tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67463662326192754272024-03-13T08:16:15.372-04:00ME, MYSELF and PIEa pizza blogpizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.comBlogger129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-80136864684611303562018-10-13T17:20:00.000-04:002019-01-10T14:37:02.181-05:00Fiore's<span id="goog_1390207075"></span>If you've been to Greenwich Village and walked along Bleecker St., maybe you've walked by Fiore's Pizza, maybe you've turned your head or even grabbed a slice, or maybe you didn't even know it existed at all.<br />
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In a neighborhood saturated (but not overly-so) with so many pizzerias and slice joints, Fiore's may not command the same status of household names like <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2009/10/joes-of-bleecker-st.html" target="_blank">Joe's</a> or <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2010/06/johns.html" target="_blank">John's</a>, but the quality is there if you look for it.<br />
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Formerly the mediocre-at-best Pizza Booth, retired firefighter Steve Cunningham opened Fiore's a few years back in honor of his best friend <a href="https://www.firehero.org/fallen-firefighter/michael-c-fiore/" target="_blank">Mike Fiore</a> who tragically perished in the World Trade Center on 9/11. Mike had always dreamed of opening a pizzeria but never got the opportunity, so Steve did the next best thing by opening a joint in his name. I don't know where Steve learned to make pizza, but he's definitely doing something right.<br />
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Get a load of those 'ronis! Let's punch in for a close up:<br />
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That's what I'm talkin' about - nice curl and cuppage with a hint of char on the edge. I love the pepperoni slice here much more than their "plain," which they technically call a Margarita [sic]. Both employ fresh mozzarella rather than it's more orange and oily low-moisture brethren, something I respect but wish there was more of on the plain.<br />
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Having been here several times, I've noticed some inconsistencies in that their Margherita slice doesn't always come with basil, but when it does, it makes for a much more balanced experience.<br />
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While the pepperoni slice takes the #1 spot for me, I really love their "Grandma" slice, which to me is much thicker than most but employs the same toppings and flavor profile. Think of it as a Grandma, but with the thickness of a Sicilian square.<br />
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Beautiful hole structure, combined with a crispy bottom and a zing of oregano yields a really nice end product here. All the pizzas are baked in a truly-awesome Fish revolving oven, which has multiple decks that cycle up and down and around again for maximum space for full pies and slice reheats providing a nice consistency across the board.<br />
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Next time you're in the neighborhood, tune your nostrils to the frequency of the baking cheese, sauce and dough wafting out the open windows of Fiore's. Order a slice or two, let yourself get hypnotized by the endless loop of pizza in that oven while you wait, and pay your respects to Mike while you scarf those killer 'ronis.pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-26774947050688701552017-07-19T12:08:00.000-04:002017-10-13T17:20:00.785-04:00Song' e Napule<br />
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After hearing some rumblings in the pizza community of a pizzeria on Houston Street that slid under my radar, I tucked the intel in my back pocket and added it to my "Pizzerias to Investigate" list. Just as the name was fading from memory, I happened upon Song' e Napule by happenstance, as if the almighty Pizza Gods were trying to tell me something.</div>
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As it turns out, they were: "Eat some pizza," they whispered, or perhaps that was my stomach talking. Regardless, I found it impossible to resist stopping into this tiny joint, and the moment I traversed through the door I was transported straight to Naples. Just like many of the pizzerias up and down Via Tribunali, the walls were adorned with scenic photos of the Amalfi coast and the requisite autographed photo of Napoli legend Diego Maradona - but as is always the case, it was the wood-burning oven that caught my eye.</div>
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Originally an outpost of the Upper East Side's popular pizzeria Mezzaluna, Song' e Napule came under new ownership with Neapolitan Ciro Iovine and his wife, Austria. Ciro's jolly demeanor immediately sealed the deal as he slapped me on the back and pulled up one of the few remaining chairs for me at lunchtime and without a moment's lapse I ordered the ol' scientific control, a classic Margherita.<br />
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What a fine specimen! In typical fashion the pizza arrived in 2 minutes, but not before I was given a basket of sourdough and ricotta (as if scarfing this whole pie alone wasn't enough for lunch). Look at that beautifully puffy cornicione!<br />
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Absolutely gorgeous, with leopard spots to boot. Ciro proofs his dough for 72 hours to get a result like this - there truly aren't any shortcuts employed here, and the flavor of the crust was deep and sweet with plenty of moisture retained from the hot, short bake.<br />
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I also have to say - this to me is the perfect amount and distribution of basil. In an ideal world, I want a piece of that green with every mouthful for a fully-balanced bite, not one dinky leaf per quarter of the pizza. Other Neapolitan joints take notice!<br />
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Already bursting (I wolfed more of that sourdough than I should have), the meal ended with an unexpected Strawberry panna cotta dusted with powdered sugar. I'm no connoisseur when it comes to Italian desserts, but this was divine. The total? $12 for the bread + ricotta, Margherita, and dessert! That's a fair price just for the pizza, but the added courses and outstanding quality make this a total steal.<br />
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Now if only they would accept credit cards...</div>
pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-51624593602140279802017-04-12T16:12:00.000-04:002017-10-13T17:30:44.342-04:00Ben's (W. 3rd)<span id="goog_1390207073"></span><span id="goog_1390207074"></span>In my experience, whenever Ben's Pizza is brought up, the conversation heads one of two ways: either one is confused and asks, "wait, Ben's of Soho, or Ben's on West 3rd Street?" or there is no confusion at all, and one instead asks, "why would you go to Ben's when <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2009/10/joes-of-bleecker-st.html" target="_blank">Joe's</a> is one block away?" Both are good questions indeed, and begs a third question: "who claims Ben's Pizza is the most famous pizza in the world?"<br />
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I don't have an answer to that one, but I'd be willing to guess it's Ben himself. That said, while Ben's may not be the greatest slice in the neighborhood, it serves an important role and well, dammit it's an institution in its own right. I've tried tracking down the history of the joint, but it's a bit fuzzy. Apparently it was formerly called "Ben and Frank's Pizzeria" but I can't find any sources on that. They also claim to have been established in 1956 while <a href="http://www.buzzfile.com/business/Ben!s-Pizza-212-677-0976" target="_blank">Buzzfile</a> has them listed as starting in 1965, but this image of Macdougal Street from 1966 shows what Ben's used to be: a drug store-<br />
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See it all the way on the right? Mysterious indeed. History aside, Ben's has become a staple of NYU students, New Yorkers in need of a carbo-load after a night of drinking, and if you're Louie C.K., a crucial pre-show bite before your set:<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(c/o <a href="http://untappedcities.com/2014/05/08/film-locations-louie-season-one-in-nyc/" target="_blank">Untapped Cities</a>)</span></div>
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So what's the pizza like? Depends really - I've found Ben's to be incredibly inconsistent. These are both plain slices from different days:<br />
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Woof! Talk about a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, <i>ammiright? </i>One day the plain can pass as pretty decent, while the next day it looks as hungover as the patrons from the night before. Even the better looking 2nd take was a bit over-reheated on the bottom.<br />
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Meanwhile their square starts promising with a half-decent rise and an airy, light crumb...<br />
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...but frequently gets overcheesed in one uniform whitewashing:<br />
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Goo! While Ben's may never be my go-to spot in this neck of the woods, I'll hit it from time to time like checking in on an old friend - even if that friend claims they're the best in the world and their history is shrouded in mystery.pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-38507418612187717232016-01-08T17:45:00.000-05:002016-02-02T12:54:14.679-05:00BarBefore I begin, if you've read any of my past reviews of other New Haven pizzerias <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2009/10/pepes-pizzeria-napoletana.html" target="_blank">Pepe's</a>, <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2009/10/modern-apizza.html" target="_blank">Modern</a>, and <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2009/11/sallys-apizza.html" target="_blank">Sally's</a>, you'll know that this is not my favorite Za-Town. "Overhyped," "arrogant," and "inconsistent" are all words I have definitely used to describe New Haven's collective pizza-consciousness, that was until I visited <a href="http://www.barnightclub.com/" target="_blank">Bar </a>and my life changed a little.<br />
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A good friend, having heard my woeful tales of sub-par pizza experiences in New Haven, said that I just <i>had </i>to try Bar's signature 'bacon & potato' pizza. Now as much as I love pork and taters, successfully dropping mashed potatoes onto a pizza is no easy task without turning the whole thing into a carbo-loaded hammer to the face, so I was weary before I ever set foot in the door.<br />
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Pump the brakes. This place is a brewpub, too? No one told me that! Maybe this New Haven adventure will be a little easier to stomach than I anticipated. Opened in the mid 90's, Bar looks like (and likely was) carved out of an old car garage or dealership of some sort. That said, their coal-burning monster of an oven looks like it's been hidden away for centuries-<br />
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Not too shabby! After downing an AmBAR ale (their pun, not mine), I cut to the chase and ordered a cheese (remember: a "plain" in New Haven does not come with mozzarella) and a bacon-potato pie, and proceeded to poke around the larger-than-expected space while I waited.<br />
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With a large open space tucked away behind the oven and brewery, Bar is also apparently a nightclub on weekends. I'm not a club kid, but if you've got the space you might as well use it! After just a few minutes, my babies arrived.<br />
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Despite not touting the same kind of history as it's historic pizza-slinging brethren, Bar has all the same features and requisites needed to classify this pie as New-Haven style. Aluminum trays with wax paper? Check. Slightly oblong and cut maniacally? Check. Coal-oven cooked, bespeckled with charred bits of cornmeal on the bottom?<br />
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Check! You'll notice I went with basil on half, not something I usually do at all when in NH but I was curious how they would distribute the green stuff. In my book, they passed the test.<br />
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While admittedly the cheese pizza here isn't as good as Pepe's or even (begrudgingly) Sally's, it's still pretty damn decent. I think it could have used another 45 seconds in the oven, but I'm not really complaining.<br />
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Regardless, whether I was ready to admit it or not, the real star here truly is the bacon-potato pizza.<br />
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Maybe it doesn't look all that great, but trust my stomach on this one. I think a part of why this pizza works is largely due the light and airy crust they have going on. Anything thicker and I'd feel like I was chowing down on a deep dish or pan pizza.<br />
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The potatoes are soft, mashed, and surprisingly still moist despite the cook in the arrid 800 degree oven. The bacon, which is distributed well and crumbled to a perfect size, stays crispy atop it all.<br />
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I'll admit it - Bar has pulled New Haven as a pizza town back from my 'dead to me' list. I'm a sucker for a good pizza and a well-crafted pint. Bar has masterfully straddled the old world and the new, combining classic technique and style with a modern palette and approach. While this was my first visit, it certainly won't be my last.<br />
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<br />pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-30604575712058944612014-11-13T13:15:00.002-05:002014-11-13T13:19:39.994-05:00OsteriaI don't know about you, but when I think of American cities, especially those that dot the east coast, I think of them as characters. Each individual in their own right with their own respective history, architecture, and most importantly their "pizza identity." With the massive migration of the late 19th century, many Italians landed along the eastern seaboard, and many of them left their culinary mark on their new hometowns. Connecticut has their New Haven Apizza, Boston has the original Pizzeria Regina, New Jersey has their tomato pies, and of course New York has its own legendary pizza history.<br />
