I am Catholic.
That sentence means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To me it means that during Lent I do my best not to eat meat on Fridays. You maybe see this one coming: today is the first Friday of Lent.
Growing up in a Catholic household, no meat Fridays mean one of three things could be for dinner: fish, spaghetti, or pizza. Maybe it was because Tuesday was more often the spaghetti night, or because fish wasn't tops on mine or my sister's lists. Whatever the reason, when I was very young Lent was one of my favorite times of year because it usually signified double pizza day.
At my Catholic grade school, Fridays were always pizza day. You brought in your pizza money at the beginning of the week and then on Friday mornings the teacher doled out the smooth, wooden buttons that served as pizza tickets. I always got two slices of pizza. This was in the blissful time of life before most of lunch hour was spent with mean girls taking stock of who brought Diet Coke for lunch, and complaining that their barely pubescent bodies were "too fat," a ridiculous assertation as none of us had anything more than baby fat on our bones.
I remember walking down to the cafeteria in a line, excitedly clutching my two wooden buttons. Some kids claimed that they liked recess best, or gym. But I was nerdy and spent most recess periods reading, and completely afraid of being hit when we played kickball during gym. Friday lunchtime was the best time of the week for me. As aforementioned, my mom was a Pizza Mom so I would say hi to her and get my two delicious slices of heaven and hope hope hope that we would also have pizza for dinner. Which we usually did. SCORE.
I think because of this Friday pizza day turning into Friday pizza night I have been conditioned to want, nay, EXPECT pizza on Fridays. This is especially the case during Lent. I just had two slices for lunch and I must say, I feel a little bit holier than I did this morning.
Thank you, God, for pizza.
Friday, February 27, 2009
From the pizza mailbag
I received the following email yesterday and with the writer's permission, I am reprinting it here today. I should probably give full disclosure that this letter comes from one of my oldest and dearest friends.
Subject: Something of a serious nature.
Dearest Meghann,
I cannot believe that I am going to divulge this bit of information to you. I am at the same time happy and full to the brim with shame. It's concerning something very serious and, as I know it to be, very dear to you.
It's about pizza.
I love pizza. Perhaps not as much as some, but I do love it. For the past 8 years I've been in a city devoid of good pizza. We have our chains, like Italian Pie and Reginelli's, which both make decent "specialty" pizzas. Nothing, however, that compares with the good kind of pizza you would find in the northeast. And then there are ... the other chains. Dominos. Pizza Hut. The "sellouts" of the pizza industry. Commercial. Mass produced.
But I have to confess to you, my dear friend, and I hope you understand and do not judge me too harshly. Please know that Dominos is the only pizza place that will deliver to my home, sadly located in one of the more crime ridden neighborhoods of New Orleans. After a night of indulging in the Mardi Gras celebrations, I found myself craving the delicious combination of dough and cheese. I caved.
However, if I was going to order one of these pizzas it would be something different. Something unique. A commercial came on showing the Cali Chicken Bacon Ranch from the American Legends line of pizzas. I chose the "ultimate deep dish" cheesy crust.
Meghann, I would be lying if I were to say this was not one of the best pizzas I have ever eaten in this city. Perhaps my palette has been tainted by substandard pies, but this combination of chicken, bacon, what I imagine was ranch dressing, and a surprisingly perfectly cooked crust was delectible. My mouth: it waters right now at the thought, although my mind recoils in terror.
The pizza situation in New Orleans is very bad, Meghann. Surrounded by Sicilians who do not make Sicilian pies. Oh, how I long to hold a slice needing two hands to be properly folded just so. The straw has broken the back of this proverbial camel: a good-natured and solid-minded individual from the northeast found comfort and solace in a pizza from Dominos. Weeping and mourning are not strong enough to properly react to this horror.
I am surrounded by madness, my friend. Absolute madness.
So please, keep on blogging of your pizza adventures. We poor souls who find ourselves in these locations devoid of the pies of which we longingly reminisce rely on your words as a message of hope. Perhaps one day others like me will not have to travel over a thousand miles for good pizza. But until that day comes, I'll enjoy each and every one of your posts.
I have the honor to remain your most hungry and obedient reader,
Anthony
Check out Anthony's blogs, The Museum Project and The Daily Composer. When he's not longing for good pizza, Ant spends his time being an incredible musician, writer, and friend.
Subject: Something of a serious nature.
Dearest Meghann,
I cannot believe that I am going to divulge this bit of information to you. I am at the same time happy and full to the brim with shame. It's concerning something very serious and, as I know it to be, very dear to you.
It's about pizza.
I love pizza. Perhaps not as much as some, but I do love it. For the past 8 years I've been in a city devoid of good pizza. We have our chains, like Italian Pie and Reginelli's, which both make decent "specialty" pizzas. Nothing, however, that compares with the good kind of pizza you would find in the northeast. And then there are ... the other chains. Dominos. Pizza Hut. The "sellouts" of the pizza industry. Commercial. Mass produced.
But I have to confess to you, my dear friend, and I hope you understand and do not judge me too harshly. Please know that Dominos is the only pizza place that will deliver to my home, sadly located in one of the more crime ridden neighborhoods of New Orleans. After a night of indulging in the Mardi Gras celebrations, I found myself craving the delicious combination of dough and cheese. I caved.
However, if I was going to order one of these pizzas it would be something different. Something unique. A commercial came on showing the Cali Chicken Bacon Ranch from the American Legends line of pizzas. I chose the "ultimate deep dish" cheesy crust.
Meghann, I would be lying if I were to say this was not one of the best pizzas I have ever eaten in this city. Perhaps my palette has been tainted by substandard pies, but this combination of chicken, bacon, what I imagine was ranch dressing, and a surprisingly perfectly cooked crust was delectible. My mouth: it waters right now at the thought, although my mind recoils in terror.
