Ovens suggestions, more appliances and a new kitchen

[Franci]

I need your help guys in organizing my thoughts. It looks like we are going to be moving again, still in Miami this time. The only difference is that we are buying a place for the very first time after 20 years of moving around. It feels premature to me to add picture because, we haven’t signed a contract yet, we only made an offer and it has been accepted. 

 

Of course, I am already thinking of what I need to buy for the kitchen. I am not going to renovate the kitchen. It is honestly not the ideal time and even if it’s not my dream kitchen, it has been done 2 years ago. We have an outdoor patio and I am hoping to do a lot of cooking outside, especially at night. So, I am telling you what I have and what for sure I’ll be needing. 

 

The cooktop looks vitroceramic and the oven I don’t remember which brand it is but definitely I will replace it. I don’t know yet if I can get gas there but I had one experience with an induction cooktop in the past and it was great. It was Sauter, which is common in France. It was something like this and I wouldn’t mind something similar. 

 

So, first induction cooktop, I don’t have a clue of prices out there,  if I recall correctly,  I spent 500 euros at the time. 

 

Second, oven. Let talk about ideal. In this house I have a Wolf oven which allows me to go to 550F, which is really cool so I can make some pizza in teglia.

 

I had a couple ovens in the past that I loved for different reasons.

1. I had a tabletop Cadco oven (Stefania), half sheet 120V with manual, external steam injection and it could reach 550F. Because of the manual steam, it was awesome to make bread with that oven and to make pizza in teglia again. So sorry I sold it for little when I closed my business. But honestly it’s not the first choice for home use, not too pretty or practical to have on the countertop. 2. I had the CSO and I really loved it but doesn’t solve the problem of making bread or pizza in teglia. 

 

 

Now 

the outdoor I was thinking either the ZioCiro mini , which is really like a miniature brick oven, differently than the Ooni  which is another candidate, you can use also for cooking bread or small round trays of food.  The Zio Ciro anyway is not big enough for pizza in teglia. I wish I can get an Effeuno honestly. 

 

So, I see myself wanting 5 ovens at the same time 😁 A pizza oven for the outdoor but don’t want to spend 3,000 for a bigger ZioCiro. A CSO, a steam oven for bread and an Effeuno for pizza in teglia and and air fryer if it’s not too much to ask 🤣🤣🤣, you got the situation. Ok, I need to make choices. And no, I don’t have a budget yet because it will depend on the final price of the house and some extra work we are doing from a room and a bathroom. 

 

And finally, yes, I want also a vacuum chamber, thanks,  and would really love to have a irinox blast chiller. I know I am very reasonable 

 

The kitchen is not huge and I cannot start cluttering it with my stuff.  Maybe something like my Wolf oven that reaches 550F plus a steam function with bread. And a CSO for daily use? Ooni outside or I cannot resist the ZioCiro anyway. Does it should more reasonable. Do you have such an oven to suggest? Thanks  

 

[ElsieD]

I only have one recommendation and that is for the induction cooktop.  I have a Thermador and love it.  Since we bought ours, they have come out with a design that lets you cook anywhere on the cooktop.  You don't have to stay on the rings.

[Franci]

4 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

I only have one recommendation and that is for the induction cooktop.  I have a Thermador and love it.  Since we bought ours, they have come out with a design that lets you cook anywhere on the cooktop.  You don't have to stay on the rings.

 

Thank you, @ElsieD, I will check it out! Sound great. 

 

[weinoo]

How's the water table under the house?

[Franci]

1 hour ago, weinoo said:

How's the water table under the house?

 

😆 I had to ask my husband what where you talking about. I am going to live on a island, so I guess plenty of water there 🤣🤣🙃

 

Edited July 10, 2020 by Franci (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I have a cheap apartment GE oven that goes to 550F.  I am about to go bake a pizza as soon as I finish my mai tai.  I almost wrote "go bake a mai tai".  Sort of the same thing.

 

[haresfur]

My advice re induction is that you really want fine temperature control. I liked having induction but lack of adjustment was a problem.

 

Could you build an outdoor woodfire pizza oven? 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

13 minutes ago, haresfur said:

My advice re induction is that you really want fine temperature control. I liked having induction but lack of adjustment was a problem.

 

Could you build an outdoor woodfire pizza oven? 

 

The problem may not be induction but rather the implementation of induction.

 

[haresfur]

21 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

The problem may not be induction but rather the implementation of induction.

 

 

Yes, some aren't designed as well as others. Something to look for.