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So what's the deal with Philadelphia? With the exception of maybe <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2009/10/tacconellis.html" target="_blank">Tacconelli's</a> (woof), it seems like Philly's new Italian population found more inspiration in the sandwich than the pizza (see: cheese steaks, roast pork sandwiches, etc.). How could this be?</div>
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Well there's no point in trying to change the past, but it's never too late to try and make up for its shortcomings. Enter Marc Vetri, renowned Philadelphia restaurateur and Italian cuisine extraordinaire. While Osteria, Vetri's 2nd restaurant, is by no means new, it certainly gives the City of Brotherly Love some depth in the pizza department. </div>
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I haven't lived in or around Philadelphia in years, having spent most of my youth in the Philly burbs, so Osteria had been on my to-eat list for quite some time. After having tried another of Vetri's joints <a href="http://allaspinaphilly.com/" target="_blank">Alla Spina</a> just around the corner, I knew the guy had good taste in beer and decor, but I really wasn't sure what to expect here. I ignored my better judgement and listened to my stomach; instead of ordering my typical margherita as my scientific control, I opted for the "lombarda" - a red pie with mozzarella, cotechino sausage, bitto cheese (?!) and a flash-baked egg on top.</div>
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<i>Nice.</i> To be totally honest, I was unfamiliar with bitto cheese - it's a hard cheese used here in lieu of Parmegiano or Pecorino, and aptly hails from Lombardy. While not quite as sharp as the aforementioned, it was subtle but added a nice little accent.</div>
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But holy shit- it's not everyday that you find a red pizza with not only sausage, but a perfectly cooked egg as well. <i>SIGN ME UP!</i> This is essentially a breakfast pizza plus a little tomato sauce, right?</div>
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After one bite, I quickly understood that Chefs Marc Vetri and Jeff Michaud knew what the hell they were doing. While neither were there the night I dined, they clearly train their pizzaiolos in the intricacies of a perfectly cooked pizza.</div>
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Now with the addition of Vetri's new pizza-specific joint <a href="http://pizzeriavetri.com/" target="_blank">Pizzeria Vetri</a>, along with other fantastic new-comers <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2009/10/nomad.html" target="_blank">Nomad</a>, <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2012/11/pizza-brain.html" target="_blank">Pizza Brain</a> and <a href="http://pizzeriabeddia.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Pizzeria Beddia</a>, I'm stoked to see Philadelphia making up for lost <strike>time</strike> pizza.</div>
pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-68941563547129298162013-10-11T16:45:00.004-04:002013-10-11T16:45:54.738-04:00Nicli Antica PizzeriaContinuing up the coast of the Pacific Northwest, beyond Portland, beyond Seattle, even beyond the U.S./Canada border, I found myself entering the beautiful city of Vancouver for the very first time. In the passenger seat, my beautiful girlfriend was navigating us through Gastown - the oldest part of town and original settlement of what was to become Vancouver - to a destination she <i>would</i> not reveal.<br />
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Lo and behold, she brought me to the only VPN-certified Neapolitan pizzeria in Vancouver, the well-regarded Nicli Antica Pizzeria. Nestled inside an old stable-turned jail for the city, Nicli owner-founder Bill McCaig did a magnificent job preserving the historical integrity of the building while simultaneously reinventing the space.<br />
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I really love the juxtaposition of the brick walls with the clean, white vaulted ceiling. And why not customize your oven to fit these aesthetics?<br />
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Gorgeous. Done so well, it feels like it was there back when it was a stable (wouldn't that be something?). Okay, enough of my blabbering about the ambiance, let's get to the pizza! Chefs Christopher Picek and David Tozer have done a great job preserving the Neapolitan authenticity required for their certification, while also getting a little creative.<br />
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Arugula doesn't get more fresh than that! After studying the menu, I ordered the obligatory Margherita, and another clever pie I've never seen anywhere else, but we'll get to that later.<br />
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Boom! Look at how vibrant this pizza is! To be honest, I usually hate when pizzaiolos place all the basil in a clump in the center of the pie, but this baby basil is too cute to pass judgement.<br />
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Awwww. The pizza, which sure enough was cooked in under 90 seconds, is exactly what I look for in an evenly balanced, evenly cooked Marg.<br />
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Soft, chewy, airy cornicione with a perfectly slightly-crispy shell, what more could you ask for in a crust? The sauce was bright, the fresh mozz not too liquidy, and a stellar balance all around. But what about this next pie?<br />
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Yumtown City. What might look like fennel sausage or meatball chunks is actually <i>pork shoulder</i>. Why is this not a thing?! I have to say, I love Neapolitan pizza, but at times I get a little sick of the same 10-15 ingredients that are 'acceptable' to use.<br />
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Oh yes. I'm having pizza flashbacks (the good kind). The pork was cooked to perfection, and keep in mind when pre-cooking/roasting/whatever they're up to, they need to account for an additional 90-120 seconds in a 900 degree oven, and there's nothing worse than dry, over-cooked meat.<br />
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For me, the pork stole the show, not necessarily in over-powering flavor (there's nothing I hate more than an unbalanced pizza), but as an idea. It was supported by an even layering of garlic cloves, basil, and dollops of ricotta that truly sang out in harmony.<br />
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Goodbye, pork shoulder pizza. I will miss you, but I will never forget you.pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-63815614774229602182013-09-05T15:00:00.001-04:002013-09-05T15:00:46.407-04:00Serious PieRounding out my trip to Seattle, I had to stop by Tom Douglas's esteemed pizzeria that ain't no laughing matter-<br />
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Serious Pie. I had heard that Tom, arguably Seattle's greatest restauranteur with 14 restaurants and multiple James Beard awards to his name, was behind some interesting pizza in the heart of downtown Seattle. Just steps from Pike Place Market where I had just spent the morning, who was I to say no?<br />
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I hit the joint at an off hour, which left the place rather quiet- though it was obvious SP gets packed at peak times so I was grateful. I knew straightaway, as I do everywhere I visit, that I had to order a Margherita (which at Serious Pie comes with mozzarella di bufala by default), but as I poured over the menu, I just couldn't shake trying his potato pizza.<br />
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And there you have it! Let's tackle the Margherita first-<br />
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Gotta love that oblong shape. Sure, there's nothing wrong with a symmetrical pie, but it's always nice to see some variation. This one in particular really reminded me of some of the pies at L'asso in NYC. Maybe it's just because I like grabbing square slices down the center, but consider me a fan.<br />
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I'll be honest, and I know I've made this point before: I'm not the biggest fan of julienned basil. In my opinion, basil has the best and brightest flavor when the leaf is first broken. After this point, the potency dissipates, particularly when you slice it to shreds. That aside, I really loved this pizza.<br />
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The sauce was light and sweet, and the mozz cooked perfectly to the point of almost liquidizing. What I couldn't place my finger on was what was being added on top for seasoning- it wasn't pepper or oregano, but it gave the pizza a little zing, rounding out a great product. But enough on that, I'm eager to show you this potato homeboy, the pizza that really sang for me-<br />
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Now I love pizza (obviously), and I've always loved potatoes in just about any form they can possibly come in, but a potato pizza is no easy feat to pull off well. At its worst, it manifests itself in big hunks like at <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2009/08/pizzeria-paradiso.html" target="_blank">Pizzeria Paradiso</a>, when decent it can look like the mashed potato and bacon pizza at Bar in New Haven, but this- this is how potatoes on pizza is done, ladies and gentlemen.<br />
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Certain challenges present themselves when you decide to put potato on a pizza. First, you don't want a starch overload. How often do you see potato paired with bread? Not too often, because a little of both goes a long way.<br />
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Second, and more importantly, you essentially need to cook the potato twice- first on its own, then again on the pizza. In doing so, you really need to know (just as you would with any other par-cooked topping) when to stop cooking it the first time around. What Tom has done here has delivered, against the odds, beautifully moist, buttery slivers of spuds a top a perfectly cooked pie. My hat is off to you, sir.<br />
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Paired with the rosemary and post-oven Pecorino Romano, the potatoes are imparted with just the right amount of seasoning and salt to better tie these near-potato chips to the pizza.<br />
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But ultimately what Tom has on his hands here is some great goddamn bread. His dough recipe, whatever it is, is something I would eat plain every day of the week. He of course is fully aware, and opened <a href="http://seriouspiewestlake.com/index.php?page=dahllia-workshop" target="_blank">Serious Biscuit</a> to expand this market.<br />
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Using what seems to be a custom <a href="http://woodstone-corp.com/" target="_blank">Woodstone</a> gas-assisted wood-burning brick oven, Tom Douglas and his crew sure know what they're doing.<br />
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Seriously.pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-8910735216229709232013-09-04T17:54:00.000-04:002013-09-04T17:54:18.878-04:00DelanceyAs I made my way north up the coast of the Pacific Northwest, I found myself entering a new city, filled with new experiences... and new pizza. Several years ago I received a tip from a reader that, if I ever made it out west, I <i>had </i>to try <a href="http://www.delanceyseattle.com/#" target="_blank">Delancey</a>.<br />
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Okay! Located north of downtown in the hip, former blue-collar fisherman neighborhood of Ballard, Delancey was founded by Molly Wizenberg (<a href="http://orangette.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">a food blogger!</a>) and her husband Brandon Pettit. Brandon missed the pizzas he left back in NYC when he was a music student, most notably <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2009/10/di-fara-pizza.html" target="_blank">Di Fara</a> (can you really blame him?)<br />
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I got there just as they opened since I've heard it's quite the pizza destination in town. The space, which seems as though it was originally two units now conjoined into one, is well lit by natural light- unless you go after sundown of course.<br />
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The exterior of the oven is a bit dark in this shot, but they're working with a beautiful Mugnaini oven from where else? Italy. Delancey has two different versions of the classic cheese and sauce pies. One is a standard Margherita with the obligatory fresh mozzarella and basil, while the other ("The Brooklyn") comes with fresh and aged mozz and Grana Padano. Naturally I ordered both.</div>
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Here's your, or well, my Margherita, with a side of my favorite topping, fennel sausage. Before I get to the sausage, the pie alone without toppings is a gorgeous sight. This is, in my opinion, the perfect amount of basil for a pizza, and evenly distributed (and ultimately cooked) to perfection. </div>
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But man, that sausage. This is what sausage on a pizza should look like! Slightly charred, manageable size, little fennel seeds poking out, my mouth is watering just remembering it. After taking a bite the truth was confirmed: both the Margherita and the sausage that adorned half were unbelievable.</div>
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Before I could savor all of the Margherita, the Brooklyn arrived (with pepperoni on half). Simply stunning in my book. If you take a closer look, you can see the white blobs of fresh mozzarella floating to the top over the more uniform yellow "aged" low moisture mozz (the kind you see on a typical NY slice).</div>
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And don't forget that grated Grana Padano! It stands out in this picture much better on the crust to give you an idea. Know who else grates Grana on top of their pies? Dom Demarco over at Di Fara (smooth move Brandon). I thought this was another fantastic pie, it's not every day that you get both fresh and aged mozz on the same pie.</div>