The pizza situation in New Orleans is very bad, Meghann. Surrounded by Sicilians who do not make Sicilian pies. Oh, how I long to hold a slice needing two hands to be properly folded just so. The straw has broken the back of this proverbial camel: a good-natured and solid-minded individual from the northeast found comfort and solace in a pizza from Dominos. Weeping and mourning are not strong enough to properly react to this horror.
I am surrounded by madness, my friend. Absolute madness.
So please, keep on blogging of your pizza adventures. We poor souls who find ourselves in these locations devoid of the pies of which we longingly reminisce rely on your words as a message of hope. Perhaps one day others like me will not have to travel over a thousand miles for good pizza. But until that day comes, I'll enjoy each and every one of your posts.
I have the honor to remain your most hungry and obedient reader,
Anthony
Check out Anthony's blogs, The Museum Project and The Daily Composer. When he's not longing for good pizza, Ant spends his time being an incredible musician, writer, and friend.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Old City Pizza
My friend and I found ourselves looking for a place to have lunch that was equidistant to our respective offices. Old City Pizza was the answer, a corner pizza/sandwich restaurant that does booming business on weekday lunches and tourist weekends. OCP is located half a block from the Betsy Ross House in the historic section of Philly. (I should say one of the historic sections of Philly - we are chock full o' history here.)
We opted to share a small pepperoni and an order of fries. OCP offers a wide variety of specialty pizzas, but sometimes you just need to go simple. Old City Pizza is not my favorite local option, but it's not bad. The sauce is fantastic - lots of herbs mixed in so it's more savory than most of the local favorites (we'll get into my hatred of Lorenzo's famous slices in a later post). The cheese is fine, a little uneven in spots. The crust is where we run into trouble. It's not quite a deep dish crust, but it isn't thin, either. It's crispy but oily. It's fine, but it makes for a more filling pizza. I like to be able to ingest as much pizza as possible, so thicker crusts are harder for me to love because they make it hard to get through more than 2 pieces.
All in all, Old City Pizza is a fine idea for lunch or an improvised meal plan, but I don't know that I would seek it out as a destination. If you're planning a trip to the Betsy Ross House soon, let me know and I'll direct you to some much better pizza, just a few blocks away.
Old City Pizza
100 N 3rd St
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 574-9494
We opted to share a small pepperoni and an order of fries. OCP offers a wide variety of specialty pizzas, but sometimes you just need to go simple. Old City Pizza is not my favorite local option, but it's not bad. The sauce is fantastic - lots of herbs mixed in so it's more savory than most of the local favorites (we'll get into my hatred of Lorenzo's famous slices in a later post). The cheese is fine, a little uneven in spots. The crust is where we run into trouble. It's not quite a deep dish crust, but it isn't thin, either. It's crispy but oily. It's fine, but it makes for a more filling pizza. I like to be able to ingest as much pizza as possible, so thicker crusts are harder for me to love because they make it hard to get through more than 2 pieces.
All in all, Old City Pizza is a fine idea for lunch or an improvised meal plan, but I don't know that I would seek it out as a destination. If you're planning a trip to the Betsy Ross House soon, let me know and I'll direct you to some much better pizza, just a few blocks away.
Old City Pizza
100 N 3rd St
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 574-9494
Monday, February 23, 2009
Slumdog Pizzanaire!
And the winner is...
Slumdog Pizzanaire!
Pizzadelphia concocted this amazing pie for us during the Oscars last night. He made dough by Mark Bittman's recipe in the essential tome, How to Cook Everything. The korma sauce went on the dough. Pizzadelphia then pan cooked some chicken that had been dipped in flour so that it would have a little crispness on the pizza. That went on top of the korma, along with some peas. The entire beautiful thing went onto a hot pizza stone and WHAMO! Fantastic pizza!
The pizza stone made a huge difference. The crust was crisp on the outside and soft inside. The middle of the pizza crust wasn't wimpy or sagging. The combination of flavors was wonderful, especially the peas. The korma sauce had an unexpected spiciness to it, which the peas balanced perfectly.
A winner, for sure!
Slumdog Pizzanaire!
Pizzadelphia concocted this amazing pie for us during the Oscars last night. He made dough by Mark Bittman's recipe in the essential tome, How to Cook Everything. The korma sauce went on the dough. Pizzadelphia then pan cooked some chicken that had been dipped in flour so that it would have a little crispness on the pizza. That went on top of the korma, along with some peas. The entire beautiful thing went onto a hot pizza stone and WHAMO! Fantastic pizza!
The pizza stone made a huge difference. The crust was crisp on the outside and soft inside. The middle of the pizza crust wasn't wimpy or sagging. The combination of flavors was wonderful, especially the peas. The korma sauce had an unexpected spiciness to it, which the peas balanced perfectly.
A winner, for sure!
Friday, February 20, 2009
OSCAR Pizza
I'm very excited for the Oscars this Sunday. The glitz, the glamour, the...pizza? Hell yes!
Pizzadelphia challenged me to think up 5 pizzas, each representing the nominees for Best Picture. We'll make the one that looks best to consume during the show. (It's a shame The Wrestler isn't up for Best Picture because I could have made one hell of a heroically sad Jersey pizza.) The nominees are...
The Curious Case of Pizzamin Button
In honor of New Orleans, my take on a muffaletta!
Thick dough with aged provolone (see what I did there?), genoa salami, cappicola ham, and olive salad. Of course because Pizzamin Button has to be backwards, the toppings will be directly on the crust, with cheese on top, ultimately topped with sauce. Hopefully the sauce can be made of baby tomatoes. (see what I did there? again?)
