If you follow My Pie Monday, then you're already familiar with RobynB's pizzas. Today she tells us about her oven. And dig this: Hers is an indoor wood-fired oven. Someone knows how to roll. So without further ado, let's get her in the hot seat. —AK

[Photos: Robyn Beagle]

Name: Robyn (the cook) and Dan (the builder) Beagle
Location: Scotts Valley, California
Website(s): http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,13956.0.html

When did you put it in? Did you build it yourself or have someone build it?

For years we had talked about a wood-fired oven and had even gone to look at a couple manufacturers (we are relatively local to both Forno Bravo and Mugnaini). Dan has a competition-quality smoker outside already that we bought years ago. I'm a vegetarian and I'm not crazy about smoked flavor, so the WFO was to be my baby. I wanted it in the house. I love camping, but I don't enjoy cooking outside at home, plus I wanted to use it year-round without fussing. And I wanted that hearth, that live fire blazing, in the dining room right by the table.

Before and after.

Our house is open-plan, the dining room and kitchen are one big room with just an island between them. We originally talked about shoehorning the oven into a kitchen wall, but once we thought of the dining room wall, I wasn't budging. It really worked out so perfectly, it's hard to remember what it was like before it was here.

The oven itself is from Four Grand-Mere in France; it is the F950-B which means it has a 95-centimeter interior (though it's actually a touch bigger in reality; the deck is 39 inches), and the inside of the dome is brick.

The exterior of the dome is Chamotte refractory concrete. We had a custom floor laid by a local mason because we weren't happy with the floor it came with, but otherwise the oven engine itself is pretty much as shipped from France.

How often do you use it?

Usually every weekend, though we do skip probably one weekend a month. Sometimes we just cook one evening, and sometimes it's several nights in a row plus using the residual heat, so it really depends. During the hottest part of summer, it can sit for a while—when it's 100°F-plus in the house, the last thing we want to do is have a fire going. But I'm OK with that because I hate dealing with dough when it's too hot anyway, and it's only that hot a few weeks of the year. We're close enough to the ocean that we usually cool off in the evenings.

You mention the residual heat. I know a lot of oven owners take advantage of that for cooking things other than pizza (THE HORROR!). What else do you prepare in that bad boy?

Dan grills meat over the Tuscan grill occasionally. I use the residual heat a lot for roasting vegetables, making dishes like eggplant Parmesan. It's great for reheating slices the next day, and I've baked bread a few times. I made chili in a cast iron pot using residual heat once but didn't realize how the heat surrounding the pot, including the lid, would evaporate liquid much quicker than I expected, so it dried out quite a bit—next time I won't leave it all day in there.

I'm sure we will continue to find new uses for it as time goes on. We fired it the first time just eight months ago so we're still expanding our comfort level with it.

Those of us watching MPM know, but for the rest of 'em out there, what style of pizza do you normally do?

Neapolitan. I've been known to add a tiny amount of rye or buckwheat to my dough, and my toppings are definitely not all traditional. But my usual crust is straight traditional Neapolitan, 100% "00" flour, overnight room-temp bulk ferment. Now that I've got my go-to crust down, I do want to experiment with a Pizzeria Mozza–style puffier, breadier crust for fun.

What's your favorite topping or topping combination to make?

I think my steady favorite is always my homemade pistachio pesto, made with roasted unsalted pistachios, basil, EVOO, good Parm, and meyer lemon zest , no garlic, plus red sauce and aged mozz, and red onion slices. But that white asparagus pizza with meyer lemon slices was pretty incredible... Dan's more traditional than I am, prefers really simple minimalist toppings, but he says my pesto favorite is his favorite also.

That description and photos have my stomach rumbling. ... What about friends and neighbors? Do you share the bounty?

As often as we can find willing eaters—since we don't have kids, it's just the two of us and we can only eat so much pizza. In fact, that's become one of our qualifications for new friends: "How much pizza can you eat and how often? Oh, you don't like pizza? Nice knowing you."

And we see a lot more of our pizza-loving friends and less of the ones that are always on strict diets, like our friend who is currently into the Paleo diet—that's definitely cut down on dinners at our house together. I also take a lot of leftover pizza to work, where it disappears quickly.

Hahahahaha. I love it. What do these folks think about your pizza madness?

Most people think we're a little nuts (or maybe they're being polite and they really think we're a lot nuts), but I notice they're usually up for eating pizza. My mom can't understand "working this hard for a pizza," but she usually orders takeout pizza that you couldn't pay me to eat. She does say mine is the best she's had, but she still doesn't get it. Most people think the oven is incredibly cool, and they seem to love the pizza, so even if they thought we were crazy to put it in, they appreciate it now that it's done.

The Pizza Cognition Theory states that "the first slice of pizza a child sees and tastes ... becomes, for him, pizza." Do you remember your first slice? Where was it from, is the place still around, and if so, does it hold up? On that note, has your taste in pizza evolved over time?

I grew up on standard crappy frozen and local chain pizza. Dan's first pizza memory is of the cartoon dancing pizza at the local drive-in movies and the concession-stand reality, which he says he loved when he was 7. Dan's best friend's mom used to make "pizza" with a flour tortilla, ketchup, and grated American cheese when he was a teenager and apparently that left lasting memories, too.

We spent a fair amount of time in the first 10-plus years we were married trying pizza at upscale restaurants and looking at photos in magazines that looked like what we really wanted to try, but nothing we actually ate was all that great. We tried grilling pizza, and increasingly heavy pizza stones, and a cast iron pizza pan under the broiler, and I went through many home-oven crust recipes, and I was just frustrated. I knew there was something better but I really had nothing to frame my expectations.

Meanwhile we kept talking about a WFO and looking at them but weren't sure it would really make the difference. I kept saying, until I taste a pizza that is as good as I keep imagining it could be, why bother? Then we ate at Tony's Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco for the first time, and that was my epiphany. Six months of research and shopping later, we bought our WFO and started the project.

Tony's is great. It's one of my favorites in SF. But you're a ways away from it. Where do you go for pizza around Scotts Valley?

Around here, nowhere more than once! Seriously, we live in a pizza wasteland. Two hours away is the San Francisco Bay Area, with many good pizza destinations, but there is nothing closer, so why go out?

I can't argue with that. Especially if you've got the oven right there. ... What one thing should NEVER go on a pizza?

This is my personal preference only: fish, seafood, shellfish, anything fishy. <Shudder.> I will admit that I cannot stand fish in any form, never have been able to. But fish on pizza seems even worse, maybe because I love pizza so much. Sorry, everyone!

Most unusual pizza you've ever eaten?

We're pretty anything-goes as far as toppings so probably the dessert pizzas are the most unusual.

What's the farthest you've traveled for pizza?

Not far, probably 2 to 3 hours. We're kind of boring, really.

Anything you'd like to get off your chest?

Honestly, our oven is wonderful but we're just boring people who thought knocking a hole in the wall for a WFO was a good way to spend a summer. It wasn't, by the way, but our marriage survived and the end result was worth it!

Ha. Please. There are plenty of things way more boring than installing a kick-ass oven. ... Let's see ... anything else?

Sometimes an oven is more than just an oven. Dan and I bought our house 13 years ago as a major fixer-upper and have been working on it ever since. The original plan was to fix it up over five to 10 years, then move. Needless to say, the changes in the housing market had some influence in our plans, and so did the fact that Dan has done so much work on this house, he's fallen in love with it. A few years ago some of the reasons I'd originally wanted this house changed, and I started wanting to move, but he did not. I'm not quite sure how the timing all worked out, but somehow an unspoken compromise was reached: We put in a WFO, and I'll stay in this house. It worked :-)

Who would you like to see interviewed next?

I was going to suggest Pizzablogger, but a little birdie told me that's in the works, so... I don't think you've interviewed Matthew from Toronto yet, and John Conklin (JConk007 on Pizzamaking) would be a heck of a fun interview!

I agree! Maybe we can get these guys in the hot seat... And, yeah, I heard the same thing, too, about Pizzablogger. That guy is pretty coy, though. Anyway, thanks for sitting in the hot seat, Robyn. Here's to continued awesomeness from that oven.

We got wind of Aaron "DoubleA" Harris's oven when he chimed in on the Awesome Pizza in Kentucky? Talk topic. You know what happens when you mention you own a wood-fired oven around these parts, don't you? You get yourself a place in the hot seat. Let's get Aaron in there now.... —AK

[Photographs: Aaron "DoubleA" Harris]

Name: Aaron "DoubleA" Harris
Location: Bowling Green, Kentucky
URL(s): aa.speedgeeks.org/pizza

When did you put it in? Did you build it yourself or have someone build it?

It took about a year to build. My father-in-law and I first broke ground in June 2009, and the first firing was June 2010. My original plan was an Alan Scott oven, but while laying the block I decided to take the easy way out and called Forno Bravo.

Like most of my home projects, the oven is in "finished enough to use" state. I've been too busy making pizzas to put a finish on it.

How often do you use it?

We usually fire it up at least twice a month.

Do you cook anything besides pizza in it?

Can't let that heat go to waste. Most of the time we'll throw a pot roast in the day after a firing. I've baked bread a few times with varying degrees of success, most recently 30 loaves of rosemary bread on Christmas Eve. There is a certainly an art to hearth bread-baking.

What style of pizza do you normally do?

Mostly I make a Nearly-politan crust then let people pick their own toppings/crust/sauce on firing day. They vary from the ordinary (pepperoni), to the California/Artisan style. The only other type I make is Chicago deep dish, but only in the winter.

What's your favorite topping or topping combination to make?

I'm boring. I keep mine to three toppings or less. My favorite is pepperoni, sausage, and jalapeño (above).

My wife comes up with the interesting stuff. Her favorite is her "Mediterranean Salad Pizza" (above). It's pesto, Kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, tiger shrimp, spring mix, and balsamic vinaigrette.

Do you cook for friends/neighbors?