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The pepperoni, made by local purveyor <a href="http://zoesmeats.com/home.html" target="_blank">Zoe's Meats</a>, was also delicious and definitely a cut above your average 'roni. But let's talk about the crust-</div>
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Brandon, in his pursuit in recreating the familiar New York style of pizza, spent, from what I've heard, two years perfecting his recipe until he gave it his nod of approval. Whatever he was doing in his test kitchen paid off, because it's remarkable.</div>
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Coupled with a powerful wood-burning brick oven, Molly and Brandon have a great product on their hands. After just one bite I knew why I was beckoned to Seattle to give this place a try. Now it's your turn!</div>
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pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-77707978995092750072013-09-03T14:41:00.001-04:002013-09-03T14:41:19.388-04:00Ken's Artisan PizzaI touched down at the PDX airport and hurriedly hobbled with my luggage to pick up my rental car. I was in a rush, in a city I'd never been to, suffering from an all-too-familiar hunger. I had 30 minutes to put the pedal to the metal and drive all the way across the darkened city of Portland before a certain wood-burning oven would go cold.<br />
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Yet against all odds, I made it just in time to Ken's Artisan Pizza in South East Portland. Founded just over seven years ago by baker Ken Forkish and chef Alan Maniscalco, the duo created KAP following the smashing success of their Monday Night Pizzas at Ken's bakery in the Alphabet District.<br />
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The photos speak for themselves- Ken's is spacious, welcoming, and certainly cozy. The first thing that caught my eye was their beastly oven, how could I do anything but stare at this beauty?<br />
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Simply massive. This is a <a href="http://www.lepanyol.com/gb/panyol-accueil.cfm" target="_blank">Le Panyol</a> from Maine, a larger indoor counterpart to some of its copper brethren like that seen at <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2010/07/copper-oven.html" target="_blank">The Copper Oven</a>. I love this fire-breather.<br />
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Shortly after being seated I came to realize that a lot of, if not all of the wood used the tables and bar at Ken's was made from re-purposed supports from local defunct amusement park <a href="http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/jantzen_beach.html" target="_blank">Jantzen Beach</a> which closed its doors back in the '70s.<br />
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Alright alright already, let's get to the pizza! Ken's offers a number of toppings to pick from, but in typical fashion I went for one Margherita and one fennel sausage pie, the latter comes with caramelized onions by default.<br />
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Just over two minutes later, this guy appeared at my table. Gorgeous is the word I'd use for this- smooth pureed tomatoes, perfectly melted cheese, and a cornicione that screams hearty deliciousness.<br />
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This was indeed a great pie cooked to perfection, but I have to say its successor was the real star-<br />
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To be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of onions (even caramelized), but Holy Vidalia did these pair fantastically with the house-made fennel sausage, sauce, cheese and basil. At this point you know I love my sausage in crumbled chunks, but the smaller grain size used at Ken's worked just great.<br />
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If Portland is just a bit too far to travel, you can always take a stab at recreating Ken's pies at home with his <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Flour-Water-Salt-Yeast-Fundamentals/dp/160774273X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348359309&sr=8-1&keywords=Flour+Water+Salt+Yeast+Ken+Forkish" target="_blank">James Beard award-winning cook book</a>. This guy knows bread. All said and done, Ken's Artisan Pizza and its warm hipster vibes were exactly what I was in need of straight off the plane.pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-91499652892577604672013-08-22T17:20:00.000-04:002013-08-22T17:25:50.422-04:00Marco's Coal-Fired PizzaWow, has it really been nine months since I told you to go to <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2012/11/pizza-brain.html" target="_blank">Pizza Brain</a>? Holy cow, I'm back from the dead everyone, and just in time to tell you about my favorite pizzeria in Colorado, <a href="http://www.marcoscoalfiredpizza.com/" target="_blank">Marco's Coal-Fired Pizza</a>.<br />
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Located in beautiful downtown Denver, just around the corner from Coor's Field, sits MCF in a tastefully refurbished brick building that emanates that familiar toasty pizza aroma around the neighborhood. Founded by Mark Dym nearly six years ago, Marco's is Colorado's only VPN-certified pizzeria-<br />
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Yes, I <i>did </i>say VPN. Any pizzaphile worth their salt, water, flour and yeast should know instantly that something here is amiss, but we'll get to that later. I arrived straight from the airport and promptly took a seat near the oven (where else?) to take in the action.<br />
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Beautiful spot, ammiright? After perusing the <a href="http://www.marcoscoalfiredpizza.com/menus/lunch-and-dinner" target="_blank">menu</a>, I opted for a Margherita with sweet Italian sausage on half, and a Del Re (mozz, mushrooms, prosciutto, basil, and Pecorino Sardo truffle spread) for good measure. All that was left to do was to sit back, relax, and watch the pizzaiolo get to work.<br />
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I <i>really </i>love these ovens. Not only is it bad-ass to have two of these behemoths side-by-side, but they even have sliding doors atop the mouth of the oven. Wait, what the hell is that?!<br />
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Is that- yes, that's a barrel of <i>wood </i>shavings! What the hell, Marco?! Coal-fired? If the VPN certification wasn't enough to tip you off, it's now abundantly clear that this place is a misnomer, and should really be called Marco's Wood-Fired Pizza. That being said, Mark isn't really being disingenuous- while the pizza is in fact cooked via wood fire, he uses the second oven to slow cook his chicken and other meats that would otherwise get scorched in its 900 degree wood-burning counterpart.<br />
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Boom, first pie is up! It's clear to see how MCF got their VPN cred, but what you might not know is that Mark employed the help of APN (<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pizzaiuolinapoletani.it%2F&ei=6nwWUvifFMbArAeog4HoAw&usg=AFQjCNHA3zU8RAAaAhfFWJNLzGb9Zc51Fw&sig2=ZJz3NiqI4nVskGuHDZJ9iw&bvm=bv.51156542,d.bmk" target="_blank">Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani</a>) president and friend of mine, <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2009/07/keste.html" target="_blank">Roberto Caporuscio</a>. And who better? If you remember, I bumped into Roberto at <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2010/12/spacca-napoli.html" target="_blank">Spacca Napoli</a> in Chicago a few years back doing the same thing- teaching pizzaioli how to make the best pies in town.<br />
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Simply stunning, and really well-balanced to boot. The fresh mozzarella is cooked to that perfect slightly-scorched gooey-ness that you can rely on a VPN joint to serve.<br />
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The sausage, seasoned with just a hint of fennel and black pepper, was also tasty. However, and this is just personal preference, I much prefer my Italian sausage in crumbled hunks, as opposed to say sliced or cubed like in this case. No matter, the flavor is there and that's what matters most.<br />
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Next up is our Del Re, another babe of a pie if I do say so myself. As far as 'traditional' Neapolitan pies go, this one is pretty unconventional. I was really digging the combo of prosciutto and mushrooms, not to mention the seemingly-hidden layer of Pecorino Sardo truffle spread.<br />
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In all honesty, I have a little bit of a love/hate relationship with truffle, just as I do for garlic for the same reason: in the wrong, shaky hands, too much can kill and completely overwhelm whatever other ingredients are in your mix. It's hard to balance, but when it's done right, you just melt.<br />
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Mark/Marco, you're doing it right. It's also worth noting that since I've visited, Mark has added pizzi fritti to his menu, the only place to my knowledge doing fried pizza in the States outside of NYC. If you weren't 2000 miles away, I'd be back in a heartbeat (in fact, my parents were recently back in town and couldn't help but return for another pie). But don't take my word for it...<br />
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<br />pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-58285259131973234442012-11-05T17:49:00.003-05:002012-11-05T18:00:43.833-05:00Pizza BrainRecently I hopped a bus home to the greater Philadelphia area to see some family, relax with friends, but most importantly, check out the highly acclaimed and world-renowned Pizza Brain- the first pizza museum and pizzeria.<br />
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Opening just shy of two months ago, Pizza Brain may seem unassuming on the outside...<br />
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...but it's a never-ending pizza party on the inside! Folks, full disclosure here before I get right into it- I effing love this place, and as a Kickstarter contributor, I'd like to be completely transparent in just how radical Pizza Brain is.<br />
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How can you <i>not </i>get behind a mission statement like this? Earlier this year, Syracuse native Brian Dwyer claimed the Guinness record for world's largest collection of pizza-related memorabilia.<br />
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In the meantime, Brian and friends Joe, Mike and Ryan began gutting a space in the neighborhood of Kensington in Philadelphia (just a few blocks from my <a href="http://www.philadelphiabrewing.com/" target="_blank">favorite Philly brewery</a>) and making it their own in anticipation of their combination museum and pizzeria.<br />
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Immediately on entering I was blown away by the combination of overwhelming friendliness, inviting interior design, and one serious pizza menu-<br />
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It took me a second to fully grasp it, but I love how they've laid it all out. Essentially they have segregated their menu into red/white pies, then have a separate display to show you what slices are available from said pizzas on any given day.<br />
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While I tried to make up my mind, the generous dudes hooked me up with a slice of their house white, or "Leonard Bookman" (mozz, ricotta, fontina, black pepper, oregano). Don't be deceived by its uniform pale shade- this is one well-balanced, flavorful 'za here.<br />
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Eventually I opted to start off with a "Forbes Waggensense" (tomatoes, mozz, fontina, grana padano, basil, and some serious pepperoni). For whatever reason, it's rare to find a pie that has both basil and peps, which is a shame because I think they pair relatively well.<br />
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Man, I just love when legit pepperonis turn concave in the oven like that, it reminds me of <a href="http://www.misskaties.com/prod_images_blowup/10126.jpg" target="_blank">these things</a> from my childhood. Next up I decided to diversify my bonds by ordering the white pie "Granny Divjack" (mozz, blue cheese, carmelized onions, shaved almonds, and granny smith apples).<br />
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I was really eager to try this guy, as I've made a few similar pizzas back home. Carmelized onions and blue cheese are both very strong flavors and it can be a challenge to balance them out, but team Pizza Brain was able to pull it off, mainly due to the not-too-wet/not-too-dry slices of apple.<br />
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While both pies were spectacular, they worked even better in unison. I'd take a bite of the white, then back to the red, so on and so forth, occasionally washing it down with some apple soda from Pizza Brains' eclectic soda selection.<br />
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As soon as the crowd at the register dissipated and I wolfed as many slices as possible, Brian eagerly showed me all that his awesome collection had to offer, here are a few of my favorites-<br />
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This is a section of the Philly wall of fame in their back patio painted by the talented <a href="http://hawkkrall.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Hawk Krall</a>. There's so much going on in this mural I stood there for 10 minutes trying to pick everyone out!<br />
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I loved that the guys built an iPad into the wall with <a href="http://pizzabrains.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">their tumblr</a> account up, so you can browse through their plethora of pizza gifs and content.<br />
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Watch your step!<br />
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Exercise your inner pizza peeping tom with their secret peepholes!<br />
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I loved this cheesy rendition on an Exploited album, especially the pizza mohawk. And yet, no trip to Pizza Brain is complete without a visit to the adjacent <a href="http://www.littlebabysicecream.com/" target="_blank">Little Baby's Ice Cream</a> with whom PB shares a roof.<br />
