People have been using wood fired ovens to cook their food since the beginning of civilisation. The earliest ovens found were in Central Europe, dating back to 29000 BC. These ovens were used mainly for cooking mammoths and the likes.
Front-loaded bread ovens were first developed in Ancient Greece. This is also when we first start seeing a wide variety of new dough and loaf shapes.
Brick ovens in its modern form date back to Ancient Rome. The original Roman design features a round, domed oven chamber and a front vent design.
The Traditional Wood Fired Oven
Traditional wood fired ovens, or Masonry ovens, are made from fireproof bricks, concrete, stone or clay. They have one chamber that is heated from the inside by a wood fire.
Before cooking, you must preheat the oven using burning wood. Once the oven is sufficiently hot, move the wood to the sides, in order to make room for the food. This allows the food to be cooked very quickly.
Back to the Roots
Around twenty years ago, people began rediscovering the joy of wood-fired cooking. The old recipes and techniques favored by previous generations found a new appreciation.
People developed a new fondness for the simple pleasures in life. For many, these simple pleasures meant being with family and friends, and enjoying meals cooked in a traditional way. Wood-fired ovens became a great way to add a rustic touch to a warm family gathering.
What Are the Benefits?
1. The Food Tastes Amazing
That is arguably the most important benefit of cooking with a wood-fired oven. The smoke created from burning wood adds an extra dimension of flavor.
2. Fast Cooking Times
Once the oven is properly heated, any food you put inside cooks very quickly. You can cook a pizza in roughly 1.5 to 2.5 minutes. That means you can cook pizza for a lot of people in a short amount of time.
Even when the heat has dropped, you can keep using your oven. You can put in other dishes like roast, vegetables and even bread into the hot chamber. You can basically cook everything in a wood fired oven - not just pizza.
3. They Encourages You to Eat Healthy Food
Cooking in a wood-fired oven is fun! So you will probably find yourself encouraged to buy the freshest ingredients for your cooking. No more microwave TV dinners!
Because of the quick cooking times, the food you cook is more likely to retain its nutrients. Other cooking methods might degrade the nutrients in the food due to the longer cooking times.
4. The Environmental Benefits
When cooking with a traditional wood-fired oven you won’t be using gas or electricity. As a result, you use fewer fossil fuels.
5. It’s Fun!
Sitting around a fire, preparing and cooking food, while surrounded by your closest friends and family – what an awesome way to spend the time. And the best part? The food is so delicious that they’ll all be back for more! Who doesn’t want to make the best pizza in town?
Summary
Start the summer season with your very own wood fired pizza oven. There is no better way to celebrate good food and good times.