Greetings from Virginia

[Brauma]

Just wanted to say hi. Im in the design process of an Outdoor Kitchen project and I happened upon this site. Looks like I have a lot of searching and reading to do in the Outdoor Kitchen Design Forum. I'm looking forward to it.

My kitchen will focus mainly on BBQ. I have a big smoker that I want to get under roof along with a Weber charcoal grill. I also plan to get a Big Green Egg. A pizza oven is drawn in the plans but Im not sure if I can afford it at this time so I want to design the counter top with a pizza oven in mind for the future.

Thanks and I'm off to read in the kitchen forum now.

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Greetings from Virginia

Welcome! Let us know if you have questions. One warning, you are going to want that oven sooner rather than later once you start reading...

[Brauma]

Re: Greetings from Virginia

Welcome! Let us know if you have questions. One warning, you are going to want that oven sooner rather than later once you start reading...

Thanks. First things first, though. I have to get the stamped concrete patio down first. (Thats what we decided on after pricing pavers) Then the roof structure. We want a 12x12 Outdoor Kitchen aka BBQ Cabana under roof. I have in my mind 4 big cedar posts (I already have the cedar logs) then a cedar shaked pyramid roof with a cupola on top with a ceiling fan drawing the heat & smoke up & out.

After the roof is up then I can build the cabinets and counter tops. Then I can move in all my existing BBQ equipment. After all that is said & done then hopefully I'll have the $ to install a pizza oven. Ive got a long ways to go.

Great forum BTW.

[Pannabecker]

Re: Greetings from Virginia

Where are you in VA? I live in Natural Bridge, southwestern VA. I'm in the process of building an outdoor kitchen. The wood fired oven and BBQ are built but not stuccoed yet. We've used the wfo more than the bbq so far. It's easy to get carried away expanding the kitchen once you get started. Good luck. Karen

[Brauma]

Re: Greetings from Virginia

Hi Karen, I'm in Goochland. (God's Country) LOL

I have fond memories of the Natural Bridge area. One of my hiking buddies was from that area. He passed away years ago. We were featured in BackPacker magazine & AOL online for the first annual tag-team Thru hike.

Do you have pics of your Kitchen so far?

Thanks

[Pannabecker]

Re: Greetings from Virginia

Mark,

Where was your thru hike, the Appalachian Trail? I had to look up Goochland on a map. My husband heard of it but I hadn't. I'm attaching a picture I took yesterday of our outdoor kitchen. The cabinet with an eat up bar will be closer to the pizza oven but is now pushed back until the stuccoing is done. There will also be some kind of work space between the oven and bbq and the concrete will be stained a rusty color. We put the rafters up on the pergola yesterday and have yet to put smaller boards on top of them to create even more shade. It's a fun project. Karen

[maver]

Re: Greetings from Virginia

Karen, beautiful design, please send more pictures as you make progress on your project!

[CanuckJim]

Re: Greetings from Virginia

Karen,

An enthusiastic second from me on Maver's comment. It's just splendid.

Jim

[Pannabecker]

Re: Greetings from Virginia

Thanks Maver and Jim,

This kitchen has been so much fun. I've recently finished (after 2 1/2 years) rehabbing an old house that was in horrible shape. That work HAD to be done. This project was not a necessity and I think that's why it's been so enjoyable. Building it has probably been as much fun as using the oven and bbq so far. Today I ordered 2 of Peter Reinhardt's book, American Pie and The Apprentice Bread Baker (or something like that). Can't wait to get them and experiment some more.

Thanks for the kind words. Karen

[Brauma]

Re: Greetings from Virginia

Mark,

Where was your thru hike, the Appalachian Trail? I had to look up Goochland on a map. My husband heard of it but I hadn't.

Karen, I participated in the AOL/ Backpacker Magazine Tag Team Thru Hike in 1995 (I think it was 95). I didn't do the whole AT, just a segment - 34 miles. A small banner was carried and passed all the way. This was back when AOL and chat rooms were in their infancy. There was an AT hiking "room" and people started talking about getting together and hiking and the idea of the tag team hike developed. Kinda cool. Maybe historic actually.

Do you know Bill & Laurie Foot in Natural Bridge? Bill passed away several years ago. He was my hiking partner.

[Pannabecker]

Re: Greetings from Virginia

Mark,

I didn't know Bill Foot, but in Snowden (nearby) there is a relatively new foot bridge that goes across the James river to the Appalachian Trail and there's a little monument or qlaque there and I'm thinking it's his name on it. Do you know about that? I'll have to go look again. The Appalachian Trail is right out my back door. We've only done little stretches of it but my husband wants to do the whole thing. I'm not sure I could handle being out in the weather for 4 to 5 months. I don't think you'd find any wood-fired pizzas or bread along the trail either.

I look forward to hearing about and seeing your outdoor kitchen as you move forward. I've been reading this forum since I started 2 months ago. It's fun seeing what people do. It was invaluable when we were building the oven. People always have answers to your questions. I'm making my second attempt at sourdough tomorrow. The first one was a flop.

Karen

[BaconGrease]

Re: Greetings from Virginia

HI,
I'm in Mechanicsville, so probably not too far from Goochland.

[Brauma]

Re: Greetings from Virginia

Mark,

I didn't know Bill Foot, but in Snowden (nearby) there is a relatively new foot bridge that goes across the James river to the Appalachian Trail and there's a little monument or qlaque there and I'm thinking it's his name on it. Do you know about that?
Karen

I'm so glad to hear that they named the bridge for him or at least have a permanent marker there. Bill was instrumental in getting that footbridge over the James built. He was very active in the Natural Bridge AT Maintenance club and I believe he was on the ATC board in Harpers Ferry. Heck of a guy. Big strong man; thru hiked the AT twice; did the American Discovery trail all the way across the US; then gets stomach cancer and is gone. Its just not right. And, Laurie was right there with him every step of the way on those hikes. Amazing.

[Brauma]

Re: Greetings from Virginia

HI,
I'm in Mechanicsville, so probably not too far from Goochland.

Hey BaconGrease! Between your avatar and screen name, you and I might get along fine. My Outdoor Kitchen will be built around BBQ. I did a BBQ meatloaf in my smoker last wknd. Awesome.

Ive done pizzas in my Weber kettle charcoal grill. But now I want to step it up and either get a pizza oven or ceramic egg.