GEAR

OH, SO COZY

Bye bye, winter shivers!

PHOTOS BY DONNY MICHEL

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1 Herno puffer jacket, $685 Sigi’s Boutique, La Jolla 2 Women’s v-notch hoodie, $55 Blue Apparel, La Jolla 3 Shawl Dawls blanket wrap, $46 CoCo Rose, Del Mar 4 Handwoven cashmere throw, $1,375 Between The Sheets, Del Mar 5 Ugg Bailey Zip Mini, $160 Cedros Soles, Solana Beach 6 Silk and cotton pajama set, $210 Lavender Home & Garden, Del Mar 7 Softies robe, $109 Lavender Home & Garden, Del Mar 8 Cienna embroided Frida jacket, $259 Satori Designs, Solana Beach 9 Pura Vida mini daypack, $45 The Bikini Shoppe, San Diego 10 RVCA knitted beanie, $26 The Bikini Shoppe, San Diego 11 Scenic La Jolla hoodie, $60 Blue Apparel, La Jolla 12 Buchanan antique tartan lambswool blanket, $220 Sigi’s Boutique, La Jolla

For store details, please see our Directory (pp 70-71).

Pummarò’s Dovizia Pizza features prosciutto, mushrooms, fresh basil, buffalo mozzarella, spicy salami, black and green olives, and a flavorful crust

THE REAL DEAL

What it takes to make authentic Neapolitan pizza

A thin, soft, golden crust that bubbles up and is charred in spots, fresh toppings, and creamy cheese are what we love about Neapolitan-style pizza. Fabio Speziali, the owner of Pummarò Pizzeria in Point Loma, says there are many secrets to making one and he is willing to share a few.

THE INGREDIENTS

Mozzarella cheese is a standard pizza ingredient, but Neapolitan pizzas specifically call for fresh buffalo mozzarella (also known as mozzarella di bufala in Italian). Made from the milk of the water buffalo, buffalo mozzarella is creamier, richer, and more succulent than mozzarella made from cow’s milk. It is also more difficult to find. In fact, Pummarò flies the fresh buffalo mozzarella it uses every two weeks from a designated supplier in Italy. Authentic Italian meats (also known as salumi) are essential to a Neapolitan pizza. Boasting a wide variety of flavors, each meat is seasoned with salt, spices, and herbs and hung to cure, age, and dry in a traditional method. Even the olive oil is imported from Italy. It must be 100 percent extra virgin olive oil made from olives grown, harvested, pressed, and bottled in Italy.

THE TECHNIQUE

Making a Neapolitan pizza isn’t as easy as looking up a recipe on the internet. In fact, Pummarò has a genuine pizzaiolo, a pizza chef from Naples who is thoroughly trained in the Neapolitan way of making pizza. A pizzaiolo knows how to make and manipulate the dough, and how to select the right fresh produce, meats, and cheeses to produce the best flavor. Pummarò’s Chef Christian understands the science behind the cheese he uses. For example, the soft texture of buffalo mozzarella gets watery when it’s heated. Chef Christian has many tricks for decreasing the moisture of the cheese to prevent the pizza from getting soggy. The Associazioine Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) in Naples was created to protect the integrity of pizza makers and pizzerias worldwide. Certified pizzaiolos complete more than 60 hours of training to ensure the traditional superior quality of Neapolitan-style pizza. THE OVEN

It’s not possible to make a Neapolitan-style pizza in a regular kitchen oven. Only an authentic Italian wood-fired brick oven made with top-grade fire bricks will deliver the pizza’s desired flavor and texture. The oven must be circular in shape to maintain optimal airflow, be made from refractory material to reach high temperatures, have a low door to retain the heat, have a resilient cook plate, and be able to reach and maintain a temperature of 900 degrees. Pummarò’s wood-fired pizza oven was imported directly from Italy. Cooked in just 90 seconds, the finished pizza crust is charred in spots, which add flavor to the crust. The charring is desirable because this savory, slightly bitter flavor complements the more subtle tastes of buffalo mozzarella, cured meats, and other toppings. The crust is tender and can be folded for easy eating. ✲

Fresh buffalo mozzarella is one key ingredient

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / FOODSTCK

LEARNING GOES WILD

What interactive habitats can teach us

PHOTOS BY ANNALISA JOHNSON

Do you have childhood memories of visiting the zoo? Laughing at the monkeys as they swung from branch to branch, marveling at the height of a giraffe and the size of an elephant? Besides a plaque naming the species and its country of origin, there was little more to learn.