Frost/Pizzon
This one was the hardest to concoct. NO WAY was I going to suggest a pizza topped with Nixon's famous favorite food - cottage cheese and ketchup. That would be an abomination of pizza. So, we'll take a line from the movie (which I have not seen), and go with the end when Nixon asks Frost what they talked about over the phone. Frost replies, "Cheeseburgers."
Cheeseburger pizza - thin crust, tomato sauce, a mix of American cheese and Red Leicester cheese, ground beef. Optional: sliced tomato, raw onion, and a layer of shame and deceit.
The Pizzer
I thought about making The Reader's pizza simply a tribute to Kate Winslet, but decided instead to go with the overall book theme and German/Jewish thing.
Thin crust latke pizza, with bratwurst...shaped like a book! The potato skins can be arranged like lines of writing on a page and the bratwurst can serve as page numbers. Sexy page numbers.
Slumdog Pizzanaire
Easiest and most delicious suggestion!
Naan crust, korma sauce, ground lamb. I want to eat this immediately.
mPIlkZZA
Pride Pizza!
Thin crust, traditional tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Toppings, arranged in bars, according to color:
Radishes
Orange Peppers
Yellow Banana Peppers
Broccoli
Blue Potatoes
Eggplant (skin on)
I'm interested to hear other ideas! Especially if you've seen these movies, since I haven't seen any of them.
Pizzadelphia challenged me to think up 5 pizzas, each representing the nominees for Best Picture. We'll make the one that looks best to consume during the show. (It's a shame The Wrestler isn't up for Best Picture because I could have made one hell of a heroically sad Jersey pizza.) The nominees are...
The Curious Case of Pizzamin Button
In honor of New Orleans, my take on a muffaletta!
Thick dough with aged provolone (see what I did there?), genoa salami, cappicola ham, and olive salad. Of course because Pizzamin Button has to be backwards, the toppings will be directly on the crust, with cheese on top, ultimately topped with sauce. Hopefully the sauce can be made of baby tomatoes. (see what I did there? again?)
Frost/Pizzon
This one was the hardest to concoct. NO WAY was I going to suggest a pizza topped with Nixon's famous favorite food - cottage cheese and ketchup. That would be an abomination of pizza. So, we'll take a line from the movie (which I have not seen), and go with the end when Nixon asks Frost what they talked about over the phone. Frost replies, "Cheeseburgers."
Cheeseburger pizza - thin crust, tomato sauce, a mix of American cheese and Red Leicester cheese, ground beef. Optional: sliced tomato, raw onion, and a layer of shame and deceit.
The Pizzer
I thought about making The Reader's pizza simply a tribute to Kate Winslet, but decided instead to go with the overall book theme and German/Jewish thing.
Thin crust latke pizza, with bratwurst...shaped like a book! The potato skins can be arranged like lines of writing on a page and the bratwurst can serve as page numbers. Sexy page numbers.
Slumdog Pizzanaire
Easiest and most delicious suggestion!
Naan crust, korma sauce, ground lamb. I want to eat this immediately.
mPIlkZZA
Pride Pizza!
Thin crust, traditional tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Toppings, arranged in bars, according to color:
Radishes
Orange Peppers
Yellow Banana Peppers
Broccoli
Blue Potatoes
Eggplant (skin on)
I'm interested to hear other ideas! Especially if you've seen these movies, since I haven't seen any of them.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Pizza in Providence
I had occasion to spend the day in Providence, Rhode Island yesterday. I had about 5 hours free in the afternoon (a luxury, I assure you), so I decided to check out what Providence had to offer in terms of pizza. Before my trip, I went on Yelp to aid my search for good pizza places. I made a list of four and searched them out.
Three of the four are located in East Providence. The fourth will remain a mystery because I could not find it. Bob & Timmy's Pizza on Spruce Street, you will be my quest on another visit. I did notice a prevalence of whole wheat crusts, which were delicious if unexpected. Also, each place had what I'll call a "WTF Pizza" - some real doozies.
I was planning to try a slice of cheese at each place to properly compare their qualities, but I gave up on that the minute I laid eyes on the slice I had at Fellini's, my first stop. Pesto, scallion, and pepperoni on wheat crust. Oh yes, it's as amazing as it sounds. It is also as oily as it sounds. Pair the usual oil slick that comes with pepperoni pizza with pesto sauce and what you have is 4-5 used napkins by the end of the slice. Not that I'm complaining! This was one of the best slices I've had in a long time. The crust was thin and could have been a bit crisper, but the pepperoni and pesto went together perfectly, so I didn't really care. I also spied pizza with bacon, and a pizza with shaved butternut squash on it. Too bad I had to pace myself to make it through all 3 places - I wanted to try a little of each. I noticed that every other person who came in ordered a spinach pie - perhaps they are crazy and did not see the delicious pizza sitting in front of them?
Fellini's WTF Pizza: Philly Steak Pizza- shaved steak (ok...), red onions (not really but ok...), banana peppers (...), feta cheese (WTF!?)
After my pleasant experience at the noisy and packed Fellini's, I ventured down the road to the unfortunately named Pizza Pie-er. Is it supposed to be like more pie? Or perhaps denoting a pier? Or is it supposed to be almost Pierre? So confusing. Also, so small and dead inside. Their shtick is 4 crusts, 11 sauces, 33 toppings, great pizza. I will agree with three of these claims. They don't do slices at Pizza Pie-er, so I ordered a 7" personal cheese pizza on white crust. This pizza was all too hauntingly reminiscent of Pizza Hut - thick, greasy crust, not enough sauce, perfectly browned cheese. At first, I thought the cheese was great - a little crisp, definitely tasty. But once the pizza cooled down a bit, it did that thing where I bit into it and all the cheese came off the slice at once. I hate that. Also, I hate Pizza Pie-er. More like Pizza Die-er. I wouldn't call it an abomination of pizza, but it wasn't good.
