The Pizza Thread

Absolutely correct. Pineapples do not belong on pizza. If you want pineapples in a baked product, try ham or a cake.

True pizza places should have anchovies available. When anchovies are baked into pizza, they are terrific.

 

Great thread. I'm passionate about my pizza.

I started making my own around age 13 after getting this book, which still remains one of my favorites:



A Jewish restaurateur making great pizza in NYC. He had a simple recipe which included how to make the yeast dough and mandated that the cheese and ingredients go down first, the sauce last. The book is still available on Amazon.

Since then, I've searched for the perfect pizza of my youth. I had it on a regular basis in my south-central Pennsylvania hometown, a little shop simply called The House of Pizza. It had baby shrimp, a tart, sweet sauce on a perfect crust with Buffalo mozzarella. I can still taste it, but I've never been able to duplicate it. The closest I've encountered was different, but memorable -- a seafood garbage-can pizza from a shop in downtown Miami that included mussels in the shell, fresh crabmeat, shrimp. I discovered that in the '80s while visiting my parents -- but my mom refused to keep it in her refrigerator because of the smell.

I still make my own pizza, will make the yeast dough and raise it for 5-6 hours. Nothing matches a yeasty crust. I've tried about everything on a pizza. Pepperoni's fine, but I'm not fanatic about it. I probably like Italian sausage better. And I do still love shrimp. Getting the true, Buffalo mozzarella automatically kicks the pie up a few notches. Just tear off pieces and let its milkiness expand around the crust. Fresh basil -- torn rather than chopped, and not necessarily tiny pieces -- is a must.

As for chains, Pizzeria Uno is the best among the well-known. Unfortunately, our closest is some 50 miles away in Hagerstown, Md. Pizza Hut has improved somewhat with its new flavored crusts and swirls, but I still wouldn't go out of my way. Little Caesars, Papa John, Domino's ... I'd much rather go to a mom-and-pop place and try what they offer.

Two places I've been to recently are worth mention. One is in the Canton neighborhood of Baltimore, Verde. It has outstanding artisanal pizzas and a wide menu. I opted for a simple Margherita (homemade tomato sauce, homemade mozzarella and basil), and it was elegant.



Last week, we visited the wineries around Charlottesville, Va., and discovered Mellow Mushroom on the far end of The Corner, the seven-block area of restaurants and bars catering to the UVa crowd. It's actually a chain, but it was the first time we'd encountered it. They offer plenty of options, or you can build your own, which I did: an EVOO/garlic base, no sauce, with crumbled Italian sausage, Buffalo mozzarella, cheddar and basil. I would have it shipped to me weekly if it weren't a hassle.

 

Mellow Mushroom and Uno are indeed good chain pizzas. Last time we went to MM, the boy was acting up so we ended up getting our pizza to go. A little while later at home, I had prepared a plate and was ready to do some damage. First, though, I needed to change a diaper (not mine). I put the plate with four giant slices of pizza on the coffee table and walked away to take care of the parenting duty. I returned to find that our pug had grabbed the plate and eaten all of it.

 

White clam pizza is a thing here in New England, and it can be very good. I used to grill pizzas in the summer, and eventually got the knack of not burning the crust, but now I'm too lazy. I'm spoiled by living in a city where a more than decent (far better than any chain) pizza joint is never more than a 10 minute drive away.

 

I want to try pizza on the grill this summer. I've heard you really have to watch it closely.

 

It's cooking as actual work, and since every grill has its own temperature levels, you'll have to experiment. Be prepared to throw out your first efforts. It takes time to find the proper temperature and the crust thickness that works best with said temperature.

 

The Little Caesars near us has a drive-through window for the $5 Hot and Now. It's great .... pull up, order at the window and hand the guy the credit card at the same time. He gives me the card back and hands me pizza. Most time stopped for not much more than a minute if there are no cars ahead of me.

 

I'm fine. We were there for a friend, and it looks like they're going to be ok too.

The pizza wasn't great, but I was glad to have it. Thin crust, cut in squares. The crust was one of those cracker kind of crusts.

Funny thing is, they have a city location about two blocks from our house -- closest pizza to where we live. I've eaten there once, but there are so many better options around here that I've never been back.

Tortorices Pizza | Authentic Italian Food

 

Having pizza tonight as I watch the Final Four as a matter of fact. Our local, Steve's, which is of the Greek immigrant-run variety which is as or more prevalent than Italian run pizza places in the Boston suburbs. Steve's makes excellent pizzas, very decent subs, but weak cheesesteaks. Can't have everything. It's a three-minute drive.

 

In case anyone wants to try the best pizza in the DC metro area:

Tony's NY Pizza

 

This slice'a bacon was so very good, from Pizza Suprema on 8th and 31st (just behind MSG).