Alternative oven type Forum?

[james]

I've been thinking of adding a section for Alternative Oven Types -- that could cover clay, steel, beer keg, and the wealth of other (very) creative ovens that folks are enjoying building and sharing.

Whadya think? It seems like a pretty good idea.

James

[ttriche]

Re: Alternative oven type Forum?

Seems like an excellent idea. Sometimes it is pretty easy to forget that not everyone wants to spend a month building a Pompeii oven that will last forever, especially if they're going to turn around and move thereafter.

Hell, while I'm building mine, I've been making do with saltillo tiles in a gas grill, two on top and one right above the burners. It gets to 750 degrees within about 20-30 minutes and cooks a good pizza in about 2 mins 30 seconds, and the results crush any take-out pizza we have ever had.

A clay oven was briefly discussed in our household, but my wife (!) vetoed it, since the grill already churns out perfectly good pizzas. Once it stops raining, though, I am looking forward to completing our Pompeii oven.

[james]

Re: Alternative oven type Forum?

Thanks ttriche,

Remember the Blues Brothers movie. There was the scene where Dan Ackroyd asked a bar owner what kind of music they played, and he said, "both kinds. Country and Western."

We here are FB.com are more open minded than that. A little. :-)

James

[asudavew]

Re: Alternative oven type Forum?

Sounds like an excellent idea to me.

Some are really fun to look at, and then they get lost in the shuffle after awhile.

[jeff]

Re: Alternative oven type Forum?

A stroke of genius James.

Just stand back and be amazed, I reckon. My favourite Uncle had a 44gal(imp - is that 50 gal US?) drum side-on in a cliff to cook for the troops in WWII.
Luddite Jeff.

[Modthyrth]

Re: Alternative oven type Forum?

I think it's a magnificent idea to give these alternative ovens a distinct home, but my instinct would be to give it its own segment of this forum. There's so much other information here--recipes, ingredient talk, travel, etc.--and that's part of what makes this forum so rich. I'd want the alternative oven folks to be able to benefit from that wealth of information and community.

If you want to make a completely separate forum, perhaps some categories could be automatically duplicated in the other forum? I tend to come up with wacky ideas like that because my husband is an exceptional programmer and I know he can pull that kind of thing off (check out his Cerrnunnos open source project says the proud wife). But I realize that the things I propose are often far more complicated than he makes them look. I'm spoiled. ;-)

[james]

Re: Alternative oven type Forum?

Hey Modthyrth,

I used the term Forum too loosely. I should have said Category. I have added a new Category called Other Oven Types under the Pizza Oven Design and Installation Heading.

This way everyone gets to stay on the FB Forum and follow all the other threads on cooking, food, travel, ingredients, etc. -- while contemplating whether to build a brick oven, use a kit, or build a clay oven.

I think this will work out pretty well.
James

[Modthyrth]

Re: Alternative oven type Forum?

Sounds like exactly what I was thinking. Lovely idea.

[stellawood]

Re: Alternative oven type Forum?

I agree. Great idea for a new forum. I think this group will come up with a lot of creative ideas. I'm researching earth ovens right now. Besides the Kiko Denzer book, it's been at lot of googling to get some basic ideas. It would be nice to see it expanded on here.

Thanks James

[stonejohn]

Re: Alternative oven type Forum?

Hey james, I think it is a wonderful idea, I am just starting an oven and a really want to build a tandoor, perhaps you could sell tandoor clay liners. I have seen products but no US distrubutor. Lots of other fun traditional oven types out there. John

[james]

Re: Alternative oven type Forum?

Hey John,

That's a nice idea. I will look around for products and research product designs. Maybe we could design and produce one.

More to come on this!

James

[heliman]

Re: Alternative oven type Forum?

Definitely useful - and in a way it encorages innovation and experimentation.

Perhaps someone may come up with a completely new design altogether!!

Rossco