Thursday, December 23, 2010

Popular Plates Pizza Rocks the World of Pizza


The Popular Plates Pizza volume by Jane and Michael Stern, creators of Road Food, is a must have book for any pizza lover. This project is a labor of love all about pizza by Jane and Michael Stern who are clearly obsessed with pizza. And not just any pizza: great pizza. In addition, they are intimately familiar with all the different regional styles of pizza. The Stern’s document 120 pizza reviews which are comprehensive, inspiring and fascinating.

Much of this book was created with assistance of the members of their Road Food Team. The Stern’s sent out these Food Warriors all across the United States in search of the best pizza. These pizza aficionados traversed the country looking for the obscure and the well-known. The pizza analyses are extraordinary and mouthwatering.

You will discover the origins of pizza, pizza lingo and the official way to make certified VPN DOC Neapolitan. You will unlock the secrets of making different kinds of fantastic pizza with recipes as well as specialized toppings. There are loads of tips on how to re-create your own outstanding pizza at home. You will also discover methods on how to grill pizza and how to create dessert pizza.

While this volume was released in a magazine format it could easily be a coffee table book. (Side note to Jane and Michael: you may need to re-release this as a hard back!)

The Sterns have done their homework. They describe and define the many regional tastes of pizza across America. These styles include: New York, New Haven, and Chicago, as well as Old Forge (PA), Trenton tomato Pie (NJ), West Virginia, St. Louis, Detroit, the Quad Cities and more. The historical aspects of pizza are well documented here. They also include a nod to Legend of Pizza, Ed LaDou for his contribution, to Wolf Gang Puck’s and the California Pizza Kitchen’s menus.

It’s easy to see that the Stern’s have a soft place in their heart for New Haven Pizza. They both met at Yale, which is located right down the street from Pepe's, and Sally's. As a matter of fact, the book closes with a section called “New Haven: Pizza Capital of the World”. In this short piece they review New Haven legends: Pepe’s, Sally’s, and Modern as well The Spot (also owned by Pepe’s.)

The pictures alone are worth the price of the book. The photographs are simply outstanding. The pizzas seem to jump off the page and invite you to eat them. These are photos are so well created and researched that they are in a class all by themselves. The pizza pictures are stunning, and astounding. The images add much to the entire pizza experience.

This may very well be one of the best photographic pizza volumes ever created. There are photos of some of the early and current superstars of pizza including many shots of Frank Pepe and his family.

This book describes famous as well as obscure pizzerias scattered across the country. For example the Dog Town Roadhouse in Floyd, Virginia is featured. The owners use wild yeast, make their own mozzarella and use local produce. Floyd, located in the mountains of Virginia is one of those “you can’t get there from here” kinds of places. I‘ve been to Floyd, Virginia and it is certainly located off the beaten path. And yet the pizza at Dog Town Roadhouse is simply amazing.

Another great pizzeria mentioned was "Pizza on Earth", a Jay Vogler's Wood Oven Bakery located in Charlotte, Vermont. In his wood oven,  Jay makes thin crust pizzas, and hand formed artisan style breads. He is the epitome of the old time pizzaiolo, making pizza for pleasure and to help spread the mission of pizza passion.

The reporting on New Haven apizza is extensive. You get to feel the importance of the Wooster Street Experience. West Coast pizza is not left out, as master pizzaioli such as Tony Gemignani (Pyzano's, Tony's, California), Chris Bianco (Bianco's Pizzeria, Arizona) and Brian Spangler (Apizza Scholls, Portland) are honored. Each one is a true Legend of Pizza. The Pizza Restaruants discussed are extensive and almost comprehensive. Almost.

While this volume describes many types of regional pizza there are some short comings. What ever happened to the city of Atlanta? The entire state of Georgia is not commented upon. I was also disappointed that the Best pizza in Alaska and the Best Pizza in Hawaii were not even mentioned as sources of great pizza. After all, Alaska boasts, The Moose’s Tooth Pub and Finn’s. Hawaii claims Inferno’s Wood Fire, V Lounge and J.J. Dolan’s and more. Each one of these pizzerias deserves some type of recognition.

Another area lacking was the failure to reference the strong community of pizza related information that has been created on the Internet. Let’s face it; much of the movement about giving regional pizzerias recognition would not be possible without the thousands upon thousands of pizza related references on line.

While the Stern’s do briefly reference  Roadfood.com, (an incredible resource for any foodie), there is no other mention of the impact websites, blogs and forums have had on popularizing pizza. Internet pizza sites such as Pizza Therapy, other pizza websites, pizza blogs and pizza forums have taken pizza out their local regions and spread the word about pizza globally.

Were it not for the Internet (and the rise of food related television shows) the notion of discovering great pizza outside your own area, would not have existed. A simple paragraph explaining the influence of the Internet on the world of pizza, would have been welcomed.

The truth is Popular Plates Pizza is a must have book for anyone who ever tasted pizza. Get a copy (or two) for yourself. Read it and discover some of the freshest pizza material on the planet. Take action on your pizza cravings and discover things about pizza you never knew. Popular Plates Pizza is a must read book for anyone who ever tasted a slice of pizza.

A great book is one that causes you to action. This book inspired me to eat more pizza. And what could be better than that?

Get your copy, here: Popular Plates Pizza You will be glad you did. Warning: this book will make you  immediately crave pizza. Do yourself a favor: don't resist your cravings: Claim your own copy of
Popular Plates Pizza.

pizza on earth,

Albert Grande,
The Pizza Promoter

You can order some pizza right here:
 
 

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Pizza Quest by Peter Reinhart, Episode 1

Here in the opening episode of the Pizza quest, Peter Reinhart lays out his pizza philosophy.

