Pizza Blog from pizzatherapy.com

My love affair with clams started before I could talk. I love clams in every way: raw clams on the half shell, clams in chowder, stuffed clams, clam fritters but one of my favorite clams are fried clams. Now these are not strip clams mind you, these are whole clams fried up. With the "bellies" on them. Not many people realize this but fried clams are steamers dipped in batter and fired in oil. I can't get enough of these babies...and I even dream of clams. Only because I can't get them all the time. You really need to go to New England to have fried clams... I want to talk about steamers..Oh they are amazing. The taste...the taste... Steamed clams, are in a class all by themselves. While fried clams (my favorites!)  can be greasy...steamers are totally natural. Sweet and tasty. The magic of the sea shines through and through... Clams come in several different varieties. The lager hard-shell clams, or quahogs are used for chowder. Some of these shells were made...

Here is the second installment of Un'Americana In Italia. Sky explains that Italy gave the world the very first chocolate bar.In the 1616th Century, she explains, all of the chocolate was imported from Spain. The chocolate was used for drinking. However the Italians invented a machine that was able to turn chocolate from a liquid to a solid chocolate bar. "Chocolate is the joy of life!" Not any chocolate, mind you: dark chocolate. Sky then takes us on an incredible cheese adventure. Enjoy this Un'Americana In Italia, Part 2 I love listening to Sky speak in Italian. The words just seem to flow. The fact this film is totally narrarated in Italian adds much to the experience. Here is a link where you can listen to (and download, if you wish) an interview I did with Sky. Sky Dylan Robbins Interview by Albert Grande of Pizza Therapy Sky takes you inside the underground secrets of how various food is produced. She also reveals the passions of those...

Ok I admit it: I love the Star Trek Pizza Cutter . The Star Trek Pizza Cutter is an exact replica of the Star Ship Enterprise. It is beautiful and shiny. Take a look right here: But does it really cut pizza? I took it for a test drive and it worked like a champ. Here is a video of me using the Star Trek Pizza Cutter : The truth is though, it is more for show than substance. But what a great show! It is very impressive! So While I will use it on special occasions, I will stick to my tried and true: Oxo 4-Inch Pizza Wheel But for special occasions and special pizzas, I'll take the Enterprise out of the box and use it to slice up pizza. I used The Star Trek Pizza Cutter and I liked it! Check it out here:  Star Trek Pizza Cutter Respectfully submitted, Albert Grande The Pizza Promoter For more conventional pizza cutters, check this out:

As a public service to our pizzeria owners and those interested in the pizza business, we share the following: Attending an industry trade show - even during an economic slowdown - can be the best investment you can make in your business. Some pizzerias are surviving and some are not, but only those who are taking the necessary action toward positive change will have the ability to compete and win. Here are six ways to boost your pizza business. Register to attend International Pizza Expo 2011. Come ready to learn at more than 80 pizza-specific seminars and demonstrations. Attend Beer & Bull Idea Exchanges for networking and sharing. You'll quickly learn that your problems are not unique and someone there just might have the solution you're seeking. Pick up new menu and recipe ideas at the International Pizza Challenge and the numerous demonstrations planned. Watch exhibitor product demonstrations and sample lots of great food. Negotiate great deals on an exhibit s...

I am please to announce that Sky Dylan Robbins just completed her film: Un'Americana In Italia Here is what Sky said: Hi Albert, Hope all's well with you and your family. Wanted to let you know that Un'Americana in Italia is finally complete - the premiere went well and I uploaded it to my site. Thanks so much for all your past support, Albert. Amazing how passion and food connects people. When you have a chance, take a look and let me know what you think! Have a great rest of your weekend! Food love, Sky Thanks so much, Sky! We can't wait to see what you have in store for the universe next! We know you will do great things. We loved it Sky! Be well, Stay well, and Laugh as much as you can. albert And for more Italian cuisine I recommend, Mario's book:

