I happened across some information on the subject, apparently they're pluses in using 2 stones, I will give this a try.

Put one on the top and one on the bottom shelf in your oven. You'll see an immediate improvment in the crust, texture, and color of your breads. Just allow a few extra minutes for your pizza stones to warm up when you preheat the oven.

This info came from:
http://www.otherwhen.com/SourDough/bakingstones.html

Just thought I'd share my experiment using 2 pizza stones, 1 placed a the lowest position in the oven & the other stone placed 2 rack spaces above. Baked off the pizza & had my best results ever. Just wish I had a photo of past pizza to show the differences, trust me there's no comparisons.....

Here's a of photo of the pizza I made for last nights dinner.

Lucy

Yummm!

Shelley

WOW....Lucy your crust turned out wonderfully. I was going to ask for a stone for Christmas but now I shall ask for 2!

Thanks for following up with pictures.

Michelle

Mmmmmm, I almost ate my monitor!

Do you use the same temperature? Do you have an extra large oven, or a normal size oven? I'm thinking my basic 30" (?) range oven wouldn't be big enough for what you describe.

What a great deal, a baking stone for a dollar!

Sally

A baking stone (or two) is on my wish list also ... :) Yummy looking pizza.

Thank you. I can't believe the remarkable results myself, I've been making pizza's on the stone for years and this one out surpasses all the ones that came before!

Michelle, the crust was all bubbly, crisp, & tender, and best of all the cheese didn't burn! If time allows, I'll mix up some bread dough over the weekend. I'll keep ya posted!

Sally, I preheated the stones @475 degrees, & my oven is not an extra large, just the normal standard 30".... my next house will have the gourmet kitchen w/the stove of my dreams :-)

Lucy

Also excellent for blind-baked pie crusts.

Carol

another view

OMG Lucy, your pizza has me drooling over my keyboard. Best looking pizza I've seen.

Ann

I am anxious to see how the bread turns out! I'd also like to see how English Muffins work with the 2 stones...bet they would bake to perfection!!

Michelle

Lucy: Just peeped in again and had to take a look.
I'll second all the comments and add one.
SHOWOFF !!!!!!! LOL
LOU

What's your recipe - for the crust and the topping?

Sally

Stop it!!!!!!

It's not fair to show pictures like that! It's only 9 a.m. and I want a piece!

Yeah really, knock it off!!!

MICHELLE, I've only made the English Muffins according to your directions, how would I bake them, wouldn't they rise like buns???

Ann, Thank You..

Lou ((((()))))
;^)

Gardengrl, wish I had taken a piece w/me for lunch!

Sally, I use Julia Child's recipe, w/the addition of 1 tbs of EVVO that's incorporated w/the liquids of the recipe. For me that makes 2 large thin crust pizza's.

http://www.cyber-kitchen.com/recipes/French_Bread.htm

For the sauce I use whole plum canned tomato's that I break up between my fingers, with additional juices from the can. Then add some basil, oregano, onion & garlic powder. Low moisture slim milk mozzarella, (whole milk type does not work well on pizza, melts but becomes to firm & not stringy & stretchy). On this pizza, I had sauted some sliced onions & green peppers until limp & cooled.

Placed in this order on the crust, tomato, cheese, onion & peppers topped w/a drizzle of EVVO & that's it.

Lucy

Aren't they gorgeous! My pizza never looks like that. Guess what I'm going to be making tomorrow, now? You guys are a bad, bad influence.

Don't you just want to reach through the monitor?! I love how melty and crispy and shiny they are.

And my part skim mozz never melts up like that...are you using a "special" brand, lucy?

Nina

Oh Lucy that is without a doubt the finest looking pizza I have ever seen! Interesting about the mozzarella. If gone to using fresh moz becasue I like the texture so much better than regular. Will have to try the skim milk version.

What have you got it resting on in the first pic?

