Recipe Literacy

Mt. Tambora Pizza Cones

So you want to make a Pizza Cone so memorable it could be described as the food version of the Mt. Tambora explosion in Indonesia? This is the perfect recipe for you then (Peabody, 2012). After learning about the volcanic eruption, I set out to master the best Pizza Cone (because it’s like the food version of a volcano in terms of looks). 

According to Volcanodiscovery.com, Mt. Tambora has been deemed the "Pompeii of Indonesia" after it’s eruption in 1815 which emptied about 50-150 cubic km of magma and measures 7 on the VEI scale. (2016) so you can imagine the challenge I was taking on to match this in food. 

So after many many MANY attempts to try and perfect the delicate combination of taste and texture with a fun food experience, I’m finally ready to share my secret recipe with you all! If you try it, send me a picture of your finished product - I’d love to see what you all create, maybe even add your own spin on things! 

Mt. Tambora Pizza Cones ★★★☆☆

Prep: 25 minutes Cook: 45 minute Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

1 can (30 km) of mountain

1-3 cans (50-150 cubic km) volcanic magma 

3 miles of pumice in the form of floating islands

100, 000 people affected by the eruption (either displaced or killed because of it)

A pinch of lava domes and flows 

5 cups (approximately) of ash and aerosols

*** optional: if you want to make a side of tsunami to enjoy with or after your volcanic pizza cone, go for it! I find you basically can’t have one without the other! :) 

Steps: 

Preheat the oven to 1815℉

Combine the mountain with the volcanic magma and shake well → this will form a 6 km wide and 1250 m deep caldera (2016)

Add the floating islands of pumice and keep there for approximately 4 years after the eruption. Observe well

With the global climatic effects from the second step, slowly add the 100, 000 people so that they are affected for years to come

Take everything you have created and cook for 45 minutes

Once cooked, remove from the oven. Add the pinch of lava domes and flows to your caldera and let it sit for the 19th and 20th century.

To finish, add your ash and aerosol remembering to keep adding to it for years to follow because of the climatic consequences of the eruption

Optional - Once you’ve finished, be sure to enjoy the tsunami with wave heights of approximately 10+meters 

Recipe references:

Peabody, B. (2012, September 28). Pizza Cones. Tablespoon.com. https://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/pizza-cones/563fbf09-d041-4518-a492-07dcfe45c920. 

Tambora. Tambora Volcano, Sumbawa (Indonesia) - facts & information / VolcanoDiscovery. (2016, May 29). https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/tambora.html#quakeTable.