METHOD FOR MAKING CUSTOMIZED, WOOD FIRED PIZZAS IN SITU

Abstract

A method for making wood-fired pizzas at a customer designated location for an event comprises assembling a portable wood stove at the location, setting up a customized pizza assembly station adjacent the assembled stove and then individually making TO ORDER pizza pies for rapidly baking in that wood fired stove. After everyone's had their fill, the stove can be cooled, disassembled and carted off to its next event location for customized wood-fired pizza making for that event's attendees.

Claims

1. A method for making customized, wood fired pizzas for a plurality of attendees to an event requested by a customer at a location designated by the customer, said method comprising: (a) providing a portable wood-burning pizza stove to the location, said pizza stove consisting of a stove stand onto which is temporarily rested a firebox, a cooking chamber atop the firebox, said cooking chamber having a top exit port; a fire grate inserted into said cooking chamber; and a chimney stack connected to the top exit port of the cooking chamber, said pizza stove being capable of baking individually sized pizzas specially customized with toppings selected by each requesting attendee for baking in the pizza stove when brought to temperature in less than five minute frequencies; (b) establishing a pizza assembly station for assembling a plurality of pizzas for baking in the pizza stove, each pizza being individually sized and specially customized with topping selected by each attendee at the event; and (c) transferring into the pizza stove a first specially customized pizza for baking, then commencing assembly of a second specially customized pizza for placing into the pizza stove after the first specially customized pizza has been baked and removed from the pizza stove.

2. The method of claim 1, which further comprises providing a sufficient quantity of wood to the location for making the plurality of pizzas for attendees at the event.

3. The method of claim 1, which further comprises: (d) following completion of the event, allowing the pizza stove to sufficiently cool; (e) disassembling the cooled pizza stove into components and (f) transporting the pizza components from the location for reassembly and use at a second location for making customized, wood fired pizzas at another event.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the event is at an indoor location and the method further comprises, prior to above step (b): adding to the chimney stack a sufficient length of ductwork for removing exhaust from the pizza stove to an outdoor release point.

5. A method for making, baking and serving a plurality of wood-fired pizzas for attendees at an event in an outdoor location, said method comprising: (a) assembling at the outdoor location a pizza stove comprised of: (i) a stove stand onto which is temporarily stacked a firebox, then a cooking chamber, said cooking chamber having a top exit port to which is connected a chimney stack; said cooking chamber further including a fire grate into which a supply of wood fuel is added; (b) heating the wood fuel in the firebox to keep the cooking chamber at a minimum of about 450 F.; (c) preparing and stocking a pizza assembly station for assembling a plurality of individually sized pizzas for baking in the pizza stove, each pizza being specially customized with toppings for a requesting attendee; (d) preparing a first pizza for a first attendee and placing it in the heated cooking chamber to bake for less than five minutes; (e) while the first pizza is baking, preparing a second pizza for a second attendee; and (f) removing the first baked pizza from the cooking chamber and inserting the second pizza therein for baking.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the cooking chamber is kept between about 500 and 850 F.

7. The method of claim 5, which further comprises: (g) after the event has ended, emptying the wood fuel from the firebox; (h) allowing the pizza stove to cool; and (i) disassembling the pizza stove for transport away from the first location for eventual reassembly and use at a second outdoor location.

8. The method of claim 5, which further comprises: transporting the pizza stove components on a towable trailer.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the pizza stove components may be assembled on the towable trailer for baking a plurality of wood-fired pizzas from the trailer.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the wood-fired pizzas are baked in the pizza stove in intervals of less than about three minutes.

