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Pizza Demo | Wine Tasting Dinner

2010-05-20T16:03:00.002-04:00

A Mano to Hold Pizza Demo and Wine Tasting Dinner

Free Demonstration and Tasting, Monday, June 7th at 6:30 p.m.
Wine Tasting Dinner, Tuesday, June 15th at 7:00 p.m.

Continuing its series of educational food demonstrations and events, A Mano Neapolitan trattoria in Ridgewood, NJ will be hosting two events in June and will be incorporating New Jersey’s Alba Vineyards wines into both events.

The first event will be a free demo and tasting, “Neapolitan Pizza, Pasta and Techniques with a Twist” and will be held on Monday, June 7th at 6:30 p.m. Reservations for the demo are required and can be made by calling A Mano at (201)493-2000. A Mano’s co-owner Fred Mortati will lead this free demonstration and tasting with help from the trattoria’s specially trained pizzaioli (pizza chefs) and an Alba Vineyards wine specialist, who will conduct a tasting. A step-by-step event, Mr. Mortati and staff will cover all aspects of the Neapolitan pizza and pasta making processes, including the creation of dough, sauce and mozzarella. In addition to these basics they will debut the techniques used to make one of their newest offerings, a pizza with sautéed spinach-infused dough.

The second event, “A Mano’s Alba Vineyards Wine Tasting Dinner” will be held on Tuesday, June 15th at 7:00 p.m. Attendees will be served a five-course meal including a fresh mozzarella pinwheel appetizer, seafood salad, homemade lasagna with bolognese, tartufo pizza with truffles and porcini, and espresso or strawberry tiramisu, each course paired with a different Alba wine. The wine selections were specially chosen by the A Mano chefs and the Alba Vineyards sommelier to compliment and reflect the character of the menu. Reservations are required and the cost per attendee is $35 (not including tax and gratuity). A Mano co-owner Fred Mortati and restaurant manager Greg Stott will be on hand to walk attendees through the menu and the pairings choices. Reservations can be made by calling (201)493-2000.

Patrons who do not wish to attend the demonstration on June 7th or the wine tasting dinner can visit the restaurant between 11:30am and 11:00pm for regular service.

Neapolitan Pizza, Pasta and Techniques with a Twist

Who: Fred Mortati, A Mano co-owner, A Mano’s specially trained pizzaioli, and an Alba Vineyards sommelier

What: Free educational cooking demonstration and tasting

When: 6:30 p.m., Monday, June 7th, 2010

Where: A Mano, 24 Franklin Avenue at the
corner of Chestnut, Ridgewood, NJ 07450

Alba Vineyards Wine Dinner

Who: Fred Mortati, A Mano co-owner, A Mano’s specially trained pizzaioli, and restaurant general manager, Greg Stott

What: Alba Vineyards Wine Pairing Dinner, $35 per person (not including tax and gratuity)

When: 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

Where: A Mano, 24 Franklin Avenue at the corner of Chestnut, Ridgewood, NJ 07450

About A Mano

A Mano, meaning “by hand,” is focused on presenting the ultimate combination of authentic ingredients, technique, and methods to create an unmatched Neapolitan experience.

A Mano is one of only three U.S. pizza restaurants to receive prestigious certifications from both the Verace Pizza Napoletana and Associazone Pizzaiuoli Napoletani, the recognized authorities of Naples, Italy on traditional Neapolitan Pizza. The exacting standards are what stand A Mano apart from the rest, from the expertise of the pizzaiolo (the specially-trained pizza chef) to the use of ingredients imported from Naples (from all natural Caputo flour to the San Marzano tomatoes, grown in the foothills of Mt Vesuvio). Add-in fresh mozzarella, made on-site, by hand along with outrageous homemade gelato and desserts, and the true concept of artisan foods are revealed.

