Local Oven Hits 900° Again; Crust Described as “Leopard-Spotted”
Ninety seconds in the fire, two days of dough, and a neighborhood that keeps coming back for one more slice.
EAST NASHVILLE — Every morning at seven, before the first slice is sold, the dough that was mixed two days earlier comes out of the walk-in. It has been resting, slowly fermenting, getting lighter and more flavorful while the rest of us slept.
By eleven the oak is burning white-hot. Each pie spends about ninety seconds in the fire: long enough for the rim to puff and char in little dark spots, short enough for the mozzarella to stay soft. Sources close to the oven describe the result as "leopard-spotted," "worth the drive," and "gone."
The menu is short on purpose. Tomatoes come from one farm in Italy, basil from a planter by the back door, and the hot honey from a beekeeper in Joelton. Slices are sold at the counter all day; whole pies take about twelve minutes.
Asked for comment, the oven said nothing, as ovens do. It is expected to reach 900° again tomorrow.
