The slim blonde woman from Toronto, wearing a loose fitting zebra sequenced jumpsuit, walked into the air conditioned shop just after 8pm, on a Thursday evening in April, and asked where the pizza maker is from?
Modena, Italy. I told her.
She raised her eyebrows in pleasant surprise.
By this late hour of 8pm Chef Vittorio had already sold out of pizza. He began taking orders at 6pm, although at 545pm the a family of five showed up and cemented their first place in line. By 630pm there was a short line snaking through the yard, ending in front of a foldable table, punctuated with menus and thick wooden pizza trays. Behind the table the Chef V was hard at work systematically arranging plastic containers with prepped toppings, priming the oven for high heat, and reading order slips hastily scribbled on white paper by his dark skinned, curly haired female assistant.
Chef V brought his new Gozney oven to this pizza pop up. It is the third pop up we have done together here at the shop, though the first with the new Gozney oven. Every event gets busier. Every time Chef V brings more dough balls and every night he sells out. He laments not bringing more ingredients. For weeks Chef had been sending me staged photos of the new Gozney oven set up in various situations.
Pizza ovens, while basically all accomplishing the same goals, have individual tweaks that take time to master. The Gozney burns hotter then the previous oven, there fore requiring the chef to adjust cook times and movement accordingly. Pizza making demands rhythm. Adjusting to a new oven is like a Formula 1 driver in a new car. Since receiving the new oven here in Costa Rica (the process of shipping and obtaining anything here is an ordeal….) Chef V has been surprised by the small differences and the adjustments required, though enjoying the experience.
The dough is home made. At his private kitchen, before the actual event, Chef V. organizes a small cadre of plastic green containers, each delicately packed with softball size balls of sticky gluten. Each pizza order demands a single container of dough, which he calmly empties onto a floured wooden board, kneads out carefully without tearing the delicate texture, and shapes into a small 20 inch circle, thick enough to support a healthy dose of cheese and sauce and toppings, yet trim enough to fit inside the 400 degree portable Gozney pizza oven.
The process is theatrical and fascinating. A culinary mix of craft and efficiency. He proceeds with his head down, eyes sternly fixed on each pizza preparation, his black t shirt speckled with flour and flakes of charred crust, making pizzas live in front of a hungry audience in the backyard of a small surf shop in Costa Rica. An ironic display of excellence. The absence of kitchen walls to separate the maker from the consumer produces an intimate setting. Even with the weight of attention Chef V is able to focus on the current order, gently dropping basil leaves and tuna on a freshly shaped sphere of dough, ready to be moved and slid into the hard working mouth of a burning pizza oven.
Once in the oven the pizza must be rotated in a timely manner. This is the touch. Moving the pizza so the crust is cooked but not burnt. Watching the curious domes of dough rise up along the baking crust with measured patience and steely confidence. Witnessing the cheese melt just enough. Ensuring the vegetables are braised but not dried out. Sliding the pizza peel under the pie with dancing wrists and sensitive fingers. This is the connection. The focus born of passion and immediacy. This is the time that matures a pizza maker. This is bravery. Negotiating with the flames, anticipating the heat, embracing the sizzle, confident in the timing. An imperfect elegance. No two pizzas are exactly the same, and every preparation is a solo adventure. Four minutes in the oven and this hand crafted culinary art ready to serve.
The girls from across the street brought the fashions. A large white tent with accompanying illumination was efficiently erected in the front yard to sell Capri dresses. These sorts of dresses adorn numerous stalls at the popular farmers markets that pepper the coastal towns here along the celebrated Costa de Oro. Long, flowing floral patterns, or straight bright colors, this style of tropical bohemian dresses suggest erotic adventure with dignity and pride. The mannequin was fitted with a bright red dress that double wrapped around the waist and exposed the back. The Argentinian entrepreneur who recently purchased the brand wore a similar fitting dress, but in a glossy black, with flared pants and exposed inseams. Women’s clothes hung from horizontal bamboo poles tied to the tents metal frame. They did a fabulous job of inspiring a notion of magic and imagination that should arise from daring fashion choices in the jungle.
Everybody loves fresh pizza and good style.
Warm fairy lights hung from the short Rancho style backyard roof and kept the vibe cozy. A finely curated playlist provided a lively yet mellow soundtrack that began with an Idles cover of Damaged Goods and finished with Never To Late by Nat Turner Rebellion. A diverse mix of 62 songs included selections from Sam and Dave, De La Soul, The Clash, Radiohead, Doechi (of course….), Canonball Adderely and Donna Summer. Alive yet not abrasive. This quiet jungle crowd milling around with wine and pizza and bare feet absolutely do not need to be startled or preached to.
Chef V loved the playlist, especially The Strokes playing Last Night.
Inside the shop was air condition cooled and candle lit. With the large windows and high wood ceilings the small showroom softens at night and offers a salon atmosphere for the more discerning bar room crowd. Bit more sophisticated then the raw jungle vibes prevalent in the front and back yards. Less crowded. Less pizza party and more wine bar sensations. Stained Adirondack chairs to sit and converse from. Lively topics range from surf conditions to favorite restaurants in New York City; the progress of the road repairs to the recent developments in the more populated towns north and south of Marbella. A vibrant mix of characters drank Chilean wine and local kombucha, pontificating on an array of subjects, from stock markets to Alaskan fishing trawlers.
The rose from my fave wine shop in Nosara Bottle O was particularly popular.
Eventually I switched on the turntable and played Lemonade. Then Kid A. Then Blues and Roots. The soft curves and steady lines of a vinyl record further imbibed the room. Through out the evening various people passed through the shop and happily commented on the hifi set up and the selection of records leaning against a wall under the hanging t shirt rack. Vinyl records make people smile. Perhaps a healthy combination of nostalgia and audio appreciation reminds people to slow down even more, and be transported back to more intentional times of record players, before the tinny chaos of streamers and algorithmic playlists.
Of course the New Yorkers were the last to leave.
The enduring simplicity of these pizza pop ups is really their measure of their success. The harmless concoction of people and pizza and music, collectively surviving in a raw and sometimes difficult environment, is a winning equation for this little shop, in this wild jungle, as guests in this welcoming country. For these people whom attend and participate and enjoy we are very grateful to. It’s always the people. And the pizza.
PIZZA + PEOPLE + MUSIC = POP UP LOVE
A universal equation.
