Welcome!
During this season, what better reason to fire up a wood fired oven than a holiday gathering of family and friends? Using the backdrop of an Italian tradition, Brigit Binns offers up a seafood recipe from her Bella oven that is sure to be a crowd pleaser. You can try out Brigit's recipes by getting your own Bella -- read about the Year End Holiday Sale going on now.
There's more good news to read on instructional content, website expansion and the Winter Photo Contest in this month's newsletter.
You can always reach us through an email from the website or give us a call during business hours at 800-407-5119. We'll get back to you as soon as possible!
Wishing you a very happy holiday season and a prosperous new year!
The Forno Bravo Team
Community Cookbook: Guest Chef Brigit Binns
We are pleased to feature our guest chef for Bella Outdoor Living, Brigit Binns, in this month's newsletter. Brigit showcased her Bella Grande oven in a recent cooking demonstration class at her culinary retreat, Refugio Paso Robles.
Feast of the Seven Fishes--Clams and Sausage in Fennel Broth
In Italy, fasting on Christmas Eve (La Vigilia) has long been traditional. But, in an Italian-American-inspired shift, the definition of "fasting" has been changed to "no meat." Thus, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is now the traditional meal for Christmas Eve in Italian-American households across the U.S.A.
And who are we to argue? With our Bella oven quickly up and running (and warming our souls for the holidays), we like to cook at least two of our fish inside the wood oven--if not more. The marriage of shellfish and cured pork is always a good partnership, and this savory but light dish makes a worthy addition to the tasty line-up. Add my Calamari & Chorizo Pizza, and let your spirit range far and wide when selecting the other five candidates. Hint: Arrange live oysters on a bed of rock salt in a paella pan, and slide into the oven for a few minutes before loading in the pizza. When the shells gap open, they're ready for slurping. (Read More)
--Brigit Binns
Welcome Chef Todd Fisher!
Stand side-by-side with Chef Todd Fisher and you will see a creative giant in red clogs who takes a practical approach to cooking magnificent food. Bold American cuisine, anchored in a casual style with sophisticated techniques, defines Chef Todd's distinctive dining experiences. Starting January 2016, we are welcoming Chef Todd as our newest contributor to the Forno Bravo Community Cookbook!
Over the last two decades Chef Todd has held several prestigious kitchen posts around the Monterey, CA peninsula, orchestrated lively culinary collaborations, pioneered farm to table dining and traveled the country as the celebrated host of "The United States of Bacon" on Discovery Networks. He stimulates the airways each week as the host of the "All American Carnivore" on KRML radio and was recently voted "Monterey County's Favorite Chef" an honor he embraces graciously.
In April of 2014, Chef Todd assumed the reins of the Historic Monterey landmark Tarpy's Roadhouse, where his youthful energy and reengineered classics have proven to be a perfect marriage of exceptional service, sensational food and a stunning setting. Chef Todd entertained the crowds at the Forno Bravo Expo in September at Talbott Vineyards with his wood fired versions of Gulf Shrimp and Roasted Thai Snapper.
On contributing to the Community Cookbook, Chef Todd explains, "I am passionate about cooking with wood and my Forno Bravo wood fired oven gives me unlimited possibilities. My food style is bold and exciting, and I cook with a very simple philosophy: great ingredients, exceptionally prepared and served among friends. I look forward to sharing some new and creative ideas with the Forno Bravo community and revisiting American classics prepared in my Forno Bravo wood fired oven! Cheers!"
Pizza Quest with Peter Reinhart - New Recipe and Webisode!
Brad English contributes an incredible wood fired pizza/burger recipe to Pizza Quest this month:
It's funny how ideas come together. About a year ago, I came up with the idea to cook up a burger patty and wrap it in a pizza dough and throw it in the oven. I love burgers and I love pizza. Why not? I'd have a fresh baked bun literally wrapped around my burger. It turned out to be more of a puff ball of dough that blew up around the burger patty inside. It was good, but it was a knife and fork operation. I filed it under "ideas to follow up on" somewhere in the back of my mind. (Read more)
New Webisode
We continue our "Master Class" webisode series with Peppe Miele. In each of these segments we've learned another golden nugget of pizza wisdom and this one is no exception. For instance, he mentions (so quickly that I almost missed it) that the "official" Vera Pizza Napoletana (VPN) Margherita Pizza is supposed to use a sprinkle of only Pecorino (sheep's milk) cheese, even though most places (even his) now use mostly Parmesan. As Johnny Carson used to say, "I did not know that." (Read more)
-Peter Reinhart
Bella Outdoor Living Year End Holiday Sale
Black Friday has come and gone, but you can still take advantage of the Bella Year End Holiday Sale running until January 4, 2016. Receive a 10% discount off of the entire line of Nano, Medio, Grande and Ultra stainless steel pizza ovens. End the year by saving money on the gift you've dreamed of, and start 2016 with a wood fired pizza oven from Bella. The Bella stainless steel oven combines the simplicity and ease of a grill with the fun of authentic Italian wood fired cooking. Bella pizza ovens are fully assembled and come with a wheeled cart so you can move the oven to any outdoor location. Visit www.bellaoutdoorliving.com to place your Year End Holiday Sale order today!
Forno Bravo eBooks Update
The Forno Bravo series of eBooks covers topics from bread-making to, of course, wood fired pizza and even includes plans on how to build your own brick oven. First introduced in 2007, the timeless information has recently been updated to correct outdated hyperlinks. If you have a previous eBook version, you can order a new download in the Forno Bravo Store. Forno Bravo uses the unique "Name Your Own Price" checkout for eBooks where you set the price from $0.00 (yes, free) to any amount you desire. We hope you find the information in our eBooks valuable in helping you cook in your wood fired oven or inspire you to purchase or make one yourself.
Wood Fired Ovens in Winter Photo Contest
The Winter Photo Contest is under way, and we've received impressive pictures of winter ovens in full operation proving that wood fired cooking is a year-round endeavor. Snow isn't required, but you do have to show a fire in the chamber. You can even show us what you're cooking, and feel free to share your recipe in the Community Cookbook. The contest runs until February 28, 2016, and the winner will receive a $75 shopping spree in the Forno Bravo Store (shipments to North American residents only).
To submit your photo, send it to photos@fornobravo.com with the subject line "Wood Fired Ovens in Winter Contest." Provide your name, location and any details you wish to include about your oven. The winner will be announced in the March 2016 newsletter. Good luck!
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New! Forno Bravo International Websites
As a global provider of wood fired ovens, Forno Bravo is addressing our overseas clients and community with two new websites directed at Australia and the United Kingdom. The new sites reflect the updated look and functionality of the Forno Bravo site. You can access the sites from the main Forno Bravo site in the upper right corner above the logo.
