Why lePanyol? The quality of their masonry is unrivalled. This is a distinguished European firm that has been in refractory bricks since the birth of refractories in the 1840’s. Now, with these modern-design ovens with kilned segments that just fit together without any bricks or brick-laying, you have to fall back on the quality and durability of the masonry itself, and the experienced lePanyol ticks all the boxes. Their masonry is a natural clay they dig from their own quarry in Provence to which is added extra alumina and silica, and kilned to earthenware pottery temperature – about 1000 degrees C.
You must learn about proper firing and for how long to fire so that the heat is embedded deep into the masonry, and then your lePanyol pays you back by releasing that massive amount of heat into the baking chamber in a manner that has power controlled by evenness. Part of the drama of being a brick oven baker is that you must learn about starting work in an oven that is really too hot. This occurs because on the occasions when you have a lot to bake you need it to manage a prolonged session of baking before it gets dull and will need a re-fire. When it is too hot you begin work with the door ajar so that the top heat is released up the chimney. But you are cooked if there is too much heat in the floor tiles! Drama isn’t the word!
Learn more about my range of Wood fired ovens from Le Panyol here.