Down to the tiles and equipment, from floor to ceiling the restaurant’s makeup is imported from Italy. Its twin domed ovens with round chimneys, hand-built on site by Neapolitan Artisans using stones and volcanic soil imported from Naples, are the centerpiece of the restaurant, stretching to the ceiling of the two-story dining room. The architecture of these wood-fired ovens allows them to reach temperatures of 1,000 degrees, creating beautifully blistering, bubbling pizza in less than two minutes. A Mano has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality and authenticity of the craft of traditional Neapolitan foods, with results that speak mouthwatering volumes in every bite. The restaurant is open Monday to Thursday from 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday, from 12 p.m. until 10 p.m. A Mano is located at 24 Franklin Avenue (at the corner of Chestnut Street), Ridgewood, NJ 07450. For more information, please call 201-493-2000 or visit www.amanopizza.com.

New Pizza Invention | Portion PadL

2010-05-12T11:23:00.003-04:00

The following is information that our new friend and Patent Attorney, Andrew Spriegel, has recently shared with us. This may be a very good product to purchase if you are in the pizza or restaurant business.

New Invention Increases Pizza Business Profits

NuVo Grand, LLC crated the patent pending Portion PadL. Designed using a simple but effective concept, this unique cutting board, makes it easy to cut equal pizza slices.

See Video Demonstration: www.youtube.com/thePortionPadL

Greg Getzinger, pizza business owner and inventor of the Portion PadL, developed the distinctive cutting board to meet the needs of his business accounts. “It became clear that pizzas sliced in unequal portions caused unique challenges for businesses, school accounts and pizza-by-the-slice fundraisers,” says Getzinger.

“There was food waste and loss of profit due unequal pizza slices. For instance, concessionaires at school sporting events were hesitant to sell the smaller, unequal slices of pizza and people didn’t want to pay the same price for a smaller slice as for a larger slice, even if it was only a slight size difference,” notes Getzinger.

After an exhaustive search for a reasonably-priced, easy to use device that cut equal pizza slices every time, Getzinger came up short. This void in the pizza industry was the catalyst for the invention of the Portion PadL.

The Portion PadL can be customized to fit up to four or more pizza sizes per board. The high quality cutting board is made of NSF approved Richlite®, is heat resistant to 350° and is 100% food safe.

“There isn’t another cutting board on the market that is as versatile or can be as easily customized as the Portion PadL,” says Andrew Spriegel, patent attorney and co-founder of NuVo Grand, LLC. “In addition to traditional pizzerias interested in improving pizza consistency, pizza-by-the-slice operations like schools, hospitals, pizza buffet restaurants, convenience stores and foodservice management companies will benefit from the Portion PadL's equal slices,” adds Spriegel.

A video demonstration of the PortionPadL can be viewed at www.youtube.com/thePortionPadL. For inquiries and more information about the Portion PadL, including individual and volume pricing go to http://www.portionpadl.com/.

Pizza Ovens Website | PizzaOvens.com

2010-05-09T09:06:00.004-04:00

This post will introduce our new pizza friends, PizzaOvens.com, a superior pizza ovens website. Here is there profile listed below:

At Pizzaovens.com we know from experience that opening as restaurant is
major work. We want to help ease your stress and eliminate your headaches by
gathering everything you need together in one convenient location. We
cater to customers from all corners of the world. As a result of our early
success, we grew from simply offering pizza ovens to all types of equipment our
customers may need. Pizzaovens.com has made a significant impact in the food
equipment industry and how others do business online.

There are sovery many choices when it comes to purchasing pizza ovens and equipping a restaurant...on our site we have all of the best manufacturers and models represented in one place. At Pizzaovens.com, you can search by manufacturer, or by product type such as deck ovens, conveyor ovens, refrigeration, microwaves, etc. We have a Specifications library with hundreds of thousands of product specification sheets, including products that are no longer available. Furthermore, we have a staff of brilliant employees with a combined experience of over 75 years available at the click of a button (via our online support), an email or a dial of a phone.
We are always working to stay ahead of our competition and to maintain our position as a top rated supplier of restaurant equipment. What makes us stand out from the crowd, aside from offering everything you need in one place, is our dedication to our customers. Customer focused, we believe in doing the job right the first time, being the best we can be, and standing behind the work we do. Constant and never ending improvement is what we live by today, we continue toposition ourselves toward the future, never losing sight of what has made our company successful. We are always working on something new, and have many creative developments in store. Stop by and check out our Blog, and stay posted for our Education Resource Center which will be packed full of helpful information.