[KennethT]

10 hours ago, Franci said:

 

😆 I had to ask my husband what where you talking about. I am going to live on a island, so I guess plenty of water there 🤣🤣🙃

 

 

The height of the water table has to do with flooding concerns.  A high water table means that your place will flood with less additional water (like rain or storm surge) than a place with a lower water table.

[Franci]

1 minute ago, KennethT said:

The height of the water table has to do with flooding concerns.  A high water table means that your place will flood with less additional water (like rain or storm surge) than a place with a lower water table.

 

Ah, I understand now but I don’t know how much this matters in Florida, for what I understand is that we are sitting on limestone and there is no assurance there...Because we are moving to Key Biscayne, which is an island and because of the hurricanes, we would be in the zone with higher risk of flooding. The new regulations are much stricter on the elevation the houses required on the island, I will double check how elevated “our” is,  but I guess is something our agent considered, definitely not as high as the new regulations. We would be 3 minutes walk from the beach and we have a big condo as a shield, just in case 😆 Everybody has a flooding insurance. 

[Franci]

6 hours ago, haresfur said:

My advice re induction is that you really want fine temperature control. I liked having induction but lack of adjustment was a problem.

 

Could you build an outdoor woodfire pizza oven? 

 

I had a good experience with induction. I am always multitasking and honestly, really loved setting a timer on each burner and been able to exactly replicate the cooking for something I cook regularly. It was so, so great for cooking with the pressure cooker. 

 

Yes, I could build a wood fire pizza oven. But they are expensive. The zio Ciro has some options for dual fuel, wood and gas. For how much I like the idea of wood cooking there is a learning curve and it requires more time for the oven to get to temperature and also my husband will get one Argentinian style grill to cook with wood. I like the ZioCiro mini. 

[chromedome]

24 minutes ago, Franci said:

I will double check how elevated “our” is,  but I guess is something our agent considered, definitely not as high as the new regulations. We would be 3 minutes walk from the beach and we have a big condo as a shield, just in case 😆 Everybody has a flooding insurance. 

Hmm. Not to be a downer, but that sentence should read "Everybody currently has insurance." Insurance companies can stop offering coverage from one year to the next, or the cost may become prohibitive. It's something to be aware of.

[Franci]

I

39 minutes ago, chromedome said:

Hmm. Not to be a downer, but that sentence should read "Everybody currently has insurance." Insurance companies can stop offering coverage from one year to the next, or the cost may become prohibitive. It's something to be aware of.

 

For what my husband is telling me flooding/hurricane insurances are government mandatory in Florida. Definitely we are in a Zone 1 risk, so any hurricane we need to evacuate, we know that. And most likely properties will have no value down here at a certain point but hopefully we can sell and go before that happens 😁 

Edited July 10, 2020 by Franci (log)

[chromedome]

4 minutes ago, Franci said:

And most likely properties will have no value down here at a certain point but hopefully we can sell and go before that happens 😁 

 

 

I was struggling for a tactful way to make that point, so I'm glad you're already aware of it. My GF and I are hoping to purchase a property for our "forever home" within the next 5 years, and have set 100-150 feet above sea level as our minimum.

[curls]

1 hour ago, Franci said:

 

Ah, I understand now but I don’t know how much this matters in Florida, for what I understand is that we are sitting on limestone and there is no assurance there...Because we are moving to Key Biscayne, which is an island and because of the hurricanes, we would be in the zone with higher risk of flooding. The new regulations are much stricter on the elevation the houses required on the island, I will double check how elevated “our” is,  but I guess is something our agent considered, definitely not as high as the new regulations. We would be 3 minutes walk from the beach and we have a big condo as a shield, just in case 😆 Everybody has a flooding insurance. 

 
Enjoy Key Biscayne; a beautiful area! I grew up in Dade County Florida and miss the grapefruit and mango trees we had in our backyard. Wonderful to be so close to the beach! Also lots of delicious Cuban food in that area.

 

If your new place doesn’t have hurricane shutters, I highly recommend that you get them. It is so much easier to use them vs. finding & securing wood over all your windows.

[eugenep]

I saw on an episode of Big Dreams Small Gardens with Monty Don: this one man wanted a bbq in his garden. 

 

He did purchase one and had it built. It was beautifully integrated into the design of the entire garden. 

 

It looked more like an oven and grill. 

 

I attached something that kinda looks like it I found in google. 

If I was super bored had "extra money" and threw a lot of parties in my house, I'd probably get one for entertainment. 

 

I think the zio-circo mini that tiled looks nice but I wonder if its only for single use as a pizza oven or something. 

