Tribewanted: Vorovoro

In keeping with ‘Naked Sunday’ tradition the Tribe awoke early, looking forward to a day of intense hammock action and relaxation after a hard week working on the Islands various projects. With Team Fiji on a well deserved day off, cooking duties for the day fell to volunteers from the Tribe! Like the week before, Jason delivered a hearty breakfast of eggy bread and baked beans followed by DIY sandwiches at lunchtime. The Tribe ate well, but all were reserving enough stomach space for what had been promised for dinner.

Earlier in the week an ambitious gang of 4 had floated the idea of a Pizza night – an idea immediately seized on by the Tribe. Well founded skepticism and stories of earlier failed attempts had sounded from certain, more experienced, quarters (most notably ‘doubting Jim’) but undeterred Team Pizza pressed on with preparations. On Saturday Team Pizza had split into two, dough baking lessons from Frances & Co for one duo and an ingredients gathering trip into town for the other. By 5:59pm on Saturday everything was set and a mood of reckless optimism swept through a confident Team Pizza. Saturday dinner was served at 6pm sharp and by 6:01pm the earlier optimism began to wane at the stark realization that the sausages bought as a pizza topping had somehow found their way into the casserole we were hungrily devouring. Sundays menu was adjusted and veggie pizza all round was the order of the day.

The familiar sound of the cockrel woke the Tribe early on Sunday – in 11 hours 35 hungry mouths expected pizza – the day of reckoning had arrived! As breakfast finished and on good advice from ‘doubting Jim’, Team Pizza got an early start and sprung into action. 8 hands delved into the red mixing bowl and kneaded enough dough to make 10 large pizzas (thanks again to ‘doubting Jim’ for pointing out that our earlier estimate of 3-5 pizzas would only result in mass gastro-disappointment). Inspired by a rising bowl of dough Team Pizza hit on the idea of making mini pizzas to cut cooking times and keep a constant stream of margarita munchies arriving at the dinner table. By 11am the scene was set and Team Pizza lounged nervously in their hammocks acutely aware that come 3pm the grand pizza cook-off would begin!

After lunch the fire under the oven was lit (several times) and the promise of pizza proved such a temptation that volunteers were plentiful to form Vorovoro’s first pizza production line to rival the likes of Pizza Hut (we don’t deliver). Roles were established, the dough team consisting of a roller, a cutter and a quality control monitor. Then the topping team followed up with a tomato spreader, cheese sprinkler and a couple of topping doctors, whose options ranged from fresh basil from the garden, to banana. Frantically mini pizza after mini pizza passed down the line and made their way onto the tray ready for cooking.

As 4.30pm approached Team pizza mopped the sweat from their brows and the oven doors opened ready for the first batch of vorovoro’s finest to be slid into the pipping hot inferno. The next 8 minutes were make or break … success promised a contented evening around the camp fire with full stomachs … failure would likely see Team Pizza banished to the pontoon for the night with only the sharks for company! Tic tock, tic tock and exactly 8 minutes later a mood of anxious anticipation swept through Team Pizza as the oven door swung open to reveal 30 sizzling hot and perfectly formed mini-pizzas. This was one task that couldn’t be done on Fiji time. The scent of success was almost as strong as the smell of freshly cooked pizza and resisting temptation to devour them on sight, the first batch were plated up and taken to the Fijian village as thanks for their help in the preparations. Having passed the Team Fiji taste test, the TW staff paused their evening meeting to sample the goods and the welcome nod of approval from ‘doubting Jim’ signaled it was time for the pizza production line to shift to full speed ahead. A target of 200 pizzas was set for a 6pm serving accompanied by a healthy side serving of tomato and garlic pasta.

As the minutes ticked by, tray after tray of mini pizzas were lifted from the oven and stacked lovingly on the kitchen work surface ready for serving. Tribal mouths salivated in anticipation with the scent of melted cheese and freshly baked bread sweeping the island and as the 4 founding members placed a hand each on the legendary dinner bell rope everything had come together for a banquet of epic proportions. Finally, 11 hours after the first hand had entered the dough mix, the bell rang and the tribe left their hammocks in a cloud of dust, dashing hungrily to the table.

The tribe feasted enthusiastically and filled themselves to the brim with pizza and pasta the silence punctuated only briefly by muffled grunts of gratitude and approval. Success was ours! In a final unexpected twist, and just as the tribe settled back in their seats, stomachs bulging and mouths smiling, Sophie unleashed her secret weapon from the fridge … 3 large banoffee pies she had prepared earlier that morning. Although still brimming with pizza the Tribe proved there is always room for just a few more mouthfuls as the banoffee pie disappeared at least as quickly as the main course.

As the sun set and the with the tribe well fed, Team Pizza settled in around the camp fire happy that this Sunday night the pontoon would remain empty.

Tom Buttigieg & Adam Pacey