Pizza Pie-er WTF Pizza: Brimp - cheese (yes...), broccoli (yes...), alfredo sauce (...) and shrimp (WTF!?) on a multigrain crust
I had a bit of a walk after Pizza Die-er. Unfortunately, I had burned the roof of my mouth on my first slice of the personal pie and I was worried that it would adversely effect my ability to taste the final slice of the day. I drank some water and chewed a little gum in hopes that I could regulate my mouth. I was told that the first two places were in "RISD Territory" and I had to walk over to Thayer Street, what appears to be the main drag of "Brown Territory." I browsed in a couple of shops, and let my mind wander, which is how I totally missed Nice Slice on the first go round. I had to double back and pay attention to street numbers in order to find it. I finally did, next to a body piercing store. Nice Slice had the youngest and hippest crowd of any of the places I tried. I almost ordered a buffalo chicken slice but changed my mind at the last minute when I spied a margherita pizza sitting in the corner, looking lonely. The basil was hand-ripped and there was a LOT of fresh mozzarella with a sweeter sauce. All of this was on a super duper thin whole wheat crust. The thing I noticed about Nice Slice is that they have a vegan pizza menu, which is probably their claim to fame among the college kids. The slice was good, but not very hot. On one hand, my burned mouth was glad, but on the other, pizza always tastes better if it's straight out of the oven.
Nice Slice WTF Pizza: Cranberry Picnic - spinach (ok...), cranberries (...), feta (...), almonds (WTF!?)
I saw another pizza place across from Nice Slice that seemed to be doing good business, but by that time I was too full of Providence pizza to even attempt a visit. I'll put it on the list with Bob & Timmy's for the next visit. Until then, I'll be dreaming of Fellini's.
Highly Recommended:
Fellini's
166 Wickenden Street
Providence, RI
401-751-6737
Recommended:
Nice Slice
267 Thayer Street
Providence, RI
401-453-6423
Not Recommended:
Pizza Pie-er
374 Wickenden Street
Providence, RI
401-351-3663
Three of the four are located in East Providence. The fourth will remain a mystery because I could not find it. Bob & Timmy's Pizza on Spruce Street, you will be my quest on another visit. I did notice a prevalence of whole wheat crusts, which were delicious if unexpected. Also, each place had what I'll call a "WTF Pizza" - some real doozies.
I was planning to try a slice of cheese at each place to properly compare their qualities, but I gave up on that the minute I laid eyes on the slice I had at Fellini's, my first stop. Pesto, scallion, and pepperoni on wheat crust. Oh yes, it's as amazing as it sounds. It is also as oily as it sounds. Pair the usual oil slick that comes with pepperoni pizza with pesto sauce and what you have is 4-5 used napkins by the end of the slice. Not that I'm complaining! This was one of the best slices I've had in a long time. The crust was thin and could have been a bit crisper, but the pepperoni and pesto went together perfectly, so I didn't really care. I also spied pizza with bacon, and a pizza with shaved butternut squash on it. Too bad I had to pace myself to make it through all 3 places - I wanted to try a little of each. I noticed that every other person who came in ordered a spinach pie - perhaps they are crazy and did not see the delicious pizza sitting in front of them?
Fellini's WTF Pizza: Philly Steak Pizza- shaved steak (ok...), red onions (not really but ok...), banana peppers (...), feta cheese (WTF!?)
After my pleasant experience at the noisy and packed Fellini's, I ventured down the road to the unfortunately named Pizza Pie-er. Is it supposed to be like more pie? Or perhaps denoting a pier? Or is it supposed to be almost Pierre? So confusing. Also, so small and dead inside. Their shtick is 4 crusts, 11 sauces, 33 toppings, great pizza. I will agree with three of these claims. They don't do slices at Pizza Pie-er, so I ordered a 7" personal cheese pizza on white crust. This pizza was all too hauntingly reminiscent of Pizza Hut - thick, greasy crust, not enough sauce, perfectly browned cheese. At first, I thought the cheese was great - a little crisp, definitely tasty. But once the pizza cooled down a bit, it did that thing where I bit into it and all the cheese came off the slice at once. I hate that. Also, I hate Pizza Pie-er. More like Pizza Die-er. I wouldn't call it an abomination of pizza, but it wasn't good.
Pizza Pie-er WTF Pizza: Brimp - cheese (yes...), broccoli (yes...), alfredo sauce (...) and shrimp (WTF!?) on a multigrain crust
I had a bit of a walk after Pizza Die-er. Unfortunately, I had burned the roof of my mouth on my first slice of the personal pie and I was worried that it would adversely effect my ability to taste the final slice of the day. I drank some water and chewed a little gum in hopes that I could regulate my mouth. I was told that the first two places were in "RISD Territory" and I had to walk over to Thayer Street, what appears to be the main drag of "Brown Territory." I browsed in a couple of shops, and let my mind wander, which is how I totally missed Nice Slice on the first go round. I had to double back and pay attention to street numbers in order to find it. I finally did, next to a body piercing store. Nice Slice had the youngest and hippest crowd of any of the places I tried. I almost ordered a buffalo chicken slice but changed my mind at the last minute when I spied a margherita pizza sitting in the corner, looking lonely. The basil was hand-ripped and there was a LOT of fresh mozzarella with a sweeter sauce. All of this was on a super duper thin whole wheat crust. The thing I noticed about Nice Slice is that they have a vegan pizza menu, which is probably their claim to fame among the college kids. The slice was good, but not very hot. On one hand, my burned mouth was glad, but on the other, pizza always tastes better if it's straight out of the oven.
Nice Slice WTF Pizza: Cranberry Picnic - spinach (ok...), cranberries (...), feta (...), almonds (WTF!?)
