Location, Location, Location

While browsing Craigslist this past evening I came across an ad for a piece of property for rent; two and a half acres, an RV pad, electric, sewer and water. The price was right, just $250 a month. But, I have this hesitancy in building a permanent structure such as my Wood-Fired Oven on a rental property. The property is devoid of any place for me to live in and even at $250 a month, without the most basic creature comforts (read air conditioning) I scratched it off my list.

There is a new strip mallish shopping center not too far from where I live. Empty due to the economy. If I choose a store front location I'm afraid that I would be forced to do too many improvements to meet the Health Department's and the Fire Marshall's rules and regulations. Read mega bucks. That cheap two and a half acres is sounding better.

So my search for a good location continues. And until I find the perfect place I have time to work on recipes and oven designs, all the fun stuff.

The Start of the Journey

My desire to bake bread, good bread, started when I was in my early 20s and quickly died due to the lack of good teachers and an old fashioned gas stove, complete with pilot light, just like my grandmother used. Now that I am in my 50s and a professional chef I have renewed my desire to bake good bread. But now I want to raise the bar. Good bread abounds. Just walk into any Whole Foods or local chain supermarket and you will see good bread. Exceptional bread, it is not. That you must seek out the small artisan baker but even those you can find in most major cities.

What I want to bake is bread in a Wood-Fired Oven! I want to have wood smoke curling through the air around me. I want to watch the sun rise waiting for the coals to die so I can slip the risen unbaked loaves into the hot center of my own brick oven. Sixteen consecutive bakes from a single firing is the current national record held by Tim Decker of Bennet Valley Bread and Pastry in Santa Rosa California. Wow, sixteen bakes. I would be happy with just one.

So the journey starts here. My first step will be to write a business proposal and write up a catchy come on for Kickstarter to lure dollars into my empty coffer. It takes a few bucks to build an oven and I have pockets that are collecting nothing but lint. So join me on my journey. Stick around long enough and you will be rewarded with delicious bread from my very own Wood-Fired Oven!