Little Caesars Pizza Game Promotion

2010-05-07T18:53:00.002-04:00

Here is some updated info from our friends at Little Caesars Pizza:

LITTLE CAESARS® PIZZA TEAMS WITH PEPSICO AND COLUMBIA PICTURES’ “THE KARATE KID” TO KICK OFF “YOUR TICKET TO KICK IT” NATIONAL PROMOTION

DETROIT – Little Caesars Pizza, PepsiCo, and Columbia Pictures today announced “Your Ticket to Kick It,” a national scratch-off game promotion, in anticipation of the release of Columbia Pictures’ The Karate Kid. This promotion includes national marketing components and offers Little Caesars customers across the country a chance to win a year of movie tickets, pizza, and Pepsi-Cola beverages, among other prizes. The film, starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, will be released in theaters everywhere on June 11, 2010.

“Little Caesars pizza, Pepsi, and The Karate Kid make the perfect combination for family fun,” said Linda “LJ” Jaworski, senior vice president of Marketing and Communications, Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. “Little Caesars Pizza is excited to bring this promotion to our customers for the chance to win great food and entertainment.”

Little Caesars customers will receive a “Your Ticket to Kick It” scratch-off code card by visiting participating Little Caesars restaurants and purchasing a fresh HOT-N-READY® pizza with any Pepsi, Diet Pepsi or any available product in the portfolio. The promotion begins on April 26 and continues while cards last. Customers simply scratch off their card to determine if they have won the grand prize of a year’s worth of movie tickets, Little Caesars pizza, and Pepsi-Cola beverages (awarded as 48 movie passes and 12 Little Caesars® gift cards each good for one HOT-N-READY® pizza, an order of Crazy Bread® and Crazy Sauce® & one two-liter Pepsi-Cola product), or other prizes including individual movie tickets, movie posters, The Karate Kid merchandise, or discount coupons for Little Caesars and Pepsi products.

Two varieties of collectible mini movie posters with a re-print of Jaden Smith’s signature will be available at participating Little Caesars restaurants beginning May 18.

“We’re proud to work with Little Caesars on this exciting program and pleased to deliver access to such a great property,” said Margery Schelling, CMO PepsiCo Foodservice. “The chance to win prizes associated with ‘The Karate Kid,’ which promotes confidence and leading an active lifestyle, will delight the whole family.”

Communication elements to support the promotion include print, broadcast, and Web presence along with in-store point-of-purchase materials. Social media will also play a large role in the promotion through Little Caesars’ and The Karate Kid’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

Promotion details and official rules are available at participating Little Caesars locations. There is no purchase necessary to receive a “Your Ticket to Kick It” scratch-off code card. Customers can request a scratch-off code card without purchase by mailing their request to the address included in the official rules available at participating Little Caesars locations.

In Columbia Pictures' The Karate Kid, 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) could've been the most popular kid in Detroit , but his mother's (Taraji P. Henson) latest career move has landed him in China . Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying - and the feeling is mutual - but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre's feelings make an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. In the land of kung fu, Dre knows only a little karate, and Cheng puts "the karate kid" on the floor with ease. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life. The film is directed by Harald Zwart. The screenplay is by Christopher Murphey. Story by Robert Mark Kamen. The film is produced by Jerry Weintraub, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, James Lassiter, and Ken Stovitz.

About PepsiCo Foodservice

The PepsiCo Foodservice Division integrates the relevant units of Pepsi-Cola and Frito-Lay together with Quaker, Tropicana and Gatorade in the United States and Canada . Rooted in PepsiCo’s “Power of One” principles, PepsiCo Foodservice leverages the scale and breadth of the corporation’s brands to provide a unified voice to its customers and deliver competitive advantage in the fast-growing foodservice and vending channels.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in more than 130 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at www.sonypictures.com.