Absolutely. It's way too much work to fire up the oven to cook for four people. We usually have anywhere between 12 and 25 people come over for a firing and everybody helps out.

What does your family think of your pizza madness?

They don't really understand my constant tweaking of the dough recipe. Especially when I start rambling about hydration or rise times.

The Pizza Cognition Theory states that "the first slice of pizza a child sees and tastes ... becomes, for him, pizza." Do you remember your first slice? Where was it from, is the place still around, and if so, does it hold up? On that note, has your taste in pizza evolved over time?

The only pizzeria in my hometown (population 6,000) growing up was a Pizza Hut. So it was that or frozen Jeno's. Pizza has always been my favorite food, but it wasn't until five years ago that it turned into an obsession.

Where do you go for pizza in your area (when you're not making your own)?

I'll admit it: Pizza Hut. For the simple reason it's a mile from my house. Otherwise it's the Brickyard Cafe or The Bistro.

What one thing should NEVER go on a pizza?

Flaming logs. And salad (my wife disagrees though).

Most unusual pizza you've ever eaten?

I made a crustless pizza for my wife when she was pregnant. The "crust" was actually ground beef.

What's the farthest you've traveled for pizza?

Usually when traveling with the family, I'll find a place that's only 50 miles out of the way. I don't really want to torture the kids too much. But I always eat pizza when I'm traveling on business. I've had great pizzas in San Antonio, San Francisco, and Salt Lake City. However, my favorite all-time slice was from the Domino's in the Cancun Airport. After five days of gourmet Mexican cuisine, I just wanted a taste of America. Even if it was $8 a slice.

Who would you like to see interviewed next?

Home oven, I'd like to see Keith Wiley's oven. With its herb plant box, it's the most unique oven I've seen. I'd also like to see Doug Horn of Dough Pizzeria Napoletana in San Antonio. Simply amazing.

You may have seen Tupper Cooks' pizzas here on My Pie Monday or on his blog. A couple weeks ago he cooked some at the home of his friends, Kate and Nick Martin. The Martins, it was revealed, have an indoor WFO. Yeah, I know. Wow. This is a first for MPO, so let's cut the intro chatter and get Kate in the hot seat, shall we? —The Mgmt.

[Photographs: Tupper Cooks!]

Name: Kate and Nick Martin
Location: Tupper Lake, New York

When did you put it in? Did you build it yourself or have someone build it?

It was installed when we built our house, circa 2006. It is made of French stone and has has a honeycomb shape (the inside portion that is). It is alleged by them (the manufacturers) that this particular stone retains heat better than most, so the baker does not need to feed the fire as often. It came as a kit, but the builder put it all together. The outside stone is from a portico on one of the buildings on our property which fell down. The stone mason built this around the honeycomb inside kit. It probably took a few days to build because the granite had to be cut and fitted around the oven.

How often do you use it?

It has been used maybe six times. It is a fantastic oven, but it takes about three hours to heat up. However, once it is going it puts out great heat, and the pizzas taste delicious. It is in our house, which we rent, so it probably doesn't see that much use, which is a shame. It looks great in the corner of the kitchen.

Do you cook anything besides pizza in it?

No. Bread would be awesome, though.

What style of pizza do you normally do?

Either homemade crust or frozen dough from the local grocery store.

What's your favorite topping or topping combination to make?

Well, we like pepperoni, Hawaiian, and sausage with peppers and mushrooms.

Do you cook for friends/neighbors?

Yes. It's great to get a whole group of people together and crank out the pizzas. The last count in early November was 26 people. The more the merrier.

What does your family think of your pizza madness?

Oh, they love pizza. The more the better. And because we love visiting Italy, a pizza oven in the house was an obvious choice—although the Italians keep their pizza ovens outside. People cannot believe that we have a pizza oven in the kitchen.

Yes, Billy Joel has — or at least at one time *had* an indoor, in-kitchen wood-fired pizza oven. The guys LOVES pizza. [Photograph: heatkit.com]

I can't either. I mean, it's one thing in a restaurant, where you expect it, but at home, wow. I've always thought that was for rock stars — you know, like Billy Joel. ... Anyway ... the Pizza Cognition Theory states that "the first slice of pizza a child sees and tastes ... becomes, for him, pizza." Do you remember your first slice? Where was it from, is the place still around, and if so, does it hold up? On that note, has your taste in pizza evolved over time?

Traveling to Italy and ordering pizza in the restaurants. Still have the same pizza tastes. Don't remember the first pizza—can only remember back as far as 1996!

Where do you go for pizza in your area (when you're not making your own)?

Little Italy or Guido's.

What one thing should NEVER go on a pizza?

For me, olives (yuk). Gotta have tasty tomato sauce, too. Too much sauce makes it really mushy, though. Did that a few weeks ago!

Most unusual pizza you've ever eaten?

Sausage, green pepper, onions, anchovies. I have also had a dessert pizza with chocolate and candies. That was yummy!

What's the farthest you've traveled for pizza?

Italy!

Anything you'd like to get off your chest?

Pizza sauce!

Allow me to be lazy here: Anything you want to ask yourself?

Can we get a diet pizza — i.e., low-cal? LOL

Who would you like to see interviewed next?

Tupper Cooks!—on what it was like to make the pizzas.

Ah, yes, let's throw up a picture of one of Tupper's pizzas ...

As for an interview with him, I think that can be arranged. Tupper? ;) And, Kate, thanks for playing along!

While he is not well-known here on Slice, a relative newcomer to the wood-fired homemade pizza scene has been posting pictures of some mouthwateringly delicious-looking pizzas over at pizzamaking.com under the screen name dellavecchia. Dellavecchia has made rapid progression with his wood-fired oven and his curiosity, passion, and constant experimentation convinced me that he needed to be featured on My Pizza Oven. Let's put him in the hot seat! —PB

John and his Primavera 70 Oven. [Photographs: Marcus Aaron Walker, courtesy of John Della Vecchia]

Name: John Della Vecchia
Location: Natick, Massachusetts (just outside of Boston)
Oven: Forno Bravo Primavera 70
Oven's Maiden Voyage: May 6, 2010

Why'd you go for a wood-fired oven?

My Southern Italian heritage has always been the defining factor in my passion for cooking. After watching a pizzaiolo in Naples make an effortless pie, top it with some of the best, simplest ingredients found locally, and cook it in an oven with a flame licking the top, I knew my life would be incomplete without being able to make pizza in this way.

A recent, naturally leavened pizza with hyper-leoparding from October 2010.

How long had you been making pizzas before you bought the P70?

My family has been making pizza for as long as I can remember, but the dough was either store-bought or a quick-type. We would make them on Friday nights. And on New Year's Eve, we would make a stuffed pizza with spinach and black olives. It was drenched in olive oil before being baked, and was/is one of my favorite things to eat to this day. But I spent a good six months working with Caputo "00" flour in anticipation of cooking in a wood-fired oven.

Sounds like a good New Year's Eve Tradition! I've read that the landing for your oven is a slab of marble that came out of a brownstone in the Beacon Hill area of Boston. How did you end up finding that?

I went to three different marble manufacturers and got frustrated with the prices being quoted. So I did a quick search on craigslist and found the EXACT size I needed. An added bonus: It was well worn from being a threshold. Instant charm.

Nice. Did you have a local metal worker build your stand specifically to accommodate the marble slab, or did you have a complete vision in your head from the start?

The entire setup was modeled after the mobile ovens being made by Stefano Ferrara in Naples. I really love the aesthetics of those ovens — I actually hope to have one some day.

Each oven presents its own unique challenges. Early on you had mentioned that you were having troubles controlling your temperatures but discovered that using smaller pieces of wood helped. What else have you learned along the way that made a big difference and do you feel you have attained some mastery over your oven yet?

I have not attained mastery, but I have learned a lot. You really need to pay close attention to how the oven is firing, what color the walls are, how high the flame is overlapping the dome, and how quickly the pizza is cooking. One of the rookie mistakes I was making was pushing the coals to the back of the oven instead of the side. This was causing a massive amount of heat loss due to the direct air flow straight out the vent.

Back in the day. A pie cooking in May 2010 with the coals and fire positioned at the rear of the refractory chamber.

What is the most challenging aspect of working with a WFO?

In an oven with a smaller space, like the P70, you cannot take your attention off the pizza for more than a few seconds. You window for success is tight, but very rewarding.

How often do you use your oven?

I use my oven at least once per week for a family dinner.

How many pizzas do you usually cook per session?

I always make six balls of dough if it is just the family and I. Four are for pizza, and two for flatbreads to smear Nutella or preserves on for dessert. For large events, I have cooked up to 30 pizzas.

How long is the spool up time from ignition to the refractory chamber reaching pizza-making temps in your P70?

I am settling in on one full hour to get the temperature up to where I want it, and for the oven to maintain it for a good amount of time.

Do you cook anything besides pizza in your oven?

I should be, but right now my pizza obsession is taking up all of the oven's time.

What's your favorite combination to put on top of a pizza?

Fresh piennolo tomatoes from my garden, bufala mozzarella, basil and sea salt.

What one thing, if any, should never go on top of a pizza?

Anything less than the best quality ingredients you can find.

You've mentioned that your family is from Caserta, which is just outside of Naples and is one of the regions (along with Battipaglia) definitely known for its mozzarella di bufala. What does your family and friends think of your pizza obsession?

I have been cooking and entertaining for my friends and family for years. Most of what I cook is traditional Italian, and making pizza like they have in Naples for over a hundred years always felt like a natural fit. It's in my blood, possibly. And my family, I believe, gets great enjoyment out of both the product and the process.

Do you still have any family in Italy?

Yes, but unfortunately they are distant cousins and we have yet to meet.

Have you been to Napoli to eat pizza? If so, what were some of your favorite pizzerias?