Nina,
I usually get whatever they have at the "wholesale type of markets" like Sam's, BJ's, or Costco, & get the shredded 5 lb. bag. Probably use approx 2 cups plus or minus, I don't measure, I just lay it on top when it looks about right I stop adding. We tend not to like it heavy w/the cheese though.

Your comment "I love how melty and crispy and shiny they are" is all due to the baking benefit of using 2 stones. Invite me up & I'll gladly show you the way ;), should I bring the stones? ;)

Lucy

Chase,
It's sitting on a large pizza tray, just like the ones that pizza is served on at the restaurants. Picked those up at a restaurant supply store, as well as my large pizza peel to slide the pizza onto the stone.

Lucy

Interesting about the part skim melting better. In my Cook's Illustrated cookbook, the lasagne recipe specifically calls for whole milk because it melts better. But then again, I just went on their web site and saw that...

In May 2003 they "busted the myth" that pre-shredded mozzarella is inferior to block cheese, saying "That said, we were shocked to find that the preshredded cheeses scored on par with their counterparts in block form." But then...

In Feb 2005 they compared different brands of mozzarella for pizza and concluded, "Certainly, donÂt use preshredded cheese. The convenience is simply not worth the sacrifice in taste and texture."

It's not the first inconsistency I've noticed with them. (I still like them though.)

Chase,
Thank you. I use the fresh mozz when I make a "Margarita Pizza" which is a must. All others types, I use the low moisture slim type.

Lucy

Lucy,

I will experiment by using my cast iron pizza pan for the pizza itself and baking stone on top & report back. You're welcome any time, with or without the baking stones :-). BYOBS?

Interesting about the mozzarella. I buy the small bags of pre-shredded for conveniece & those seem kind of dry. So for that reason I tended to avoid the giant bags of pre-shredded. My husband and son just love pizza and I'm sure there's be no complaining if I went on a pizza making bender.

Soo...preheat the stones along with the oven, slide the pizza on & bake until melty & crispy & shiny?

I've got to do this!

I also find it amazing (and delightful) that you've managed to take something as familiar and basic as pizza and start a frenzy over it :-).

Nina

Lucy, thanks for sharing your findings. I'll have to try it out. Btw, your pizza looks dangerously delicious, and I especially like the larger image; it has me craving a pizza as big as the size of my screen monitor. Nirvana.

Sol

Nina,
Regarding your cast iron pan, I'm not sure, as I haven't used one. I would venture to guess though, that if you were able to make your pizza on something that would allow you to transfer to the pizza stone & have the cast iron pan sitting above, I think you would have terrific results.

Sol, TY...get all those cakes done??? ;-)

Lucy

Thanks, Lucy. DH is now on alert for pizza stones at the estate sales he goes to.

Sally

Your pizza looks wonderful - makes me wish I had two stones. I'll be watching to see if anyone tries the pizza on a stone, iron pan above idea.

Lee

Lucy: I peeped again.
Do you think one of your Pizza's would survive
a couple of days thru the mail.It's 30 deg. now.

How about a little test.
Try some New Yorker Provolone chopped up and mixed,
with some of your cheese in one spot on your next Pizza.
It doesn't get rubbery when cool and has a good flavor.
Been using it since the 60's. May be surprized.

Id'a looka lika, you baked the Pizza with only the Sauce for for awhile,
then put the cheese on to finish baking.??? NO ?

I peeped too long, Have to go.
Lou

Lou,
Thanks for coming by & peeping once again! Miss ya...
Ya think it could be mailed??? :^ )

Provolone, Yes! OOOhh sooo sooo good when I've added it, but
didn't have any this time to mix in w/the cheese.

To answer your question, I didn't bake w/the sauce first,
it baked all together. I've always baked it off completely
topped, using one stone there was always the possibility
that the cheese would burn, & to avoid that, I'd have to
knock down the cheese as it puffed up. The added bonus
in using the 2 stones, is that it was totally unnecessary to
knock down the cheese, it never puffed. the cheese just
bubbled like molten lava & using this procedure the additional
bonus was, the cheese stayed very stringy & moist.

