Plan now for Emergency Heating and Cooking

As we all contend with the Coronavirus worldwide, emergency preparedness is on everyone's mind. I'm sure by now that most people have become painfully aware of how unprepared they have been, and are considering how to get ready for the next emergency. And there will be one, no doubt.

Emergency heating and cooking should be something that everyone plans for. We've all experienced temporary electrical outages, and there may be a time when gas is not available, either. As someone familiar with wood-fired appliances, I recommend that everyone has a backup plan using the appliances of your choice.

There are several options available. The first thing most people think about is getting a wood stove or wood-burning fireplace insert. These are good options for supplemental or primary heating if the appliance is located in the center of the home. Keep in mind that the bedrooms will be much cooler than the common spaces. An open floor plan is best so that heat can reach further.

Cookstove by Hearthstone

For cooking, using the top of a wood-burning freestanding stove is an option, but it can be frustrating to use the small space over a long period of time. A better option would be a wood-burning cookstove with a stovetop and oven. As a bonus, the stove produces heat as well.

Outdoor brick oven by
Gene Padgitt

In Italy and France, it is very common for each household to have an outdoor brick oven and the idea is becoming very popular in the U.S. With an outdoor wood-fired oven it gives a person the option of using a different fuel which may be more available than gas or propane, and it keeps heat out of the kitchen in the summer months. Food tastes better when cooked in a brick oven, too. Wood-fired ovens can be heated to over 700 degrees, which is excellent for cooking pizza.

Masonry heater with bake oven
by Gene Padgitt

The best option, in my opinion, is a masonry heater. Masonry heaters are large site-built or pre-cast kits that are assembled on site. They have a large mass of masonry and interior channels that trap heat. By far, they are the most efficient and clean-burning appliances and use 1/3 the amount of wood that a high-efficiency wood-burning stove or insert uses to produce the same amount of heat. Masonry heaters work differently as they retain and release heat over a longer period of time. A great option to add is a bake oven over the masonry heater firebox on either side. Most people prefer to have the oven on the kitchen side of the heater, and the firebox on the living room side. This option is the most expensive.

Plan now for the installation of an appliance this summer, before the busy fall season.
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Marge Padgitt is a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep and NFI Certified Woodburning Specialist. She is the author of The Chimney and Hearth Pro's Resource Book, and The Homeowner's Guide to Heating and Cooking with Wood. Reach her at hearthmastersboss@gmail.com

Top Five Wood-Fired Restaurants in Kansas City

To the wood-fired connoisseur, there is nothing that can compare to food – any food -- cooked in a wood-fired oven. This is because the taste imparted to the food from the wood is something that can’t be obtained from gas or electric ovens.

A team of taste testers was sent to each of these restaurants on multiple occasions over the past year in order to sample some of their wonderful dishes. The results were unanimous: Eat wood-fired whenever possible!

We know this is true, because we build brick ovens and install pre-cast ovens from Italy in restaurants, and as builders we have to sample the food so we can tell clients how great it is. 

Pizza Bella: 18^th & Baltimore, Kansas City, Missouri offers a menu which features gourmet pizza designed by the owner/chef. Pizzas featured are Margherita, prosciutto, mushroom, leek, potato, egg, and others that are not found in standard pizza joint. The appetizers and desserts feature brussels sprouts, olives and olive oils, mussels, and a charcuteirie plate with assorted cheeses, mustards, and baguette. All of the breads and doughs are made on site. A true gourmet food experience can be found here. Ask the bartender to suggest a wine or beer with your meal. www.pizzabellakc.com

Blue Grotto: Brookside Plaza at 63^rd & Wornall, Kansas City , Missouri serves antipasta, soups, salads, entrees, and wood-fired pizza featuring Funghi and Salsiccia, and a Quattro Stagnioni pizza with artichokes, criminis, olives, peppers, and fontina cheese. The cast iron apple cobbler is a fitting finish to a delicious meal. The Blue Grotto has more good reviews online than most restaurants in town so it is worth the trip. www.bluegrottobrookside.com