About Little Caesars Pizza

Little Caesars Pizza founders Michael and Marian Ilitch opened their first restaurant in Garden City, Michigan in 1959. Little Caesars added more stores in the world in 2009 than any other pizza chain and today is the largest carry-out chain internationally with restaurants on five continents. Little Caesars is growing in prime markets across the country, and is offering strong franchisee candidates an opportunity for independence with a proven system. For the third year in a row, Little Caesars was named “Best Value in America ”* of all quick-serve restaurant chains. In addition, Little Caesars offers strong brand awareness with one of the most recognized and appealing characters in the country, Little Caesar.

In addition to Little Caesars Pizza, Michael and Marian Ilitch’s companies in the food, sports and entertainment industries include: the Detroit Red Wings, Olympia Entertainment, Olympia Development, Blue Line Foodservice Distribution, Champion Foods, Ilitch Holdings, Inc., Uptown Entertainment, Little Caesars Pizza Kit Fundraising Program, and a variety of venues within these entities. Michael Ilitch owns the Detroit Tigers. Marian Ilitch owns MotorCity Casino Hotel.

For more information about Little Caesars and available franchise opportunities, visit www.LittleCaesars.com or call 1.800.553.5776.

World Pizza Champions Team

2010-04-15T08:18:00.005-04:00

Update About the New World Pizza Champions

Blog Pizza Italian Pizza Blog (AKA Blog Pizza) shows our support to the new World Pizza Champions Team!

Founding members Tony Gemignani, Michael Shepherd, Siler Chapman, Joe Carlucci, and Sean Brauser would like you to meet the newest members of the World Pizza Champions Team and are headed to Italy this week for the World Pizza Championships

Eric Corbin
2010 World Pizza Champion Member of the Year and 2010 World Pizza Games Winner - Grimaldi's, tuscon Arizona

Ryan LaRose
National Champion - Pizza Acrobat - A Slice of New York - Columbus Ohio

Patt Miller
National Champion - Pizza Acrobat Owner/Operator - A Slice of New York Columbus Ohio

Steve Lieber
National Pizza Champion / Certified Pizzaiolo Pizza Classica, Miami Beach, Racks Italian Bistro

Audrey Sherman
Certified Pizzaiola Napoletana - Tony's Pizza Napoletana San Francisco, California

Michael Bausch
Certified Pizzaiolo Pizza Classica / Owner Andolini's North Owasso, Oklahoma

Guilio Adriani - (International Member)
Naples, Italy - Master VPN Instructor and World Champion Pizza Maker. Andriani has won several International awards in Baking including the World Pizza Cup in Naples Italy 2008.

This year the World Pizza Champions consist of over 50 members worldwide.
Most members will be representing the US and home counties at the World Pizza Championships in Salsomaggiore, Italy April 19, 20, 21.

Little Caesars Pizza Press Release

2010-04-14T09:14:00.004-04:00

Our friends at Little Caesars Pizza gave us the new press release. We have placed it below for your convenience. Just an FYI, we are currently negotiating talks to have an interview with the President of Little Caesers, David Scrivano. Stay tuned to Blog Pizza Blog to find out more.

For Release: April 13, 2010

Little Caesars® Pizza Named “Best Value in America ” for the Third Consecutive Year

World’s largest carry-out pizza chain earns six honors

DETROIT – For the third year in a row, Little Caesars has been named the “Best Value in America ”* among all major quick-serve restaurant chains across America . The national recognition came from one of the largest research studies in the food industry, Sandelman & Associates’ Quick-Track® research study.

“With today’s fast-paced lifestyle, our customers really appreciate the value and convenience Little Caesars provides,” said David Scrivano, president, Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. “Our customers don’t have to wait for our HOT-N-READY® products and they can feel good about serving their family a high-quality pizza made with fresh ingredients.”

Little Caesars’ HOT-N-READY® pizza is a large, 14” pepperoni or cheese pizza that’s ready when customers are, with no waiting or need to call ahead, for $5.00 at participating locations.

