During your stay at the Catskill River Cottage, you’re welcome to cook al fresco in the wood-fired oven. Set just outside the cottage in its private garden overlooking the Catskill Creek, it’s the perfect spot to dine surrounded by tall trees, fragrant herbs, blooming flowers, and the soothing sound of the rushing river.
How to use the oven
To cook in the oven is a wonderful slow art that requires a full afternoon of prep. If you arrive to the cottage later in the day, save the cooking to the next day and enjoy a simple fire for ambiance instead. The wood fired pizza oven has specific guidelines. Be sure to follow them, for your own safety as well as for the longevity of the oven. Most importantly:
• Use only paper and hardwood (no sticks or cones from the ground)
• Only pizza / bread goes directly on the stone, for everything else use cast iron cookware.
• Be safe around the oven, it is very hot.
• Slow down and enjoy yourselves.
• Only pizza / bread goes directly on the stone, for everything else use cast iron cookware.
• Be safe around the oven, it is very hot.
• Slow down and enjoy yourselves.
1 – Oven preparation
Fire the oven for 3 – 4 hours to reach the optimal heat of 800F – start early. Use only the paper and hard wood we provide below the oven (more in marked shed behind the cottage). Add 2 – 3 logs every 30 minutes. Use the infrared thermometer to check the temperature inside the oven (find in kitchen). When the oven is hot enough, push the the glowing hot coals over to one side. The oven is now ready for cooking.
Note: Use of any other starters, wood or sticks from the ground (particularly pine or pine cones which contains resins) will permanently damage the oven and cause an insurance claim.
2 – Make pizza dough
For longer stays at the cottage, there is time to practice this skill. Learn how to make your own dough in this wonderful episode from The Wood Fired Oven Chef. We also provide Roberta's pizza dough recipe in our House Manual and below.
3 – Set up your pizza station
Next, learn how to set up your pizza station, and prepare to get inspired by all the lovely toppings in this episode! This is something you can do while the oven is close to its optimal temperature.
4 – Time to cook!
This episode covers the final moments right before cooking the pizza, such as scrubbing the stone clean, shaping the pizza and prepping the peel with vital semolina flour.
Please note that the only foods that may be cooked directly on the stone inside the oven are pizza and bread. All other foods must be placed in cast iron skillets (please find in cottage kitchen).
Please note that the only foods that may be cooked directly on the stone inside the oven are pizza and bread. All other foods must be placed in cast iron skillets (please find in cottage kitchen).
Ash disposal
We provide a clean oven. When you use the oven, ashes will accumulate. If you need to clean it out, please only move ashes when they are 100% cold (to minimize the risk of property catching fire). Put cold ashes in the ash bin under the pizza oven. There is no need to remove ashes at the end of your stay.
Risk acceptance
Use of the oven and chopping wood is at your own risk. The Modern Victorian LLC accept no liability for personal injury. It is very hot, up to 900F, so please use caution.