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Made with hints of oregano and tomato, I was hesitant to take a bite to say the least...<br />
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...but I really have to say- it's good, it really is. I don't know if I'd get down on more than a scoop (especially after housing 5 slices), but it was the perfect finish to my experience at Pizza Brain.<br />
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No, I take it back, <i>this </i>is the perfect finish. Serious pizza, serious memorabilia, seriously entertaining. Pizza Brain is a blast, and I can't wait to return.pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-3881112946518889162012-11-04T18:09:00.001-05:002012-11-05T00:37:15.290-05:00Pizzeria PelloneJust as shops and stores were beginning to close up for their <i>riposo</i> (Italian post-lunch siesta), I made it to my last stop for the day, just north of the Napoli Centrale train station: Pizzeria Pellone.<br />
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Notice the (albeit cleaned out) street-side display case, just like <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2012/11/di-matteo.html" target="_blank">Di Matteo</a> and <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2012/11/antica-pizzeria-portalba.html" target="_blank">Antica</a>. Highly recommended by <a href="http://www.scottspizzatours.com/" target="_blank">Scott</a>, I was eager to check a place coming from a trusted source. That being said, after 3 pies in 2 hours, I was starting to feel a bit burned out by Naples and pizza in general (yes, even I have a limit). Without any ado, I asked for a table, and for whatever reason, was lead around the block to the side entrance.<br />
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Our waiter brought out some Peronis and menus with a smile- something I honestly hadn't seen since I set foot in Napoli. With no hesitation, I ordered the last Margherita of the day and was happy with the results-<br />
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Not too damn shabby! Sure, the basil needed a little redistributing, but after the disappointment at <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2012/11/da-michele.html" target="_blank">da Michele</a>, I was pleased with my pie.<br />
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It really is beautiful, isn't it? The mozzarella was cooked just right; the crust was absolutely gorgeous, perfectly fluffy and chewy.<br />
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My one and only complaint, and I know this comes with the territory, but the last time I had a pizza this oily was at the heavy hand of Dom Demarco at <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2009/10/di-fara-pizza.html" target="_blank">Di Fara</a> a few years back. These shots don't quite do it justice, but at times it felt as though this was a miniature wading pool filled with extra virgin olive oil.<br />
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That being said, while a little extra EXTRA virgin olive oil tips the balance of a well-composed pie, I have no problem with having copious amounts of the stuff and happily dug right in.<br />
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Maybe it was because I was rounding out my day, maybe because I could finally sit and relax and for once didn't feel unwelcome, <i>maybe it was because someone in this damned city finally smiled at me</i>, but this was my favorite pizza in Naples.<br />
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Okay, OKAY, I'm done taking pictures of your oven! And with that I happily got the hell out of town and headed to the Amalfi coast for some well-earned limoncello (but not before my pocket was picked at the train station). <b>Che cavolo, Napoli?</b>pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-20988744116461015012012-11-04T17:26:00.003-05:002012-11-05T00:23:55.913-05:00Da MicheleShortly after stumbling on a pool of blood upon leaving <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2012/11/antica-pizzeria-portalba.html" target="_blank">Antica</a>, I headed south to intersect with Corso Umberto I, one of Napoli's main thoroughfares. In fact, it was the construction and ultimately the completion of this road that brought King Umberto I and his wife, Queen Regina Margherita to the city in June 1889.<br />
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It was this trip in which she serendipitously had a pizza served to her by Raffaele Esposito at what was then called "Pizzeria Pietro" (now Pizzeria Brandi), and she loved it so much he named it after her.<br />
<i>Unfortunately</i> Brandi was closed that day, so I headed instead to the infamous Antica Pizzeria da Michele, just off Corso Umberto I.<br />
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Immediately on arriving there was a wait, so I grabbed a number like everyone else and did my best to understand the Italian digits being shouted every so often. Built in 1870, the lunch clientele didn't just consist of your average Neapolitans who have known good pizza for 142 years- no, there were clearly other out-of-towners looking to have "a relationship with their pizza" ala Julia Roberts in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=g8csr68LjUM#t=65s" target="_blank">Eat Pray Love</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(courtesy of <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/" target="_blank">Serious Eats</a>)</span></div>
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Puh-lease. I've been having a relationship with my pizza since I started eating it 27 years ago. Eventually something like my number was called and I found myself herded in and crammed into the corner of the joint.<br />
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Charming, eh? I know this place has a legendary history and reputation, but 20 foot white walls and open fixture fluorescent lighting wasn't exactly what I had envisioned the interior to look like.<br />
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So here's the menu- essentially you have your choice of Margherita or marinara in several different sizes, beer, and soda. Excellent. Plain and simple, let's do this.<br />
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Oh, okay. That's cool, half my pizza didn't need cheese anyway, but thanks. I understand the rigors of slinging pies to meet a packed house, really I do, but this just seems lazy.<br />
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While this was by no means a bad pie, I was left less than impressed. Anywhere else and this pizza probably wouldn't have been served, but it's da Michele, so it's okay /sarcasm/.<br />
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2/3 of the pie was pretty good- not too wet, flavorful mozzarella and evenly cooked. That being said, I felt duped. With the most people waiting outside than any other pizzeria I'd been to in Italy, I really didn't get what the big deal is when they're serving pies this unbalanced.<br />
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I finished my pie, had one last look around, and promptly left underwhelmed. Maybe they were having an off day, or the pizzaiolo was going through relationship woes with his pizza, but consider me unimpressed by da Michele.pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-45436018509693307652012-11-03T17:50:00.000-04:002012-11-04T10:44:59.675-05:00Antica Pizzeria Port'AlbaAfter wolfing a pie at <a href="http://www.memyselfandpie.com/2012/11/di-matteo.html" target="_blank">Di Matteo</a>, I lurked out the door and continued shuffling my way down Naples' famous Via Tribunali, a chaotic pandemonium of cars, trash, pedestrians, and high-speed scooters.<br />
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Eventually Via Tribunali turns into an even narrower alleyway known as Port'Alba, a familiar name to any pizza lover worth their dough. What lies beyond the gateway onto this street is a small, unassuming pizzeria- Antica Pizzeria Port'Alba, beholden as <b>the oldest pizzeria in the world.</b><br />
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First popping up as a sort of designated food cart hang out in the earlier half of the 18th century, Antica became a brick-and-mortar pizzeria and were slingin' pies by 1830.<br />
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Wow, that's older than my country. Unfortunately they weren't firing up full-on Margheritas while I was there, but they (along with most other pizzerias in Naples) had their 'to-go' cart out front serving up smaller room temp pies, which I promptly bought and ate the hell out of.<br />
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This is a poor photo, but the foodstuff is meant to be folded into quarters, wrapped in paper, and eaten on the go. It's basically a 10" pre-made pizza with sparing amounts of cheese. Di Matteo had one left as a ran out the door, here's an idea of what's at hand-<br />
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I guess this is the Neapolitan equivalent to a slice on the go, eh? Despite not being formally open for business, I was able to weasel my way into the building to get a quick look around. I was shown the kitchen, and ultimately their big-ass brick oven.<br />
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Again, I started to feel my presence wasn't wanted by the staff, so I started making tracks towards my next pizzeria destination, but not before stumbling across a blood-soaked rag and a puddle of blood outside of a church!<br />
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I'm still unsure which place is more welcoming: Naples, or hell itself.pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-67173317139844495942012-11-03T16:00:00.003-04:002012-11-03T16:06:01.739-04:00Di MatteoSo where was I? Ah yes, having just left Roma, I found myself dozing in and out of consciousness on a train bound for arguably the most important pizza-related city in the world.<br />
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<a href="http://www.italylink.com/travel/images/Naples.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.italylink.com/travel/images/Naples.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(courtesy of <a href="http://www.italylink.com/" target="_blank">Italy Link</a>)</span></div>
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Napoli. Well-regarded as being founded between 2000-1000 BCE, Naples isn't just one of the oldest cities in Italy, it's one of the oldest in the world. Situated just north of Mount Vesuvius, the volcano has bestowed its ashy soil upon the city providing an excellent resource for pizza making for centuries. From oven bricks and floors to locally-sourced San Marzano tomatoes, Naples (and pizza) would never have been what it is today without that lava-spewing giant and its Vesuvian ash.<br />
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<a href="http://www.euinfrastructure.com/media/media-news/news-thumb/100304/naples-waste.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://www.euinfrastructure.com/media/media-news/news-thumb/100304/naples-waste.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(courtesy of <a href="http://www.euinfrastructure.com/" target="_blank">EU Infrastructure</a>)</span></div>
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Unfortunately the city has seen better (...and worse) days. Widely understood as being predominantly under mafia control and with an unemployment rate between 20-30%, it's understandable why Napoli isn't on every Italian tourist's must-see list. Unless of course you're a pizza nerd.<br />
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Shortly after checking the majority of my luggage at the train station, I set out in search of the famed "Via Tribunali," the alleyway in which a large number of pizzerias reside. Not before long I ended up at stop numero uno: Antica Pizzeria de Friggitoria- <b>Di Matteo</b>. Highly regarded by close friends and pizzaphiles, I couldn't wait to scarf my first authentic Neapolitan pie.<br />
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Immediately upon walking in I was met by a handful of dudes just chilling, and this beautiful oven. With my oversized camera in hand and clearly Americanized attempt at Italian, I explained I had come from NY to try their pizza, which yielded the coldest of gazes from everyone in the kitchen. I think the oven gave me a warmer welcome.<br />
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I quickly grabbed a coke and a table in the adjacent 'dining room' (read: 2 tables in a dark hallway) and ordered myself what would be the first Margherita of four in the next 3 hours. Seemingly without any effort or time elapsed, there she was:<br />
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Aaaaaaaand we're off with a bang! Gorgeous pie, out of the oven and onto my table in under 90 seconds. Could have used a little more basil but I'm not picky (or am I?)<br />
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I find few things more beautiful than the way oil, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella interact on a well-balanced Neapolitan pie. Pizza was cooked perfectly with just the right finishing on top and a well-charred undercrust.</div>
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In traditional fashion, the pizza is served uncut and you are given a fork and knife to dissect it yourself. I intentionally skipped my much-coveted breakfast to make room for all the pies I was planning for lunch, so needless to say this beaut only lasted a few minutes before vanishing completely.<br />
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Still perturbed by the cold welcoming I receive, I slinked out of the joint just before a crowd of like-minded lunchers filtered in- but not before getting a quick shot of their bench:<br />
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With my tail between my legs and stomach just getting underway, I continued down the claustrophobic Via Tribunali in search of more 'za...pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-86477543627723091642012-10-15T16:11:00.000-04:002012-10-15T16:11:01.602-04:00Fall Pizza Party 2012I'm interrupting my Italy coverage to bring you some highlights from this past weekend's pizza party at my place in Brooklyn. There's only one rule: BYOToppings, so as guests arrive and ingredients start piling up, the pies get exponentially crazier.<br />