I saw another pizza place across from Nice Slice that seemed to be doing good business, but by that time I was too full of Providence pizza to even attempt a visit. I'll put it on the list with Bob & Timmy's for the next visit. Until then, I'll be dreaming of Fellini's.
Highly Recommended:
Fellini's
166 Wickenden Street
Providence, RI
401-751-6737
Recommended:
Nice Slice
267 Thayer Street
Providence, RI
401-453-6423
Not Recommended:
Pizza Pie-er
374 Wickenden Street
Providence, RI
401-351-3663
Monday, February 16, 2009
Nothing says Valentine's Day like pizza
Pizzadelphia really outdid himself this V Day! My pizzacentric presents were great! First, he gave me triangular ziploc bags illustrated with cartoon pizza slices - the Pizza Saver! This will be perfect if there is ever a day we don't finish an entire pizza.
The second gift was a pizza stone. I'm excited to use this and get the middle of the crust nice and crispy on the next pizza I make!
Speaking of the next pizza I make, he did all the work for me! He made me a heart-shaped pie with more of the pepperoni and olives from Thursday's turnovers. Heart-shaped pizza?! Swoon.
The second gift was a pizza stone. I'm excited to use this and get the middle of the crust nice and crispy on the next pizza I make!
Speaking of the next pizza I make, he did all the work for me! He made me a heart-shaped pie with more of the pepperoni and olives from Thursday's turnovers. Heart-shaped pizza?! Swoon.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Pizzadelphia's pepperoni and two olive pizza turnover
Last night Pizzadelphia brought dinner to me at the theatre - his first attempt at a pizza turnover! He made the dough from scratch, following the recipe in Mark Bittman's wonderful How to Cook Everything, and filled it with a ton of delicious ingredients. In the turnover was Whole Foods sauce; locatelli, parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses; pepperoni; green olives; and oil-cured black olives. It was folded into a neat little burrito-like pocket and baked in the oven. The dough was crispy on the outside and nice and soft inside. It didn't fall apart as I ate it and was wonderful.
And because Pizzadelphia knows me pretty well, he brought me two. Fantastic!
And because Pizzadelphia knows me pretty well, he brought me two. Fantastic!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Jealousy
Pizzadelphia was in DC this week for a couple of days and ended up at Sonoma, a lovely restaurant on the Hill. (They have wine on tap - the height of cool.) We were texting back and forth when he sent me the single phrase that turns me green with jealousy.
Here's how my brain interprets this information:
1. I love pizza.
2. He's having pizza and I'm not.
3. I wish I was having pizza.
4. When is the next time I can have pizza?
Sonoma
223 Pennsylvania Ave SE
Washington, DC
202-544-8088
NOTE: I don't remember if I've ever had pizza at Sonoma. I did, however, have their black truffle risotto one time and have been dreaming about it ever since. Plus, they have wine on tap.
I ordered a pizza.
Here's how my brain interprets this information:
1. I love pizza.
2. He's having pizza and I'm not.
3. I wish I was having pizza.
4. When is the next time I can have pizza?
Sonoma
223 Pennsylvania Ave SE
Washington, DC
202-544-8088
NOTE: I don't remember if I've ever had pizza at Sonoma. I did, however, have their black truffle risotto one time and have been dreaming about it ever since. Plus, they have wine on tap.
Gianfranco's broccoli rabe and provolone pizza
I consider myself a little bit above average on the Adventurous Eater scale. I'm only truly freaked out by a couple of things, but in the right sauce I'll gladly try those things (ahem, tripe). Of course, this was not always the case. There was a time when I turned my nose up at radishes, wouldn't go near skate wing, and certainly wanted nothing to do with anything spicy. Tops on the list of "I've never had it and I doubt I'll like it" was broccoli rabe.
It doesn't look like broccoli. It doesn't taste like broccoli. It's bitter and weird. Why would anyone eat that?
Let's all pretend to be surprised that it took a pizza to turn me around. I remember one summer day, working for the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe. A deadline was looming, everyone was getting stressed and hungry, so pizza was suggested and I, of course, got excited! Being the new kid and not wanting to express opinion (dumb), I said I'd be happy to go in on whatever kind everybody else wanted. So the order was placed to Gianfranco's for 2 large pies with provolone and broccoli rabe. I was horrified. Why hadn't I spoken up? Why didn't I mention my go-to, a garlic pie? Was this going to be a -gasp!- white pizza?! My mind reeled. Pizza gone wrong. Is there anything worse?
When the pizza showed up, I decided that I needed to try it because I said I would. As you might have guessed, it's awesome and I loved it. I still love it. It is indeed a white pie, and there is a ton of garlic on it. The melding of cheese, broccoli rabe, and garlic with Gianfranco's soft and thin crust was the perfect way to make me rethink my stance on the bitter greens. I think the provolone is a special order, but ask for it nonetheless. The sharpness of the cheese stands up perfectly to the other flavors.
Gianfranco's is a great Philadelphia pizza chain, with three locations. This is some of the best pizza in Philly and worthy of a visit. Go at lunch for a great deal - 2 slices and a drink for $4. Better yet, convince your friends to go in on a special order pie and prepare to be amazed.
Gianfranco Pizza Rustica
6 N.3rd Street, Philadelphia
215-592-0048
248 S. 11th Street, Philadelphia
215-923-9134
2124 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia
215-551-2300
It doesn't look like broccoli. It doesn't taste like broccoli. It's bitter and weird. Why would anyone eat that?
Let's all pretend to be surprised that it took a pizza to turn me around. I remember one summer day, working for the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe. A deadline was looming, everyone was getting stressed and hungry, so pizza was suggested and I, of course, got excited! Being the new kid and not wanting to express opinion (dumb), I said I'd be happy to go in on whatever kind everybody else wanted. So the order was placed to Gianfranco's for 2 large pies with provolone and broccoli rabe. I was horrified. Why hadn't I spoken up? Why didn't I mention my go-to, a garlic pie? Was this going to be a -gasp!- white pizza?! My mind reeled. Pizza gone wrong. Is there anything worse?
