Forno Valoriani

Having spent years using my trusty BBQ and Cypriot Souvla Grill I fancied having a go a wood fire Ovens and found The Baby Valoriani and had one supplied by Peter at Wood Fire Land.

Initially I was a little apprehensive as to how cooking joints of meat would be when working with an oven and what's more an Oven that had no thermostat, well I soon found my feet with a little instruction from Peter. The best way to cook is by using common sense, you can't really burn the food because it's a reducing heat if that makes sense. I have cooked A leg of Lamb, A Haunch of venison and a Brace of ducks, Chickens , Bacon Slips and A large rib of Beef on the bone, I can honestly say that for me there is no nicer and exact way to cook meat, and 1 hour before the meat is ready you can pop a tray of Roast Spuds in, slow cooking as its called has been a revelation to me and all of my friends love the occassion when I have them around.

I don't normally write testimonials but felt that this Oven needs to be used to be believed. If you are thinking of having a go, I promise you won't be disappointed. The Oven itself is mobile and extremely versatile, simple to clean and as easy as pye to operate.

The baby Valoriani has entirely lived up to our very high expectations and Woodfireland has been efficient and accommodating with delivery and aftercare. The oven is a joy to work with. It fires up easily and reaches 450C in about an hour, hot enough to churn out juicy sizzling steaks, roast potatoes and veg, grilled Haloumi in minutes. Although the oven is small, everything cooks so quick it can easily feed a large group of people. After dinner we put a couple of casseroles in the falling oven to slowly cook overnight (rolled into the garage/shed if it looks like rain). By morning the oven is still about 100C and the room filled with the fragrant scent of succulent lamb, pulled pork or fall-off-the-bone rabbit. One firing of the oven with an armful of oak, cooks for our family of six and guests half a week.

Grilled Haloumi; lovely on baby leaf salad with beetroot!

My gorgeous Red Baby V looks great in our small semi detached garden. 

We fed 50 people for my birthday party. At 2am (slightly the worse for wear). we put a shoulder of rubbed pork in the cooling oven and fed the family with the best pulled pork and sublime crackling the following day. Yum!

Plenty of experimentation since then.

We've done breads, roasts, veg and delicious fish.

I love my Baby Valoriani...