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Here's a pie-by-pie recap-<br />
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I always start the night with a boring plain/Margherita just to test the oven. I had tried putting my stone on the top rack of the oven rather than its usual placement at the bottom. After the poor crust rise on this guy, I quickly moved it back to the bottom.<br />
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Next up is the "Ham & Yam," a creation put together by pizza blogger <a href="http://31daysofpizza.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sean Taylor</a> and his wife Robin. San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozz, julienned capicola, sweet potato dollops and grana padano. Sean wrote a nice little recap of the night on <a href="http://31daysofpizza.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">31 Days of Pizza</a>, what a guy.<br />
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Someone requested a veggie pie, so this one is San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozz, goat cheese, olives, artichokes, and mushrooms. I'm definitely starting to get drunk at this point.<br />
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Some dingdong made off with a slice before the pizza was properly documented! I'm pretty sure this one was the first white pie- fresh mozz, artichokes, sundried tomatoes, yam dollops, <a href="http://www.mikeshothoney.com/Home.html" target="_blank">Mike's Hot Honey</a>, and grana padano.<br />
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Being stuck between a 550 degree oven and 40 or so people, I took the opportunity to make a 'quick' deep dish/pan pizza. <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2010/12/lou-malnattis.html" target="_blank">Lou Malnatti</a>-style dough and a <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2011/05/pequods.html" target="_blank">Pequod's</a>-style cook; spinach with half mushroom/half fennel sausage.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nlTKT-7bit0/UHxriR7DhhI/AAAAAAAAGXw/kBgu5JbVYeQ/s1600/IMG_4618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nlTKT-7bit0/UHxriR7DhhI/AAAAAAAAGXw/kBgu5JbVYeQ/s320/IMG_4618.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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For the record, I'm not a huge deep dish fan. That being said, if I can throw a pie in the oven that gives me 30 minutes to drink more beer and feeds the masses at the party, count me in.</div>
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I had leftover sliced mozz and sausage from the deep dish, so I whipped up a Trenton-style tomato pie (and clearly cooked it unevenly).</div>
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I think this was the most exciting pie of the night- fresh mozz, goat cheese, 2 eggs, artichokes, truffle salt, pepper and smoked salmon. Unfortunately I did not get a chance to try it. Bummer!</div>
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So I'm pretty drunk at this point, but I've got to end my tenure behind the oven with a bang, so here's the dessert pizza- caramelized bananas, cinnamon, Mike's Hot Honey, and nutella...</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iBgX_bGCz4g/UHxthpCTUSI/AAAAAAAAGYQ/wNb2pIYmUMg/s1600/IMG_4919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iBgX_bGCz4g/UHxthpCTUSI/AAAAAAAAGYQ/wNb2pIYmUMg/s320/IMG_4919.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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...And some Limoncello to wash it all down. Cheers.</div>
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pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-60245602887176470742012-09-06T18:08:00.000-04:002013-02-18T15:23:47.059-05:00PizzariumAfter a splendid (although seemingly never-ending) tour of the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica, I was starving and more importantly, exactly where I wanted to be: just blocks from the relatively new and highly acclaimed Pizzarium-<br />
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Hey look, there's a fellow PSU alum, just like me! Clearly this place has made waves all the way across the ocean, it's no longer a neighborhood secret here. This may have something to do with the fact that it was visited by one of the snarkiest, most rad food gurus around, Anthony Bourdain in an episode of <a href="http://www.travelchannel.com/video/not-your-average-pizzeria" target="_blank">The Layover</a>.<br />
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Founded by Gabriele Bonci (who's cartoonish character is seen above) a few years back, the man is a master of two things in my book: baking great crust + bread, and executing well-balanced toppings with top notch quality.<br />
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Pizza here, like any to-go joints in Roma, is 'al Taglio' or literally 'by the cut.' If you have no idea why, it's pretty simple: you point to the kind of pizza you're jonesin' for to the homeboy or homegirl behind the counter...<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HXK6ckc_c9E/UEkXoyBiaDI/AAAAAAAAGU4/iIsV5JeowmY/s1600/IMG_0477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HXK6ckc_c9E/UEkXoyBiaDI/AAAAAAAAGU4/iIsV5JeowmY/s320/IMG_0477.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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...you show with your hands how much you want, then they cut the pie accordingly... (yes, those are just regular household scissors)<br />
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...they throw that jawn on a scale and weigh it...<br />
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...then toss it in the oven for the obligatory reheat! By the way, check out how badass these homies are (don't act like you're not impressed with that beard). I wish I had taken a photo inside to show just how tiny this space is- it's just big enough to allow about 8-10 customers in at a time, which is why there was such a line outside.<br />
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Bonci claims to have invented over 1,500 different topping combinations which blows my mind for two reasons: with such quality ingredients at their disposal, Italians are typically such traditionalists with their toppings; and also- <i>1,500 different topping combinations?</i> Seriously, that's crazy. I grabbed a couple different cuts and a suppli and arancini and got the hell out of that cramped situation to enjoy my loot near the Vatican.<br />
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First up I snagged a classic cheese/Margherita. This featured low-moisture mozz, tomatoes, and some pre-oven basil. An instant classic with plenty of flavor, you can't go wrong here.<br />
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Up next was a simple white pie which consisted of ricotta, caramelized onions and arugula. Look at the hole structure on that thing! I could have camped out inside that crumb, holy schnikies! </div>
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Lastly we have red pie with buffalo mozzarella, which ended up being my favorite of the trio. Despite the fact that the cheese coagulated by the time I got to the second slice, I wolfed it anyway. Again, check out how fluffy this dough is-</div>
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After all was said and done (or so I thought), I chased it all with a suppli and arancini- </div>
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For the unfamiliar, these are essentially deep fried rice balls with egg, tomato and other fillings:
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Woof. Afterward I hopped on the subway back to my hotel and promptly passed out. How else was I going to make room for dinner?</div>
pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-54087517551376561402012-08-31T11:19:00.001-04:002012-08-31T11:19:11.898-04:00Attention: Slice Out Hunger 2012!We interrupt our regular programming to bring you this special announcement: via <a href="http://www.scottspizzatours.com/" target="_blank">Scott Wiener</a>, the date and location for this year's <a href="http://sliceouthunger.org/" target="_blank">Slice Out Hunger</a> in NYC have been announced!<br />
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On October 10th of this year at St. Anthony's Church on Sullivan & Houston at 6pm, for a limited time some of the city's best pizzas will be available for a buck a slice (bet you never thought you'd get your hands on a $1 slice of Di Fara would you?).<br />
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Better yet, all the proceeds go to City Harvest to feed hungry New Yorkers! Eat great 'za and help feed others, what more could you ask for?! Check out the promo I put together for Scott below, see you there!
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<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/47055890" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/47055890">Slice Out Hunger 2012</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user3056111">Brooks Jones</a>pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-66197274731113890322012-08-23T17:28:00.000-04:002012-08-23T17:28:18.114-04:00Forno Campo de' FioriMy head was spinning nearly as fast as the wheels on the landing gear when my plane touched ground in Rome. "How far would I get by using my phrase book?" "Are Romans friendly?" "Oh man, I already know how awful my pronunciation is, this is going to be rough." At least my body, fully afflicted by jet-lag and a half-night's uncomfortable sleep, was equally as out-of-whack as my brain as they hit a surreal equilibrium. Thankfully, if there was one thing I wasn't unsure of, it was what, when, and where I was going to eat for just about every meal in Italy. After I dropped my bags at the hotel, I made a beeline for stop number one: Forno. I had no idea what was in store for me.<br />
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Campo de' Fiori (literally 'field of flowers') has been a public square since somewhere around the 13th or 14th century. Most notably known as a marketplace, the square has a darker history as a venue for public executions during the renaissance period. The statue of the homeboy in the black cloak chilling in the middle of the square seen below is that of Giordano Bruno, a philosopher who was pleasantly burned alive where the memorial stands now.<br />
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Thankfully the Romans have since brought their flames from public gatherings into pizza ovens. While it may not be wood-burning, the first thing that caught my eye at Forno was their killer wall of ovens-<br />
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Like many pizza tourists that end up here, Peter Reinhart's glowing review of this joint in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-Pie-Search-Perfect-Pizza/dp/1580084222" target="_blank">American Pie</a> had more than something to do with my visit. I knew going in that this place was more of a bakery than a pizzeria, and that all they really had to offer were 'rosso' and 'bianco' (red & white) cuts<br />
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Each one of those 12 doors leads to an oven chamber that reaches maybe 7-8 feet back. The way they make their pizza/bread is they will stretch the dough out slowly, top it with sauce if it's a red pie, then accordion it back into a scrunched up wad. The baker will then pick it up with the peel, open the hatch door, and then slide the pizza onto the back of the oven and then drag it back towards the oven opening, essentially re-elongating it. Make sense?
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After scoping out the process, I hurried inside only to be surprised that not only did they make rosso and bianco, but they made a solid cheese slice as well! Without hesitation I got one of each and some beer and headed right back outside to eat the on the edge of a fountain.<br />
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Upon serving, Forno makes a width-wise cut across the pizza, then folds it back on itself resulting in what I can only describe as a pizza sandwich.<br />
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I started with the cheese slice, deciding to remove toppings as I proceeded.<br />
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Obviously the cheese didn't take too kindly to my pulling the pizza concoction apart, but you get the idea of what's going on here. Low moisture mozz on tomatoes. Tasty, delicious, simple, and solid.<br />
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Moving right along to the rosso, we're featuring more or less the same slice sans cheese (duh). This really brought the bright, naturally sweet tomatoes to the forefront that I didn't have attention to appreciate on the last slice. As I set this guy down to take a bite of the bianco, I had no idea that my life was about to change.<br />
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It looks so plain and unassuming, doesn't it? Salt, flour, water and yeast heated to a certain degree for a given amount of time with a dash of olive oil on top for good measure. Without thinking I took a bite and instantly realized I was eating, hands down, the best bread I've ever had in my life. While it didn't have much crumb to speak of and it has an unassuming appearance, this little guy had the most impressive balance with just the right touch of salt.<br />
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After ever-so-slowly downing the rest of my piece, I promptly walked back into the shop and ordered more bianco from the smiling staff. I watched the last of the pizza being made as I took bites of my second helping, mesmerized beyond the point of blinking. I don't think it really hit me that I was finally in Italy until I took that first bite of bianco, and then I realized how much pizza I had yet to explore in this country.pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-189799420723768062012-06-22T14:15:00.000-04:002012-06-22T14:22:40.005-04:00Via Tribunali<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Holy schnikies! I can't believe it's been over six months since my last post! I'm pretty embarrassed by my lack of updates, but I've been busy jet-setting all over the place. Rest assured, I've got some delicious content for ya! By the way, did I mention I went to a little place called</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>ITALY?!</b></span></div>