When the pizza showed up, I decided that I needed to try it because I said I would. As you might have guessed, it's awesome and I loved it. I still love it. It is indeed a white pie, and there is a ton of garlic on it. The melding of cheese, broccoli rabe, and garlic with Gianfranco's soft and thin crust was the perfect way to make me rethink my stance on the bitter greens. I think the provolone is a special order, but ask for it nonetheless. The sharpness of the cheese stands up perfectly to the other flavors.
Gianfranco's is a great Philadelphia pizza chain, with three locations. This is some of the best pizza in Philly and worthy of a visit. Go at lunch for a great deal - 2 slices and a drink for $4. Better yet, convince your friends to go in on a special order pie and prepare to be amazed.
Gianfranco Pizza Rustica
6 N.3rd Street, Philadelphia
215-592-0048
248 S. 11th Street, Philadelphia
215-923-9134
2124 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia
215-551-2300
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Pizza dough at home
For one of my birthday parties as a girl my poor, misguided parents indulged my request for a pizza party. The morning of the party they picked up fresh pizza dough from our local bakery, the one and only Del Buono's. (Side note: locals tend to say this "Dell Boy-noes," which is so South Jersey.) They brought the dough balls home, covered them with cloth to rise, and chastised me repeatedly for sneaking little bits of raw dough to play with or eat. Then my friends came over, had a flour fight, made a couple of pizzas, and I had a great birthday.
My mom was a pizza mom at my Catholic grade school. She and a few other moms would go to the school on Friday afternoons and make pizzas for all the kids from pre-made crusts, large bags of shredded mozzarella, and most importantly, Dom Pepino pizza sauce. (More on Dom Pepino in a future post.) Sometimes my mom would bring home extra crusts and we would have "St. Rose Pizza" that night for dinner too. The days when I got to eat double pizza were some of the happiest of my childhood.
A few months ago, Pizzadelphia and I started using the Pillsbury pizza crust you can find in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. It comes in a can, just like the Grands, and rolls out to a square shape. We did all sorts of fabulous pizzas - lamb and ricotta, vodka sauce and sopressata, chicken and broccoli. I loved the ease of making pizza at home, but those roll out crusts make me fart, like a lot, and I think there are some seriously non-natural ingredients in there. I'll check and get back to you.
Recently, Pizzadelphia started making pizza dough from scratch and concocting beautiful pizzas without weird chemicals or xantham gum or anything in them. Just pure, unadulterated, pizza goodness. This is how I know Pizzadelphia loves me. There is no phrase that makes my heart swell quite like "I made you a pizza."
I'm going to try my hand at making pizza dough from scratch this weekend if possible. I am hoping the smell of fresh dough rising under a kitchen cloth brings me back to my childhood, throwing flour at my friends as my parents stood there, horrified by what they brought on themselves.
Del Buono's Bakery
(I think they still do pizza dough. Call and ask. But if not, go anyway for the animal sculptures outside and the amazing rolls and corn muffins.)
319 Black Horse Pike, Haddon Heights, NJ
856-546-9585
My mom was a pizza mom at my Catholic grade school. She and a few other moms would go to the school on Friday afternoons and make pizzas for all the kids from pre-made crusts, large bags of shredded mozzarella, and most importantly, Dom Pepino pizza sauce. (More on Dom Pepino in a future post.) Sometimes my mom would bring home extra crusts and we would have "St. Rose Pizza" that night for dinner too. The days when I got to eat double pizza were some of the happiest of my childhood.
A few months ago, Pizzadelphia and I started using the Pillsbury pizza crust you can find in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. It comes in a can, just like the Grands, and rolls out to a square shape. We did all sorts of fabulous pizzas - lamb and ricotta, vodka sauce and sopressata, chicken and broccoli. I loved the ease of making pizza at home, but those roll out crusts make me fart, like a lot, and I think there are some seriously non-natural ingredients in there. I'll check and get back to you.
Recently, Pizzadelphia started making pizza dough from scratch and concocting beautiful pizzas without weird chemicals or xantham gum or anything in them. Just pure, unadulterated, pizza goodness. This is how I know Pizzadelphia loves me. There is no phrase that makes my heart swell quite like "I made you a pizza."
I'm going to try my hand at making pizza dough from scratch this weekend if possible. I am hoping the smell of fresh dough rising under a kitchen cloth brings me back to my childhood, throwing flour at my friends as my parents stood there, horrified by what they brought on themselves.
Del Buono's Bakery
(I think they still do pizza dough. Call and ask. But if not, go anyway for the animal sculptures outside and the amazing rolls and corn muffins.)
319 Black Horse Pike, Haddon Heights, NJ
856-546-9585
Key Pizza: horrible
When my former roommate and I first moved to Philadelphia, we had a whopping 16 people helping us schlep furniture and boxes up to our new third floor apartment. My roommate had come from Chicago in a gigantic Uhaul and picked me and my stuff up in South Jersey on the way. In exchange for helping us move, we bought everyone pizza. The only problem was that we had just moved in, so we didn't know where to get a pizza. The kind folks at Key Pizza had slipped a menu under our front door, so we went with that.
Mistake.
Key Pizza was terrible. It was oily, lacked sufficient sauce, and had a crust vaguely reminiscent of cardboard. I only remember trying the cheese pizza, so I cannot comment on their toppings. Maybe that's a good thing.
I learned an important lesson that day. When shopping for an apartment, be sure to also shop for a pizza place. This is too often overlooked when moving, but is terribly important. You need to know if you are within delivery distance of decent pizza. Once we got to know the neighborhood a bit better, my roommate and I found a better pizza shop close by, but the memory of Key "Pizza" is burned in my brain forever.