Edited July 10, 2020 by eugenep (log)

[Franci]

16 minutes ago, eugenep said:

 

I think the zio-circo mini that tiled looks nice but I wonder if its only for single use as a pizza oven or something. 

 

 

 

The mini is pretty small, only 1 pizza at a time and 1kg bread. Max pizza diameter is 33cm or about 13 inches but it’s $1200 vs the ZioCiro 100  dual fuel where you can cook 4-5 pizzas at a time and costs $4800. Honestly, I am not that much into pizza and it’s just our family consumption, I don’t see myself cooking pizza for a party of 20 people that requires a similar upgrade. I am not a pizza fanatic. This is already a splurge for what I’d need. I like more the modern look of this kind of oven than the all brick look. 

[Franci]

59 minutes ago, curls said:

 
Enjoy Key Biscayne; a beautiful area! I grew up in Dade County Florida and miss the grapefruit and mango trees we had in our backyard. Wonderful to be so close to the beach! Also lots of delicious Cuban food in that area.

 

If your new place doesn’t have hurricane shutters, I highly recommend that you get them. It is so much easier to use them vs. finding & securing wood over all your windows.

 

Curls, yes, Key Biscayne has a island vibe, so different than South Beach. I like it a lot!  We have impact windows plus shutters. I have to test it but that is a big plus for me because, I looooove a total blackout in my bedroom for sleeping and those shutters look like that will do a pretty decent job for hurricane and sleep 😃

[kayb]

I would say definitely a CSO or an F. Blumlein for inside the kitchen for smaller meals. Heating up the house with the big oven will be an issue in Florida.

 

Congratulations on your new place. Sounds wonderful!

 

[Franci]

2 hours ago, kayb said:

I would say definitely a CSO or an F. Blumlein for inside the kitchen for smaller meals. Heating up the house with the big oven will be an issue in Florida.

 

Congratulations on your new place. Sounds wonderful!

 

 

Thank you, @kayb! Oh, the CSO I want it back! Not sure  the F. Blumlein stands up to it.  Definitely if I have to pick prefer the CSO as space to a microwave!

[Franci]

So, here I am with a couple pictures of the outside. I want to create a small and functional outside kitchen. I was thinking of installing a sink, a stainless steel table that will function as prepping station an support for a portable induction cooktop and a portable pizza oven being Ooni or Zio Ciro mini. Of course, I want to go under the shade, being partially covered by the upstairs balcony but water is on the opposite corner. I guess that is not a big deal. 

 

I am also thinking of using the sides of the patio to grow some vegetables and actually using the fence as vertical garden if possible. 

 

What do you guys think? 

 

Edited July 16, 2020 by Franci (log)

[haresfur]

What direction does it face? Will there be enough shade where you want when you want? If not you could put up some shade-cloth and that would give you more options for where to put things.

 

My paver area gets far too much sun from the west. Have a beautiful red-gum tree that throws shade but it is too big and too close to the house. I would take it out except for the shade.

[FauxPas]

It looks like you have a decent amount of space there, so I think you are only constrained by your budget. You could do a lot in that area and framing it with some veggies/green things would define the space in a really nice way, as well as provide a practical garden area. Would you use planters/raised beds? 

 

I guess the big question is how much time will you spend there and do you visualize it as an outdoor kitchen and dining area? For entertaining or just for family meals? 

 

 

[Franci]

3 hours ago, haresfur said:

What direction does it face? Will there be enough shade where you want when you want? If not you could put up some shade-cloth and that would give you more options for where to put things.

 

It faces west, I think I will be doing my cooking more at night, during the day, shade, no shade, it’s really hot. But where I want to put it there will be a minimal protection in case of rain at least. 

 

2 hours ago, FauxPas said:

It looks like you have a decent amount of space there, so I think you are only constrained by your budget. You could do a lot in that area and framing it with some veggies/green things would define the space in a really nice way, as well as provide a practical garden area. Would you use planters/raised beds? 

 

I guess the big question is how much time will you spend there and do you visualize it as an outdoor kitchen and dining area? For entertaining or just for family meals? 

 

 

 

I don’t know yet how much I will be able to spend, we have some construction work inside to be done. Definitely I want raised beds on the perimeter and/or some use of the fences to grow something. This time we are going to hire someone to design it and to start the garden. We are already inexperienced and growing in Florida is an extra challenge. I want to set it right.  Edit to add: I love the idea of cooking outside, a lot! It will be mainly later in the day when it’s not that hot and especially for the family. I see myself eating out all year long if it’s not raining. 

Edited July 17, 2020 by Franci (log)