11. A method for making customized, wood fired pizzas for a plurality of attendees to an event requested by a customer at a location designated by the customer, said method comprising: (a) providing a portable wood-burning pizza stove to the location, said pizza stove consisting of a stove stand onto which is temporarily rested a firebox, a cooking chamber atop the firebox, said cooking chamber having a top exit port; a fire grate inserted into said cooking chamber; and a chimney stack connected to the top exit port of the cooking chamber, said pizza stove being capable of baking individually sized pizzas specially customized with toppings selected by each requesting attendee for baking in the pizza stove when brought to temperature in less than five minute frequencies; (b) establishing a pizza assembly station for assembling a plurality of pizzas for baking in the pizza stove, each pizza being individually sized and specially customized with topping selected by each attendee at the event; (c) transferring into the pizza stove a first specially customized pizza for baking, then commencing assembly of a second specially customized pizza for placing into the pizza stove after the first specially customized pizza has been baked and removed from the pizza stove; (d) following completion of the event, allowing the pizza stove to sufficiently cool; (e) disassembling the cooled pizza stove into components and (f) transporting the pizza components from the location for reassembly and use at a second location for making customized, wood fired pizzas at another event.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the event is at an indoor location and the method further comprises, prior to above step (b): adding to the chimney stack a sufficient length of ductwork for removing exhaust from the pizza stove to an outdoor release point.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Further features, objectives and advantages of this invention will become clearer from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows, in an exploded perspective view, the main elemental components for one embodiment of pizza stove according to this invention prior to assembly, or from top to bottom: a cooking chamber, fire grate, firebox and stove stand;

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a top perspective view of the firebox on its stand with its front access door open exposing the fire grate situated inside;

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a close up view of the underside to a cooking chamber laid on its rear edge with its front assembly extending upwardly;

[0027] FIG. 4 shows, in front view, a fully assembled and ready for baking stove unit per one embodiment with the firebox and cooking chamber doors open;

[0028] FIG. 5 shows a front perspective view of the assembly with doors closed and a full view of the flue pipe with an optional rain cap thereover; and

[0029] FIG. 6 shows a rear perspective view of the fully assembled stove unit from FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] With regard to the accompanying FIGS, there is shown one preferred embodiment of fast-baking pizza stove according to this invention. As the taste and sensation of a wood-fired food product has become a recent popular phenomenon, this invention attempts to bring end product (closer) to the end consumer. Whether at a campground, backyard deck or rear porch, this easy-to-transport and assemble stove unit can be used for rapidly making and then baking one pizza pie at a time, up to 12-14 in diameter, or several loaves of bread/buns raising in a pan or two. This invention enables one individual, alone, to make and bake customized pizza pies right at the point of sale/consumption.

[0031] With modification, it may be possible to cook two smaller pies together but considering how short baking time is WITH this device (i.e. about 2 minutes per pie), a one-size approach is preferred and, admittedly, more intimate.

[0032] These units can be sold, leased or rented, A unit may be franchised by a pizza maker/provider to do as part of a bigger restaurant-style service providing package, or possibly even affixed to a small pull-behind trailer for transporting to and from an end user, pie-baking location like a backyard party, street fair or the like.

[0033] As for the respective component parts, they are shown (less the flue pipe) in FIG. 1 as they would appear when broken down (or dis-assembled) for transport to a remote assembly location. More specifically, a single pizza stove unit 10 would include: a cooking chamber 20 (as better seen on its front end/edge in accompanying FIG. 3), a fire grate 30 (FIGS. 1 and 2, purposefully removed from view in FIG. 4), a multi-section, chimney stack 40 (FIGS. 4 through 6), firebox 50 and stove stand 60 (both in FIGS. 1-2, 4-6).

[0034] In FIG. 1, the aforementioned components (less the flue or stack 40) are shown in an exploded view, from top to bottom. These main components stack together to form: (i) a portable; (ii) easily transportable; and (iii) assembl-able at the site of use, (iv) fast-baking pizza oven. This invention requires no electric hookups to assemble and/or operate. When supplied with a fuel of choice, it can fully bake a pizza pie every 2-3 minutes . . . during which time a single oven operator has sufficient time to dress the next pizza pie shell (pre-made, or hand-tossed) with sauce and customized topping combinations requested by the subsequent consumer standing/partying nearby.

[0035] Pizza stove 10 comprises a cooking chamber 20 with its own top exit port 21, front access door 22, with hinges 23 and door handle 24, a pair of carrying handles 25, an internal cooking surface 26 with a central pizza stone 27 surrounded by a plurality of apertures 28 through which heat may enter from below and circulate about said chamber 20.

[0036] Stove 10 further includes a fire grate 30 with a top surface 32 for holding a fuel source (preferably wood; alternately, coal) and plurality of grate legs 34. Connecting to the top exit port 21 of cooking chamber 20 will be a multi-sectioned chimney stack 40 with its optional rain cap 42. All of the foregoing rests on a firebox 50 (with its own front access door 52, hinges 53 and handle 54) with its own set of venting holes or apertures 58. Firebox 50 sits directly on its own stove stand 60 with four corner legs 62. On a preferred basis, at least two and preferably all four of said legs include an adjustable height leveler 64.

