An old flame

Some people might consider a wood-fired brick oven to be a trendy kitchen appliance.

Actually, it’s the opposite of trendy.

“It’s really like the old bread ovens that people have used around the world for hundreds and hundreds of years,” said Hal Holte of Spokane.

Now, he and a few others in Spokane have revived that tradition right in their own homes. Bruce and Carol Becker of Spokane have a wood oven because … well, because they love to cook.

“For some reason somewhat unclear to me, I’d always wanted a pizza oven,” said Bruce Becker, a doctor in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

So the Beckers incorporated a Wood Stone brand oven into the design of their home at The Ridge, high above Hangman Creek. A half-moon opening at eye level reveals a cheery fire inside, on a bed of ruby-glowing coals. The whole oven weighs a ton.

Not a metaphorical “ton.” A real ton.

“It took a half-day to get it from the front door to where it’s now located,” said Carol. “People were coming by and watching this process and I’m sure they were thinking, ‘These must be really weird people.’ “

No, they’re just excellent cooks who knew that for a truly high-quality pizza, they had to have a wood-burning oven.

The Beckers found several wood-oven companies and settled on Wood Stone, partly because it wasn’t all the way over in Europe – in fact, it was in Bellingham. They also discovered it wasn’t exactly common for people to buy a wood oven for a home kitchen. Theirs was the first Wood Stone oven ever built for residential use (others have followed since).

Hal and Kathy Holte took a different approach, buying a Tulikiva wood stove from Finland that does double duty. The bottom chamber serves as a regular wood stove, which heats most of the house. Above that chamber is a small separate chamber, a wood oven suitable for bread and pizza. The entire massive soapstone box weighs three tons.

You don’t just plunk one into a kitchen – you design your kitchen around it.

“Don’t try to retro-fit,” said Carol Becker.

And don’t expect it to be cheap, either. The Wood Stone people say that residential ovens average between $11,000 and $14,000.

The Beckers use theirs mainly for pizza (see recipes below) – but they also have found it to be terrific for about anything else that can be baked or roasted.

“Turkeys, rib roasts, vegetables, Dutch babies (baked pancakes),” said Carol. “We’ve tried them all.”

Of course, there was a learning curve.

“We had the one turkey that we have always referred to as ‘the bloody turkey,’ ” said Carol. “And then there was the turkey that … well, you know that little red thing that pops up when it’s done? We melted it.”

The Beckers ended up going to Bellingham to attend in-service training at the Wood Stone plant. Now, they regularly entertain guests all weekend – pizza on Friday night, Dutch Babies on Saturday morning and a roast on Sunday. During the week – well, they find it easier to just switch on their regular oven.

Aside from a few little missteps here and there, operating the oven is no different than it was for centuries of European villagers:

1. Throw a few logs (preferably hardwood like cherry or apple) onto the stone floor and light them.

2. Wait a couple of hours until the entire oven gets up to temperature, 600 to 700 degrees for pizza. Learning how much wood and time it takes is an art, but the basics are easy to grasp.

“This oven is the only piece of technology I actually understand,” said Bruce Becker. “You want it hotter, you throw in more wood.”

3. Shove the coals to the back and use a long-handled pizza peel (paddle) to slide the pizza right onto the stone floor.

4. Give it a spin to even the heat. After three minutes, it should be done, with a perfectly browned and blistered crust.

Why does a pizza (and most other breads) taste better out of a stone or brick oven? It’s not the wood, since the food takes on only the slightest hint of smoke, if any. The key seems to be in the stones themselves and the depth of heat they retain. The results are hard to quantify, except to say: It has that brick-oven taste.

Basic Pizza Dough

Adapted by Carol and Bruce Becker

2 cups water, lukewarm – 85 degrees

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 tablespoon salt, sea or kosher

1 tablespoon honey

5 cups (1 1/2 pounds) unbleached all-purpose flour

Combine all ingredients except flour in a mixing bowl and allow it to dissolve for a few minutes. Add flour and mix with a dough hook at a moderately fast speed for 8-10 minutes. The dough should have a shiny, smooth appearance.

Let rise, covered for one or two hours at room temperature. For thin crust, cut into four or five pieces (depending on the size of the pizza you want) and then let those pieces rise for another 30-45 minutes at room temperature. Then press and stretch into discs about 10-14 inches in diameter (don’t roll it out with a pin or you’ll end up with pita bread).

Top with your favorite ingredients and bake in a 475-degree oven until done.

Yield: 4 to 5 thin pizza crusts

Approximate nutrition per slice, without toppings (based on 16 slices): 148 calories, less than 1 gram fat, 4 grams protein, 31 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber, 437 milligrams sodium.

The Beckers’ Own Improvised Pizza Sauce

Fresh plum or Roma tomatoes, about 10 to 12

Garlic, minced, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

Olive oil, to taste

Smoked paprika, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (see note)

Fresh basil, to taste

Cut up tomatoes and put in baking dish (peeling and seeding not necessary). Sprinkle with minced garlic and salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Stir in secret ingredient: smoked paprika. Put in 450-degree oven (or wood-burning pizza oven) until the tomatoes soften and begin to bubble, about 10 or 20 minutes. Remove from oven, mash tomatoes with a potato masher and add basil. Makes enough sauce for several pizzas, with leftovers for pasta sauce.

Note: Smoked paprika can be purchased online at www.tienda.com.

Yield: Varies

Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate due to recipe variables.