Pizza In Thailand

[teecee]

Thais love pizzas but most are cooked in an electric or gas oven or bought from 7/11. However, they know about wood ovens and were hopping up and down when they saw one being built at my wife's restaurant.

The oven is no masterpiece of aesthetics but works very well. It was built by an Italian friend who also taught my wife how to cook pizza. I wouldn't tell him but a few people have said that her pizzas are better than the ones he cooked while he was training her. The pizza menu now includes deep pan as well as the original Italian style.

A friend made a video of the oven and a pizza that my wife cooked for him. One of her very first efforts. I've also included here a link to another video that shows the restaurant, Top Cafe, before the oven was built.

Pizza From Wood Oven in Pak Thong Chai, Korat - The Grumpy Expat

Top Cafe, Pak Thong Chai, Korat - The Grumpy Expat

[cobblerdave]

Re: Pizza In Thailand

Gudday
Thanks for posting details of your cafe and oven.
There has been a lot news lately of the monsoon floods and the flood threat to Bankok....hope the cafe and you and your are safe and dry

Regards Dave

[teecee]

Re: Pizza In Thailand

Hi Cobbler Dave.

Thanks for asking.

We are in the Isaan region, north west of Bangkok by about four hours. Last year our market town was flooded by up to 2m when one of the dams in the mountains was opened to save it from collapse. Mismanagement was the reason and that has played part this year in the Bangkok floods.

However, we are safe and dry here this year. It was touch and go, though. Our only problems are stock shortages in the supermarkets (but the local food supplies are OK so far) and travel problems for those wanting to get to Bangkok and the main airport. Bangkok's domestic airport is under water.

Today is the crunch time. Flood water continues to reach Bangkok from the north and the high tides will reach their peak.

The economic results of this will last for months. People have lost homes and business contents. Around 500 people have died. Big factories and food distribution depots will be closed for many weeks and jobs will be lost. Inflation is already an issue here and will probably get worse.

However, we can still enjoy our pizzas provided that the ingredients remain available!

This image shows what is most upsetting. The old lady in the army truck seems to have enough to contend with already.

[WesinThailand]

Re: Pizza In Thailand

Hi teecee,
Nice to see this thread. Just finished my oven a couple of weeks ago(in my backyard) and haven't actually made pizza but have cooked roasts & baked some cornbread. Do you use the local charcoal for fuel? So far I haven't been able to reach the temperatures I was expecting but real close. I plan on pizza, bread and cookies this coming week.

[teecee]

Re: Pizza In Thailand

Hi Wes,

Use wood, not charcoal. Experiment with different types of wood but you will find that hard wood is best for slow burning and heat once the fire is going nicely. Avoid smokey wood unless you want to add some smoke flavour. Scrap wood is available free or cheap. Scrap eucalyptus from buiders is good for getting the fire up to temperature.

Allow an hour for the temperature to get to where you need it to be. It's important that the floor gets hot and holds the heat.

We can cook pizza in two minutes at full temperature. The oven also cooks pork steaks and joints, corn and potatoes in super fast time.

Enjoy!