Oysters are a wonderful seafood. You can enjoy them in so many different ways. You can put them right on the grill. They cook up nicely in their own little package. You can enjoy them fried, or in a sandwich. Use them in sauces and stir fries Oysters have a wide array of uses. My favorite way to enjoy them is fresh and raw, right in the shell. The taste is almost indescribable. Wonderfully fresh with the taste of the ocean shining right through. The problem with these bivalves is the difficulty in getting them out of their shell. You need to know how to shuck them. If you are going to  open your own oysters, though you need the right tools. You need to have an oyster knife. The oyster knife needs to be made well with hardened steel. Accept no substitutes. You need a hardened steel oyster knife. Here's what I recommend: Dexter-Russell 2-3/4-Inch Oyster Knife, Carbon Steel and Beechwood . Here are the steps: Place your oyster on a board, flat side up. (You don't want ...

pepperoni The New York Times featured a great article about pepperoni. Say what you want about pepperoni, it has long been the number one topping for pizza in the U.S. Read the entire article, at this New York Times link. Reporter Julia Moskin reveals some things I never realized about pepperoni. For example: pepperoni is a total American invention. While dried sausage such as sopressa is real Italian, pepperoni is not. (Are you kidding me Julia? Totally American?) Hormel, the biggest producer of pepperoni and has sold much in preparation for Super Bowl. (As a mater of fact: Super Bowl is one of the top pizza days, ever , according to USA Today.) There is no agreement among experts about pepperoni on pizza: should the pepperoni lay flat on the pizza or should it curl. Pepperoni has almost taken on cult like status with some of the finest "cure-masters" who work long hous in trying to supply the best pepperoni possible. A number of new Artisan pizzerias refuse t...

According to Time Out Magazine , La Pizza is the Best Pizza in Beijing... Here is what  Lillian Chou told me: "Beijing has great pizza! La Pizza opened its second shop in the back corner of 3.3 Mall in Sanlitun in early 2010 and everyone should run to this light at the end of the tunnel. Giuseppe De staefano Exsecutive Chef from Naples City the Pizza Country and Luca Mania , the bright-eyed pizzaiolo from Sicily, is the delicious reason our tastebuds tingle with delight. Luca lives and breathes pizza and has tossed dough up in the air in Spain and with his uncle in New York City. Add to that a brick-domed oven from Italy that burns fruitwood to an infernal 400 C and some of the best mozzarella and ricotta made locally by an Italian formaggiaio. The menu starts with Neapolitan fritti (fried things), and it's a very good beginning indeed. The polpettine ascolana (28RMB) are beef and pork meatballs mixed with chopped olives, rolled in semolina and then fried. Thes...

This is an incredible recipe.  Matteo Fagin is on a mission. Matteo Fagin is out to revolutionize "Little Italy" one small plate at a time. Innovative contemporary Italian cooking show focusing on just Italian appetizers. Recipes are simple and affordable. This is simply an amazing recipe. Very easy to prepare, very delicious to eat! This recipe is from Italian Tapas. Thank you Chef Fagin, this recipe is delightful...and fll of flavor! For more Italian recipes I recommend you try: pizza on earth, Albert Grande, The Pizza Promoter

The following post is from our friend Vincent's Blog: Rediscovering Pizz. Saturday night did not disappoint. Along with several friends, we made it to Pizza Rock at the K Street Mall and put our names down to be seated. The place was packed but as we waited to be seated we got to watch the new and young pizzaiolos make their pizzas in a wood fired Pompeii oven near the front door and enjoy the heat emanating from the fires. Tony's Table was off to one side which sat 10 people with reservations. We were led to the back of the huge dining area past the huge mural of Pizza Rock's Creation by Carlos Lopez and were seated up front just a few feet with a view of the kitchen and the man behind it all, Tony Gemignani. Sheri & I had come prepared to meet the master. I had removed Tony's framed menu that hung in our kitchen from Tony's in San Francisco and rolled it up carefully in hopes of getting him to sign it. Also, I had made him an 8 x 10 color glossy of...