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Boy, did I ever, and have I got some stories and pies for you. Before we dig in, let me set the tone by rewinding to a crucial pre-trip excursion I made with two of my favorite pizzaphiles, <a href="http://www.scottspizzatours.com/" target="_blank">Scott Wiener</a> and<a href="http://www.idreamofpizza.com/" target="_blank"> Jason Feirman</a> to the aptly named Via Tribunali in the LES, NYC.</div>
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Just days before my flight I called for an emergency joint pizza subcommittee meeting with my aforementioned comrades, both of which are seasoned Italian pizza vets, to run my tentative itinerary by them and take down any last minute pro-tips. Of course you can't discuss pizza without <i>eating </i>pizza, right? So we ordered some brews, a couple pies, and one interesting concoction I'll get to later-</div>
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We ordered the mandatory scientific control (a standard Margherita), a "Dante," and a house specialty, the recursively-named "Via Tribunali." As I walked the guys through my plans and compared notes, we each started noshing on a dish. J got first dibs on the Margherita which immediately struck me as average.<br />
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A bit shy on the basil and not much charring to speak of, I wasn't completely blown away with the presentation. That being said the fresh mozz was cooked well and melted just as it should, and overall flavor of the pie was well-balanced aside from needing more basil up in there.<br />
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After a few minutes we passed plates- meanwhile Scott wouldn't shut the hell up about his dish, the Tribunali. Be patient (I had to be!), we're getting there. Next I had the "Dante"- tomatoes, provolone (!?), arugula, prosciutto, cherry tomatoes, and I believe that's sliced grana padano on top. While I usually feel like sauce + cherry tomatoes can be over the top and redundant, it really didn't bother me on this pizza since there wasn't a ton of sauce.<br />
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Again, well-balanced if not a bit tricky to cut into slices. The grana and prosciutto raised the pie's sodium game, but it was evened out by the peppery arugula. While the prov was an interesting substitute for mozz, I wouldn't exactly say this pizza is breaking any new ground. But what about that weird looking log thing?<br />
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Oh this? The "Via Tribunali" was the real winner here. So what exactly is going on here? It's basically a two-sided calzone. On one side you have mozzarella and sausage, while the other features ricotta and rapini. Down the center is a little "alleyway" of arugula, cherry tomatoes and sliced grana padano. For those unaware, Via Tribunali is a tiny, narrow alley in Naples which boasts a handful of the city's best pizzerias, so this pizzeria's name and this dish are a creative nod to its brick oven brethren.<br />
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After wolfing everything in sight, downing our brewskis and chatting with the gracious staff, I had a heavily modified Italian to-do list of places to go and pizza to eat. What would I do without these guys?<br />
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Next up- Rome, Naples, and beyond!</div>pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-11508562734961888632011-11-23T11:35:00.014-05:002011-11-23T18:46:29.257-05:00Greenpoint Pizza Tour 2011<div style="text-align: left;">How often do you really challenge yourself? Do you ever wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, wondering what your full potential is? How many times have you really put yourself to the test?</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not talking about that promotion or going back to grad school, what I'm really asking is the all-important question, 'how much pizza can you eat in 3 hours?' I've often pondered this, so when Jen from <a href="http://thegreenpointers.com/">The Greenpointers</a>/<a href="http://www.mortadifame.blogspot.com/">Morta di Fame</a> offered me the opportunity to realize not only my true pizza aptitude but also simultaneously determine the best slice joint in Greenpoint, she had me at "10 pizzerias."</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uIMVy2ejsMk/Ts0sJFFy2gI/AAAAAAAAFVk/-S9529PRxeA/s1600/13.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uIMVy2ejsMk/Ts0sJFFy2gI/AAAAAAAAFVk/-S9529PRxeA/s320/13.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678243239680989698" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>How did we rank each slice? Appearance was worth up to 30 points, while specific and overall taste and flavor accumulated to 45 points for a total of 75 points. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://thegreenpointers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/GREENPOINTERS_JGALATIOTO_PIZZATOUR_MG_4425.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://thegreenpointers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/GREENPOINTERS_JGALATIOTO_PIZZATOUR_MG_4425.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 399px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After a windy bike ride north along the East river, I rendezvoused with my pizza comrades Jen and <a href="http://thegreenpointers.com/about#Writer: Peter Tiso">Peter</a> at our first stop, Grandma Rose's on Graham Ave for our first slice of the day. As you can see we decided to use our mind over our gut and just order one slice at each stop and have it cut 3 ways. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r3v2m_BWutk/Ts0r7MoC5uI/AAAAAAAAFVE/3bMjgt4Kza8/s1600/1.%2BGrandma%2BRose%2527s.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r3v2m_BWutk/Ts0r7MoC5uI/AAAAAAAAFVE/3bMjgt4Kza8/s320/1.%2BGrandma%2BRose%2527s.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678243001185527522" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Grandma Rose's: 50.5/75</b> </div><div style="text-align: center;">(Note: they tried to bribe us with zeppoles! Fear not, I have integrity)</div><div><br /></div><div>Next we ducked under the BQE to Nina's at 635 Meeker Ave. As soon as I walked in, they had a point against them- the place proclaims themselves as proprietors of "brick oven pizza," when in reality they just have a pair of gas deck ovens hidden behind a brick facade. FALSE ADVERTISING!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cIaTdoeW4UE/Ts0r6lFkS6I/AAAAAAAAFU0/FXBt1lpcDd0/s1600/2.%2BNina%2527s.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cIaTdoeW4UE/Ts0r6lFkS6I/AAAAAAAAFU0/FXBt1lpcDd0/s320/2.%2BNina%2527s.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678242990571932578" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Nina's: 53/75</b></div><div><br /></div><div>After a quick spin on our bikes down a quiet Kingsland Ave., we arrived at Vinnie's Greenpoint location. I was familiar with the Williamsburg location so I knew what to expect here. I always think of Vinnie's as a fun joint with a sense of humor to hit up when you're on the market for zany toppings, and the same holds true here.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TJ9YrfdKkBo/Ts0r5srCPbI/AAAAAAAAFUs/5nodSqCHp5U/s1600/3.%2BVinnie%2527s.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TJ9YrfdKkBo/Ts0r5srCPbI/AAAAAAAAFUs/5nodSqCHp5U/s320/3.%2BVinnie%2527s.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678242975428263346" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Vinnie's: 55.5/75</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Note: We were also bribed with garlic knots here and stickers of Vinnie's infamous <a href="http://www.nate-lewis.com/blog/2009/08/08/t-hanks/">T.hanks</a> trashcan. I'm not <i>not </i>gonna take 'em, but again my scores remain unaffected. However, they get bonus points for carrying <a href="http://www.manhattanspecial.com/">Manhattan Special</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>As I rode down Nassau trying to balance a bottle of MS in one hand, it wasn't long before we hooked a right and made our first stop on Manhattan Ave., Pizzeria Valdiano.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RIi2c53-Hno/Ts0r5rPv6PI/AAAAAAAAFUY/H2fX4E7d-Vw/s1600/4.%2BValdiano%2527s.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RIi2c53-Hno/Ts0r5rPv6PI/AAAAAAAAFUY/H2fX4E7d-Vw/s320/4.%2BValdiano%2527s.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678242975045380338" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Valdiano: 56.5/75</b></div><div><br /></div><div>At this point we were just walking our bikes since nearly half of our stops on the trip were within a block of each other. Next up was my favorite, Carmine's (not to be confused with the <i>other </i>Carmine's in Williamsburg).</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-72_aaZno8_0/Ts0r5aOjIAI/AAAAAAAAFUQ/QeLE_93fXVE/s1600/5.%2BCarmine%2527s.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-72_aaZno8_0/Ts0r5aOjIAI/AAAAAAAAFUQ/QeLE_93fXVE/s320/5.%2BCarmine%2527s.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678242970476945410" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Carmine's: 59/75</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Notes: Carmine's gets 2 bonus points from me for the fact that Carmine was there in the flesh, making this the only owner-operated pizzeria on the trip. That and the patron cat of pizza was looking down on us for protection. Or hand-outs.)</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lg7jiicx2mI/Ts0sIxteodI/AAAAAAAAFVM/JrEfMUkd3Js/s1600/11.%2BPizza%2Bcat.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lg7jiicx2mI/Ts0sIxteodI/AAAAAAAAFVM/JrEfMUkd3Js/s320/11.%2BPizza%2Bcat.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678243234478727634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After Carmine's, we popped across the street to the quintessential pizzeria clad 70's era orange formica and tight eating quarters, Russ Pizza.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--kj5GQsYWmo/Ts0ret9lksI/AAAAAAAAFUE/44-tLO-jLzY/s1600/6.%2BRuss.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--kj5GQsYWmo/Ts0ret9lksI/AAAAAAAAFUE/44-tLO-jLzY/s320/6.%2BRuss.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678242511918043842" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Russ Pizza: 50/75</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Moving one block north was our next stop, the generically-named Italy Pizza. For the first time on the trip, we found a slice with some decent hole structure in the crust, but unfortunately the slice ultimately didn't deliver on the flavor front-</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gc3HF1oNat0/Ts0reexUE2I/AAAAAAAAFT4/1yrmjWaK_HQ/s1600/7.%2BItaly%2BPizza.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gc3HF1oNat0/Ts0reexUE2I/AAAAAAAAFT4/1yrmjWaK_HQ/s320/7.%2BItaly%2BPizza.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678242507840033634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Italy Pizza: 53.5/75</b></div><div><br /></div><div>At this point about an hour and a half in, the pizza fatigue was really beginning to set in. After taking a quick breather and fighting every urge my body was imploring me to yak, we moved on down Greenpoint Ave. to Franklin Pizza.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CdhBpe2CpHs/Ts0reNX4m5I/AAAAAAAAFTs/RzR976GNpuM/s1600/8.%2BFranklin.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CdhBpe2CpHs/Ts0reNX4m5I/AAAAAAAAFTs/RzR976GNpuM/s320/8.%2BFranklin.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678242503169973138" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Franklin Pizza: 57.5/75</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I have to admit, I had low expectations of this place, but all things considered it delivered pretty well. Once we scarfed our pizza thirds (I think I was the only one finishing my portions at this point), we were off to Triangolo Pizza further north on Manhattan Ave.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LZ5acxn8UoU/Ts0rd2pzwGI/AAAAAAAAFTg/T3b9hBkHYgc/s1600/9.%2BTriangolo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LZ5acxn8UoU/Ts0rd2pzwGI/AAAAAAAAFTg/T3b9hBkHYgc/s320/9.%2BTriangolo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678242497071136866" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Triangolo Pizza: 55/75</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Note: Triangolo gets a bonus point for their Steven Segall of Fame)</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-djTzSOQ_2zE/Ts0sI00YfJI/AAAAAAAAFVU/ksZuQDFO-M0/s1600/12.%2BSegall%2Bof%2BFame.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-djTzSOQ_2zE/Ts0sI00YfJI/AAAAAAAAFVU/ksZuQDFO-M0/s320/12.%2BSegall%2Bof%2BFame.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678243235312991378" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Just look at that tassled-rawhide sport coat. But don't stare too long lest you want a roundhouse to the face. Last on the trip was Casanova over on McGuinness Blvd-</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HgUxnnYHCeo/Ts0rdtoXwbI/AAAAAAAAFTU/FPSzbBCLlhI/s1600/10.%2BCasanova.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HgUxnnYHCeo/Ts0rdtoXwbI/AAAAAAAAFTU/FPSzbBCLlhI/s320/10.%2BCasanova.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678242494649188786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Casanova: 51/75</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Note: They didn't even offer a re-heat! Point deduction.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Once we weighted, tallied and combined our scores over some brewskis, we came to the following winners:</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>1st Place:</b> Pizzeria Valdiano</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>2nd Place:</b> Franklin Pizza</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>3rd Place:</b> Triangolo Pizza</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://thegreenpointers.com/2011/11/22/greenpointers-pizza-tour-2011/">Check out The Greenpointers for the total recap!</a></div><div><br /></div><div>That being said, I think we all know who <a href="http://www.pauliegee.com/home.php">really rules the neighborhood</a>. After all was said and done, I reflected on the day and learned something about myself: </div><div><br /></div><div>I eat too much pizza.