Red Door Woodfired Grill: 6324 Brookside Plaza, Brookside, Kansas City, MO opened in January of 2017 with a newly remodeled restaurant. The burgers feature a blend of short rib, ternderloin and beef brisket from McGonigle's Market. The menu matches that of Red Door Leawood, for which award-winning chef Debbie Gold consulted. A variety of appetizers, flatbread pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and entrees fill the menu. The flatbread pizzas cooked in the stone oven are the feature that foodies love. www.reddoorgrill.com

Providence Pizza, Hwy 71 and Main Street, Grandview, Missouri specializes in pizza but also serves great calzones, sandwiches, appetizers, salads, and desserts. The restaurant offers the customer a choice of thin or thick crust, and an extensive list of toppings, cheeses, and sauces. Pizza is cooked in their large copper-clad wood-fired oven at the front of the restaurant. www.providencepizza.com.

The oven at Rock & Run Brewery and Pub

Rock & Run Brewery and Pub: 110 E Kansas St., Liberty, Missouri offers an exotic brew pub menu which includes appetizers such as deviled eggs, mini bruschetta, and house-made meatballs, salads, soups, sandwiches, pastas, and of course, pizza. Rock & Run’s specialty pizzas include a white pizza with chicken, bacon, white garlic sauce, and mozzarella & provolone cheeses, a pulled pork pizza, Reuben pizza, and a super-hot diablo pizza.  Of course, Rock & Run offers an extensive wine and beer list since the restaurant brews their own beer on site.  A must for any visit is to top the meal off with campfire s’mores cooked in the wood-fired oven which are to die for. www.rockandrunbrewery.com

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Marge Padgitt is the publisher of Wood-Fired Magazine and CEO of HearthMasters, Inc. HearthMasters builds and installs wood-fired ovens and installed ovens at three of the above locations. See more info at www.hearthmasters.us.  

How to Build an Outdoor Brick Oven Workshop June 15-20, 2017

H
earthMasters, Inc. is presenting an outdoor brick oven workshop the week prior to the MCSC conference at the same location at 1134 S Pearl Street in Independence, MO. Gene Padgitt, an award-winning master mason, will be heading up the workshop.

Participants will learn everything about an outdoor brick oven from the footing, to the base, oven, insulation, chimney, and finishing work. There is an art and science to building a good oven, and it is not something most people can tackle on their own with out taking at least one class first.This class is for all skill levels. 

A certificate of completion will be issued to participants who successfully complete the course. A maximum of 8 attendees will be accepted. The cost is normally $1,200 per person but we have a special first-time attendee rate of  $850 per person for this workshop. The price  includes all lunches, handouts, and a film or photos of the project after it is completed. The CSIA has awarded 16 CEU credits for the class.  

For newbies: Take this class and learn the basics of masonry and get experience working with block, brick, firebrick,and mortar. So take this class to get hands-on masonry experience!

Gene Padgitt has 34 years of industry experience. He is a State Certified Private Fire Investigator, CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep, NFI Certified Gas Specialist, Licensed Mechanical Contractor, and holds a degree in HVACR Technology. Padgitt has been an instructor for 20 years and he and his wife, Marge, decided to open a training center in answer to requests from industry professionals.

Future courses will include Introduction to masonry, masonry heaters, and fireplaces.

For more information and to register visit www.hearthmasters.net or call 816-461-3665.

Why does pizza taste better when it is cooked in a wood-fired oven?

Why does Pizza taste better when it is cooked in a wood-fired oven?

According to most chefs, wood-burning ovens can do things that gas or electric ovens cannot. Wood-burning ovens can achieve very high temperatures of 700—1,000 degrees, reducing cooking time dramatically.  An average 10” pizza will cook in 1 –2 minutes. The pizza will taste fresher and be crisp with a almost burnt edge, like authentic Napolitano pizzas.

The thermal drafts from the wood create a current of air
(convection), which allows the food to cook very evenly on all
sides. So the food cooks faster, yet evenly. 

But the most important factor is that the smoke from the wood infuses the pizza crust with flavor that can’t be beat.

Once you’ve tried wood-fired pizza it is unlikely that you will eat any other type again.

