'Dragon' to Cook Pizza at Eagle Rock Block Party

Have you ever wanted to get up close and personal with a mythological creature? This Saturday, Aug. 27, a dragon will visit Eagle Rock—thanks to the Fifth Annual Eagle Rock Block Party jointly hosted by , and .

There’s no need to be nervous, however. The visiting winged dragon, named Sparky, may stand 13 feet high and look like the figurehead of a Viking war vessel—but it’s friendly and will be feeding Eagle Rockers instead of trying to eat them.

Pizza With a Purpose

Like the dragons of mythology, Sparky has a fire in her belly—never mind that the belly is actually an oven, a marvel constructed out of low-tech “cob” (clay, sand and straw) and high-tech jet plane parts. Sparky’s purpose—to bring perfect pizza to the party masses—may seem like a humble mission, but it’s part of a larger green-and-sustainable effort by her creator, Ray Cirino.

Dubbed “the Mad Scientist” in the “L.A. People 2009” issue of L.A. Weekly, Cirino is a permaculturist; that is, someone who specializes in sustainable (permanent) agriculture. He created Sparky to be as efficient and clean-burning an oven as possible.

“A lot of smoke escapes most wood-burning ovens like the ones at Whole Foods and California Pizza Kitchen,” says Cirino. By contrast, a “rocket oven”—Sparky’s technical designation—is like cooking with “lightning in a bottle.”

Green and Good

The permaculturist, who studied architecture for a time, points out that all of the wonderfully odiferous smoke that seeps out of most barbecues and pizza ovens is actually “unused fuel” that is not only carcinogenic but bad for the planet because it pollutes the air and is inefficient because it requires more wood to be burned than necessary. 

The original rocket oven was actually created in an effort to address deforestation in Mexico, where trees were being burned for fuel. Cirino says a rocket oven is more efficient because heat bounces off the concave surfaces of the cooker’s interior and food cooks faster as a result.

The Dragon Does Veggies

Kids will be awed by the towering Sparky’s deceptively fierce façade and technophiles fascinated by terms such as “Venturi intake” and “jet manifold”—some of the scavenged parts that Cirino used to build Sparky. Foodies and ordinary folks, however, will be far more concerned with the quality of the cuisine that Sparky produces. 

Cirino and Sparky recently made an appearance at the launch of Plant Based Parties, a new venture by the Glassell Park-based Jennie Cooks Catering, and the verdict is in: This dragon can cook!  

Pizza after pizza popped out of the oven—perfectly blistered crusts topped with glistening, oil-roasted vegetables and rich, basil-and-garlic-scented pesto.

The Ultimate Party Animal

On Saturday, “ultimate party animal” Sparky will be attending the Eagle Rock Block Party from noon to 6 p.m.  Local faves Little Faith will be playing free live music on the patio from 7-10 p.m. and the Lardon Truck will provide Eagle Rockers with porcine treats from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. READ Books will be offering 20 percent discounts on books during the event.

The “mad scientist” of pizza and permaculture is happy to bring Sparky to any event, large or small, private or corporate. Cirino—a late addition to the 5th Annual Eagle Rock Block Party—is particularly pleased to attend because of Toros Pottery owner Toros Tngrian. He’s a “wonderful soul,” says Cirino, adding: “Community and building bridges through friendship is more important to me than anything.”

Want some mouth-watering magic at your next bash? Contact Ray Cirino at (818) 834-7074 or ray@dragonoven.com.