Today’s zoos have undergone a remarkable transformation. According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), zoos are instrumental in enhancing the public’s understanding of wildlife and conservation. AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums play a vital role in educating more than 180 million visitors—including 51 million students each year—about wild animals, their habitats, their related conservation issues, and the ways in which visitors can contribute to their preservation.

Built on the site of San Diego’s historic Children’s Zoo, the expansive, new 3.2-acre Denny Sanford Wildlife Explorers Basecamp opened in March 2022. It is part of the AZAaccredited San Diego Zoo and, in the short time it has been welcoming visitors, it has received high acclaim and rave reviews from local families and educators. The stateof-the-art, multi-ecosystem experience is providing guests of all ages exciting new ways to connect with nature, actively play, encounter new species, and develop an empathy for wildlife.

Inside the Wildlife Explorers Basecamp, visitors can explore four separate and absorbing habitat zones: Rainforest, Wild Woods, Marsh Meadows, and Desert Dunes. In each of these zones, an intriguing blend of innovation and immersive technology create an interactive environment with opportunities to learn about extraordinary species—ranging from leaf-cutter ants and orb weaver spiders to prairie dogs and sloths. Here, children can learn by doing as they climb, scramble, and jump in the nature play areas. They can use microscopes, interactive tables, and touch-screen games and inhale the air in scented environments. In addition, through a variety of one-of-akind experiences with animals, they can connect like never before to the natural world and understand the importance of conserving wildlife.

We followed Shally Zomorodi (featured in STYLE p. 38), and her four children, Arishia, Arshan, Shyla, and Shayden, on a recent visit to Danny Sanford Wildlife Explorers Basecamp.

“My children range in ages from three to twelve and they all had a fantastic time, learning things at every turn,” Shally says. “Usually when we go to places, they want to leave after about an hour. To my surprise, when it was time to go they refused! They were having so much fun and learning about the animals was so exciting for them! We can’t wait to come back.’

Families who visit San Diego Zoo’s Denny Sanford Wildlife Explorers Basecamp are invited to interact, explore, investigate, climb, and scramble through a variety of exciting exhibits as they learn about wildlife

Interactive learning experiences like the ones offered at Basecamp offer more than entertainment. They strengthen the human connection to wildlife to increase our awareness of conservation and sustainable practices. By forming this bond early, young visitors can become advocates for wild animals and make a difference in the outlook for wildlife and their habitats worldwide.

According to a report prepared by the AZA Conservation Education Committee, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums are unique venues for students to engage in problem-solving and critical thinking, with important opportunities for real-life applications. “Like museums, science centers, and nature centers, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums primarily use teaching that values interest and engagement over specific concepts and skills, leading to motivation and persistence on the part of the learner,” the report states. In addition to promoting the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, zoos and aquariums are important for students with special needs, who often thrive in unique learning environments.

It’s a great idea for families to visit the zoo together. With phones and other devices tucked away, they can make decisions on what to do and what to see as a group. Older siblings can guide younger children as they explore a habitat: reading signs, pointing to wildlife, and learning about the environment. A day at the zoo encourages a healthy lifestyle and a chance to bond while having fun.

Gone are the days when a trip to the zoo was limited to seeing animals from other parts of the world and mimicking them. Today’s zoos encourage visitors to observe and think seriously about the impact mankind has on wildlife and the future of our planet. They are a platform for discovery, research, conversation, and action. What’s more, they make learning fun. ✲

Photographer Annalisa Johnson @annaalisaj | Models The Zomorodi Family @shallyzomorodi Producer & Stylist Amy Davis @the.establishmint | Videographer Blake Arnold @blake1arnold Photographers Assistant Donny Michel @donnymichel | Hair/Makeup Hollie Berry @hollieberrybeauty Shally’s Wardrobe Cedros Soles @cedrossoles