Sandelman & Associates’ Quick-Track® research study tracks key consumer behavioral and attitudinal measures for all major fast-food chains. Surveys were conducted among more than 90,900 quick service restaurant customers in 78 major markets across the United States . Little Caesars was also rated the highest-rated chain for “Affordability of the Prices” and highest-rated pizza chain for “Speed of Service,” among other honors.

In business for more than 50 years, Little Caesars has become an industry leader by offering quality products and outstanding value to customers, including the “Pizza!Pizza!” offering (buy one get one free), and most recently, the convenient, value-oriented HOT-N-READY® offering.

About Little Caesars

Little Caesars Pizza founders Michael and Marian Ilitch opened their first restaurant in Garden City, Michigan in 1959. Little Caesars added more stores in the world in 2009 than any other pizza chain and today is the largest carry-out chain internationally with restaurants on five continents. Little Caesars is growing in prime markets across the country, and is offering strong franchisee candidates an opportunity for independence with a proven system. For the third year in a row, Little Caesars was named “Best Value in America ”* of all quick-serve restaurant chains. In addition, Little Caesars offers strong brand awareness with one of the most recognized and appealing characters in the country, Little Caesar.

In addition to Little Caesars Pizza, Ilitch companies in the food, sports and entertainment industries include: the Detroit Red Wings, Olympia Entertainment, Olympia Development, Blue Line Foodservice Distribution, Champion Foods, Ilitch Holdings, Inc., Uptown Entertainment, Little Caesars Pizza Kit Fundraising Program, and a variety of venues within these entities. Michael Ilitch owns the Detroit Tigers. Marian Ilitch owns MotorCity Casino Hotel.

For more information about Little Caesars and available franchise opportunities, visit www.LittleCaesars.com or call 1.800.553.5776.

* “Highest-Rated Chain – Value for the Money” based on a nationwide survey of quick-service restaurant consumers conducted by Sandelman & Associates, 2009

Slice of Broadway Pizza Update

2010-04-05T18:10:00.002-04:00

Slice of Broadway Pizza Update

PHOTO & VIDEO OPPORTUNITY

WHAT: Two Boots Pizza in Hells Kitchen to celebrate the SLICE OF BROADWAY honoring the off-Broadway cast of AVENUE Q with a specialty slice
WHO: The off-Broadway cast of AVENUE Q will be in attendance to receive the monthly honor
WHEN: Monday, April 12th, Cast will arrive at 4:45 PM, Press should arrive 4:35 PM
WHERE: Two Boots Pizza, 625 Ninth Ave between 44th & 45th Streets
INFORMATION & CONTACT: Ian Weiss516-242-7086; ian.weiss@gmail.com

A Mano New Jersey Pizza

2010-03-19T13:46:00.002-04:00

We have acquired some new fans over at A Mano in New Jersey. As a courtesy to them, below Blog Pizza Blog will present some information about who they are. If you have tried A Mano and would like to share you experiences please do so below.

A Mano, the Ridgewood Neapolitan trattoria and one of only three U.S. restaurants to receive prestigious certifications from both the Verace Pizza Napoletana and Associazone Pizzaiuoli Napoletani, the recognized authorities of Naples, Italy on traditional Neapolitan Pizza, has added Shrimp, Tilapia, Veal and Chicken entrees to their menu, along with several new appetizer, pasta, pizza and Panini options. “We are a Neapolitan restaurant and with that comes hundreds of years of traditions and classic preparations, which we bring to our patrons,” said Fred Mortati, co-owner of A Mano. “A Mano functions as both a learning center with celebrated Neapolitan chefs visiting year-round bringing with them new specialties and age old traditions. We are a culinary mecca for people who care about the craft of authentic Neapolitan pizza making and authentic Italian food preparation. Our new entrees showcase the high regard Neapolitans have for the best ingredients, bringing them together in simple preparations that allow flavors to shine through. This is simple, delicious food that brings together comfort and delight.”