This is an introduction where he visits with various different pizzaiolo including Tony Gemignani.

According to Peter the philosopphy of the Pizza Quest

Pizza Quest is a site dedicated to the exploration of artisanship in all forms, wherever we find it, but especially through the literal and metaphorical image of pizza. As we share our own quest for the perfect pizza we invite all of you to join us and share your journeys too. We have discovered that you never know what engaging roads and side paths will reveal themselves on this quest, but we do know that there are many kindred spirits out there, passionate artisans, doing all sorts of amazing things. These are the stories we want to discover, and we invite you to jump on the proverbial bus and join us on this, our never ending pizza quest.



Here is the start of the journey:




Onward, upward with the pizza quest!


pizza on earth,

albert grande
The Pizza Promoter

Monday, December 20, 2010

Pizza Therapy Welcomes Pizzaquest.com

I am very pleased to share the following information with you. This will rock the World of Pizza as we know it!

Here's the inside scoop:

PizzaQuest.com to Launch December 20

"Hosted by Peter Reinhart, new website serves as a virtual meeting place and resource for people with a passion for pizza and artisan food; site includes webisodes
chronicling the search for America’s great pizzas and pizzaiolos, recipes and video
cooking instructionals, expert guest blogs, and photo galleries

Two years in the making, PizzaQuest.com with Peter Reinhart is set to go live on Monday, December 20, 2010. The website is subtitled "a journey of self-discovery
through pizza," and that's exactly what it is, according to host Peter Reinhart,
author of American Pie, My Search for the Perfect Pizza.

"We set out to find the great pizzas and pizzaiolos of America and discovered all
sorts of other amazing artisans, and found ourselves following unexpected paths to
unanticipated adventures. We soon realized that our pizza quest was about a lot more
than pizza," Reinhart continued.

PizzaQuest.com is a joint venture between Pizza Quest and Forno Bravo, a leading supplier of pizza ovens, pizza stones and pizza-making supplies. “The Internet is
the perfect media to deliver Peter’s passion for pizza and the artisan food
movement,” said James Bairey, Forno Bravo founder and president. “We think
PizzaQuest.com breaks new ground for food lovers everywhere.”

The website features short video episodes or “webisodes,” as producers Jeff Michael
and Brad English call them. "Each week we'll post a new segment that chronicles our
journey," said English. "Some will be parts of a larger story arc that may continue
for a number of weeks, and some will be freestanding webisodes, such as our
discovery of an amazing fish taco place in Morro Bay called The Taco Temple."

Michael added, "Together, the webisodes add up to a documentary that takes Pizza
Quest viewers on the proverbial bus with us." The webisodes are also being edited
for later use as a 13-part television series, currently in development.

In addition, the site includes a recipe section, with video instructionals,
featuring some of the guest pizzaiolos filmed during the quests. There is also a
guest contributors section with thoughtful essays by invited experts and thought
leaders.

"This site, while it focuses on pizza, is really a celebration of artisans and
artisanship, so the guest essays will cover a broad range of interesting topics,"
noted Reinhart. "I call it the 'This is what I've been thinking about lately'
section, so it will get into the philosophical and metaphorical, as well as the
practical side of the quest."

Every section of the site is designed for viewer interaction and community building.
PizzaQuest.com is aimed not only at the vast community of people who love pizza, but
also to anyone who loves the adventure of life and the search for excellence.

PizzaQuest.com can be accessed via www.fornobravo.com/pizzaquest or www.pizzaquest.com.

About Pizza Quest

Pizza Quest: a journey of self-discovery through pizza, is a website dedicated to
the exploration of artisanship in all forms, wherever we find it, but especially
through the literal and metaphorical image of pizza. The site features webisodes
chronicling the pizza quest journey, recipes with video instructionals, guest
essays, member blogs and other resources. Peter Reinhart, award-winning cookbook
author and acclaimed baker, serves as narrator and primary host. Visit
www.pizzaquest.com for more information.

About Forno Bravo

Founded in 2003, Forno Bravo is a leading global producer of Italian wood- and
gas-fired pizza ovens for residential and commercial use. Our ovens are made using
state-of-the-art methods and the highest-quality refractory and insulating
materials, and then shipped from our warehouse in Northern California. Visit
www.fornobravo.com for more information."

And on behalf The Pizza Therapy community, I want welcome, Pizza Quest! I know I will be a regular visitor!

pizza on earth, good will to Pizza Quest!

Albert Grande
The Pizza Promoter

Please visit:
The Pizza Therapy Community

Make sure you get a copy of Peter's book:


Easy Pizza Dough from Chef Tony Matassa

Chef Tony knows pizza.

He is a huge pizza fan. He's been making dough for many years and has learned lots of inside tricks.

In the following How to Make Pizza Dough video, he breaks down the process into simple easy to follow steps.

His recipe is very similar to my own pizza dough recipe. (You can claim a copy of my pizza therapy pizza dough recipe by going here.)

I like the addition of honey to the pizza dough recipe. It's a nice touch.

Chef's Tony's video has a great tone to it. He makes it known that anyone can make pizza dough. He is totally correct. And if you haven't made your own pizza yet, now may be time to get started.

Here is his video:



You can also have my own pizza dough recipe and watch my video at the Pizza Therapy, how to make pizza dough page.

However you slice it, when you make pizza, you make magic happen in your kitchen.

So go out and make pizza!

pizza on earth, good will to all!

Albert Grande
The Pizza Promoter

Learn the inside tips and tricks of pizza with,
The Pizza Therapy Pizza Book.

Check out my other favorite pizza books: