The Blog
Notes from the deck
Slow recipes, fast pies, pellet-and-gas opinions, and the occasional ingredient pilgrimage. Pull up a chair.
- clams
Canned vs. Fresh Clams for New England White Clam Pizza
We compared canned and fresh clams on white clam pizza so you can make the right call for your next backyard cook.
Read more - hot honey
Hot Honey on Pizza: When It Works and When It Overwhelms Everything Else
Hot honey is everywhere right now, but it earns its place on some pizzas and ruins others. Here's how we actually use it.
Read more - pecorino
Pecorino vs. Parmigiano on Pizza: When Each Belongs and When Neither Does
Pecorino and Parmigiano aren't interchangeable on pizza. Here's when each one earns its spot and when you should skip both.
Read more - semolina
Why We Use Semolina on the Peel (And What Flour Can't Do)
Semolina on the launch peel isn't a trick — it's a function. Here's what it actually does and why flour falls short.
Read more - dough
Why Salt Timing Matters in Pizza Dough — And What Happens If You Rush It
Salt does more than flavor your dough — add it wrong and you'll fight your mix all night. Here's what actually happens and how to fix it.
Read more - recipe
Grilled Corn and Poblano Pizza: A Late-Summer Backyard Pie Worth Making Once a Season
Sweet grilled corn, charred poblano, and melted mozzarella on a crispy outdoor-cooked crust — this is the late-summer backyard pizza we make every August.
Read more - yeast
What Yeast to Buy for Pizza Dough: Instant, Active Dry, or Fresh
Instant, active dry, or fresh yeast — here's which one actually makes sense for homemade pizza dough and why.
Read more - basil
Fresh Basil vs. Dried: The Honest Answer for Outdoor Pizza Cooking
Fresh or dried basil on outdoor pizza? We break down what actually works in a 90-second cook and when each one earns its place.
Read more - olive oil
Finishing with Good Olive Oil: When It Matters and When It Does Not
Good finishing olive oil makes a real difference on some pizzas — and none at all on others. Here's when to use it and when to skip it.
Read more - ninja woodfire
How to Read Your Pizza Stone with an Infrared Thermometer
The Ninja Woodfire display measures air temperature, not stone temperature. Here's what that gap means for your crust and exactly how to close it.
Read more - buying-guide
Prime Day Pizza Oven Deals 2026 — What's Worth Watching
Prime Day runs June 23–26. Here's which outdoor pizza ovens and accessories are worth watching, what kind of discounts to expect, and how to avoid the deals that aren't.
Read more - flour
00 Flour vs. Bread Flour for Pizza: The Baker's Guide
The real difference between 00 flour and bread flour for pizza dough, and how to pick the right one for your outdoor oven and cook style.
Read more - dough
Why Hand-Stretching Pizza Dough Beats Using a Rolling Pin
Hand stretching pizza dough preserves air bubbles and texture that a rolling pin crushes out. Here's what actually happens and why it matters.
Read more - ninja woodfire
The Best Pizza & Outdoor Cooking Accessories Under $50
The gear that actually improves your backyard pizza nights and outdoor cooks — all under $50, and all tested on our Ninja Woodfire patio setup.
Read more - dough
How to Tell When Your Dough Is Actually Ready to Open
The signs that tell you pizza dough is ready to stretch — and the common mistakes most beginners make by opening it too early and rushing the process.
Read more - cold weather cooking
Cold-Weather Pizza Oven Preheating: What Actually Changes
Cold temps affect how your outdoor pizza oven preheats. Here's what to expect and how to adjust before your first cook of the season.
Read more - peels
Two Peels vs. One — Is a Turning Peel Worth Owning?
Whether you need a second peel for pizza rotation depends on your oven and how often you cook. Here's how we think about it and what finally made us buy one.
Read more - ninja woodfire
Ninja Woodfire Accessories Worth Buying (And What's a Waste)
After months of cooking everything from Neapolitan-style pizzas to pulled pork on our Ninja Woodfire, here's the honest breakdown of what's worth buying.
Read more - recipes
9 Pizza Night Recipes That Aren't Just Margherita
Margherita is a classic for a reason — but here are nine creative pizza topping combinations worth rotating into your backyard pizza nights, from hot honey pepperoni to Korean BBQ short rib.
Read more - hosting
Backyard Pizza Night Setup — Everything You Need
The complete guide to hosting a backyard pizza night: four stations, the gear worth buying, and the details that make the difference between a chaotic evening and a smooth one.
Read more - gear
The Best Outdoor Pizza Ovens Under $500: Honest Comparison
Five outdoor pizza ovens under $500 compared: Ooni Koda 12, Ooni Fyra, Solo Stove Pi, Ninja Woodfire, Cuisinart 3-in-1 — and the one spec that matters most.
Read more - fuel
Storing pellets through a humid New England summer
Hardwood pellets are picky about moisture. Here's how we keep them pizza-ready from May through the first hard frost.
Read more - recipe
Our 72-hour cold-ferment dough
The Friday-night dough we've been refining for two summers — sourdough-friendly, weather-tolerant, and built for both a Ninja Woodfire and an Ooni.
Read more - intro
Welcome to New England Crust
Why we're starting a backyard pizza site, and what you can expect from it — Ninja Woodfire, Ooni, and the small art of running both.
Read more