, Fresh Mozzarella Pizza."

It's clear the restaurant is more than just a brick-oven pizza place.

Inferno's Wood Fire Pizza, Honolulu, Hawaii

I guess if I were to be focused only on wood-fired pizza places, then checking pizza blogs would be a good strategy. That is not by focus, but this pizza blog entry came to my attention.

The blog describes Inferno's Wood Fire Pizza, Honolulu, Hawaii, and embeds a YouTube video.


The review says in part, "The odor of fresh pizza being cooked in an outdoor wood fired oven is unmistakenable. There under a tent, in the corner of a parking lot, you will discover an amazing pizza operation.
...This is a portable pizza operation. A traveling pizza circus. Complete with all that you would expect and demand of great pizza. And if you are looking for wonderful pizza, you just found it."

Matera Caffe, Franklin, Ohio

The on-line version of the Oxford Press (in Ohio) has a review of Matera Caffe, in Franklin, Ohio.

The review says in part, "Pizzas are another specialty, and a large wood-fired pizza oven takes up much of the kitchen area. Diners can watch as their dough is rolled out, and then topped and baked, and while the choices are extensive, the Giardiniera is a must for veggie lovers."

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Brick Oven Project, Peace Corps, Paraguay

I found a volunteer project to build brick ovens in Paraguay.

I probably would have suggested that community ovens are more efficient, but that's not the aim of the project.

Fire Fly Farm, Saint Albans, Maine

Billi Barker has a blog entry about her farm and related businesses with a 2010 year-end summary.

There are several pictures of a cob oven that she built on her farm. (There were no easily identified blog posts about the oven.)

Blue Oven Bakery, Williamsburg, Ohio

In a blog entry for a site called CityBeat, there is a review of Blue Oven Bakery, which has a blue, wood-fired oven on a farm.

The review says in part, "If you’ve never had Blue Oven Bakery bread, you are missing out on something truly extraordinary. Sara and Mark Frommeyer own and operate the bakery from their family farm in Williamsburg, Ohio, on the banks of the Little Miami River.... The bread is baked in, yes, a blue oven. More specifically, it’s a wood-fired oven, and with around 20 breads in the rotation, everyone can find something they love"

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Mobile Pizza Oven For Sale, Colchester, Connecticut

There was an entry (now expired) on Craig's List for mobile pizza oven for sale.

Here is the description, "Mobile wood fired oven with many improvements, trailer is road safe and CT dmv inspected, brakes, mounts for various tools and work has been done to ensure longevity. Brand new retails for 17,000. Genuine hand forged copper exterior,"  and the asking price, $10500.

Just in case you were thinking of starting your own mobile pizza business.

If you got to this post by searching for "mobile pizza oven for sale" then here is a potentially useful link for you; it's a topic called "Mobile Oven Suppliers and Projects" that is part of my mobile oven link collection for my "Quest for Ovens" site. (The link collection evolves, so there will be more links added as I find them.)


I also have links to "Mobile Oven Businesses" on this page. I have found that some places, like Bend, Oregon, and here in the Twin Cities (St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota) have multiple mobile oven businesses.

Wegmans, NE US

A blog post by NJ Spice says in part, "When Wegmans first opened, I loved their artisan breads, baked in their wood-fired oven. Then it seemed like the breads got dumbed down, and I lost interest. But over the last year or two, I’ve found much to like again."

This got me curious about Wegmans. A press release about the opening of their first store in Virginia mentions this special feature, "A wood-fired brick oven, designed by fourth generation Spanish masons, bakes European and artisan breads and rolls. Wegmans' bakery also produces water-boiled bagels, decorated cakes, muffins, and other desserts."

The store locator for Wegmans mentions 77 locations in the northeast US (Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pensylvania, Virginia).

I have no idea how many have brick ovens, but good for them.

Table 310, Lexington, Kentucky

A food blogger with the creative handle of BraveTart has a blog entry about her new place of employment,
Table 310, in Lexington, Kentucky.