[0037] In the model depicted in FIG. 3, a flagpole holder-looking adapter A extends from a back end of cooking chamber 20. That adapter A holds angled piping that can used for bending at a first ninety degree angle before bending back at a second right angle for preventing any (rain) water from reaching pizzas baking in the cooking chamber or otherwise dousing the heat emanating from the wood (or other fuel) in the firebox beneath said cooking chamber. Alternately, if a heavy storm was forecast before the party was scheduled to start, the whole unit 10 could be set up under a porch, tent or temporary canopy of some sort.

[0038] On average, it should take about 10-15 minutes to stack the components and connect them together. Once arranged and stacked, the assembled unit need not be mechanically joined any further as the assembly is NOT meant to be permanent. Rather, the stand will be held together by its own weight. Fully stacked, the entire unit will weigh roughly 250 to 300 pounds, extend about 4 to 5 feet high and have a baking firebox that is about 2424 inches in diameter.

[0039] Unlike some of the small campfire (heating) stoves of the prior art, this invention can accommodate full size logs in its firepitand typically heat a fully prepared pizza shell to a serving temperature of about 450 or 500 F., up to about 850 F. in less than 5 minutes, actually more like about one and a half to three minutes per pizza pie. For some breads, baking time in a properly pre-heated oven can take a bit longer; they will usually have to sit under a 3 tall loaf or less. During the whole time of use, outdoors immediately adjacent a campground, deck or outside party, neighbors will all reap the benefits of these freshly made pizza/bread smells!

[0040] In the model depicted in FIG. 6, there is shown a flagpole holder-looking adapter A that extends from a rear end R of the cooking chamber. That adapter serves as a supplemental stand/holder support for a pair of right-angled flue pipes, should the assembled unit need to angle about a deck roof or other permanent outside structure. In most instances, however, it is recommended that a standard, straight flue configuration be employed. Height restrictions usually are not a problem for most outdoor baking setups.

[0041] If the foregoing was assembled in a semi-outdoor setting, such as a roof-covered pavilion, or in certain fully indoor facilities, additional ductwork (not shown), with or without ventilating fans, would be readily connected to the aforementioned chimney stack 40 so as to safely direct fumes and any possible wood sparks to a collection station out of doors and out of harm's way.

[0042] Still other options would include: separately adjustable leg height levelers L should the assembling surface be the least bit uneven. A built in, temperature resistant level (not shown) may be added optionally, as well as a high temperature thermometer that can magnetically attach to a side of the firebox and/or cooking chamber.

[0043] The baking chamber can be fitted with a solid 15 pizza stone (baking surface). While removal for cleaning, more deluxe versions may include an optional, rotatable stone, one that can be manually spun, or possibly mechanically rotating within the cooking chamber for better, all around rapid baking of each pie placed thereon.

[0044] When baking is complete, the whole assembly could be kept intact for a bit longer to warm the party attendees as a pseudo-chiminea. Alternately, it could be allowed to completely cool down, taking no more than about 45-60 minutes to sufficiently cool for disassembly and transfer to the back of an SUV or pickup flatbed. Total cooling time depends on how fast the fuel source (coals/firewood) can be removed from the unit, transported in a metal bucket and safely doused out so as to not create any risk of re-ignition later.

[0045] This in situ wood fire pizza baker permits an acceptable degree of control over temperatures within and above its combustion chamber. It is contemplated that this stove can be made in several varieties of sizes and dimensions. Its outer box could also other than square-shaped, such as a fancier-looking octagonal or semi-rounded variation.

[0046] If intended for other than outdoor use, a longer set of flue connections must be arranged for proper smoke venting and temperature dissemination.

[0047] Before assembly and after cooling and disassembly, it is meant for the various component parts to be carried to a set up site. In other words, the sub-elements can be brought by one or two folks, perhaps in just a few trips, for assembling at the ultimate pie-baking destination for the evening.

[0048] Main components of this stove can be manufactured from readily available materials, preferably metal, and more particularly steel or cast iron. To a lesser degree, other fancier looking alternatives may be substituted for one or more elements or used to embellish/adorn one or more sectionsfor aesthetic purposes. For instance, copper, aluminum, ceramic materials, and a host of man-made materials can be used.

[0049] Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.