Shrimp Scampi ($17.99), jumbo shrimp sautéed in extra virgin olive oil, white wine, lemon and garlic, is served over linguine. Tilapia Cartoccio ($19.99) with potatoes, onions, tomato and olives, baked in a foil poach in A Mano’s wood-burning ovens, is finished with extra virgin olive oil. Osso Buco ($24.99), braised in A Mano’s wood burning ovens in a rich onion and mushroom sauce, is served over homemade pappardelle with sautéed squash, carrot and peppers as an accompaniment. Chicken Pizzaiola ($17.99) is boneless chicken breast breaded and oven baked with tomatoes, basil, oregano, sautéed onions and finished with extra virgin olive oil.

The restaurant’s selection of 25 different pizzas, all of which are available with traditional, whole wheat and gluten-free doughs, speak to classic combinations of hand-squeezed San Marzano tomatoes, homemade Mozzarella, flavorful cured meats, delicately sautéed vegetables and a host of flavorful cow and sheep’s milk cheeses. “During his March 6th visit, master pizza chef Antonino Esposito sautéed fresh chopped spinach in butter and incorporated this into pizza dough. The result is a beautifully colored and delicately flavored Spinacci pie ($15.99), complemented when topped with our house made Mozzarella, fresh cherry tomatoes, sea salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. This will be offered as a special and available on occasion,” explained Mr. Mortati.

“There’s a beauty to our pizza, which is not always understood by the American palate: classic Neapolitan pizza is considered a slow food. It is eaten with a knife and fork. It’s not food on the go, folded in half and eaten while walking down the street. Our Caputo flour, the world’s best pizza flour which we import in bulk from Italy to make our dough with, has a special flavor all its own and we don’t want to lose that by overcooking it. So our pies (starting at $8.99), like true Neapolitan pizzas, are cooked for under 2 minutes in 1,000 degree ovens, emerging slightly charred around the edges and soft in the middle, so the flour and yeast in them can be savored.”

A Mano also imports a special Caputo pasta flour for use in the preparation of its homemade lasagna sheets, and now papparedelle (wide ribbon) and taggliatelle (thin ribbon) pastas ($12.99). “These pastas are made exactly the way they are in Naples, so the true flavors of flour and eggs are enjoyed when paired with any of our homemade sauces: tomato basil, Bolognese, pesto, alfredo and truffle cream,” added Mr. Mortati.

New appetizer, salad and Panini offerings marry traditional, how-your-grandmother-made-it preparations with new twists, such as elegant grilled artichoke hearts or tender, flash-fried calamari over salad greens ($10.99-$11.99)along with homemade meatball, sausage or Bresaola (cured beef)-filled Panini ($8.99).

About A Mano

A Mano, meaning “by hand,” is focused on presenting the ultimate combination of authentic ingredients, technique, and methods to create an unmatched Neapolitan experience.

A Mano is one of only three U.S. pizza restaurants to receive prestigious certifications from both the Verace Pizza Napoletana and Associazone Pizzaiuoli Napoletani, the recognized authorities of Naples, Italy on traditional Neapolitan Pizza. The exacting standards are what stand A Mano apart from the rest, from the expertise of the pizzaiolo (the specially-trained pizza chef) to the use of ingredients imported from Naples (from all natural Caputo flour to the San Marzano tomatoes, grown in the foothills of Mt Vesuvio). Add-in fresh mozzarella, made on-site, by hand along with outrageous homemade gelato and desserts, and the true concept of artisan foods are revealed.

Down to the tiles and equipment, from floor to ceiling the restaurant’s makeup is imported from Italy. Its twin domed ovens with round chimneys, hand-built on site by Neapolitan Artisans using stones and volcanic soil imported from Naples, are the centerpiece of the restaurant, stretching to the ceiling of the two-story dining room. The architecture of these wood-fired ovens allows them to reach temperatures of 1,000 degrees, creating beautifully blistering, bubbling pizza in less than two minutes. A Mano has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality and authenticity of the craft of traditional Neapolitan foods, with results that speak mouthwatering volumes in every bite. The restaurant is open Monday to Thursday from 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday, from 12 p.m. until 10 p.m. A Mano is located at 24 Franklin Avenue (at the corner of Chestnut Street), Ridgewood, NJ 07450. For more information, please call 201-493-2000 or visit www.amanopizza.com.