Yes, in 2004 my wife and I went on our honeymoon to Sorrento, across the bay. We visited Naples and enjoyed pizza at Da Michele. At the time, I thought it was too watery - but the flavor of the dough was like nothing I had eaten before. I now know that Neapolitan pizza is all about the freshness of the ingredients, and I strive to get that same flavor and consistency I had at Da Michele in my own pizza.

A pizza from August 2010 which utilized frozen dough. John is a certified Leopard trainer!

You've experimented with both cold and ambient fermentations, baker's yeast and sourdough, long fermented and same day doughs and even freezing your pizza dough as well. What is your preferred method for fermentation and why?

Currently, I am using a natural starter at around 5-7% of water weight fermented at room temperature. I do a bulk rise for around 18 hours and a balled stage for six. I really love the convenience of cake yeast, but it is hard to find these days and loses potency quickly. A natural starter, fed daily and kept at room temperature, allows me to always have active yeast on hand and makes for a complexity of flavor that is very difficult to achieve with commercial yeast.

John, I've noticed that a few people are starting to delve into Chad Robertson's Tartine Bread Book as inspiration for pizza making. What do you feel is the most impactful pizza-making nugget you've gleaned from the book?

Tartine Bread was a revelation for me, truly life-changing. Chad Robertson selflessly took decades of hard-earned knowledge as a professional baker and put it down on paper for anyone who wants to learn how to make real bread. Not many people would be willing to do that. Every facet of the rustic country sourdough bread in the book has informed my pizza dough - without exaggeration. From bulk fermentation, to starter management, to how the smell of leaven can determine it's readiness. I thought that making pizza dough was an accomplishment, but I am humbled to be able to make bread this good for my family each week.

A longer fermented pizza to the left, a same day dough on the right.

I noticed you have previously purchased curd from Todaro Brothers in NYC and made mozzarella at home before. Are you currently making your own? If so, any improvements you'd like to make? If not, what cheese are you using currently?

After many weeks of trying to perfect making fresh mozzarella I determined that it is just too hard to source the right milk. I then tried curd, but found that it did not melt the way I wanted after shaping (due to my inexperience). I now buy Calabro fior di latte made in Connecticut, and I could not be happier with the product. I also buy bufala from Whole Foods if the shipment has just come in.

You've progressed very rapidly in a short amount of time. Have you started to settle on a recipe formulation and workflow yet, or are you still tinkering with it?

Pizza dough is always a work in progress when you live in New England. Since the temperature swings are legendary, I am constantly making adjustments. But after six months of working with my oven, I have really settled on salt ratio, yeast percentage (for room temp fermentation) and a general hydration.

A 62% hydration pizza from June 2010

What is your current go-to recipe?

60% hydration, 2.8-3% salt, 5-7% starter (of water weight), and Caputo 00 pizzeria flour.

How are you opening up your dough balls and shaping your skins (Neapolitan Slap, Hand Stretching, etc)?

After opening many pies over the last year, the slap is definitely the way to go.

The Pizza Cognition Theory states that "the first slice of pizza a child sees and tastes ... becomes, for him, pizza." Do you remember your first slice? Where was it from, is the place still around, and if so, does it hold up? On that note, has your taste in pizza evolved over time?

I don't remember the first pizza I ever ate, but I remember my childhood favorite: Pavone's. It was at the mall near my house in Syracuse, NY. It had a super thin crust with really good sauce and mild cheese. The dough was salty and a light golden brown. About as close to a Neapolitan as you could get around there at the time. They are still in the Syracuse area. My tastes have not changed that much since then - I like simple ingredients prepared simply, just like Pavone's pizza.

Where do you go to get a pie when you are not making your own?

There is a little family-run Italian place just a few miles from me, Agostino's, which makes really good NY style pizza. I always get one topped with pepperoni and ricotta.

What's the farthest you've travelled specifically to eat pizza?

Naples is 4220.8 miles from Boston. My wife thought it was our honeymoon - but only I know the real truth.

One last look at that oven, marble slab and some Massimo Giacon pizza plates

Lol.....do you have any plans on opening your own pizzeria?

Not at all. Why would I want to take the fun out of pizza making?

Well said! Who would you like to see interviewed next?

The master himself, Jackie Tran, and the sleeper, Matthew.

Agreed with both of those John. Actually, I have several of the peeps from pizzamaking.com in mind for either a My Pizza Oven or Pizza Obsessives mention. Thanks for your time John!

When Tom Scarborough made his My Pie Monday debut yesterday and mentioned cooking in "my WFO for a couple minutes at 800°F," I knew we had our next victim for My Pizza Oven. Let's put him in the hot seat! —The Mgmt.

[Photographs: Tom Scarborough]

Name: Tom Scarborough
Location: Austin, Texas

Tom, welcome to Slice! We're happy to have you here first with a great My Pie Monday and now with a My Pizza Oven. So, tell us, when did you put your oven in? Did you build it yourself or have someone build it?

I built it myself, with the help of friends, of course. I began the outdoor kitchen last November and built the first fire in it at the end of January, although it was not "finished" until March 7. The actual oven itself only took a matter of days to build, it was the enclosure that took a long time.

I didn't use any plans for the design, but I did use the Forno Bravo plans as a guide to the insulation and critical dimensions.

How often do you use it?

Almost every weekend.

Good answer! Do you cook anything besides pizza in it?

I have cooked a lot of bread, done some roasts, even dried vegetables in it. I like to use as much of the heat as I can, and have a very well-insulated door. The oven takes five or six days to reach ambient temperature.

What style of pizza do you normally do?

My family all like thin crust, but some like puffy rims, others like it thin all the way, but overall I would call it New York–style.

A Margherita pie.

Interesting. You're probably the first WFO owner we've interviewed who hasn't copped to Neapolitan-style. ... What's your favorite topping or topping combination to make?

I almost always make a pepperoni for the kids, an Italian sausage and something for the wife, and then I go off into crazyland making anything I can think of. Italian sausage, shallots, onions, and mushroom is one of my favorites.

A "Muffuletta" pizza.

Do you cook for friends and neighbors?

Yes, my over-the-fence neighbor gets a pie almost every time I cook since he faces the brunt of the smoke when I fire up the oven, my across-the-street neighbor likes to bring over his own crazyland ingredients, and I generally make an extra for the guys at work. (A normal batch is 8 pies.)

What does your family think of your pizza madness?

They know I'm crazy, but this is one aspect of my crazy they can live with.

Hah! I bet. ... The Pizza Cognition Theory states that "the first slice of pizza a child sees and tastes ... becomes, for him, pizza." Do you remember your first slice? Where was it from, is the place still around, and if so, does it hold up? On that note, has your taste in pizza evolved over time?

The first one I remember was, oddly enough, one that I made. I was young, maybe 6 or 7, and I fixed stuff to eat all the time. My standard "pie" was a tortilla with tomato paste (straight from the can) and lots of cheese baked in a toaster oven. Made them all the time. My uncle owned a Pizza Hut when I was a kid, so that would be the kind I grew up on.

My taste in pizza evolves daily.

Home Slice in Austin. [Photograph: Nick Solares]

Where do you go for pizza in your area when you're not making your own?

Home Slice.

Nice. Nick Solares had good things to say when he went in April. ... What one thing should NEVER go on a pizza?

My beer. Don't ask.

I think we can imagine. ... Besides a Tom's Beer Pizza, what's the most unusual pizza you've ever eaten?

Hot dog pizza. (Pretty good, actually.)

What's the farthest you've traveled for pizza?

Not very far for pizza, but I do like to try local wherever I go.

Who would you like to see interviewed next?

Pete-zza over at pizzamaking.com.

Ah, yes. You know, I'm going to have to do a separate post to solicit possible questions from you all to ask Pete-zza. As I've mentioned before, he's possibly willing to do a Q&A, but he says, "Since the forum is about 'pizza making,' I try to limit what I do on the forum to that goal. I guess that brings out the teacher in me. If you can come up with some questions that bring out the best I can offer without boring people to tears, I would be willing to give it a go." Lemme post a separate post where we can come up with a list of possible questions for him...

That said, I'd like to thank you for playing along, Tom! Many happy pizzas!

Early this past summer, David Sheridan emailed me some photos of his budding pizza oven. Wow! Another backyard pizza oven in Brooklyn, I thought. That's not exactly an everyday occurrence. Anyway, a few weeks ago, David emailed that he had finished his oven — well, all but tiling the exterior of it. Good enough! It was time for the official My Pizza Oven interview. Let's get him in the hot seat. —The Mgmt.

Name: David Sheridan
Location: Gravesend, Brooklyn

How long have you had your pizza oven? Did you build it yourself?

I built the oven myself but not completely alone. I had been thinking about an oven for a couple of years, maybe three. I don't remember the actual shove that had me move from thinking to doing. After obsessing over the plans from FornoBravo.com as well as reading everything I could find about pizza ovens, I made the jump in November of 2009. My good friend David Rathke and I cleared out the mess my backyard had become, dug a hole for the foundation, and poured it. A couple of weekends later the base walls went up and then the hearth. That ended the work for 2009. I really have to thank David for his help. I probably would have given up without his assistance.

A pivotal point in the build was when I reviewed the slideshow of Donatella's new oven being built by Stefano Ferrara on Slice. I decided to try to mimic how the dome was completed using the "slurry" technique. It worked a treat and I would highly recommend serious consideration of this for anyone building their own oven in the future.

What?!? Seriously? Glad something I did here turned out useful for someone. ... So, how often do you use it?

Once to twice a week.

Do you cook anything besides pizza in it?

I've roasted vegetables on post-pizza days and have used the oven as a smoker. I like the roasting in particular because it makes use of heat from the pizza firing. I want to try bread pretty soon and plan to cook a Thanksgiving turkey in there this year.

A Margherita pie.

What style of pizza do you normally do?

I strive to do Neapolitan-style crust.

A pizza topped with mortadella, potato, thyme, fior di latte, olive oil, and salt — crushed pistachios were added post-bake just after this photo was taken (they were supposed to be added pre-bake, though, d'oh!).