We know that Anthony Mangieri , has closed down Una Pizza Napoletana in New York and moved to San Francisco. (Address and hours listed below) Please watch this ver revealing film. This is such an incredible look at Anthony, it deserves another look... An oven built by hand, tile by tile. Four pizzas on the menu, with no fancy-pants toppings. Anthony Mangieri does one thing at Una Pizza Napoletana , and he does it the very best way he can. Video from CHOW.com. Anthony has moved his operation to San Francisco: A.W.MANGIERI PROP. 210 11th St + Howard St San Francisco, CA 94103 HOURS OF OPERATION Wednesday Thru Saturday 5pm until out of dough

Without a doubt, some of the best pizza in Hawaii, is being made at 951 North King Street, in Honolulu. The odor of fresh pizza being cooked in an outdoor wood fired oven is unmistakenable. There under a tent, in the corner of a parking lot, you will discover an amazing pizza operation. Two amazing pizzioli are taking authentic Neapolitan to the streets...literally. This is a portable pizza operation. A traveling pizza circus. Complete with all that you would expect and demand of great pizza. And if you are looking for wonderful pizza, you just found it. The owners, Kyle and John , do exude pizza passion . They care about pizza. They care about their customers Each pizza is handcrafted. Each pizza is lovingly created. All the ingredients are fresh. All the pizzas are unique. And the pizza is good. Really good. . For me it is all about the crust. The crust is thin with a slight char and a smoky flavor. Check out this video of Inferno's Wood Fire Pizza: : ...

Here is a great dish for you start of the New Year. An easy pasta with a very bold taste. Although this pasta contains anchovies, the taste is not overpowering. Give this dish a try and let me know what you think. Aglio and Olio is a family favorite. So easy to prepare, it is almost a sin! In our house, only fish was served for Christmas Eve dinner as well as on New Year's Day. On Christmas eve we ate lots of different kinds of fish. Baccala (dried, salted, cod fish), shrimp , Mama Grande's Stuffed Sole , fried calamari,   clam cakes , baked stuffed clams , eel (yes eel!), stuffed calamari , calamari salad , and on and on!! This pasta dish was always a favorite. We never could pronounce it correctly, but we still love it! Step 1 Saute the garlic. Step 4 Add the anchovies Ingredients 3-4 Tablespoons of olive oil 3-4 Cloves of garlic 1-2 Cans of anchovies in oil 1 lb. of your favorite pasta 1 1/2 cups of reserved pasta water Salt and pepper to taste...

Popular Plates 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 fantast...

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 eart...

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 u...

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 Lear...

I know what your thinking... How can you improve on something so basic as a pizza cutter or pizza wheel? We've got an Oxo Good Grips 4-Inch Pizza Wheel  and it does quite well. It has stood the test of cutting  hundreds of pizzas and it has not missed a beat. It's got a great grip and the blade has stayed sharp. The pizza cutter has a wheel that has a simple job. Keep it clean and well oiled and you're in the pizza cutting business.  What more could you want? For the record we have a  Homer Simpson Talking Pizza Cutter at the Pizza Therapy Pizza Museum. . This was a novelty item that was light years ahead of it's time.  We have a number of other pizza cutter's in the Museum, including our prized Pepe's 75th Anniversary Pizza Cutter .                  We just discovered a brand new pizza cutter that certainly deserves our attention:...

Elliot shares the following: CUCIDATI (Italian Fig Cookies) These cookies are a little time consuming, but well worth the effort! It's a Christmas favorite! Preparation time approximately 2¼ hours  yields: approximate 36 cookies Ingredients: 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup vegetable shortening 1 large egg 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup milk Filling 1 cup dried figs 1 cup dried dates, pitted 3/4 cup raisins 1/4 cup honey 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 cup orange marmalade 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped Icing 2 cups confectioners' sugar water or milk colored sprinkles Directions: For cookie dough, sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add sugar and stir well. Cut in the shortening with a fork or pastry blender and work the mixture until it looks like corn meal. In a bowl, beat egg, vanilla and milk together. Add egg mixture to the flour mixture and m...

Recently USA Today ran a story about 51 great pizza parlors. As USA Today explains in their article, they polled local experts in each state including the District of Columbia to come up with their top pizza. This was an ambitious project. Here is a link . No matter where you're from you'll find great pizza. And you can easily discover that, everyone has their own opinion on pizza. Everyone. You can read the rest of this review, exclusively on Lunch.