Kids Make Pizza Every Sunday @ Coalhouse in Stamford
Liz Rueven
Sundays are pizza making days for kids at Coalhouse Pizza in Stamford. First rule co-owner, Gerard Robertson, puts out there? DON’T BE AFRAID TO MAKE A MESS! Better his place than yours, and a lot more fun, for sure. If one too many rainy days has given your clan cabin fever, this is a great way to get out, make your own pizza and learn something too.
Robertson invites kids of all ages to pull up a stool and gently work a ball of dough on the long stretch of white marble that wraps around the pizza prep area and the enormous coal oven. The afternoon is definitely EDU-TAINMENT as he teaches about the four simple ingredients in COALHOUSE’S cracker thin, whole wheat and white crusts. Make a mess, toss the flour around a bit, affable Robertson, an uncle to 15 nieces and nephews, won’t mind a bit. He explains the wonders of combining “OO” flour (super fine, almost pastry like, which explains the delicate and crunchy crust), water, a pinch of sea salt and yeast. “Everyone has their own technique with dough, just don’t overwork it!” he cautions his captivated audience, ranging in age from four to whatever.
The kids are then invited to ladle Coalhouse’s tangy, tomato sauce, chose as many toppings as they like, and finish preparing their individual pies. They stand back while the older participants throw a lump of anthracite coal into the oven. Part of the fun is guessing how hot this coal burning oven can get. ANSWER: it ranges from 650-1200 degrees, depending on how long the oven has been fired up and which section of the oven the temperature is being measured.
For $7.75, the price of a small pie, your kids will learn a little about a lot of fascinating things ranging from the value of using organic ingredients to the tranfer of energy. It would be unfair of me to not mention Coalhouse Pizza’s DESSERT PIZZA (above). A generous smear of chocolaty Nutella serves as a base for a lofty pile of toasted mini marshmallows, covered in powdered sugar and brightened with slices of fresh strawberries. Proceed with caution! The kids have to go home with you after the pizza and dessert are “all gone.”
There are many special events happening here on an almost daily basis. The owners’ love for music is expressed in a wide array of bookings, ranging from local singer/songwriter to jazz and blues groups. They serve many crafted beers and often highlight and host brewers. Check their website for more information.
Coalhouse Pizza 85 High Rd. Road in Stamford, in the Bull’s Head Shopping Center.
open 11-11 daily
Reader Comments (6)
Great place, great idea. We are regulars there, but haven't been on a Sunday. What time is this event....any time you walk in in the afternoon, or a fixed window?
We do our pizza making sessions between 11am and 4pm every Sunday and it is a lot of fun! The best part for me is working with the kids who start the process with a little hesitation about making a mess, so I tell them that the first rule of making a great pizza, is to make a great mess -- then we throw around the flour! This let's the kids relax and start having fun right from the start. Hope to see you on Sunday!
I have 5 great kids, ages 12, 11, & 6 year old TRIPLETS who get very excited to help in the kitchen!! what is the best time for us to come without getting in the way??
I'd love to take my 2 1/2 year old to this if there are others that young in age that make the pizza and the mess? This sounds like so much fun for the kids...plus have never tried this pizza before!
All ages are welcome! The busiest times are between 12 and 3, so I would bring the wee ones between 11am and 12pm, and then after 3pm. if you want a more one-on-one experience. Otherwise, just come when you can and I will make a special effort to work with your child! Our ultimate goal in this is to let the kids have some fun while they accomplish something and learn how to a pizza. See you all on Sunday!
COALHOUSE PIZZA is the ultimate experience. Adults can sit and listen to jazz and see the live concerts on the TVs. The kids can make their own pizzas on Sunday, which is always a blast! They learn how to make the pizza round and pick their own toppings. The dessert pizza is the best way to end a meal!!! Coalhouse also has more to offer then just pizza (which there are plenty to choose from). Their salads are plentiful and the wings with all the different sauces to choose from taste and smell out of this world. The adults are allowed to accompany these wings with a wide assortment of beers. You MUST try this restaurant if you never have been! P.S. There's parking all around the bulding too!