What's your favorite topping or topping combination to make?

That is a tough one. I fell squarely into the traditional topping camp for a long time. I have branched out now especially after doing some apprenticeship work at Paulie Gee's. My wife's favorite topping is prosciutto with arugula — we add a little bit of lemon now like Paulie Gee's version.

Do you cook for friends/neighbors?

Absolutely. I love to do this and appreciate having a group to feed. I fear the day my family and friends become weary of pizza.

Who gets tired of pizza?!? What do those folks think of your pizza madness?

They're very supportive and understanding. I pay them off with pizza.

The Pizza Cognition Theory states that "the first slice of pizza a child sees and tastes ... becomes, for him, pizza." Do you remember your first slice? Where was it from, is the place still around, and if so, does it hold up? On that note, has your taste in pizza evolved over time?

I honestly don't know. My first pizza memories are from Louisville, Kentucky, where my family moved when I was 10 from NYC. I recall Friday as pizza night featuring Papa John's or Little Caesars. There is a place for that type of pizza, but my tastes have definitely evolved.

Where do you go for pizza in your area (when you're not making your own)?

Ciccio's on Avenue U is my preferred local slice joint. Totonno's is not too far away and that is tops in the area for me. But, living in NYC, I have a lot of choices. With just a little traveling, I'd say Paulie Gee's and Motorino are my favorites. These are the places I strive to emulate with my own homemade pizza.

What's the farthest you've traveled for pizza?

My wife and I took a trip to New Haven, Connecticut, specifically for pizza last year.

Who would you like to see interviewed next?

Pete-zza from PizzaMaking.com. I, and many others, have learned so much from PizzaMaking.com and Pete in particular.

I've actually asked Pete-zza. He sent back a thoughtful response in which he didn't necessarily dismiss the notion out of hand but wanted questions that he thought would "bring out the best of what [he] could offer without boring people to tears." I'll have to solicit Slice'rs for question ideas — but in a separate post. Anyway, thanks, David, for playing along and for the great pizza last week!

Dave Konstantin is the rep for Forno Bravo in the DC area. As you can imagine, he's also a huge pizza obsessive. As the ringleader of DC Elite Pizza, a club for wood-fired pizza enthusiasts in the Capital region. We put him in the hot seat here. —The Mgmt.

[Photographs: Dave Konstantin]

Name: Dave Konstantin
Location: Arlington, Virginia
URLs: Facebook, fornobravo.com/company/fb_dc.html, dcelitepizza.com

When did you put it in? Did you build it yourself or have someone build it?

I've had my Forno Bravo Casa 110 oven for about three years. It was expertly built by Bright Masonry of Falls Church, Virginia.

How often do you use it?

About twice a month spring through fall, and once a month during the winter if weather permits.

Do you cook anything besides pizza in it?

I roast chicken, meat, and vegetables, and also bake Italian bread.

What style of pizza do you normally do?

Strictly Neapolitan.

What's your favorite topping or topping combination to make?

I have a huge fig tree right next to my oven, so in season I make a nice pie with fresh figs, mozzarella, mascarpone, prosciutto di Parma, and mint.

Do you cook for friends/neighbors?

Absolutely. When you build a pizza oven, suddenly everyone is your friend—even people you were sure hated you!

Our neighbor's kids come to the fence with hungry looks and usually go back in with a couple of pizzas.

What does your family think of your pizza madness?

No complaints as long as the pies keep coming.

The Pizza Cognition Theory states that "the first slice of pizza a child sees and tastes ... becomes, for him, pizza." Do you remember your first slice? Where was it from, is the place still around, and if so, does it hold up? On that note, has your taste in pizza evolved over time?

I don't remember my very first slice, but I had many great New York–style pies at Venezia Pizzeria in East Norwalk, Connecticut (now long gone) while growing up. I compare every NY pizza I've eaten since to their sausage-and-mushroom. (No Coke, only "Pep-a-si" available.)

Where do you go for pizza in your area (when you're not making your own)?

Pizzeria Orso in Falls Church, Virginia [see Dave's review here]; 2Amys in Northwest D.C.; il Canale in Georgetown.

What one thing should NEVER go on a pizza?

Barbecue sauce.

Who would you like to see interviewed next?

Paul "Fio" Fiorino.

Awesome! Thanks for playing along, Dave.

Earlier in the year, I posted a link to an article about building your own wood-fired earth oven for $20. At some point, Mike Shimpock of Los Angeles mentioned that he had done something similar. Guess what happens when you mention you have your own WFO? You become the next victim for My Pizza Oven. Let's put Mike in the hot seat! —The Mgmt.

Name: Mike Shimpock
Location: Los Angeles

When did you put it in? Where did you get the plans? And how long did construction take?

I built it about two years ago over the course of three months. it only took about three weekends to actually build. The rest of the time was spent collecting the materials. My wife challenged me to build it for $200 or less, so the only things I paid for were about 30 firebricks for the oven floor, concrete sand, and a bag of perlite. Everything else I scrounged: The base is built from salvaged concrete from an old patio and concrete blocks I found on Craigslist, the mud for the oven itself came from a friend's hillside, and the insulation is mud and empty wine bottles (I emptied them all by myself.)

I based the oven on Kiko Denzer's book Build Your Own Earth Oven, although that book can be maddeningly imprecise in critical areas. My building partners, the internet and improvisation, were a great help as well.

How often do you use it?

When I'm not in a crunch at work, about 3 to 4 times a month. I usually don't cook in it unless we have other people over, because it really isn't nearly as much fun if you aren't cooking a lot of pizzas in it. We cure all our own meats, make our own sausage and brew beer as well, so getting folks to join in usually isn't that hard. Now if I could just train them to stretch dough.

Do you cook anything besides pizza in it?

I challenge myself to cook as much as possible in the oven for each firing. I'm a bread baker, and I've done 12 loaves in this — it's great for baking bread because the thermal mass of the oven holds temp so well. A staple is roasted vegetables, but we cook chickens, roasts, and even cookies in it.

What style of pizza do you normally do?

A cross between Neapolitan and Roman. I try to combine a nice cornicione with a thin, crisp crust. My toddler loves pizza as well, but she's into what my wife calls "cafeteria pizza," essentially a pizza focaccia that I make in the oven. Lately we've been using a variation on Peter Reinhart's Roman pizza dough with a three-day ferment.

What's your favorite topping or topping combination to make?

I've shamelessly stolen Flagstaff Forno and Paulie Gee's idea for brined greens. Right now the big hit is a brined-kale-and-goat-cheese pizza with housemade fennel sausage. Another good one is the Wakey-Wakey Eggs and Bakey, a tomato sauce, four-cheese pizza with home-cured, smoked bacon with two eggs.

Do you cook for friends/neighbors?

Oh, yes. I need their goodwill.

What does your family think of your pizza madness?

They are supportive, as long as they aren't on a diet. My wife is really into it and is pushing hard for whole wheat pizza. I roped my dad into helping build the thing at some key points, and he still complains about my 18th century building methods.

The Pizza Cognition Theory states that "the first slice of pizza a child sees and tastes ... becomes, for him, pizza." Do you remember your first slice? Where was it from, is the place still around, and if so, does it hold up? On that note, has your taste in pizza evolved over time?

The first slice I remember is from a local place near where I grew up. it had a crisp, bready crust with cheese, then a tangy tomato sauce, and then a complete covering of ground sausage. The place is still around, we still go, and I have to say it holds up. That said, I have other places that I prefer, but by category. Pizza comes in so many types now that it is hard for me to say that I have a favorite.

Where do you go for pizza in your area (when you're not making your own)?

Casa Bianca in Eagle Rock — a fantastic pie that's been around for 50 years with house-made sausage and really unlike any other pie around here. I used to go to Pizzeria Mozza quite a bit. Lately it's mostly my backyard.

What's most important to you: crust, sauce, or cheese?

Crust, by far. That's the foundation and the holy grail. It's the single hardest thing to master and produce consistently.

What one thing should NEVER go on a pizza?

I'm not a purist. I've had enough weird pizzas that blew me away that I am not willing to rule anything out. That said, a pizza should never come in a box that says Domino's, Papa John's, or Pizza Hut.

Weirdest pizza you've ever eaten?

Black bean and queso Mexicano pizza with chicken. It was actually really good.

[Photograph: Robyn Lee]

What's the farthest you've traveled for pizza?

I got stranded at Pizzeria Bianco without a ride, and a cab driver got us lost on the way back to our hotel. Does that count?

What's one pizza place you've always wanted to try but haven't yet?

Pizziaolo in Oakland. I keep hearing great things about this place but have yet to make it. I keep getting distracted by Pizzeria Delfina.

I love Delfina, but you really have to get to Pizzaiolo. And while you're in the East Bay, try Emilia's, too. So ... any other bits of wisdom you've picked up that you'd like to pass on?

You don't need a lot of money or space to have a wood-fired oven. I built this oven by myself (not recommended; get friends or a cement mixer) in less than a week of actual work for less than $200. It makes excellent pizzas, and with a live fire can make easily more than a dozen 12-inch pies, bake tons of bread, and even roast a chicken. I had zero masonry experience (or any other real experience for that matter) and still pulled this off. While I'd still like a masonry oven at some point, this simple, cheap oven pumps out great pizza at a low cost. Go for it! What's the worst that can happen? You have a pile of mud in your backyard?

Nomination time! Who would you like to see interviewed next?

Paulie Gee's tomato supplier.

Wouldn't we all? Thanks for playin', Mike. I hope people take inspiration from this — there's still time left in summer to build one!

Got a pizza oven or know someone who does? We're always looking for the next victim subject for My Pizza Oven! Drop me a line: adam@sliceny.com

Over the weekend Timothy Paul Perry (aka timotheos) started a thread in Serious Eats Talk about his DIY pizza oven. It was so intriguing—he uses an inverted wok as a dome in a hacked home oven—that people were pinging him for pictures and more info. I knew I had to put him in the hot seat for a My Pizza Oven interview. Whoomp, here it is. —The Mgmt.

