10 DECEMBER 2020
EDITOR’S LETTER’TWAS LATE THE OTHER NIGHT,
when from my kitchen there
arose such a clatter that I sprang
from my bed to see what was
the matter. But this was no jolly
elf coming down my chimney:
It was my sink. It had come
loose from its seal and crashed
down into the cabinet below.
How very 2020.
After I cleaned up the mess and called a plumber, it occurred to me that
maybe my sink had failed because of the workout I’d given it this year. I’d
cooked, and cleaned up from, uncountable family dinners while stuck at
home. Maybe, I thought, I should see this disaster as a badge of honor.
(“That’s right. I cooked so hard this year that I broke the kitchen sink!”)
For the most part, I’m doing my best to be grateful for all of this time at
home, broken sinks and all. There’s a lot to be thankful for here, including
more hours at the table with my family. By the same token, we at Food &
Wine are grateful for your readership this year. You’ve opened your minds
to some pretty deep topics, including culinary cannabis, a celebration of 400
years of Black cooking in America, and the future of independent restaurants.
Thanks, too, for following us down rabbit holes on big DIY cooking projects
like laminated pastry dough. (We have two more in this issue: how to make
giftable candies while mastering sugar science [see “Candy Magic,” p. 98]
and how to make your own holiday tamales [“Merry X-Masa,” p. 112].) Finally,
thank you for letting us know which of the hundreds of tested and trusted
recipes you want more of. (Please keep the email feedback coming!)
Who knows what the year ahead will bring? For now, let’s celebrate the
time we have with the ones we love, with gratitude. Thanks for reading and
cooking from Food & Wine, and stay well this holiday season.Review: A Tale of Two Pizza Ovens
Silver
Linings
Subscription Help:
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us at FAWcustserv@
cdsfulfillment.com or
call 1-800-333-6569.HUNTER LEWIS
@NOTESFROMACOOK
[email protected]OONI KARU
($329, ooni.com)
Last winter, Ooni began
targeting my Instagram
feed with ads for its mini
pizza ovens, so I asked
the company to send
me its Karu model to
test. I fell in love with it,
a 26-pound rectangu-
lar marvel of stainless
steel and ceramic fiber,
during the first firing
with charcoal and wood.
Within 30 minutes, my
infrared thermometer
clocked the pizza stone
at 900 degrees, and after
I dialed in the size of the
wood flame that licked
the roof of the oven and
washed over the dough,
the machine turned
out gorgeously charred
pizzas with crispy bot-
toms and bubbly crusts
in less than 90 seconds.
PROS: Lightweight and
ideal for wood cooking
and flavor. Fires burn hot
and clean in the fuel tray.
CONS: The gas burner
attachment ($90) is
flimsy and doesn’t gener-
ate enough consistent
propane heat on windy
days. Also, the oven
worked great at home,
but it was a little finicky on
the road for camping or
tailgating.
VERDICT: Buy the Ooni
Karu to make killer back-
yard pies with true wood-
fired flavor.Yes, you’ve earned one of these machines. Here’s
what mini oven to ask for or gift and why.GOZNEY ROCCBOX
($499, gozney.com)
I put Gozney’s 44-pound
steel, silicone, and stone
Roccbox through the
same paces as its com-
petition. Comparing the
oven’s hyper-efficient,
propane-fired, 950-
degree energy output
to that of bulky restau-
rant pizza ovens is like
comparing the comput-
ing power of a modern
smartphone to those
room-size not-so-super-
computers of the 1960s.
In fact, the Roccbox’s gas
heat is so powerful that
you’ll want to lower the
flame once you’ve maxed
out the temperature to
ensure the pizzas don’t
blister too quickly on the
top before the interior
dough finishes cooking.
PROS: Solid, thick-walled
construction, super-
stable tripod legs, and a
nifty pizza peel.
CONS: Can’t compete
with Ooni for wood-fired
purists. The hopper in
the wood burner acces-
sory fills too quickly with
ash, clogging airflow
and snuffing out the fire,
though a new 2.0 model
($100) promises better
results and also accom-
modates charcoal.
VERDICT: Buy the
dependable, durable
Gozney Roccbox to make
gas-fired Neapolitan-
style pies at home or at
your tailgate or campsite.Celebrate the Holidays with F&W
We’re throwing a virtual party on December 5, just in time for the giving season. Hosted by F&W Culinary
Director at Large Justin Chapple, we’ll take you into the homes of some of our favorite chefs and celebrities,
who’ll share recipes, entertaining tips, and wine picks for the holidays. Go to foodandwine.com/classicathome
or scan the QR code at right for more information and to register. See you there!CLASSICphotography by RAMONA ROSALESPIZZA OVEN PHOTOGRAPHY (FROM LEFT): COURTESY OF OONI, COURTESY OF GOZNEY