Pizza Blog from pizzatherapy.com

Frank Pepe's opened in 1925. Frank Pepe's Pizzeria Napoletana has been making pizza on Wooster Street in New Haven, ever since. Frank did not originally start out making pizza. He was a bread baker by trade. The pizza was actually an afterthought. Who in their right mind would pay for pizza? Lots of loyal pizza fans, that's who. Here are some of the comments, I have recived about Pepe's : "I've eaten apizza from coast to coast and in Italy and have found none better. Though living in PA for the past 30 years several trips a year to Wooster Street each summer are traditional. The crust can't be beaten. I am a loyal fan!" "Tastes better now than when I was a child in the 50's and 60's...I ate so much Pepe's pizza that I had no room to burp. It was almost disgusting....When I was a child, Sal was my waiter and I will never forget Sal, Pepe's or that great pizza!" "Pepe's is the greatest....my family once...

Sally's Bacon Pizza from pizzatherapy.com So, what’s the big secret of Sally’s Apizza ? Simple: great pizza. If you want to have excellent pizza you need to search it out. And that is exactly what we discovered during our latest visit to Sally’s Apizza on Wooster Street in New Haven, Connecticut. An inside trick is to get there early. Sally’s opens at 5:00 P.M. (They are closed on Monday’s). We got there at 4:30. There were only two parties in front of us so we knew we would make the first seating. Another trick is to know what you want before your waiter or waitress comes. Make sure you decide what you want. The pizzas at Sally’s come out as they are ordered. Each pizza is lovingly constructed by hand, and that takes time. So the quicker you get your order in the quicker your pizza will come out. A visit to Sally’s is like stepping back in time. You will find the interior to be exactly as it was in the 50’s. Sure there are numerous plaques and diversions on the wall...

Jon F. Noted pizzaiolo, installed a Sky Light to get a higher toss... I was pleased to interview noted pizzaiolo, Jon F. Here is what Shelley said: "This is GREAT. Thanks so much!". Jon gives his take on Pepe's Pizza , and Sally's Pizza . Jon gives his take on why the pizza on Wooster Street is so special. Jon also traveled to Italy and explains the difference between American Pizza and Italian Pizza. He is on a quest to find extraordianry pizza. He traveled to Portland to discover some of the greatest pizzas avialable in that city. He got a first hand look at Brian Spangler as he made pizza at Apizza Scholls . He noted that Brian has his hand on every pizza that is served. Jon also reveals another great up and coming legendary pizzeria, called Tastebuds. He finishes up this interview by giving some incredible advice for the home pizza maker. He explains the most important thing is not the toppings. Use all of the high quality toppings you have, ...

The following video was part of The Pizza Therapy East Coast Pizza Tour 2009. The news that Pepe's would be opening another location in South Eastern Connecticut created quite a buzz. Pizza fans were excited. This was the talk of the town as the local newspaper and radio stations added to the excitement. When would Pepe' s open? Would they have a coal fired oven? And the ultimate question was: would this Pepe's be as good as the pizza in New Haven ? We visited the day after they opened at Mohegan Sun Casino . We were hesitant to go on opening day for obvious reasons. This Pepe's location looks very similar to the location in New Haven . There was wonderful ambiance. The coal fired oven is there. The booths are there. They even serve Foxon soda. But how was the pizza? The pizza was great. We will definitely go back...as a matter of fact we ended going back two days later... The Pizza at Mohegan Sun was Incredible Here are some other Pepe...

Albert at Pepe's on Wooster Street Hey we knew it all the time. Frank Pepe's Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven , Connecticut, makes some of the best pizza on the planet. It's always nice to get global recognition, however. An article written by, Killian Fox from the Observer lists the 50 Best Things to Eat in the World . Right there at Number 31, is Pepe's! Here is what he said: "You could generate enough heat to fuel a brick oven with the argument over which country bakes the world's best pizza: Italy, where the concept originated, or America, where it was globalised. Neapolitan purists will make pilgrimages to hotspots such as La Sorrentina, outside Naples, whose chef has won the prestigious Naples Pizza Championship, but we contend that the upstart Yanks do it better. The best American pizza can be found, not in New York as is commonly assumed, but in New Haven, Connecticut , where the Pepe family has been spinning dough since 1925. Their white clam pie h...

A slice of Pepe's clam pizza What can I say about Pepe's ? Pepe's pizza is like returning to an old friend you haven't seen in a while. You've both been through some new adventures but you still maintain that connection. The spiritual bond remains. And so it is with the pizza. Pepe's Pizzeria Napolitana was the third stop on the Pizza Therapy East Coast Pizza Tour 2009. We knew what we wanted before we arrived. We were all dreaming about clam pizza. We talked about the clam pizza in the car on the way down. And not just a casual mention. It was the main topic of conversation. Pepe's is the home of clam pizza. Frank Pepe invented the clam pizza. You just hope against hope, that they are able to have clams on the day you arrive. They usually do, however, clam pizza is so popular, they sometimes, run out. Pepe's Pizzeria is all about the pizza and tradition. Pepe's continues to carry on the legacy of Frank Pepe by serving incredible world class pi...

