Benny's Brick Oven- Part 1

Been a while getting back here!

Ok- the project for the year:

Build a brick oven and learn how to bake bread and pizza in it!
This one grrew out of seeing Lew french's masonry work on the Sunday Morning show (Paxson called me to watch it while it was on)-- his work is amazing!
Thought I'd like to do a masonry project again this year (since y back is feeling good for a change). In looking for projects came across an oven, thought how i like baking, ... and we are off!
Here's Lew french's book:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781586854430&itm=1

Sarah ordered the book for me for christmas, but it's been out of print ... ok though, cause i have a long way to go before starting the stone work!

Found out that a mason and baker named Alan Scott is the guru of brick oven construction:
http://www.ovencrafters.net/

and that Alan and Daniel Wing wrote an invaluable book called the Bread Builders http://www.chelseagreen.com/1999/items/breadbuilders


which has details on construction of a barrel vault oven and great bread baking info.

Forno Bravo ovens, which sell ovens -- provides a free plan for building a pompeii domed oven:

http://www.fornobravo.com/

There is a great debate over the pros and cons of the two oven types-- i decided to go with the pompeii oven (guess it's my heritage).

Researching the ovens, and bread and pizza baking has been a delight! there is so much information online...

i joined the yahoo brick oven group ;-):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brick-oven/

and the sour dough bread group:

rec . food . sourdough


After a month of thought, Cydney and I decided on a location next to the garden for the oven and planning and execution got underway!