Make Your Own Neapolitan Pizza?

by Steven Doyle

Last evening I had a chance to catch up with a friend who was attending a cooking class and decided to join her. The class seemed a bit different than most as it was set in a private chefs home. I was told that she had installed a wood burning oven and was offering pizza-making classes.

Walking into the residence I was a bit apprehensive, but was immediately greeted by the group of women that had gathered and handed a nice glass of wine. The wine flowed freely through out the evening making the group a bit louder and certainly more soulful.

Gail Waxman owns Bubble and in her home she has one of the finest pizza ovens made by Renato which are actually created locally in Garland. Many restaurants have these ovens installed in their kitchens including Zanata in Rockwall and Plano. The Rockwall location has a bank of the ovens installed, and they are quite pricey. Chef Waxman’s oven cost her nearly 30 grand, a major investment but one she is quite happy with. She not only teaches but also entertains, and the ability to make 6 pies at once comes in handy. 

In addition to the pizza classes Waxman also offers a pasta class. Then there’s the kids camp where children learn everything from cooking to dining etiquette.  She also has her meal delivery service where she cooks for families with a variety of circumstances. Some might be working families short on time, others might be the exhausted stay-at-home mom short on time and long on responsibility but still wishes to offer home cooked meals.

Waxman also stumbled onto a niche that has taken off. She has studied the nutritional needs of cancer patients and is able to offer palatable meals to service the home-bound patient.

All the meals are from scratch and include a salad, a protein, a vegetable and dessert. Each week she emails out menus to her clientele and delivers the meals that can easily be heated.

Today I sat in on the pizza class with a group of fun women (lucky me, I was the only guy in the crowd) and we cooked, laughed and enjoyed a few glasses of wine. The class can be serious for those wanting to gain additional skills and knowledge, or just fun for those wanting to hang out with a few of their friends.

Like so many before her, chef Waxman learned her Italian cooking skills after vacationing in Italy and returned to take several month long classes to hone specialized skills.

Waxman can cater the classes around any group or skill level. I have my eye on the upcoming pasta making class.  Check out her website for more details.