Producer
Both Hands Wood-Fired Pizzeria & Bakery
Contact: Kevin Belluz local distributor for Both Hands
Address: 297 Park Avenue Thunder Bay, , P0T 2V0
Phone: 807-286-4263
Website: http://bothhandswoodfired.ca
About Us
Both Hands Wood-Fired Pizzeria & Bakery is a combination of a traditional Italian pizzeria and a restaurant/bakery bringing together local Northwestern Ontario products and people.
It all began in 1999 during a long, cold winter in Northern Manitoba. Derek Lucchese started experimenting with baking bread and realized that he was dedicated to making natural whole grain, sourdough bread. After moving to the countryside near Thunder Bay, Ontario, Derek continued to refine his baking skills. He took an oven building class from the legendary Alan Scott at the North House Folk School in Grand Marais, Minnesota; built a commercial oven and began Both Hands Bread. For ten years, Derek sold his signature bread at the Thunder Bay Country Market, eventually building a portable wood-fired pizza oven and adding pizzas to his offerings. Both Hands continued to grow over the years and in 2013, Both Hands Wood-Fired Pizzeria & Bakery officially opened its doors in it's permanent location at 297 Park Avenue.
The Rowan Tree Collective bought Both Hands in 2023
Our Mission
To provide social and recreational opportunities to young adults with Autism and other developmental disabilities in an inclusive and welcoming space that fosters friendship, belonging and a sense of community.
Our Vision
To build a strong collective of neurodiverse members who have a sense of belonging in our community.
Rowan Tree
The Rowan Tree has a long and sacred history. Since ancient times people have planted Rowans beside their homes. Known as the Tree of Life in Celtic mythology, the Rowan Tree symbolises courage, wisdom and protection. In North America the Rowan is commonly known as a Mountain Ash.
Collective
A collective is a group who shares or is motivated by at least one common issue or interest who work together to achieve a common objective.
It all began in 1999 during a long, cold winter in Northern Manitoba. Derek Lucchese started experimenting with baking bread and realized that he was dedicated to making natural whole grain, sourdough bread. After moving to the countryside near Thunder Bay, Ontario, Derek continued to refine his baking skills. He took an oven building class from the legendary Alan Scott at the North House Folk School in Grand Marais, Minnesota; built a commercial oven and began Both Hands Bread. For ten years, Derek sold his signature bread at the Thunder Bay Country Market, eventually building a portable wood-fired pizza oven and adding pizzas to his offerings. Both Hands continued to grow over the years and in 2013, Both Hands Wood-Fired Pizzeria & Bakery officially opened its doors in it's permanent location at 297 Park Avenue.
The Rowan Tree Collective bought Both Hands in 2023
Our Mission
To provide social and recreational opportunities to young adults with Autism and other developmental disabilities in an inclusive and welcoming space that fosters friendship, belonging and a sense of community.
Our Vision
To build a strong collective of neurodiverse members who have a sense of belonging in our community.
Rowan Tree
The Rowan Tree has a long and sacred history. Since ancient times people have planted Rowans beside their homes. Known as the Tree of Life in Celtic mythology, the Rowan Tree symbolises courage, wisdom and protection. In North America the Rowan is commonly known as a Mountain Ash.
Collective
A collective is a group who shares or is motivated by at least one common issue or interest who work together to achieve a common objective.
Practices
All of our delicious rustic breads and pizzas are baked in our hand-built wood-fired dome oven. The oven allows us to bake high-hydration dough at high temperatures to achieve bread with a thin, chewy crust with the moisture sealed in so that the loaves are preserved without additional additives. The wood-fired technique also lets us make great thin crust pizzas right in front of you.
Our sourdough and whole grain breads are made with organic flours or flour that is grown and milled in Thunder Bay and the area. Our breads contain no dairy, no added fats or oils, and no sugar – pretty much just flour, water and salt.
Most of our baking for breads and pizza crust uses a natural leaven or sourdough, instead of conventional yeast. Why sourdough? Unfermented grain is really difficult to digest. By fermenting our dough over a long period with a natural leaven, we make bread that is rich in flavour with nutrients that can easily be absorbed. Some people find that they can eat Both Hands Wood-Fired Pizzeria & Bakery bread and feel great when conventional bread doesn’t agree with them. Our bread made with spelt flour is particularly suited for these folks. And, for those of you who aren’t interested in healthy hyperbole, our Peasant Bread is made with commercial yeast that tastes great!
Our pizzas are made with Brule Creek Farms flour and a blend of mozzarella and Thunder Oak Cheese Farm gouda on a thin sourdough crust.
Our sourdough and whole grain breads are made with organic flours or flour that is grown and milled in Thunder Bay and the area. Our breads contain no dairy, no added fats or oils, and no sugar – pretty much just flour, water and salt.
Most of our baking for breads and pizza crust uses a natural leaven or sourdough, instead of conventional yeast. Why sourdough? Unfermented grain is really difficult to digest. By fermenting our dough over a long period with a natural leaven, we make bread that is rich in flavour with nutrients that can easily be absorbed. Some people find that they can eat Both Hands Wood-Fired Pizzeria & Bakery bread and feel great when conventional bread doesn’t agree with them. Our bread made with spelt flour is particularly suited for these folks. And, for those of you who aren’t interested in healthy hyperbole, our Peasant Bread is made with commercial yeast that tastes great!
Our pizzas are made with Brule Creek Farms flour and a blend of mozzarella and Thunder Oak Cheese Farm gouda on a thin sourdough crust.