The blog post says in part, "This phase features an outstanding cheese menu, a dozen and a half sorts of charcuterie items, an oyster bar and a tapas like menu of marinated mushrooms, olives, shaved salads and desserts. Future phases will add in pizza from our wood fired oven, house brewed beer, and full menu that will change almost daily."

It sounds like a restaurant still in development, but already very interesting.

Pizzeria da Lupo, Boulder, Colorado

There was a PR Newswire post about the new restaurant, Pizzeria da Lupo, in Boulder, Colorado.

The press release says in part, "the wood-fired oven is hot. The pizza is smoking. Executive Chef and restaurateurs Jim Cohen and Ken Wolf announce the opening of Pizzeria da Lupo at 2525 Arapahoe Avenue. Located in the fast-paced Village Shopping Center at the northwest corner of 28th and Arapahoe, pizza lovers will want to check out this engaging Boulder pizzeria."

The restaurant does have a web site.

Their home page says in part, "The recipe is simple. Pizzeria da Lupo serves delicious wood-fired pizza and seasonal dishes in a comfortable, unpretentious setting. Beer, wine, and spirits are available."

Tennessy Willems, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Normally I prefer to link to a business's own web site, but in some cases that is not an option. (It's a new restaurant, and apparently they had more important things to do than creating a web site for me to link to.)

A Canadian blog, Apt613, had a blog entry about a new pizza place in Ottawa, Tennessy Willems.

The post says in its first paragraph, "The newest addition to Ottawa’s expanding and diversifying Hintonburg / Wellington West Village foodie scene comes in the form of Tennessy Willems, a wood-fired oven pizza restaurant that opened last week at the corner of Wellington West and Melrose. Named after the owners’ son and daughter, Tennessy Willems charts a new course forward for pizza in Ottawa by carefully looking to the past." The post includes pictures of pizzas and the storefront.

Dry Stacked Wood Fired Oven & Grill, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

A Google Alert brought a blog post to my attention. There is an nice description and some good pictures of a person's dry stacked oven.

It says in part, "Turns out last winter’s research on how to build ovens paid off, and I improvised a design I’m quite pleased with, including a nice entry space and functional chimney."

Cosimo's Brick Oven, Sarasota, Florida

A site for the Herald-Tribune has a review of Cosimo's Brick Oven, Sarasota, Florida.

Cosimo's web site says in part, "Our culinary team prepares fresh, homemade signature pastas, refreshing salads, tantalizing desserts and incredibly delicious award-winning wood-fired gourmet pizzas, using only the freshest ingredients."

Brick Oven on 35th, Austin, Texas

A now-expired coupon deal pointed to the Brick Oven on 35th, Austin, Texas.

The page says in part, "Favorites include the brick oven baked spinach ravioli, aromatic rosemary chicken lasagna, and the beautifully simple yet irresistible margherita pizza."

Figs, Charlestown, Massachusetts

A restaurant review in the CharlestownPatch had some nice things to say about a Todd English (Boston celebrity chef) restaurant called Figs. (The web site is Flash-based, so getting to the info about Figs is a pain.)

The review says in part, "An open kitchen and brick oven keeps the atmosphere at Figs warm – in a curl up by the fireplace with a glass of red wine kind of way.... The Oliver's pizza is your basic thin crust with the perfect amount of sauce and cheese and a nice brick oven crunch."

Earth - Bread + Brewery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

An entry for the chestnuthilllocal.com blog profiles the Earth - Bread + Brewery including a picture of their brick oven.

The oven was built by one of the owners himself, Tom Baker. The posting says in part, "Baker also built the brick-oven at the restaurant using directions he found the internet.... And while the flatbread shape and style of pizza make it difficult to eat the traditional way, with one’s hands, the flavor and look of the brick oven-heated dough and melted cheese are enough to make you forget about your ‘earthly’ cares."