If you must...
Key Pizza
1846 S 12th St, Philadelphia
215-551-7111
Mistake.
Key Pizza was terrible. It was oily, lacked sufficient sauce, and had a crust vaguely reminiscent of cardboard. I only remember trying the cheese pizza, so I cannot comment on their toppings. Maybe that's a good thing.
I learned an important lesson that day. When shopping for an apartment, be sure to also shop for a pizza place. This is too often overlooked when moving, but is terribly important. You need to know if you are within delivery distance of decent pizza. Once we got to know the neighborhood a bit better, my roommate and I found a better pizza shop close by, but the memory of Key "Pizza" is burned in my brain forever.
If you must...
Key Pizza
1846 S 12th St, Philadelphia
215-551-7111
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Pizza from a vending machine? Really?
Why is pizza available from a vending machine? That's just wrong.
Now, obviously, I love pizza. But this? This is not good. In fact, I would go so far as to say this is an abomination of pizza. Apparently, there are Tombstone versions as well. WonderPizza (the first link) is an Italian company, and we all know Tombstone because we all still quote the stupid joke from the commercials they ran in the 90s. Now you can make that joke at work, in the breakroom. Fantastic.
I could go into a rant about how this is not really pizza and that it's gross and horrible but the simple truth is, I need to find one of these pizza vending machines and test it out. Immediately.
Now, obviously, I love pizza. But this? This is not good. In fact, I would go so far as to say this is an abomination of pizza. Apparently, there are Tombstone versions as well. WonderPizza (the first link) is an Italian company, and we all know Tombstone because we all still quote the stupid joke from the commercials they ran in the 90s. Now you can make that joke at work, in the breakroom. Fantastic.
I could go into a rant about how this is not really pizza and that it's gross and horrible but the simple truth is, I need to find one of these pizza vending machines and test it out. Immediately.
Bruno's: my favorite pizza ever, hands down
I come from South Jersey, a land populated by strip malls, regular malls, gas stations, diners, and the ubiquitous WaWa. About 8 blocks from my parents' house is a little pizza place/restaurant next to a small liquor store. For years this pizza place changed hands, never quite catching on in this strange location. The parking lot is small and most of the cars belonged to people popping into Shirey's Liquors to pick up lotto tickets or a case of Honey Brown. That all changed when Bruno moved in.
Bruno is almost a caricature of a pizza shop owner - skinny, Sicilian, bushy moustache, thick accent, always in a rush. He has poster-sized photos of his daughter and grandchildren on the wall and his son, Moses is behind the counter dealing with all the impatient South Jersey folks who just want their large cheese pie and order of mussels in red.
Bruno's Pizza is one of the greatest loves of my life. I want it every time I get near South Jerz. My sister demands it (rightfully so) every time she visits from grad school. And we're not alone. Good luck finding a spot in the parking lot on a Friday night. Try to get a pie before a big event, like the Superbowl, and you'll be in line with 50 other people, straining your ears to hear your number called.
There's a certain lazy etiquette to picking up a to-go order at Bruno's. When you call, they give you a number. If you are me, you almost immediately forget it. If it's summer, you can walk right into the pizzeria portion of Bruno's and approach the counter. In the winter, you have to walk through the breezeway, into the second door, past the dining room and fish tank and hang a left into the pizzeria. There will usually be between 3 and 10 people hanging out, waiting. First timers try to march right up to the counter, but that's not really how it's done there. You have to linger for a while. Moses will at some point catch your eye and say "What number?" and that's your cue to head up to the counter and tell him that you forget but you had the large cheese and the large onions and mushrooms. A large pie runs between $10-$15 at Bruno's, and is worth double that.
Usually, Bruno will be around, kissing the cheeks of women, shaking the hands of men, indulging the broken Italian phrases people tend to offer. My parents claim he's known my sister and I since we were kids, back when he ran Carousello. They tell stories of Bruno scooping us up and taking us into the kitchen to run around and play. I hope they're telling the truth because I like the idea of having history with Bruno and his amazing food. Once you taste this pizza, you'll know it is only logical to include it in every milestone. We had Bruno's when both of us graduated high school. I had Bruno's on my 21st birthday. College graduation, getting a job, losing a job, breakups, falling in love - Bruno's pizza had been part of it all. What's more, my sister and I have decided that should either of us ever marry, our rehearsal dinners will be held at Bruno's. We agree that if we are to start new lives, there must be Bruno's.
Down to the matter at hand: the pizza. Bruno's pizza is thin crust, if slightly doughy. The cheese is well proportioned and doesn't overwhelm. His sauce is the secret to his success - I don't know what it is that he seasons it with, but it's perfect. I would eat the sauce alone, as a side dish. Where Bruno's Pizza scores the most points with me is that the pizza does not lose any integrity once the toppings get piled on. With some places you have a slice of cheese and a slice with a topping and you'd be surprised that they came from the same state, let alone the same shop. Bruno's rises above this (it's got to be the sauce) to be even better with toppings. I recommend getting a pie with onions and mushrooms. Onions still in rings, not chopped up like those crappy Pizza Hut style offerings, and big pieces of mushrooms. Absolutely wonderful.
Bruno offers endless options, so you don't have to stick to the basics to get a good pie. A word to the wise: if no one else wants pizza and you decide to go with the traditional solo pizza option: the pizza turnover, be warned that it is bigger than your head. And it's unstoppably delicious. Just get extra sauce on the side. You know, for later.