I got an email from my friend Gary Bimonte , co-owner of Pepe's Pizzeria Napolentana . Gary was featured on Legends of Pizza, Volume 1. He explained how his grandfather, Frank Pepe created the legendary clam pizza. Gary was excited to give me the news that Pepe's had opened another pizzeria in Manchester, Connecticut. Here is the address: 221 Buckland Hills Drive, Manchester, CT. The phone number is: 860-644-7333. Pepe's has always been a family owned operation and it continues to be a family operation. During my Legends of Pizza, Volume 1. , interview, Gary discussed how the family had decided to take Pepe's in a different direction. Pepe's opened it's first restaurant outside of New Haven in Fairfield , Connecticut. It was an immediate success. Lines were out the door with loyal customers screaming for more pizza. For over 80 years, Pepe's Pizza , was limited to Wooster Street , in New Haven . Then suddenly they were in Fairfield . Now they ha...

Albert's Pepperoni Pizza During the last couple of weeks, I had a chance to sample some great pizza. Pepe's and Sally's Apizza , (Wooster Street, New Haven, Connecticut) did not disappoint me. They were fantastic, as usual. On one of my adventures, I stumbled into a pizza joint. The family was busy shopping, so I took it upon myself to check out a new pizza place. The pizza looked good. The crust looked good. The taste was OK. It was not the best pizza I ever had, and it wasn' t the worst. It was good pizza. I agree with Peter Reinhart who says there are two types of pizza: good pizza and great pizza. In some ways pizza is relative,: had I not just had Pepe's or Sally's , I might have rated this pizza much higher. Pepe's and Sally's make great pizza. Anywhere in the pizza universe, this pizza may have been a solid 8 or 9. After Pepe's and Sally's, I would rate it a 6 or 7... Sometimes you can't get great pizza. Sometimes good, is goo...

Here is a picture of a Portobello and Capacolla Pizza Before I get into the magic of the portobello mushroom, I want to give you an update of what I am doing. I'm currently on the East Coast, completing the last leg of my vacation. I like to call it: The East Coast Pizza Tour . I was able to get to Pepe's as well as Sally's Apizza . The pizzas at each pizzeria were both memorable and very satisfying. I was able to do some great interviews, which I will be making available at pizzatherapy.com in the near future. In the meantime, I have been creating several videos which I want to share with you. I did a review of my favorite mushroom, the Portobello . I have found these mushrooms very easy to work with as well as having a great taste. You can use them in pasta sauce, sandwiches, on the grill and of course as a topping for pizza. I think the potobello really adds to any dish. they have a beefy texture and a wonderful flavor. Videos are something new to me, but I think the t...

It was one of those special emails that you get. Sally's Apizza, located on Wooster Street in New Haven , Connecticut was officially on the Internet. I like to think in some small way, pizzatherapy.com assisted the process. Sally's is like no other pizzeria in the World. (Hey, I'm not getting in the middle of a Pepe's vs. Sally's debate here... I'm to smart for that....to see what I'm talking about click on the link above. Or just Click Here ) Let's just say, there are people who love Pepe's and there are those who love Sally's I love them both... Here is the email: "Hi Pizza Therapy: I 'm delighted to annouce to the world that Sallys Apizza in New Haven , Connecticut now has a website, with pictures even and the menu. Here is the link: http://sallysapizza.net/default.aspx This development was prompted by the pizza lovers of the Yale Class of 1987 who, before their twentieth reunion to New Haven, contacted Sallys (by using the pizz...

Over the lifetime of pizzatherapy.com I have received countless questions about pizza. These include dough problems, pizza peel issues, the best flour to use, does water make a difference in pizza. Where is the best pizza? Do I favor Chicago Deep Dish pizza over New York pizza ? I want to start a pizza business. ..where do I start? How do make 100 pizzas at a time, can you help? ( Yes: go here .) Who makes the best pizza? Pizza fanatics write to me, asking if I know the inside secrets of the pizza from their favorite pizzeria . They want to know if I can help them recreate a certain pizza. Pizza fans want to know about pizza! You get the idea. I also get lots of questions asking if I know the true secret of Pepe's on Wooster Street , in New Haven, Connecticut . (You can read some of the many comments sent to me here. ) People of course, are also interested in Sally's Apizza also located on Wooster Street . I always tell them: if I knew the real secret of Pepe's or Sa...