First, an excerpt from Mr. Perry's Talk thread, to set the stage:

After a lot of research about wood-fired artisan pizza ovens I started thinking it might be fun to come up with an idea to build an affordable unit that anyone could do and have in their backyard. So i did it. I built a 900°F-plus oven for less than $300.... I started out searching Craigslist and found a Magic Chef wall oven for free....

Click me bigger »

I gutted it and disassembled it, then put it back together but repacking the insulation with kiln insulation.

Perry says, "My final design after a lot of experimenting. Simple and easy to use and can do a volume. Plus, the wok and cordierite pizza stone can be purchased off the shelves for less than $75 this pic was taken at Lums Pond Campground in Delaware.

I put a inverted wok in the top to work as a dome and laid in a layer of firebrick on the bottom, where I placed a 10-psi propane burner that is removable—as are the firebricks. I used a cordierite pizza insert for my cooking platform. I then placed two kiln shelfs on top and put the whole unit on a four-wheel dolley. Anyway it works great and did not take more then a few hours to do... it is portable and will bake a pie in 90 seconds....

What inspired you to build your portable oven? Were you cooking pizzas in your home oven and just couldn't get the heat you wanted?

First and foremost I love great pizza and having lived in Naples, Italy, for the first two years of my Navy hitch I practically lived on that and spaghetti Bolognese. This was from 1973 through 1975, and I've never forgotten the simple foldable pies that were made there. I kept an apartment and most nights I would bring home a bottle of red and pizza with pepperoni. I could not believe how fast they made the pies and how delicious they were. But i guess you could say that in my old age I wanted to duplicate something from my youth that was memorable, and with the advent of artisan pizzas in the USA it brought back those memories.

Click me bigger »

How often do you use it?

I was using it every day until I found a method I could duplicate in my home oven that, according to my neighbors and their families and friends, is the best pie they have ever had, which has taken me in a different direction.

I designed a domed two-piece oven insert of cordierite and clay that mimics the Pompeii concept for traditional brick ovens that the average homeowner can insert into their own oven and get the real taste of a brick oven.

The idea was to sell the inserts and possibly 10 pizza kits at a time using my recipe for about $35 so that would be $3.50 for each pizza and something that a family of five or more could stand to spend and 1) have a great pizza experience and 2) learn something together. Most important, it would be affordable for people on a tight budget. I am still looking for partners on this idea. I designed the dome opening to be exactly 63 percent of the interior of the dome. I can have them built in Haiti. I am thinking these would sell in the $100 to $150 range; meanwhile terra-cotta and firebrick and corderite seem to do well and at very little costs.

You mention that it's great to take RVing or tailgating. Were those just suggestions or have you done both?

As I am a bit of a recluse, I made just one trip to a nearby overnight park and cooked pizzas for all the campers nearby. They loved it, and I filmed it. As far as tailgating goes, I have not, as I rarely will be in a crowd. Perhaps this comes from my years at sea traveling the world.

How did you transport the oven? I'd imagine that even though it's on wheels it's pretty heavy.

It's not at all—all of the elements are removable. I remove the bricks from the bottom and the burner and I tie it on to the back of the RV. It looks cool with a pizza peel strapped on. I made one two-day road trip and ended up on the first night in the southwestern part of Maryland and West Virginia at an all-night truck stop. I thought about breaking it out and seeing if the truckers there would enjoy some pizza, but I had exhausted myself due to an undiagnosed case of severe obstructive sleep apnea, so I decided to come back, as I was having a hard time staying awake enough to drive safely. That's how I ended up at Lums Pond Delaware State Park. Still, I thought, What a great idea, as there were no pizza joints near the truck stop. Someone could really make some money with the portability of the oven and a great recipe — and, of course, and the necessary licenses.

What style of pizza do you normally do?

I like a thin-crust New York–style pizza, which really works well when it comes to the high heat. I was using King Arthur unbleached flour, yeast, and salt but located an 82-year-old Italian baker about a mile from me who still has his business who sells me his perfect dough balls for a buck each. He has the equipment to do volume, and they are perfect, so for a buck and consistent quality and weight, well, for me it was a no-brainer decision.

What's your favorite topping or topping combination to make?

I take San Marzano tomatoes and blend them for a few seconds for the sauce. I use only whole-milk mozzarella and sea salt, pepperoni, crushed garlic, fresh oregano, and a few sprigs of fresh basil. I baste the outer crust with virgin olive oil and a dash of the sea salt. That is my adult pie. The kids, they want very little sauce, cheese and peperoni, and no fresh herbs — and they're happy with that. The kids had a birthday party, and that's what I made them. They ate it all.

Do you cook for friends/neighbors?

Yes. That's who I used through months of experimenting. Every now and then I see them gaze over at my pizza oven with what appears to be hope. For a while I was bringing them all a pizza every other day. I even bought pizza boxes for it.

What does your family think of your pizza madness?

I guess the safest thing to say about that is no comment.

The Pizza Cognition Theory states that "the first slice of pizza a child sees and tastes ... becomes, for him, pizza." Do you remember your first slice? Where was it from, is the place still around, and if so, does it hold up? On that note, has your taste in pizza evolved over time?

While I know I must have had pizza in the town I grew up in, the only pizza I remember is from the pizzacotta in Naples.

Where do you go for pizza in your area (when you're not making your own)?

Nowhere.

Decisive answer. I like it! ... What's most important to you: crust, sauce, or cheese?

All three are the bones of any good pie.

Anything you'd like to get off your chest?

Yeah. All you people trying to sell $2,000 and $3,000 pizza ovens to the individual homeowners for artisan pizzas, well, good luck because my oven worked from the get-go and I am telling them how to make it for free. Timotheo's Pizza Nation, a nation where even the finest of dreams can come true. Where the average person can afford the luxury of a high-end gourmet pizza.

What one thing should NEVER go on a pizza?

Politics.

What's the farthest you've traveled for pizza?

Recently made a road trip around the Dominican Republic, where there are a lot of Italian communities in small coastal towns. There's always great pizza in these communities. I'd be happy to do another road trip with anyone who wants to. I filmed part of my last one, and if I could figure out how to upload it without including parts that, let's just say need to remain private, I could give you a taste of how much fun it is to eat pizza in the Dominican Republic. A lot of brick ovens, both propane and wood.

Now: Who would *you* like to see interviewed next?

I really think the interview of a lifetime would be with Nick, who at 82 has some amazing pizza stories and has been in the biz for over 50 years. He still wears his whites and goes to work Monday through Saturday and has a place on Philadelphia Pike called Mr. Pasta. His food is authentic, and he is quite a character. He only accepts cash, and he sips beer and can be a bit cranky, but he told me that he is the one who helped Pizza Hut make the pies so fast. I tend to accept what he says as true; the man knows his stuff and was making under-2-minute pies years ago. He says he stopped doing so because the customers didn't believe it could be done and that they thought he was just reheating yesterday's leftovers. He only works with original equipment, and you will not find a more interesting and candid person.

Thanks for the tip on Mr. Pasta and Nick, Timothy. And thanks for being a good sport here. This was fun. And I love the inverted wok idea!

More from the 'My Pizza Oven' Series

[Photograph: Eric Wolfinger]

• Pizza Hacker: Renegade Pieman of SF »
• Sue Wong: Busy Pizza Moms, Represent! »
• Rene Walhout's Countertop Pizza Oven »
• Caleb Schiff (aka Flagstaff Forno) »
• A Pizza Oven Glows in Brooklyn »
• Alberto of "Forno Pizza" »
• Nick and Robin Gladdis, Paso Robles, Calif. »
• Paulie Gee, Pizza Madman of New Jersey »
• Mark Graban, Fort Worth, Texas »
• Steve O. in Wisconsin »
• Dan Curry, Kansas City »

I don't know if I've made it clear during Pizza But Not Pizza Week/Fusion Pizza Week yet that these 5 days are more about the celebration of novel forms of pizza — not a diss on them. With that in mind, I would like to introduce you to Rene Walhout and his very novel form of making pizza — the G3 Ferrari Countertop Pizza Oven. The pizzas that come out of it look really good. Which is amazing, because this gadget looks more like a tortilla press than a serious oven. But Rene swears by it and was excited to share it. I've caught the fever now, too, and am on the lookout for one. Anyway, let's get Rene in the hot seat. —The Mgmt.

[Photographs: Rene Walhout]

Name: Rene Walhout
Location: The Netherlands
Website: flickr.com/photos/14034625@N00

When did you buy this oven? Where did you first see it?

I bought it about two years ago after I read about it on the internet. After experimenting a lot with baking pizzas I discovered that all it came down to was heat. I bought a pizza stone and succeeded in raising the heat of my regular kitchen oven to a bit above 250°C/480°F. The G3 Ferrari promised a maximum temperature of 400°C/752°F. Whether it does, I haven't been able to check. My thermometer stops at 300°C/570°F. But seeing and tasting the result I suppose it does.

Had you ever used one before buying it?

No.

How much did it cost?

About €130 euros (isn't that about US$160?).

How often do you use it?

Twice a month.

You say you'd previously been making pizzas in your regular oven. How does this countertop oven compare?

Yes, I made a lot in the regular oven. I soon found out that my oven did not get hot enough for a really good pizza. The pizzas were OK, but the crust was a bit too bready for my taste. First I bought a pizza stone, which did pretty well, too, but still it did not get hot enough for the thin crusted pizza I prefer.

The pizzas from the countertop are close to perfect. A thin crust with a burned spot here and there.

How long does it take a pizza to cook in that thing?

Less than five minutes. If the oven is really hot, you'll have to take care or your crust will burn.

What's your favorite topping or topping combination to make?

