Dream wood fired oven

Q. How to build a wood fired oven?

A.  Have plenty of working bees and provide free beer, wine, and pizzas!

I've always wanted a wood fired oven, there is something special about the process and taste of cooking  in a wood fired oven, as opposed to switching on the gas.  However to build one is slightly more taxing than just dropping into 'The Good Guys' and finding the latest Smeg.  This oven was inspired by Costa, from ABC Gardening, well the bluestone base anyway. The only prerequisite was to build the oven from recycled materials, here are some pics to show the fantastic process from go to wo! 

The first of many working bees - Oven Blitz Number 1!

Recycled bluestones and bricks provide the structure

 Half way!

A dome construction workshop with a dozen aspiring oven builders, thanks John for all your hard work in preparing and teaching! Clay base from John's dam mixed with sand and straw.

The dream oven is almost complete..... but lacking one key component....

  Goshen finds the final piece to the jigsaw, a remnant terra-cotta pipe from a building site, of course!

12 hour lamb shanks..... and yes the meat did fall off the bone....

      Fig (from the next door neighbors tree) and prosciutto pizza, pumpkin, red onion and rocket, wow!

Sourdough bread, so easy I can bake these with my eyes closed!

mmmmmm Lamb

Bon appetite, let the cooking begin!! Since we have fired up the oven, we have cooked the obvious, pizza, sourdough bread, slow cooked lamb shanks overnight, and other slow cooked dishes. We are getting to know our oven which will take time and many cookups, all in all the oven has been fantastic. We have had many gatherings, got to know our neighbours and loved cooking outside and enjoying the summer.  For those who are interested in building an oven, go for it, cooking has never been so much fun! Thanks to all our wonderful friends who helped build the oven, we look forward to many long lunches and dinner parties cooking with our lovely oven, gracias amigos!

I'll end with a joke this time.... 

George W. Bush ordered pizza delivery for the White House. The Pizza guy, wanting to do an especially good job with the President’s pizza, asked if he should cut it in six or twelve pieces. George responded, "Six, please. I could never eat twelve pieces." I'm pretty sure this is fact, Ciao Amigos !