Peep by anytime (((((LOU)))))

Lucy

It looks delicious Lucy!

So good to see a visit from Lou as well :-)

SharonCb

Hi Lou....glad to see you peeping!

Lucy that pizza of yours looks mighty fine.

This thread has me wondering about having a virtual pizza party sometime after the first of the year, any interest??

Nancy

Thank you, Sharon & Nancy,

Nancy, a virtual pizza party, now how fun would that be.... ; )

Lucy

Nancy, a virtual pizza party, now how fun would that be.... ; )

I'm IN!

I was also thinking of a Cupcake Bake-off for Valentines Day. Would anyone be interested? I think it would be fun to decorate the heck out of cupcakes on a Winter's Day!

Michelle

Pizza party sounds good to me too!

Hi Lou, love the idea of provolone , going to try that next time.

I think Lou suggested the provolone about 4-5 months ago and it is all I use now. I works out much better for pizza!

Michelle

Michelle,
You could count me in, that would be so much fun! Last year I made 72 cupcakes for a Valentine's Day party. Because of time constraints, the decorations had to be quick & easy . But I would love to go to town w/decorating.

Here's a photo of them, sitting on my 3 of my large pizza trays, waiting to be boxed up to be taken to the party.

sure wish there was an edit button! completely missed the error!

I would love a virtual pizza party. Oh, Geez, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it, and I have a while to wait for my baked (on a pizza stone, no less) sweet potatoes to be done. Maybe reading this forum while hungry is a bad idea. LOL

Sally

Hmm, interesting. I have never thought of this.

Lucy, the link you posted with more information does not seem to work.

I guess this could have advantages due to the top stone providing radiant heat downward to better bake the top of the bread (or pizza).

I've been meaning to get to our local tile store to find some unglazed quarry tiles for my oven. Cheaper than "baking stones" and basically the same thing.

I did make some no-knead bread today. This one has some whole wheat flour and sourdough starter. I also added a half cup of dehydrated onions and they hydrated very well during the long slow rising.

Lucy:I feel like a Peeping Tom. Looks like you are having a good time.
I forgot to say " Hello " to my friends.
" HELLO FRIENDS "
Glad to see you tried Provolone. Now I can sleep easy.
If you keep this up, I'll have to bake some pizza.
In a Pan, on a stone, maybe Sicialian ???
LOU

Greginnd: You can use Quarry tile. We talked about this a few months ago. Just be sure that there is air circulation
all around (don't close the shelf completely)
You can do like Lucy and put tile on the oven shelf above the Pizza.
If you can get the tile in 3/4" thickness, that's better.
Maybe your local tile store has some with slight chips,
which can't be used for tile work but
you can get at a bargain price.

Michelle: Why didn't you tell me ??? and I thought you didn't care !!!!!
LOU
PS: don't say anything to Sol or Sharon

Gee Lou, I care...I really do! But there is no way I could tell everyone every time I try something they suggested. I would be doing nothing but posting!! And don't forget I am still trying to build a house.

Lucy, Your Valentine Cupcakes are so cute! I will bring up the Valentine Cupcakes the end of January. I wanted to do it for Halloween, but I was so busy and there just was no time. Since it's Valentine's Day we could do Cocktails and Cupcakes, now that would really be fun!!

Michelle

Greg,
I was curious about the possibilities of using 2 stones (above & below each other) & eventually came across this little blurb at this site. I was looking for conformation to what I was already contemplating.

This is all that I found, but it was enough for me to go ahead & give it a try. The info can be found to the left of the baking stone photo.

"Put one on the top and one on the bottom shelf in your oven. You'll see an immediate improvment in the crust, texture, and color of your breads. Just allow a few extra minutes for your pizza stones to warm up when you preheat the oven."

BTW, I saw your loaf on the other link, looks wonderful

Here is a link that might be useful: using 2 stones

Hi Lucy: I'm back for a minute. The brick ovens work well.
The Bakery I talked to you about;
that baked a loaf with thick crust but tender and crispy,
used brick ovens.
They were about 10 ft. deep. I made a couple of long Peel's
for him.
I built a few outdoor , wood fired , brick ovens in the 50's,
on farms that my relatives owned in NJ. They made good bread.