Margherita: tomato, mozzarella, basil.
Napolitana: tomato, anchovies, mozzarella, capers.
Salami, cooked ham.

Do you cook pizza for family/friends/neighbors?

Mostly friends and family. Kids love to see pizza being cooked in front of their eyes.

What do your friends/family think of your pizza madness?

You'd better ask my cleaning lady...

The Pizza Cognition Theory states that "the first slice of pizza a child sees and tastes ... becomes, for him, pizza." Do you remember your first slice? Where was it from, is the place still around, and if so, does it hold up? On that note, has your taste in pizza evolved over time?

I firmly believe in the Pizza Cognition Theory. It must have been in 1970 or 1971. I must have been about 7 years old and lived in a small village. An Italian came to live next to us and started a business in marble and ran a restaurant where he hired a pizza maker from Naples. To this day I can still see him juggle with the dough, ladle the tomato sauce over it (in that typical circular movement from the center to the outside), and dressing it further with cheese and salami. It made a big impression on me. His craftmanship more than did the taste, which was strange to me. Savory and delicious but strange above all. It's that first pizza that did it. The restaurant closed many years ago.

My taste did evolve indeed. In my childhood I didn't mind much as long as it tasted savory and didn't have abominations like pineapple on it. When I travelled to Italy the first time my taste changed dramatically. Here I tasted my first pizza with a thin crust and a topping consisting of but a few ingredients. It triggered me to start to cook my own pizzas. And that's how I ended up with the countertop.

Where do you go for pizza in your area (when you're not making your own)?

If I desperately need something to fill my stomach, I order one from a delivery. But even these few words do them too much credit.

What's most important to you: crust, sauce, or cheese?

Crust, you might have guessed....

What one thing should NEVER go on a pizza?

Pineapple.

Weirdest pizza you've ever eaten?

I'm very picky at that. I avoid them. No pizza with shawarma topping for me. Did I mention the pineapple?

What's the farthest you've traveled for pizza?

Rome and Palermo.

Can you cook anything else with the countertop oven?

You can also cook a perfect flammenkuche or tarte flambée (above). This is an Alsacian (France) style pizza. It has the same thin crust and the topping always consists of a mixture of creme fraiche and frommage frais (sorry, but I don't know the equivalent names in English...), finished off with sliced onions and small strips of bacon (speck). A flammenkuche is an amazing pizza! Try it!

Now: Who would *you* like to see interviewed next?

I should have mentioned him before: Jeffrey Steingarten. He inspired me greatly with his story on his quest for the perfect pizza. Does he still publish? I can only find his first two books, which I both read many times. Love to read more from and about him.

Ah. I think SE founder Ed Levine has an "in" with Mr. Steingarten. He would be a great interview. And, by the way, his column appears in the U.S. version of Vogue magazine. Steingarten's books were both compilations of his columns from that magazine over the years. If you can find a U.S. Vogue wherever you are in the Netherlands (I'm sure you can), you can read his stuff.

You might recognize Jay Jerrier primarily by his screen name on Slice — canerosso. He's the first My Pizza Oven profile I've done with someone who owns a mobile pizza oven. From the looks of his pizzas, it looks like the oven on wheels is no impediment to high-quality pies. Without further ado, let's get Jay in the hot seat! —The Mgmt.

[Photographs: Jay Jerrier]

Name: Jay Jerrier
Location: Dallas
URL(s): ilcanerosso.com; Il Cane Rosso on Facebook; @canerosso on Twitter

You have a wood-fired mobile pizza oven. That's crazy awesome. When did you get it? Where's it from?

I love my mobile oven. It was built by Joseph Pergolizzi of The Fire Within in Boulder, Colorado. The trailer is custom built to carry the oven—a modular unit from Forno Bravo. Both are very well built. For an oven with a large mouth and reasonably high dome, as opposed to true Neapolitan ovens, it really holds the heat well. Joseph really stands behind his product; he's even come out to work some events with me to see how we do it and offer some pointers.

The mobile oven is actually my second oven—I built my first one in 2005 in my backyard. I got the mobile one in late 2008 and did a carnival at my daughter's school with it. I had just received the oven and it really wasn't cured properly. I was horrified at the pizzas coming out, but the people at the carnival loved them. I then had it sit idle until March of 2009, when we started doing pizza nights at a local winery—then it just got insane.

Are there any special considerations when hauling it from spot to spot? I'd be afraid it would break on rough roads.

It's a modular unit—it doesn't have that many joints, so the road vibrations don't really bother it. Plus, we're in Dallas, so there aren't a whole lot of hills to worry about either. It weighs about 4,000 pounds, but I can tow it with a 6-cylinder SUV. Because of the ridiculous heat down here, I bought a catering van this year that has a refrigerated compartment in it and can tow up to 10,000 pounds. My staff calls it "The Creeper" because it looks like Buffalo Bill's serial killer van. I'm still working on my back-up skills—not so easy with a trailer, but I'm getting pretty good now. If pizza doesn't pan out, I think I can get a good valet job.

How often do you use it? What is the Cane Rosso schedule?

We are insanely busy—about busy enough for a second oven. We are booked pretty solid each week Wednesday through Saturday, with some doubles on Friday and Saturday. We were recently using the oven at a "pop up" restaurant that became a huge hit. We rented space from a bakery that closed at 4 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday we turned into a Neapolitan pizzeria. I brought my own staff in, used the bakery facilities, and we did a simple menu of appetizers, salads, pizza, and dessert — and we were BYOB. We were doing about 200 pizzas a night and would regularly run one-hour waits. That experience helped validate that people do "get" Neapolitan pizza and gave us the courage to start aggressively looking for our own permanent space.

This is probably a stupid question, but do you cook anything besides pizza in it?

We try to cook everything in it. Bread, pies, turkeys, chickens, casseroles, barbecue. I brought the mobile oven to my 7-year-old daughter's YMCA Indian Princess campout one weekend, and we made pizzas in it the first night. The next morning I used the residual heat (along with a few woodchips now and then) to smoke a 13-pound brisket. I let it sit in there for about 12 hours, and it was incredible.

You do Neapolitan-style, right?

Yes—definitely Neapolitan style. In 1995 my wife and I went to Italy and that's where I had my "holy crap" moment. I couldn't believe how amazing the pizza was. I still have a picture of my first Italian pizza from Pizzeria Aurora in Sorrento. It only took me ten years to build my own oven and then train with the Associazone Verace Pizza Napoletana. I had one of my early restaurants (I was a minority investor), Campania Pizza in Southlake, Texas, certified by the VPN, but as I dialed back my involvement to focus on Cane Rosso, I found they weren't really adhering to the guidelines so I called Pepe Miele and had them remove us from the list. VPN is an honor but also an obligation. When we make pizza, we want people to have that same "holy crap" moment I had back in 1995.

What's your favorite topping or topping combination to make?

My favorite combination is one we call the "Paulie Gee"—hot soppressata, fior di latte, carmelized onions, San Marzanos, basil, and Calabrian chiles. I named it after Paulie because he pushed me to get rid of pepperoni and use hot soppressata. [Ah, yes, a very nice trend we noted here on Slice earlier this year. —The Mgmt.] We get it from Salumeria Biellese so it is pretty amazing. I also have a pie called the "Motorino" that is a total rip-off, oops ... I mean "homage" to their Pugliese pie (burrata, broccolini, Calabrian chiles, garlic). I do get burned out on pizza, but in August we get Hatch green chile peppers in from New Mexico and that kind of gets me fired up again.

Nice. I love Hatch green chiles. Maybe I'll press you for a Top This in August. So ... I'm assuming you cook for friends and neighbors when you're not working? I think I've seen pictures of that thing fired up in your driveway.

It seems like I am always working. I have a great three-man oven team: one shapes, one tops, and I typically run the oven. We could never get 200 pies out a night without Sevi and Alvaro. They love pizza almost as much as I do. We had lots of experimental nights in my backyard and driveway till we got things just right. If you are going to fire up the oven, you might as well have people over because it doesn't make sense to just make three pizzas.

What do your family and friends think of your pizza madness?

With the success of our little guerrilla restaurant, I think everyone finally thinks it's a good idea. They've all been guinea pigs for the past couple of years anyway. I've been making pizza for my wife for years, and she has never been overly impressed, but I think she's on the bandwagon now.

My kids and their friends definitely are on board. Dallas is obviously not like New York City, so there aren't a ton of Neapolitan-influenced pizzerias around, which helps us stand out. The few that we do have are pretty good, though. I spend a lot of time thinking about pizza, oven management, etc.

I try to read everything I can about trends in the Neapolitan places, so I'm definitely obsessed. I think it comes through in the final product. Whether or not our pizza is "the best" is up to individual taste, but I know there aren't many people that care about the process and the product as much as my team and I do.

The Pizza Cognition Theory states that "the first slice of pizza a child sees and tastes ... becomes, for him, pizza." Do you remember your first slice? Where was it from, is the place still around, and if so, does it hold up? On that note, has your taste in pizza evolved over time?

I grew up in a small town in Massachusetts and we had a lot of little Greek pizza places that served some pretty forgettable pizza. I remember a place called The Sorrento Room that we used to go to all the time. I don't think it's still there, and the slices definitely wouldn't hold up anymore. I used to work for GE and lived in Connecticut for quite a while, and I have fond memories of John the Baker (Stamford), John's Best (Norwalk), and Post Corner Pizza (Westport). I really prefer Neapolitan pies that are cooked in a true wood-burning oven these days. If I see a gas flame in the pizza oven, I order something else.

Where do you go for pizza in your area (when you're not making your own)?

Some of our pizzaioli work at a very cool place called Urban Crust in Plano, Texas. They have great skills and do a pretty nice job with their oven set-up. They have a bar that has a frozen tap system so the beer is pretty incredible, too.

