Choosing a New Design for Your Home and Garden

There is a distinct difference between wood-fired and regular oven cooked pizzas; a difference that is evident from the first bite. With their crunchy edges, soft dough and smoky flavour, there's no comparison to wood-fired pizzas. But it's not all about the taste, wood fire cooking provides plenty of other benefits that cannot be replicated in a traditional kitchen.

Higher Cooking Temperatures

Temperatures inside stone ovens can reach 650 to 900 degrees Fahrenheit (340 to 480 degrees centigrade) very quickly. As the heat from the wood radiates, it bounces off the stone, rapidly increasing the temperature and providing an even level of heat. Due to this high temperature, the dough and toppings crisp up very quickly, which seals the moisture inside and stops the pizza from becoming soggy. Under these conditions, the perfect pizza can be cooked in just 60 to 90 seconds.

Greater Nutrient Retention

Fruits, vegetables and the nutrients that they contain were never "designed" to withstand cooking. While pizzas piled with greens look exquisite, slow cooking destroys a great deal of their nutrient content. Cooking quickly over an open flame, however, helps them to retain their nutrient and antioxidant content. For example, the vitamin C levels in a tomato will reduce by approximately 29 percent when cooked over the course of 30 minutes; however, tomatoes will only lose 10 percent of their vitamin content when cooked in two minutes – the time it takes to cook a pizza in a stone oven.

More Flavour Variation

While a drizzle of olive oil or a nice dip can make your average pizza less bland, there's not a lot you can do to alter the taste. However, there are plenty of different types of wood for pizza ovens, providing their own unique flavour. For example, maple and birch are known for their smoky taste, while almond is virtually ash-less, which helps it to emphasise the natural flavour of the toppings. In addition, the wood can also influence the cooking times. Oak burns for longer than most other woods, making it perfect for events where you're cooking a lot of food.

Reduces Energy Bills

Green living is on the rise. If you're looking for ways to cut down your energy bills and reduce your carbon emissions, wood-fired ovens can help. Wood ovens are completely natural, requiring no external energy supply. While getting a wood-fired pizza oven installed inside your home may not be possible, your garden could easily replace your kitchen during the dryer seasons.

Cooking over a wood-fired pizza oven may seem complicated, but it's no more tricky than operating a regular oven. You can make the pizza exactly the same way, with the same dough and toppings. The only difference is that you have to light a nice warming fire instead of turning a dial. You can even work with a local lumber company to find the right wood for pizza ovens.