I didn’t really feel like firing the oven up today, but fancied some nice breads for an alfresco tea with the family, so knocked up some loaves using the overnight sponge method see below, a grande fougasse, a focaccia with rosemary and a nice part wholemeal part white loaf……….delicious with some charcuterie, salad from [...]
Archive for June, 2011
24 Jun
Best Bread Recipe
Here is the recipe for my overnight sponge bread, for which I am eternally grateful to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage Everyday for getting me started with. In a bowl add 250g Strong white bread flour 325g Lukewarm water 5g Fast Action Yeast Mix with a wooden spoon and leave covered overnight. The next morning add [...]
24 Jun
Grillstock 2011
I’m away with work at the moment, but really looking forward to going to Grillstock on the Harbourside in Bristol when i get back next week. It’s the weekend 2nd/3rd July. http://grillstock.co.uk/ I butchered a whole pig from the smallholder Pitmans Farm over the road from me last week, and so am looking to garnering some [...]
16 Jun
Pizza!
I have now finished my oven and painted it, all looking good, fired up for the first pizza this afternoon, it wasn’t white hot but did a pizza in about 3 mins, I had the fire going for 2 1/2 hours, and did 5 pizzas on it, the first couple had a disaster with them sticking [...]
14 Jun
First meal cooked in the oven
I fired her up again tonight, a little bit more, and thought i’d cook a meal, I got some nice mackerel and samphire and cooked the fish on my tuscan grill over some fennel shoots from my herb bed, and we enjoyed it with a nice zingy salad from the garden. I put the first scratch [...]
14 Jun
First firing
I’m really happy today, I had a small curing fire this morning and went out later this afternoon and was amazed by how warm it all still was, hopefully a good sign, the chimney seems to draw well so happy with that too, and I got the first layer of render on, here’s a couple [...]
11 Jun
Day 4
Day 4 has been wicked, I finished off the chimney, and then started the vermicrete, this was easy to mix, but difficult to get stick, so I used some chicken wire mesh to lock it in and slapped it on with my hands, I reckon I got a generous 4-5″ on especially over the top, it’s all [...]
10 Jun
Day 2 & 3
I got loads done yesterday, but struggled today as had torrential rain most of the day, have got the barrel cut and in place now and have covered with the first heat retaining layer of concrete about 3″ so far, I have put up the brick arch, but really struggled with it, hope it holds [...]
8 Jun
Woodfired Oven Build Day 1
Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:37 am Well I have made a start, all the goodies were delivered this morning. So I dug a trench for the foundation blocks and checked all was level, and built up 2 layers of block work, not the best of jobs but it’ll all be rendered to match the bbq, [...]
