If you have ever been in a kitchen with a cooking pizza you will know the answer – the smell of the thing! You cannot afford to miss good preparation, and if you have the time, make your own dough. You can buy freshly prepared dough from most good supermarkets, if you can’t spare the time to make your own.
Any food that you can enjoy from home should fill the room and whet the appetite, such as indian food which has a unique freshness.
I have recently been converted to home-made pizzas, and like most, the inspiration comes from experiences in restaurants. There is a restaurant near to me on the seafront, which makes great pizzas, and loves to entertain. i think the Italians and Spanish are untouchable for entertainment value, as I love the combination of tasty meals and a bit of fun. In Spain, particularly in Asturias, they have there own method of pouring the local cider or ‘sidre’. The waiter looks as if he is in a trance, whilst pouring the drink from above his head into a glass. Pointless – but great entertainment!
The Italians are great with dough preparation and like to display it, and how important the process is to the food. The secret of a great pizza, according to them, is the preparation at the start, and the correct temperature in the oven. This dough becomes much softer and more flexible than at the start of the process. I know this to be true, because in the restaurant they bring it to your table, as entertainment, so that you can touch it yourself! They are masters of the art of ‘spinning’ the dough, helping to create the familiar shape that we all know.
When fully prepared with all the toppings and trimmings, it is ready to go into the oven. It takes about ten to fifteen minutes until your taste buds are assaulted by the smell emanating from the oven. You are not limited to being inside whilst enjoying your meal. Weather permitting, you can enjoy the entertainment and spill out on the seafront or the beach! Great food, sunset on the beach and good company – marvellous!
