The bet of Toyota for hydrogen is being exemplary. It is one of the few manufacturers that continue to invest heavily in this alternative fuel and it constantly demonstrates it. It is already a declaration of intent that they keep the Toyota Mirai in their range with the latest evolution of the fuel cell, but they are also working to bring it to other models such as the Hilux. Not to mention hydrogen combustion engines for competition… Although now they are changing the register to show a pizza oven with this fuel.
It is the result of a collaboration with Rinnaia manufacturer of boilers and other household appliances that is based in Japan and also has a long tradition. With the help of Toyota, they wanted to take the concept of the stone oven one step further. Historically, they had always been using fire and embers in ovens of this type, although they are not always the fastest or most convenient option. Nor are they the cleanest, which is why research is being done into incorporating hydrogen into cooking.
The main quality of hydrogen in cooking is its high combustion temperature and that, when burning, combines with oxygen and produces steam. This means that the dishes are cooked with greater humidity, leaving them crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside. With a wood or charcoal barbecue, there are foods such as vegetables or mushrooms that tend to dry out a lot And that doesn’t happen with hydrogen. That’s why they made this stone oven in which they tested making pizza and croissants with very positive results.
There is still a long way to go to see if this fuel will make progress in cooking. There are no safety regulations regarding this and the costs are much higher to that of other traditional techniques. Not to mention that the Kamado They are the hallowed stoves of Japan and it will be difficult for the most purists to use hydrogen, since it would not leave the same aftertaste or the notes of smoke from the embers. In any case, Toyota continues to show that it is at the forefront of technology and R&D into alternative systems.
