Another Adventure at the Aadheenam

Surrounded by water, woods and wildlife, the monks dial-in their craft at cooking food with fire. The once a month pizza night has rolled around again, and Natyam Rajanatha mans the oven. Let's see what happens.

The wood oven is surrounded by water. Although the work can get pretty hot, with air temperatures going over 900F inside the oven, the cooling waters of Kauai encircle the baking monk.

Rajanatha begins by starting a fire from wood collecting by Acharya Kumarnathaswami. Our woodshop produces so much extra lumber it\

s hard not to make a fire. '

While the oven heats up to a floor temp of about 700F, the monks stationed in the kitchen start building pizza creations from the dough prepared by Natyam earlier in the day. These are not sourdough crusts as the lactic acid from the culture tends to clash with the cheesy goodness.

The floor calms down a few hundred degrees but the air temp stays hot, around 900F. A constant fire is fed for the duration of the cooking. Natyam takes the pie and turns it every 40 seconds to ensure an even bake. Ever listen to Gurudeva\

s Self God while making pizza? You aught to give it a try. '

A close-up of the uncooked product. The cheese is easy to melt evenly. The challenge comes with the toppings that are larger and full of water. These pineapples are going to test Natyam\

s skill. '

Pizza in, pizza out. Each one takes about 2 minutes.

The inner core of the monastery pictured here. The red staircase goes up to Satguru\

s \"Ryokan.\" A ryokan is a type of traditional Japanese inn that originated in the Edo period (1603–1868), when such inns served travelers along Japan\'s highways. They typically feature tatami-matted rooms and other public areas where visitors may wear yukata and talk with the owner. '

The finished pizza comes out for a check. Is it ready?

Yes! Those dark spots are an indicator that the Maillard reaction has taken place. The reaction is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its desirable flavor. In the process, hundreds of different flavor compounds are created. These compounds, in turn, break down to form yet more new flavor compounds, and so on.

Where did the pizza cutter go? What was it Gurudeva said? Life is meant to be lived joyously. Aloha Everyone.

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