My alter ego goes by the name of “Rustico,” after a particularly bawdy character from the Italian Renaissance classic by Boccaccio, The Decameron. I’ll let you Goggle that, if you want to find out what all the naughty hermit got up to. It’s not that easy to be naughty if you’re a hermit.
Which strangely enough, brings me to the subject of my rustic outdoor kitchen, which is something of a permanent work in progress. The centerpiece, however, is fully functional. That would be the brick oven in the picture above, which was built entirely by yours truly.
The basic plan for this oven came from the excellent book, The Bread Builders, by Wing and Scott. They did not include plans for a facade or enclosure, so those ideas were mine. The arches were a nice addition.
A brick oven can reach temps of up to and past 1000 degrees F, so don’t stick your hand in there to see how hot it is, as I did–once. Fortunately, hair does grow back.
So if you want authentic pizza that cooks in ninety seconds, get out your trowel and go to work. I taught myself masonry skills building this joker. Who needs stainless steel and gas for an outdoor kitchen? Give me a load of firewood instead.
Southern Fusion Cooking 