YES EXACTLY. After building our cob wood-fired oven, we'll never, ever be able to go back to anything else. Andrew and I haven't pinpointed the exact Thing that makes it so good--like you said, a combination of the smoke or bricks or wood--but it is SO GOOD. Your pineboard assembly "plate" is brilliant--that would certainly make our guests-over-for-pizza-nights go a little more smoothly! Gonna take that idea.