I miss all of that now but that's progress.

Michelle: I was only kidding. I missed seeing the progress
on your home.
But I'll catch up soon.

I've been busy with personal things.
I'm having a Memorial service next Sat. 24th, in our Clubhouse.
Have to get poster boards, w pics together.

Sol : Are you behaving??? I know Jessy isn't !!!!!

Talk to you all later
LOU

Lucy- See, the siren song of your pizzas, so delicious that they even lured Lou in to take a peek :-).

I must have spaced & completely missed your suggestion about baking the pizza on the stone with the cast iron pan above. I wish that I had noticed it! I'll try it that way this weekend (my guys looooove pizza- I swear that's why my husband married me, the fact that I made pizza & the whole Italian Christmas eve fish frenzy).

I was a woman posessed and made pizza this weekend while test driving recipes for the boozy bake off. Using Julia's french bread recipe for the crust was insipired and produced a much crispier crust than I had ever achieved before. This dough could also be worked much thinner than my usual pizza dough. I'll be using this dough method from now on unless I'm in a super hurry for pizza.

While my pizzas were nowhere near as gorgeous as yours the pizza under the stone (baked on the cast iron pan) was far superior to the one baked over the stone (but not directly on the stone, what a dope I am!). I will begin the quest for a second stone...and a peel! Do we even have a restaurant supply place in our neck of the woods anymore? The one in Port Chester is still there, I think, but the huge one in Elmsford is gone & the one in Peekskill seems to have mainly commercial ranges and giant mixers.

I love to mix provolone in with the mozzarella but my son claims it's "too spicy" (he's 3, whatcha gonna do?)

Oh Lou, I crave one of those outdoor brick ovens! My father used to build them (him being a bricklayer) but he passed when I was a little girl. He'd be very amused to see his little girl pining for one of those old ovens that he used to make. I swear, I'm gonna have to build it myself one of these days.

BTW- I got my baking stone on the clearance shelf at Kohls for 3$ a few years ago. It can't hurt to keep an eye on the dept store clearance, especially after the holidays.

I would definitely be interested in the wirtual pizza party, as well as the cupcakes. throw in cocktails and, well, you're playing my song :-).

Nina

Nina,
You could stop by Bed Bath & Beyond, they have a good rectangle stone that's 3/4" thick, & remember to bring your 20% coupon. The pizza peel, I have a large one that I picked up at the Elmsford Restaurant Supply & a smaller one that I picked up at LNT's in a clearance bin for 1.99, that smaller comes in handy too. I work very close to ERS, could pick it up for ya, if you want.

Lucy- is Elmsford Restaurant Supply still open? I love that place but the last time I passed by they looked awfully dark & the windows were papered over. I can arrange to pass by it on my way home any night if it still is (my husband loves restaurant supply stores almost as much as I do).

And I know that the oh so evil chef central has the Mario Batali peel with the folding handle.

Did you know that Chef Central will accept BB&B along with LnT coupons?

Some more things to keep my eye peeled for. I never thought of checking the "linens" type stores for stones or peels (bet the peels show up at yard sales, too!).

Nina

Nina,
Yes ERS is open, they did some renovations sometime ago, maybe that's why it may have looked dark.

I was just thinking, down in the Arthur Ave Market, there's that guy up towards the front that sells "kitchen" stuff. I know he has the pizza trays for sure, may even have the peels & he's very reasonable. Ya going down there for the "Fish" for x-mas eve???? Arthur Ave has a website,you may find his phone #.

When I purchased my large peel from ERS, (I can make a large pie on it with room to spare). I paid $30 something for it, but that was at least 15 yrs ago. At the time I was so excited that I could buy a "peel", I didn't care how much it cost. Now you see them in BB&B & LNT's, it just a matter of what size is most comfortable for yourself.