</div>pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-12460395896217736932011-09-22T11:57:00.005-04:002011-09-22T17:11:52.032-04:00New Park Pizza<div>For far too long, I've had <a href="http://newparkpizza.com/">New Park Pizza</a> on my list of slice joints to hit up. Queens residents won't shut up about it, <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2010/03/paulie-gees-opens-tonight-march-9th.html">Paulie Gee</a> swears by it, but I'll tell ya- unless you have a car (and who does in this city?), the place ain't easy to get to.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7m18uOQtYBY/TntbQRAYCtI/AAAAAAAAFGw/_6jjD_RIyNk/s1600/IMG_7645.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7m18uOQtYBY/TntbQRAYCtI/AAAAAAAAFGw/_6jjD_RIyNk/s320/IMG_7645.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655214092094802642" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Check that neon steam! Located in Howard Beach, Queens, NPP isn't too far from JFK airport- which is exactly how I ended up there. We all know food at the airport is more often than not pretty horrendous; truer words couldn't be spoken about Fort Lauderdale's Jet Blue terminal. With my stomach grumbling and hot 'za on my mind (and more importantly, a car waiting in NYC), I decided the time had come for my belly to get to know New Park Pizza.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f38nXx3EWMo/TntbQy3KbDI/AAAAAAAAFHI/eaJRhHi-IyY/s1600/IMG_7648.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f38nXx3EWMo/TntbQy3KbDI/AAAAAAAAFHI/eaJRhHi-IyY/s320/IMG_7648.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655214101182966834" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>NPP proudly displays the '94 NY Post article declaring it the best slice in Queens (alongside <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2009/10/di-fara-pizza.html">Di Fara</a> in Brooklyn and <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2010/06/sal-and-carmine.html">Sal & Carmine's</a> in Manhattan). So what makes New Park 'fuhgedaboudit' great? For starters, they cook their pies in a gas-fed brick-lined oven cranked to the max. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-flqO5gQuU7E/TntbQtCitpI/AAAAAAAAFG4/rquxnTGswrQ/s1600/IMG_7646.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-flqO5gQuU7E/TntbQtCitpI/AAAAAAAAFG4/rquxnTGswrQ/s320/IMG_7646.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655214099620083346" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Additionally, they have a standard gas deck oven used explicitly for reheats, yielding one mean slice:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WQc_8fl9GPw/TntbREuYuPI/AAAAAAAAFHQ/MHRPXAVkGvo/s1600/IMG_7649.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WQc_8fl9GPw/TntbREuYuPI/AAAAAAAAFHQ/MHRPXAVkGvo/s320/IMG_7649.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655214105977993458" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>...Okay, well <i>two </i>mean slices. New Park has come under a bit of fire lately from some of its long-term patrons who claim the quality of the pies are becoming increasingly inconsistent, often times under and over-cooking the pizza. I understood the controversy when the undercrust on my slices came out much darker than I had anticipated.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OhEobugugLk/TntbYwHWS_I/AAAAAAAAFHo/9OOPYSBCeII/s1600/IMG_7652.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OhEobugugLk/TntbYwHWS_I/AAAAAAAAFHo/9OOPYSBCeII/s320/IMG_7652.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655214237884500978" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Woah, you don't see char like this on your average slice. Upon scoping this out, I gulped hard. Was it nicely charred, or brutally burnt? I <i>really </i>wanted this pizza to be all that it was cracked up to be.</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hFpO0R9GMS8/TntbdjUzr_I/AAAAAAAAFIA/ja3xI56k-QA/s1600/IMG_7655.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hFpO0R9GMS8/TntbdjUzr_I/AAAAAAAAFIA/ja3xI56k-QA/s320/IMG_7655.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655214320350638066" /></a><br />I took one bite and it was all over. I was pie-eyed and in love. No, the dark undercrust wasn't burnt and had just the perfect amount of flavor and rigidity to support the magic happening on top.<div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ohzaY016KEI/TntbZEDUSEI/AAAAAAAAFHw/LvLshnFt9sE/s1600/IMG_7653.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ohzaY016KEI/TntbZEDUSEI/AAAAAAAAFHw/LvLshnFt9sE/s320/IMG_7653.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655214243236300866" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u><br /></u></span></div><div>The dough has just the right amount of balance to offer staccato salt notes coinciding with chewy sourdough tones. The cheese, while nothing special (low moisture full fat aged Mozzarella) is perfectly cooked and the staple of such a NY slice. And the sauce? Naturally sweet and tangy with what tastes like a hint of black pepper and oregano.</div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nu0OuHq4Sco/TntbZOhuqhI/AAAAAAAAFH4/3xOnHVE_IsA/s1600/IMG_7654.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nu0OuHq4Sco/TntbZOhuqhI/AAAAAAAAFH4/3xOnHVE_IsA/s320/IMG_7654.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655214246048213522" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>This is what NY pizza is all about, folks, plain and simple. New Park, let's hang out more often. It's a shame you're such a pain in the ass to get to. Is investing in a Zipcar membership just for pizza a sign that I have a problem?<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2vzG4kzy97g/TntbYhBmVZI/AAAAAAAAFHg/-Gi7YILzoek/s1600/IMG_7651.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2vzG4kzy97g/TntbYhBmVZI/AAAAAAAAFHg/-Gi7YILzoek/s320/IMG_7651.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655214233833854354" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">If scarfing this pie is wrong, then I sure as hell don't want to be right.</div>pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-10126484585767996082011-09-21T13:56:00.002-04:002011-09-22T18:04:05.565-04:00No Name Pub<div>When you think Florida Keys, I bet you imagine sunshine, lush blue water, coconuts, and maybe some seafood or a Cuban sandwich. If I'm correct in guessing that, then you clearly haven't been to the <a href="http://www.nonamepub.com/">No Name Pub</a> in Big Pine Key.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uol7d4Q6GRI/Tnt3HIE-8VI/AAAAAAAAFIw/qQiI1UeUTeg/s1600/IMG_7606.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uol7d4Q6GRI/Tnt3HIE-8VI/AAAAAAAAFIw/qQiI1UeUTeg/s320/IMG_7606.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655244721404965202" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Are those... dollar bills stapled everywhere?</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gke1XjvFlcQ/Tnt28rfG9CI/AAAAAAAAFIg/S2Zpa2TnVP4/s1600/IMG_7604.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gke1XjvFlcQ/Tnt28rfG9CI/AAAAAAAAFIg/S2Zpa2TnVP4/s320/IMG_7604.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655244541931222050" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Yep, estimated at somewhere between 75-85,000 of them. I've seen currency plastered on restaurant walls before, but this is ridiculous! At the recommendation of a friend, I was told I <i>had </i>to stop through No Name on my way down to Key West recently. Had he not mentioned it, I never would have found the place, which is part of their allure.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iHEiaIHvB4o/Tnt3HT-jptI/AAAAAAAAFJA/ZV3DnYx-kLQ/s1600/IMG_7608.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iHEiaIHvB4o/Tnt3HT-jptI/AAAAAAAAFJA/ZV3DnYx-kLQ/s320/IMG_7608.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655244724599236306" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In case you can't make out their slogan, it reads, "A nice place if you can find it." If it weren't for my GPS, I surely wouldn't have. Tucked away in the most remote of places on Big Pine, I was literally driving through people's backyards to get there. Why? Pizza, of course!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hG5krcZoxRM/Tnt3S1JW-3I/AAAAAAAAFJo/bbvgn5uG_Sw/s1600/IMG_7616.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hG5krcZoxRM/Tnt3S1JW-3I/AAAAAAAAFJo/bbvgn5uG_Sw/s320/IMG_7616.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655244922481474418" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, this pizza is served on circular piece of plywood and accompanied by classiest styrofoam plates. Hey I'm not complaining, dive bars are my comfort zone! No Name first opened as a general store in 1931 before adding an eatery in '36. After going through permutations including a brothel and a hide-out for drug smugglers, No Name eventually came into the restaurant/bar combo form it is now.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E3iDmJQcvNw/Tnt3SrnumdI/AAAAAAAAFJY/3SLbXCnIMMI/s1600/IMG_7614.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E3iDmJQcvNw/Tnt3SrnumdI/AAAAAAAAFJY/3SLbXCnIMMI/s320/IMG_7614.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655244919924496850" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>One quick glance at the crust will tell you the pizza is cooked in a circular pan, which coupled with the fact that it's a thin crust pie, gives it a pretty unique identity. That being said, however they bake this thing could stand to be a little hotter on the oven floor. Case in point-</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JW3BzMR8wYM/Tnt3Sy4zImI/AAAAAAAAFJg/T6ktuMwsT8o/s1600/IMG_7615.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JW3BzMR8wYM/Tnt3Sy4zImI/AAAAAAAAFJg/T6ktuMwsT8o/s320/IMG_7615.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655244921875145314" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I ordered a half cheese/half sausage pie, which wasn't too shabby depending on what you analyze.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Dx-0IavmOU/Tnt3TNcIHzI/AAAAAAAAFJw/4jxBpZaFYqk/s1600/IMG_7617.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Dx-0IavmOU/Tnt3TNcIHzI/AAAAAAAAFJw/4jxBpZaFYqk/s320/IMG_7617.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655244929002643250" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The sausage had a nice fennel flavor to it and were about the size of marbles. I'm a large-chunks-of-crumbled-sausage kind of guy, but anything is better than those dense flat cuts of sausage seen on most by-the-slice pizzas.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G4WS6Tiu8nI/Tnt3HgcS7cI/AAAAAAAAFJQ/SLjd7UakloQ/s1600/IMG_7613.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G4WS6Tiu8nI/Tnt3HgcS7cI/AAAAAAAAFJQ/SLjd7UakloQ/s320/IMG_7613.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655244727945194946" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Resting atop the sausage is one solid layer of stringy mozzarella. There's a possibility that they blend the mozz with another white cheese- maybe provolone or white cheddar, since the stuff definitely has mass.</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PsQU-FORwgM/Tnt3YGet3BI/AAAAAAAAFKI/bTAz5Y9s3ro/s1600/IMG_7620.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PsQU-FORwgM/Tnt3YGet3BI/AAAAAAAAFKI/bTAz5Y9s3ro/s320/IMG_7620.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655245013033802770" /></a><br />The sauce, while mostly bland, had a slight zesty kick to it that suggested they tossed in some oregano and little red pepper flake.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HhLUPzPQccE/Tnt3YBo1lhI/AAAAAAAAFKA/YT6-NbBaHng/s1600/IMG_7619.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HhLUPzPQccE/Tnt3YBo1lhI/AAAAAAAAFKA/YT6-NbBaHng/s320/IMG_7619.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655245011734074898" /></a><br />This is quintessential bar pizza- boring, but fun, filling and perfectly pairs with an ice cold beer. The crust was the biggest disappointment, and almost felt and tasted like bad, undercooked frozen pizza.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w60eC9S12Vg/Tnt3HVlgJhI/AAAAAAAAFJI/wlhDCoSYKc4/s1600/IMG_7612.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w60eC9S12Vg/Tnt3HVlgJhI/AAAAAAAAFJI/wlhDCoSYKc4/s320/IMG_7612.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655244725031020050" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div>That being said, I still had a blast at No Name and the pizza, while unimpressive, seemed perfect for that moment in time. Would I go back?<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CoHgkeKJlqk/Tnt3HPC1lHI/AAAAAAAAFI4/2tSUqoM1w9U/s1600/IMG_7607.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CoHgkeKJlqk/Tnt3HPC1lHI/AAAAAAAAFI4/2tSUqoM1w9U/s320/IMG_7607.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655244723275011186" /></a>pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-32870152037905424982011-09-14T12:43:00.009-04:002011-09-14T17:35:41.988-04:00Wonder Bar<div>Unless you're from Massachusetts, chances are you're going to mispronounce the municipality of Wonder Bar's home city- Worcester. Contrary to accepted pronunciation practices, grammar rules and common sense in general, the town is not "war-ches-ter." No, you'd be way off. In your thickest Bostonian accent, say it with me now: "wuh-stuh."</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w7XC7SIOz3Y/TnDZxg4p8MI/AAAAAAAAFE4/xq-QpbcUrDI/s400/IMG_7243.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652256977014354114" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">Based on the way the "er" becomes an "uh," maybe they should rename the place Wonder Bar Pizzer. My sister and her family live just outside of Worcester, so there was no debating whether or not I was going to check this place out. Funny enough, in the 13 years I've been trekking through this town and occasionally grabbing pizza, Wonder Bar had never entered into the equation. Not until I met J Spillane at <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2011/01/coalfire.html">Coalfire</a> in Chicago last December had I even heard of the place.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dfXp8iqKRWA/TnDZ6qlyaXI/AAAAAAAAFGA/KSO-ENaMOxU/s1600/IMG_7260.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dfXp8iqKRWA/TnDZ6qlyaXI/AAAAAAAAFGA/KSO-ENaMOxU/s400/IMG_7260.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652257134238394738" /></a><br /><div>Built in 1922, Wonder Bar remains virtually unchanged by time. It even smells old (I actually mean that as a compliment). Grab a seat on one of those rad stools at the bar and scope out the coolest guitar ever created:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FF0160rv72k/TnDZ6EunZlI/AAAAAAAAFFw/gTCCNzIr04Q/s400/IMG_7259.