Fire in the oven!

That is, the PIZZA oven. But let me explain. For five years, we've rented the same house in Provence, a house with a remarkable garden, a beautiful swimming pool — and a pizza oven. For four years, we've attempted to make our own pizzas in the wood-burning oven, only to face uncooked dough, ash-covered cheese, collapsed pies — in other words, unmitigated pizza disaster.

It turns out, fifth time's the charm!

The secret is lighting the fire about an hour before you cook the pizzas. And the...