I also like a place called Olivella's in Dallas run by a guy named Charlie Green (he had Salvatore Olivella come in and train the staff). A good friend of mine opened a place in a little suburb called Coppell, Texas, named Maurizio's. He was born in Naples and was a cop in Rome before coming to the U.S. He has a nice wood-burning oven, but when I'm there I usually go for the pasta (cooked perfectly al dente) or the awesome meatball and eggplant sandwich. If I'm not eating pizza, I'm eating breakfast tacos at a place called Taco Joint in Dallas.

What's most important to you: crust, sauce, or cheese?

If I had to pick one—the crust. It needs to be more than a topping delivery device. It should actually have flavor. We've experimented with all kinds of "00" flours to find one we really like. We tinker with hydration to make sure we get a nice oven spring. We proof our dough at low temperatures for several days so it develops a great flavor. For tomatoes we use DOP San Marzanos—and I do believe there is a taste difference. We make all of our mozzarella too—I just haven't been able to find a supplier that makes it creamy enough.

What one thing should NEVER go on a pizza?

Ranch dressing. Gross. [LOL. See "Do You Put Ranch Dressing on Pizza?" (10/20/2008) —The Mgmt.]

Weirdest pizza you've ever eaten?

We make one at home with pear, brie, and carmelized brown sugar. It's weird, but awesome.

What's the farthest you've traveled for pizza?

Not counting trips to Italy, I once set up a semi-legitimate business meeting in San Francisco specifically so I could go to A16. I sat by myself at the pizza bar and I think I ate two whole pizzas that night.

Anything you'd like to get off your chest?

Friends don't let friends eat chain pizza.

Now: Who would *you* like to see interviewed next?

Roberto from Kesté, Anthony Mangieri, Nate Appleman, Christophe Hille (formerly of A16; I think he's a private chef in NYC now).

I'm adding them to the list, Jay! Thanks for playing. And, seriously, I'll be bugging you in late July about the Hatch green chiles.

More from the 'My Pizza Oven' Series

[Photograph: Eric Wolfinger]

• Pizza Hacker: Renegade Pieman of SF »
• Sue Wong: Busy Pizza Moms, Represent! »
• Caleb Schiff (aka Flagstaff Forno) »
• A Pizza Oven Glows in Brooklyn »
• Alberto of "Forno Pizza" »
• Nick and Robin Gladdis, Paso Robles, Calif. »
• Paulie Gee, Pizza Madman of New Jersey »
• Mark Graban, Fort Worth, Texas »
• Steve O. in Wisconsin »
• Dan Curry, Kansas City »

Last week, I got an email from David S. with the subject line "Another pizza oven grows in Brooklyn." David was referring to Mark Wilkie's backyard Brooklyn pizza oven, which you may remember from August of last year. Building a pizza oven in a Brooklyn backyard is sort of a feat, since A) space is at a premium and B) it's often pretty damn difficult to get items into the backyard because there's often no access other than what you've got going through the living space itself. Anyway, David promises to keep us updated throughout the process. (Between his first email and now, he's already sent in more pics, which you can see after the jump. —The Mgmt.

[Photographs: David S.]

Like a proud papa about to have a kid, I wanted share a sneak peak of the oven I am building in the backyard of my house. With friends' help and my wife's understanding, I am aiming to complete the dome in the next two weeks and be cooking pizza in a month. We are really into the homestretch now and I can't wait! (finishing the outside plus landscaping is another matter, however).

When finished and cooking, I would be thrilled to see it featured in a My Pizza Oven piece and maybe a bit premature, would be humbled to have the Slice team over for a pizza cookout (must love dogs).

Thanks,
David (6/23/2010)

More oven progress. It may now be obvious that much of the inspiration for the completion of the oven is coming from your slide show on Donatella Arpaia's oven that Stefanno Ferrara built. Both the dome shape and technique to finishing technique for the dome (slurry). We'll have to see how my observations of the dome shape translatted to the finished oven and performance. Right now it is looking a little shallow but that might be an optical illusion. I have faith in the first course height to dome height ratio I decided on from observations. It is definately a shallower dome than the Pompeii style oven many people build from the Forno Bravo plans (another source of my inspiration).

The coming weekend should see the completion of the dome. Major step!

—David (6/28/2010)

------------------------------------------------------------

Nice! Thanks for the original email and for the update. And, hells yeah! The Slice crew loves dogs AND would love to try pizza from this bad boy once it's done. And we don't care what your landscaping looks like at that point. ;)

I discovered today's MPO subject via the My Pie Monday feature when she submitted a photo of her Margherita pizza. She was kind enough to put herself in the hot seat for us. And, wow. Turns out she's from Cebu, Philippines. Talk about pizza in paradise. —The Mgmt.

The oven mouth cover, which Leyway painted herself. [Photographs: Leyway]

Name: leyway
Location: Cebu, Philippines
Website: flickr.com/photos/9671084@N04

Wait! Holy crap. You're from Cebu, Philippines?!? That's like a freakin' paradise. Can we all have your life? ... OK ... First question ... when did you put your oven in? Did you build it yourself or have someone build it?

My dad got it for me, he supervised the work, of course. He had two guys working on it. My dad is a contractor, so he knows his stuff.

Nice. I hope you make pizzas for him. ;) How often do you use it?

We do have a pizzeria, which I own, so it's used every day. I get my wood from a friend from college so it works out I guess. I used to make the pizza every day, every night by myself all the time. But as of the moment, it's run by a different management since I went to trade school to learn more about bread and yeast. I always strive to be the better version of myself, and I knew that a lot of the pizza masters, like Anthony Mangieri, were bakers first—so I always knew that I just had to leave it for all the right reasons.

Oh, wow. I didn't realize you were running a pizzeria out of that oven! Cool. I guess you're basically our first pro MPO interviewee. ... So, I'm wondering, then ... do you cook anything besides pizza in it?

No. I haven't tried, though. I wanna cook bread in it, but I don't usually have the luxury of time on my hands.

What style of pizza do you normally do?

I strive to make a good Neapolitan pie.

What's your favorite topping or topping combination to make?

When I first started making pizza, my favorite was a Margherita with sausage and bacon. It was awesome. Then as I kept learning about dough and yeast (before trade school), I liked a Margherita with plain sausage. Now it's just a plain Margherita. When you know how to rock a pizza and make it taste so good with just a few ingredients I guess that's when you know you're on the right track.

Do you cook for friends/neighbors?

Yeah, I always invited friends. I always wanted feedback and wanted to know what they had to say about it.

What does your family think of your pizza madness?

They already know I'm crazy. They have learned to accept that.

Where do you go for pizza in your area (when you're not making your own)?

Where I come from there's not a lot of good pizza. So I usually make it by myself or Pizza Hut. But I try not to go to Pizza Hut as much as possible. Haha....

I probably don't even have to ask, but it's now standard ... what's most important to you: crust, sauce, or cheese?

Crust fo sho! I think its a really difficult thing to master, and the thing about it is that you never really get it right all the time, since there's so many variables you cannot control. Making a great dough/crust to me is like making great wine. Its such a fine art that takes alot of time and love to master.

What one thing should NEVER go on a pizza?

Oreo. Snickers. Anything that should be on thisiswhyyourefat.com should NEVER, EVER be on a pizza.. EVER.

Weirdest pizza you've ever eaten?

I dont know. I don't think they were weird. I always ordered a Margherita or anything that didn't have the kitchen sink for a topping.

What's the farthest you've traveled for pizza?

I don't know about farthest, but before I opened a pizzeria, I went and ate at every pizzeria this city has to offer. My conclusion is that... it's NOT GOOD.

LOL. Isn't it in your best interest to say that? ;) ... OK, last ... anything you'd like to get off your chest?

I really hope this country gets better pizzerias. Not a lot of good choices here. It's 2010. It's about time! Well, I guess, if anyone needs help with anything with dough or questions about pizza, I'll try my best to help anyone with absolutely anything. If you're in the same city as I live in, hit me up and I'll make you a pie with love.

Thanks for playing, leyway!

"Well, when some of my friends kids make them, they get fairly avante-garde. I remember a no-sauce, celery, carrot, and Dorito pizza going in. I didn't actually try that one though."

[Photographs: Matt Stuttle]

Name: Matt Stuttle
Location: Cambridge, UK
Website: picasaweb.com/matt.stuttle/

When did you put it in? Did you build it yourself or have someone build it?

I took the plans off the Forno Bravo website. For my construction it seemed ideal—bits of it seem a bit over-engineered in respect, but that's probably good. The instructions are great, it's interesting to have to deal with the differences between US and UK construction materials. As it turns out, refractory concrete is fairly cheap in the UK, so anyone wanting to cast an oven could probably do it quite well. The other advantage of Forno Bravo is the support of the forum (and even a fledging network of pizza widows there now too): so when I fretted that my dome was bound to collapse overnight it's really nice to have someone to chat about it.

I did get help from a professional builder friend to do the final render on the dome as that's the bit that hides all the ugliness underneath! I used a wood/fibre former to make the dome and the side-effect is that the brickwork underneath isn't as nice as I'd like. I could always parge it inside at a later date if it bugs me.

Construction took about a month—a weekend for the foundations, a weekend to build the base and cast the hearth slab, then a week off work to do the bulk of the work on the dome.

How often do you use it?

About once a fortnight in the summer, possibly more. We do big pizza parties because once you're firing it up to make a couple, you may as well make 30. In the winter we fire much less, but we did New Years Eve this year, a testament to the insulation: there was still a frost on top of the oven when the dome hit 600c.

Do you cook anything besides pizza in it?

Everything. Since it's got a huge thermal mass, it's good for about 48 hours-plus of cooking. Usually it's: Pizzas afternoon, then meat+roast potatoes in the evening with the dome around 350°C. The next day we cook breakfast and probably some roast meat in it. Two days later it's around 140–110°C and cooks amazing casseroles or (best of all) some ribs. It works pretty well as a smoker: at some point I should investigate trying to cold-smoke something in the chimney.

What style of pizza do you normally do?