For these reasons, most homeowners are putting brick ovens in their back yards as a part of their outdoor kitchens. The advantages are multi-level since an outdoor oven can be used to cook anything - not just pizza. 
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Marge Padgitt is the publisher of Wood-Fired Magazine and is a wood-burning enthusiast. Reach her at editor@woodfiredmag.com

New Wood-Fired Magazine

HearthMasters, Inc. announced today that their new Wood-Fired Magazine will be published this summer.  Editor Marge Padgitt has been working on the project for the past two years and is ready to publish the first issue.

Wood-Fired Magazine covers design, construction, maintenance and use of wood-fired appliances. This includes chimneys, fireplaces, masonry heaters, heating appliances, smokers, bake ovens, cooking and baking. Writers interview expert chefs, restaurant owners, masons, tile makers, manufacturers, and chimney sweeps to produce in-depth articles with quality photos of their work.

Chefs, designers, architects, builders, masons, chimney sweeps, and homeowners will find the articles interesting and informative. The magazine will be available in print and via digital download at different price points. Subscriptions are available. 

Marge Padgitt is the author of 12 books including The Chimney and Hearth Pro's Resource Guide and the Homeowner's Operation Manual for Chimneys, Fireplaces, and Heating Appliances. She is a national speaker and has been heavily involved in the chimney industry for almost 30 years.

Article guidelines, calendar, classified, and display advertising information are available at www.hearthmasters.net.

Brick ovens to be introduced at World of Masonry in Las Vegas

Marge Padgitt Kansas City Alternative Energy Examiner

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January 6, 2014

The Masonry Heater Association of North America is hosting an introductory wood-fired brick oven building workshop at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry Conference in Las Vegas, NV January 20-24, 2014.

Then workshop is for masons who wish to learn more about brick oven building techniques and methods. Site-built brick ovens are increasingly popular among professional chefs and home cooks, who find that wood-fired cooking imparts a unique flavor to breads, pizza, and gourmet foods. The addition of oven building to a portfolio can greatly increase income for professional masons.

The workshop will be presented by the MHA Wood-Fired Bake Oven Committee, whose members are professional masons specializing in residential and commercial brick oven building. The committee is currently working on changes in codes and standards, professional oven building training, public awareness, and an oven portfolio focusing on dome and arch brick ovens, squirrel tail ovens, and cob ovens. The portfolio will be available to professional masons.

The World of Concrete Conference is the largest international event dedicated to professional contractors. The event will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109. To register for the World of Concrete Conference visit www.worldofconcrete.com.

For more information about the MHA Bake Oven Committee contact chair Marge Padgitt at 816-461-3665 or ympadgitt@yahoo.com.
The media is invited to attend and take photos of the event.

The Masonry Heater Association of North America is a non-profit organization with members worldwide. The MHA sponsors workshops throughout the year. The next annual meeting and workshop will be held April 14-20, 2014 in Little Switzerland, North Carolina.
For more information on how to join the Masonry Heater Association of North America, or media scheduling contact Richard Smith, MHA Executive Director, at 520-883-0191 or e-mail execdir@mha-net.org or visit www.mha-net.org.

Shiny Bread from the Wood-Fired Oven

There has been  lot of talk lately on the Masonry Heater Association Chat list about bread baking and I thought I'd share some ideas about how I get a shiny bread from a wood-fired oven.
 
My niece traveled to France a few years ago and interviewed a baker there who was using a wood-fired oven - the same one used for generations by his family, and the oldest in France.  The baker said that he put a tray of water in the oven every time he bakes, and that is all he does.  The breads do come out with a nice shine to them.  You might try it and let us know if it works for you. 

I do know of another method which has been used by my Italian side of the family for years  - they make an egg wash, just a beaten egg - and brush it over the loaf before putting the bread in the oven.  Not sure where that idea started, but I use it when I bake egg bread every Christmas in the family tradition.  That may be considered cheating by the bread baking purists, but it sure does make a nice looking loaf of bread. When I find a picture of one I'll post it.  

The photo above is a loaf of egg bread I made last Thanksgiving without the egg wash and it is not shiny - but it sure tasted great anyway!