Bruno's Pizza
509 Hopkins Rd.
Haddonfield, NJ (i don't know how this could be Haddonfield. It's actually Westmont area)
856-428-9505
Bruno is almost a caricature of a pizza shop owner - skinny, Sicilian, bushy moustache, thick accent, always in a rush. He has poster-sized photos of his daughter and grandchildren on the wall and his son, Moses is behind the counter dealing with all the impatient South Jersey folks who just want their large cheese pie and order of mussels in red.
Bruno's Pizza is one of the greatest loves of my life. I want it every time I get near South Jerz. My sister demands it (rightfully so) every time she visits from grad school. And we're not alone. Good luck finding a spot in the parking lot on a Friday night. Try to get a pie before a big event, like the Superbowl, and you'll be in line with 50 other people, straining your ears to hear your number called.
There's a certain lazy etiquette to picking up a to-go order at Bruno's. When you call, they give you a number. If you are me, you almost immediately forget it. If it's summer, you can walk right into the pizzeria portion of Bruno's and approach the counter. In the winter, you have to walk through the breezeway, into the second door, past the dining room and fish tank and hang a left into the pizzeria. There will usually be between 3 and 10 people hanging out, waiting. First timers try to march right up to the counter, but that's not really how it's done there. You have to linger for a while. Moses will at some point catch your eye and say "What number?" and that's your cue to head up to the counter and tell him that you forget but you had the large cheese and the large onions and mushrooms. A large pie runs between $10-$15 at Bruno's, and is worth double that.
Usually, Bruno will be around, kissing the cheeks of women, shaking the hands of men, indulging the broken Italian phrases people tend to offer. My parents claim he's known my sister and I since we were kids, back when he ran Carousello. They tell stories of Bruno scooping us up and taking us into the kitchen to run around and play. I hope they're telling the truth because I like the idea of having history with Bruno and his amazing food. Once you taste this pizza, you'll know it is only logical to include it in every milestone. We had Bruno's when both of us graduated high school. I had Bruno's on my 21st birthday. College graduation, getting a job, losing a job, breakups, falling in love - Bruno's pizza had been part of it all. What's more, my sister and I have decided that should either of us ever marry, our rehearsal dinners will be held at Bruno's. We agree that if we are to start new lives, there must be Bruno's.
Down to the matter at hand: the pizza. Bruno's pizza is thin crust, if slightly doughy. The cheese is well proportioned and doesn't overwhelm. His sauce is the secret to his success - I don't know what it is that he seasons it with, but it's perfect. I would eat the sauce alone, as a side dish. Where Bruno's Pizza scores the most points with me is that the pizza does not lose any integrity once the toppings get piled on. With some places you have a slice of cheese and a slice with a topping and you'd be surprised that they came from the same state, let alone the same shop. Bruno's rises above this (it's got to be the sauce) to be even better with toppings. I recommend getting a pie with onions and mushrooms. Onions still in rings, not chopped up like those crappy Pizza Hut style offerings, and big pieces of mushrooms. Absolutely wonderful.
Bruno offers endless options, so you don't have to stick to the basics to get a good pie. A word to the wise: if no one else wants pizza and you decide to go with the traditional solo pizza option: the pizza turnover, be warned that it is bigger than your head. And it's unstoppably delicious. Just get extra sauce on the side. You know, for later.
Bruno's Pizza
509 Hopkins Rd.
Haddonfield, NJ (i don't know how this could be Haddonfield. It's actually Westmont area)
856-428-9505
Pizza is the Best
I have always loved pizza the most. Sure, when I was 7 I wouldn't eat anything but hot dogs, but in any lifelong love affair there must be a time when one partner tries something new. But hot dogs suck and pizza is the best.
When people ask those hypothetical questions like "what if you could only eat one food for the rest of your life?" my answer is simple. My answer is pizza. I like cheese pizza, I like pizza with toppings, I sometimes like just the cheese and sauce, sometimes just the crust. I like pizza turnovers and pizza rolls. Pizza in the morning, pizza in the evening, pizza at supper time. When pizza's on a bagel, you can have pizza anytime. I'll even get down with Ellio's if I'm in a bind.
I grew up in South Jersey and I've lived in Philadelphia for five years. I work in theatre, which ups my potential for random pizza parties, as there is usually someone around who is hungry and will go in on a pizza with you. A lot of people want to talk smack on Philly pizza, but there are a few good spots. I'll let you in on them, as well as the ones to avoid.
I'm starting to make my own pizza and I'll let you know how that goes. My tremendous boyfriend, Pizzadelphia, is a much better cook and usually does the pizza dough preparation - but I'm good at giving credit where it's due. You'll always know who responsible for the pizza.
I'm also going to be traveling a bit in the next few months and I plan to check out the pizza in various places and report back. If you have any pizza tips, definitely send them my way. We're together in the pursuit of pizza!
When people ask those hypothetical questions like "what if you could only eat one food for the rest of your life?" my answer is simple. My answer is pizza. I like cheese pizza, I like pizza with toppings, I sometimes like just the cheese and sauce, sometimes just the crust. I like pizza turnovers and pizza rolls. Pizza in the morning, pizza in the evening, pizza at supper time. When pizza's on a bagel, you can have pizza anytime. I'll even get down with Ellio's if I'm in a bind.
I grew up in South Jersey and I've lived in Philadelphia for five years. I work in theatre, which ups my potential for random pizza parties, as there is usually someone around who is hungry and will go in on a pizza with you. A lot of people want to talk smack on Philly pizza, but there are a few good spots. I'll let you in on them, as well as the ones to avoid.
I'm starting to make my own pizza and I'll let you know how that goes. My tremendous boyfriend, Pizzadelphia, is a much better cook and usually does the pizza dough preparation - but I'm good at giving credit where it's due. You'll always know who responsible for the pizza.
I'm also going to be traveling a bit in the next few months and I plan to check out the pizza in various places and report back. If you have any pizza tips, definitely send them my way. We're together in the pursuit of pizza!
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