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652257124074874450" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">WHAAAAAAAAT?! This killer axe was custom made for Wonder Bar by a regular patron. Check out the pizza cutter on the end, and there's even char marks on the crust! Speaking of which, you can see where the artist got his inspiration by ordering a pie (or three) from the waitress.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B8sF5ZrMVxA/TnDZ57BrEHI/AAAAAAAAFFg/pY9qI8xqxsY/s1600/IMG_7252.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B8sF5ZrMVxA/TnDZ57BrEHI/AAAAAAAAFFg/pY9qI8xqxsY/s400/IMG_7252.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652257121470451826" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">By default, I had to order a plain cheese-</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M9vb348PxCQ/TnDZ5yS1yLI/AAAAAAAAFFo/2XRHOz3UypU/s400/IMG_7253.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652257119126538418" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div>...as well as a half-pepperoni/half-sausage. Y'know, for research's sake...</div><div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-utz5JmbrFuQ/TnDZ6YHOVTI/AAAAAAAAFF4/1ML3VPNWVKE/s1600/IMG_7254.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-utz5JmbrFuQ/TnDZ6YHOVTI/AAAAAAAAFF4/1ML3VPNWVKE/s400/IMG_7254.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652257129278362930" /></a><br /></div><div>...and lastly a fresh tomato and broccoli pie for good measure. I think we got all of our bases covered here. The sausage was just the way it should be- large chunks with hints of fennel, collectively adding a flavorful zing to the pie without ultimately overpowering it.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LkbbGdwIau4/TnDZyfNALLI/AAAAAAAAFFQ/Oe9xcmHXzuY/s1600/IMG_7249.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LkbbGdwIau4/TnDZyfNALLI/AAAAAAAAFFQ/Oe9xcmHXzuY/s400/IMG_7249.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652256993742695602" /></a><br /></div><div>I didn't get a chance to check out the oven, but from what J and the bartender could tell me, it used to be coal-fired until somewhere in the 50's when, for cost-efficiency reasons, WB had the beast converted to a gas feed. Bummer, but to be quite honest you can hardly tell the difference when a pizza with just the right amount of char is placed right in front of you.</div><div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kr-KnsgGvp8/TnDZyJelsgI/AAAAAAAAFFI/92mmYJ_5ihI/s1600/IMG_7247.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kr-KnsgGvp8/TnDZyJelsgI/AAAAAAAAFFI/92mmYJ_5ihI/s400/IMG_7247.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652256987910877698" /></a><br /></div><div>This is quintessential bar pizza in a quintessential New England bar. It doesn't get much cooler than this when it comes to hometown flavor and experience, and Wonder Bar has all the right moves.</div><div><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RyGC9TqWZ5E/TnDZx5HDSCI/AAAAAAAAFFA/AvbLf-RzKYU/s1600/IMG_7246.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RyGC9TqWZ5E/TnDZx5HDSCI/AAAAAAAAFFA/AvbLf-RzKYU/s400/IMG_7246.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652256983517186082" /></a><br /></div><div>As you can guess by the look of the pies, it's not Wonder not a slice was left by the time the tab came.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w7XC7SIOz3Y/TnDZxg4p8MI/AAAAAAAAFE4/xq-QpbcUrDI/s1600/IMG_7243.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div>pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6746366232619275427.post-33528270750992737262011-06-13T09:16:00.009-04:002012-11-04T18:18:11.811-05:00900 DegreesI'm a strong believer that Greenwich Village is hands down the best neighborhood for pizza in America. Within the confines of the quarter square mile radiating out from 6<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> Avenue and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Bleecker</span> Street lies a cross section of what arguably makes New York the greatest pizza city in existence. Yes, it started in Naples and San Francisco is giving the Big Apple a run for its money, but nowhere else can you find such a heavy concentration of incredible pizzerias of nearly every style.<br />
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<a href="http://www.google.com/maps/vt/data=LtgX-e3f8ctI3U5dJtbt7EJ1ZfRneYme,Z8Gsg65GF8ZW0Mgpsu3mRqhHuQDRIp4d4R1kPcY8wRB0-rH5oERnTdSYN9l2V_J86GpN6FwKmGWCw08qr8t53GZvVqiAX5eUnCdnFWkvXWmG0EtmmtzZCXgNz-95Zkn95_UgERggOIoATh9W0gCU6d5eCSjZ1rBSZmawZJzhmzGHQg4L"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.google.com/maps/vt/data=LtgX-e3f8ctI3U5dJtbt7EJ1ZfRneYme,Z8Gsg65GF8ZW0Mgpsu3mRqhHuQDRIp4d4R1kPcY8wRB0-rH5oERnTdSYN9l2V_J86GpN6FwKmGWCw08qr8t53GZvVqiAX5eUnCdnFWkvXWmG0EtmmtzZCXgNz-95Zkn95_UgERggOIoATh9W0gCU6d5eCSjZ1rBSZmawZJzhmzGHQg4L" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 185px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 270px;" /></a><br />
Not convinced? There's old-school NY-Neapolitan at <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2010/06/johns.html">John's</a>, the perfect slice at <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2009/10/joes-of-bleecker-st.html">Joe's</a>, Roman style at Pizza Roma, the infamous "Nonna" slice at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Bleecker</span> St. Pizza, incredible Neapolitan pies at <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2009/07/keste.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Keste</span></a>, coal-fired pizza at <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2010/03/arturos.html">Arturo's</a>, funky slices at <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2009/07/artichoke-basilles.html">Artichoke</a>, more Neapolitan pies at <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2009/10/no-28.html">No. 28</a>, and that's not even counting at least 7 or 8 run of the mill slice joints. So who'd be crazy enough to open a new pizzeria in the midst of all this competition?<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ktFMhtqqOmM/TfYOoTZt1VI/AAAAAAAAEBg/7zAesEURHYE/s1600/IMG_5784.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617693670756963666" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ktFMhtqqOmM/TfYOoTZt1VI/AAAAAAAAEBg/7zAesEURHYE/s400/IMG_5784.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Enter 900 Degrees, the new creation from multi-award winning <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">pizzaiolo</span> and dough-thrower Tony <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Gemignani</span>. I'll admit the first reaction I had when I read about this place opening up was pure unadulterated joy. After having had a great time at <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2010/06/tonys-pizza-napoletana.html">Tony's Pizza <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Napoletana</span></a> in SF, I was pretty stoked to see he was crossing the country. Then the reality set in- "this guy's got brass balls opening in this neighborhood," I thought, "can he pull it off? What's he have <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">that'll</span> set him apart from the rest?"<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rEz47EJygno/TfYOn_uNp9I/AAAAAAAAEBY/4s8ZGC9_hmk/s1600/IMG_5783.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617693665474226130" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rEz47EJygno/TfYOn_uNp9I/AAAAAAAAEBY/4s8ZGC9_hmk/s400/IMG_5783.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Well, two ovens for starters.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9SvWwDfP4Hg/TfYN3uXvq_I/AAAAAAAAD_g/m14Etv-eWCU/s1600/IMG_5767.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617692836182862834" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9SvWwDfP4Hg/TfYN3uXvq_I/AAAAAAAAD_g/m14Etv-eWCU/s400/IMG_5767.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
But that's not all. Similar to its sister site in North Beach, 900 Degrees offers a dizzying selection of not just different pies, but completely different styles of pizza (five to be exact). Just<a href="http://slice.seriouseats.com/downloads/900-degree-menu.pdf"> one look at the menu</a> is enough to make your stomach growl and your knees weak.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8DSoTc_uXQ4/TfYN4pjHKHI/AAAAAAAAD_w/V_xPb-cAZ-c/s1600/IMG_5769.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617692852068231282" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8DSoTc_uXQ4/TfYN4pjHKHI/AAAAAAAAD_w/V_xPb-cAZ-c/s400/IMG_5769.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Manning -or should I say <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">womanning</span>- both of these gnarly ovens (one is traditional wood-burning brick while the other is brick-lined gas-electric deck) is Tony's long-standing '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">pizzapprentice</span>' Audrey Sherman, who makes for one hell of a talented, dauntless <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">pizzaiola</span>. Considering how male-dominated the world of pizza seems to be, it's refreshing to see a woman kicking ass behind the bench.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wu2Xz7MBg2I/TfYN45I98jI/AAAAAAAAD_4/uLtytKvq7js/s1600/IMG_5770.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617692856253542962" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wu2Xz7MBg2I/TfYN45I98jI/AAAAAAAAD_4/uLtytKvq7js/s400/IMG_5770.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
While Tony and Audrey make a killer <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Margherita</span> (be warned, only 73 are made per day), I had already tried it prior to returning with my camera to properly document the place. Meanwhile, another pie had been haunting my dreams: Tony's 'Original Tomato Pie,' which is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Gemignani's</span> take on the <a href="http://pizzacommander.blogspot.com/2009/10/delorenzos-hamilton-ave.html">Trenton classic</a> with an updated spin.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DW67jY30rK0/TfYOLwVLHPI/AAAAAAAAEAQ/3WBdNRuDr38/s1600/IMG_5774.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617693180306332914" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DW67jY30rK0/TfYOLwVLHPI/AAAAAAAAEAQ/3WBdNRuDr38/s400/IMG_5774.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
This thing is all kinds of out-of-control awesome.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L3B-zm4CROg/TfYObYp3AzI/AAAAAAAAEAw/it-8UgWVTqE/s1600/IMG_5778.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617693448828551986" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L3B-zm4CROg/TfYObYp3AzI/AAAAAAAAEAw/it-8UgWVTqE/s400/IMG_5778.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
After stretching the dough, thin slices of mozzarella are laid down, covered with a great tomato sauce equal parts tangy and spicy, then topped with Neapolitan oregano, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">EVOO</span>, sea salt and freshly pinched sausage.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KIJPLAmewNM/TfYObJLVK8I/AAAAAAAAEAo/llZDnEnfeBs/s1600/IMG_5777.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617693444673973186" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KIJPLAmewNM/TfYObJLVK8I/AAAAAAAAEAo/llZDnEnfeBs/s400/IMG_5777.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
All of the tomato pies, along with the Sicilian, Roman, and half of the 'Pizza Americana' are baked in the electric oven, while the Neapolitans are cooked in the wood-burning guy.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wnDFgtCewO4/TfYOMTewu1I/AAAAAAAAEAY/7Zvl-BMwMSQ/s1600/IMG_5775.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617693189741787986" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wnDFgtCewO4/TfYOMTewu1I/AAAAAAAAEAY/7Zvl-BMwMSQ/s400/IMG_5775.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Yep, that's from the electric! Before I had a chance to scarf my heavenly tomato pie, one of 900 Degrees' 'farmer pizzas' showed up!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sEdat6st6kk/TfYObo9UlCI/AAAAAAAAEA4/NAcdX3bNONw/s1600/IMG_5779.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617693453205148706" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sEdat6st6kk/TfYObo9UlCI/AAAAAAAAEA4/NAcdX3bNONw/s400/IMG_5779.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
While this isn't currently listed online, you can definitely find it on the menu at 900. I've never had a pizza quite like this, ready for it? White potatoes, leeks, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/faiccos-italian-specialties-new-york"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Fiacco's</span></a> broccoli <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">rabe</span> sausage (made just around the corner), <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Calabrese</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">chilies</span>, and raw goat milk cheese. "Inventive" doesn't do this pie justice.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OJACksxdHy0/TfYOcGargZI/AAAAAAAAEBA/axQBrW8Zezo/s1600/IMG_5780.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617693461112914322" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OJACksxdHy0/TfYOcGargZI/AAAAAAAAEBA/axQBrW8Zezo/s400/IMG_5780.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
I have a lot of respect for 900 Degrees- not only do they have the chutzpah to compete within a stone's throw of the city's best pizzerias, they still manage to bring something new to the plate. Anyone willing to challenge the status <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">quo</span> is a welcome addition to the neighborhood and ultimately New York City.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sNKPBmaNJiA/TfYN4HdoQFI/AAAAAAAAD_o/xO_81rBPLFo/s1600/IMG_5768.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617692842918428754" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sNKPBmaNJiA/TfYN4HdoQFI/AAAAAAAAD_o/xO_81rBPLFo/s400/IMG_5768.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<b>UPDATE: </b>Sadly, 900 Degrees is no longer open (R.I.Pizza)</div>
pizzacommanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00608853839912068585noreply@blogger.com2