One More Week....

Talk about going outside your comfort zone. This pizza oven has been one hell of an experience. As I alluded to before, posts here on the blog have been few and far in between due to inordinate amounts of free time being dedicated to pizza oven construction.

The bottom line is that this has been one big learning experience. Since I've never actually laid brick, formed concrete, built domes or arches, built with metal studs, laid out a roof, or put down shingles; I have been in one big zone of discomfort for the past two months.

Getting ready for the roof

Things are now getting easier. After getting all of the fire brick laid for the actual oven, things like the roof seem comparatively easier. Right now I'm just waiting for this rain to get up on out of here.

Before I can use the oven, I've got to burn a week long series of gradually larger fires in the oven so I can drive out any of the moisture that is left in the fire brick - this process is called curing. With my trip to the East Coast being cancelled this week thanks to the Perfect Storm that is brewing in the Mid-Atlantic I will be able to complete these fires before I have to go out of town again.

I'm excited. These are temperatures that are going to allow me to do a lot things I couldn't do before. We're talking about temperatures that are capable of going above 900 degrees. That is an absolutely insane temperature, people. The missus and I have been excitedly discussing the possibilities. I can take my Big Green Egg up to some high temps, but as soon as you pop open the lid...POOF!....there goes 200 hundred degrees. This oven is going to be a game changer.

The Inspector was a real stickler, but she approved

I'm looking forward to cooking in this oven. Hopefully this whole thing will be cured, roofed, and insulated by next Sunday. One last big business trip for the year and then I think I'll be getting back on the blogging horse. Who knows? Maybe once I get this whole process somewhat figured out I can have some of you over for some pizzas.