Neapolitan style—or as close as I can get to it. Some of my friends like it less "wet" than this, so we can lift to the roof of the dome for about ten seconds (or until the hair on my arms burns).

What's your favorite topping or topping combination to make?

Mostly I'm a fan of diavola: cheese, tomato, spicy sausage. Often with extra garlic and chilli. Second pizza for me usually involves anchovies.

Do you cook for friends/neighbors?

Yes, all the time. It's an amazing focal point for parties now. I get free wood from a tree surgeon who has a smallholding (home farm) in exchange he uses it to cook bread in occasionally.

I live in a smallish village; this weekend we had a "open garden" day so made about 10 kilos of dough and threw open the garden for people to toss their own pizzas, it was a real hit. Most people can't get over seeing a pizza cook in 60 seconds.

What does your family think of your pizza madness?

My wife thinks I'm mad, but in an adorable way. My dad desperately wants to build one himself.

The Pizza Cognition Theory states that "the first slice of pizza a child sees and tastes ... becomes, for him, pizza." Do you remember your first slice? Where was it from, is the place still around, and if so, does it hold up? On that note, has your taste in pizza evolved over time?

Honestly, I can't remember the first pizza I ate, but I can say that until I went to Napoli, I hadn't had anything you could closely describe as pizza; more like a sort of round bruschetta at best! Really, I wasn't a big fan of pizza right up until went to see friends there and had my first proper wood-fired pizza.

Nice. That's what everyone who has visited Naples says! And, by the way, it looks like you're giving your son (above) the best intro to the "Pizza Cognition Theory" ever.... Anyway ... Where do you go for pizza in your area (when you're not making your own)?

Nowhere nearby is even worth bothering with. Nearest place I'd like to try is Franco Manca's in London, which gets incredible reviews (and is one of only two places I've heard is worth bothering with).

What's most important to you: crust, sauce, or cheese?

Hmm. Good mozzarella is fantastic—however, really hard to source. In Italy it's stored in the whey (I think) so it has a shelf life like milk. Also, you tend not to use the best, freshest stuff on pizzas anyway, but what I've manage to get in the UK is a fairly poor imitation, but does the job.

For me, I'd say the crusts—I'm still not very good at doughmaking (the Neopolitan pizzaioli will check weather forecasts and adjust the mix for the humidity that day) and I'd like to have a nicer sourdough to use. But: for me, the difference between the mass-produced or low-oven cooked pizzas and wood-fired stuff is the crusts. If you've got a hot, humid oven with great thermal conductivity, you get a light, crisp-on-the-outside, fluffy-in-the-middle crust that you'd happily eat on its own. Bake in a 200c electric oven and you'll get a dry, tough scrap left on the plate after the "good bits" have been eaten away.

What one thing should NEVER go on a pizza?

Pineapple. What's that all about?

Weirdest pizza you've ever eaten?

Well, when some of my friends kids make them, they get fairly avante-garde. I remember a no-sauce, celery, carrot, and Dorito pizza going in. I didn't actually try that one though.

I have seen a Neapolitan pizza place do a pizza topped with french fries. I really wanted to try that but I think my friends would have disowned me!

What's the farthest you've traveled for pizza?

Well, probably to Napoli—I've booked holidays to go see my friends

Anyone you'd like to see interviewed next?

I've always enjoyed reading about Jeff Varasano, particularly I'd love to know about his transition from pizza obsessive to restaurant owner.

More from the 'My Pizza Oven' Series

[Photograph: Eric Wolfinger]

• Pizza Hacker: Renegade Pieman of SF »
• Sue Wong: Busy Pizza Moms, Represent! »
• Caleb Schiff (aka Flagstaff Forno) »
• A Pizza Oven Glows in Brooklyn »
• Alberto of "Forno Pizza" »
• Nick and Robin Gladdis, Paso Robles, Calif. »
• Paulie Gee, Pizza Madman of New Jersey »
• Mark Graban, Fort Worth, Texas »
• Steve O. in Wisconsin »
• Dan Curry, Kansas City »

Last week I got an email from today's My Pizza Oven subject, Sue Wong: "I just started reading Slice a couple of months ago and absolutely love it. Just had my first wood-fired oven installed in my backyard a month ago and have been reading everything I can on pizza, and your blog is my favorite." Well, if Ms. Wong was gunning for a MPO spot, she knew just the right buttons to push. Flattery gets you everywhere, right? Anyway, without further ado, let's put Sue in the hot seat. —The Mgmt.

[Photographs: Sue Wong]

Name: Sue Wong
Location: Phoenix

What kind of oven do you have?

It's a pre-assembled beehive oven from Forno Bravo (their Primavera series), so it's not as impressive as your last entry from Flagstaff (which was really fun to read, by the way). But I would be glad to represent the busy, working moms who still want to enjoy wood-fired pizza in their backyards.

A great demographic to represent, Sue. So, when did you buy it/put it in? How long did installation take?

I bought a pre-assembled Forno Bravo oven (Primavera 60) which came in about a month ago. I knew I wanted a pre-assembled unit because being a working mom with two young boys, I just didn't have the time to construct one from the bottom up. It sat on a pallet in my garage for a couple of days before I could round up around 7 to 8 friends and family to move it to our backyard. It weights more than 400 pounds, and getting it to its final position was quite a task.

Hah. I bet the promise of pizza cooked in it helped motivate your friends. Do you cook for them and/or your neighbors?

Every chance I get. Sunday nights seem to work well for us. I prep everything on Saturday and invite people over on Sunday evenings. But since I've been wanting to get as much practice in as possible, we've had friends and family over on Monday nights, Tuesday nights, Thursday nights....

LOL. I guess that brings me naturally to my next question.... How often do you use it?

About twice a week. Right now, it's like a new toy, so we invite all of our friends and family over whenever we get a chance. Every weekend we have people over now. Plus, the weather in Phoenix is still great. A couple more months and it will be sweltering.

Do you cook anything besides pizza in it?

I've only roasted vegetables in it: asparagus, cauliflower, stuffed mushrooms. I like the idea of using the heat while the oven is preheating for pizzas, but I'm still playing around with that. I'd eventually like to try roasting a chicken or rib roast, and would also like to try some breads. But for this first month, it's been 95% pizzas.

The classic: pizza Margherita.

What style of pizza do you normally do?

I've stuck to the classic Neapolitan pizza, but I'd like to try both Roman and sourdough pizzas.

What's your favorite topping or topping combination to make?

My favorite is mild Italian sausage made locally at Di Falco's with caramelized onions and peperoncini (above). I'll also do a white pizza with fontina, fresh mozzerella, arugula, and prosciutto di Parma. And of course, I'll do the classic Margherita.

What does your family think of your pizza madness?

My husband enjoys it but thinks that I've gone over the edge. I study YouTube videos making dough, stretching dough, cooking pizzas... I read blogs, forums, anything I can about wood-fired pizza. My kids love making their own pizzas. My younger son, at 5 years old (above), has quite a good palate and has a strong sense of how much sauce, cheese, and toppings are appropriate. He's eaten at some of the best pizzerias in the country and knows good pizza!

My older son helping at the oven.

Lucky kid! Speaking of kids ... the Pizza Cognition Theory states that "the first slice of pizza a child sees and tastes ... becomes, for him, pizza." Do you remember your first slice? Where was it from, is the place still around, and if so, does it hold up? On that note, has your taste in pizza evolved over time?

I used to take ice skating lessons at the mall when I was in grade school and there was a food court which overlooked the ice skating rink. Occasionally, my mom would let me get a slice from Pizza d'Amore. I thought it was the best tasting pizza ever. It had a thick, chewy crust and they would slice it in rectangles. It would ooze with cheese and was my favorite pizza as a kid. Now, I obviously have a preference for wood fired pizza with large, airy cornicione and fresh toppings.

Where do you go for pizza in your area (when you're not making your own)?

There's a nice little wood-fired-oven place within walking distance from our house. It's called Classic Italian Pizza. I like it because it's a true neighborhood place and it's casual and relaxed. For a real treat, I'll go down to Pizzeria Bianco, but with two kids, we have to make reservations (usually a month) in advance. It's hard to wait two hours with little ones, so I wait until I can get reservations.

What's most important to you: crust, sauce, or cheese?

Crust. I've spent almost all my time working on getting my crust right. I'm getting much closer and am figuring out the right hydration, fermentation time, etc. As soon as I feel more comfortable with the crust, I'll put more focus on the sauce and toppings. As for cheese, I stick mostly with fresh mozzerella, but experiment with Fontina, and a few others.

Anything you'd like to get off your chest?

OK, I have to confess that I find it thrilling when one of my pizzas slides smoothly from the peel onto the wood-fired oven hearth. Is this appropriate?

Believe me, I've read far racier things in my time. Going back to inappropriateness, what one thing should NEVER go on a pizza?

Chinese bitter melon (foo-gwa).

Weirdest pizza you've ever eaten?

Nothing that I would consider weird.

What's the farthest you've traveled for pizza?

I've only been on my pizza obsession for a few months now, but we did take a trip to LA over spring break and I had to stop by Nancy Silverton's Pizzeria Mozza. Loved it. We had the Fungi Misti. Yummm.

Alright! Thanks for being a good sport, Sue. It's been a pleasure talking with you. I think everyone will agree that you did a great job holding it down for busy pizza-loving WFO-obsessed moms out there!

More from the 'My Pizza Oven' Series

[Photograph: Eric Wolfinger]

• Pizza Hacker: Renegade Pieman of SF »
• Caleb Schiff (aka Flagstaff Forno) »
• A Pizza Oven Glows in Brooklyn »
• Alberto of "Forno Pizza" »
• Nick and Robin Gladdis, Paso Robles, Calif. »
• Paulie Gee, Pizza Madman of New Jersey »
• Mark Graban, Fort Worth, Texas »
• Steve O. in Wisconsin »
• Dan Curry, Kansas City »