Las Vegas International Pizza Expo

2010-03-11T18:37:00.002-05:00

The following information was sent via one of our media fans about the Las Vegas International Pizza Expo. If you have any more information about this please feel free to serve the pizza community well by adding it in the comments below.

International Pizza Expo Kicks-Off in Las Vegas

There are over 70 thousand pizza restaurants in the US alone. But every March thousands of pizzeria owners and operators from across the world pack the Las Vegas Convention Center for the International Pizza Expo. The event, which caters to the 38 billion dollar a year industry, includes numerous culinary competitions,
demonstrations, free samples and over-the-top contests like Extreme Pizza
Tossing. Exhibitors and educational sessions also feature the latest ideas in
pizza making and personalization. And new gadgets like mobile pizza apps for the
iPhone and Android are also on display. Although pizza is the big cheese at the
expo, visitors can also see everything from wings, bbq, appetizers and
more.

To view and download this content, please visit
www.thenewsmarket.com/internationalpizzaexpo

Produced for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

Second City Chicago Pizza Tours

2010-02-26T08:58:00.005-05:00

I was asked to post a little info about our new friends at Second City Pizza Tours in Chicago. The following is their profile. If you are in Chicago or will be visiting them please do check them out as they appear to have a well organized walking tour of various pizza places. If you enjoy their tour please come back and let us know here at Blog Pizza Blog.

About Second City Pizza Tours

"Second City Pizza Tours is a part of Georgie Tourgie Walking Tours. We
strive to provide the best tour experience for Chicago visitors. You'll leave
knowing more than a Chicagoan knows.

The Second City Pizza Tour is the best way to experience all of the different flavors of Chicago Pizza. Guests of this tour will be guided by a fabulous docent to five of Chicago's finest locations and sample the pizza at each location. You will not be hungry after this tour!

The Second City Pizza Tour is conducted every Friday, Saturday, and
Sunday from mid April to mid November. The tour is 2 1/2 hours long and begins
at 11:30am. Reservations are required. If you're interested in going on one
of our Architectural & Historical walking tours, please visit:
http://www.georgietourgie.webs.com/

Our tour guides are well versed in Chicago architecture and Chicago
history, with valuable insights and captivating stories of this magical
city."

Two Boots Pizza in New York

2010-02-26T08:55:00.001-05:00

PHOTO & VIDEO OPPORTUNITY

WHAT: Two Boots Pizza in Hells Kitchen to celebrate the SLICE OF BROADWAY honoring the Broadway cast of ROCK OF AGES with a specialty slice

WHO: The Broadway cast of ROCK OF AGES will be in attendance to receive the monthly honor, including Kerry Butler

WHEN: Tuesday, March 2nd, Cast will arrive at 5 PM, Press should arrive 4:45 PM

WHERE: Two Boots Pizza, 625 Ninth Ave between 44th & 45th Streets

INFORMATION & CONTACT: Ian Weiss/MJS LIVE 516-242-7086; ian.weiss@mjslive.com

Hot Lean Pizza Pockets

2010-02-19T19:37:00.004-05:00

Today I ate four frozen pizzas in the pizza pockets family: Lean Pockets pepperoni pizza, Hot Pockets Pepperoni Pizza, Hot Pockets Four Cheese Pizza, and Hot Pockets Supreme Pizza. I have some observations that I made about each of them. However, the winner of the group was Hot Pockets Pepperoni Pizza.

Lean Pockets comes from the same company as Hot Pockets, Nestle and the product is almost identical in many ways. First, all four of these products have the same microwave instructions. You have to unwrap the product and insert into an unfolded sleeve. Then place it on a paper plate and microwave. Then you have to wait for the pizza to cool down for 2 minutes after. Even the pockets are identical for both brands. You stick the rectangular pizza pocket into a rectangular sleeve that fits smoothly. Very easy.

The microwave times are similar for these products. All meat related pockets were 2 minutes and the four cheese pocket was 1.5 minutes for each pocket.

I think the microwave time and the simplicity factor for cooking these pizzas was a big bonus here. Other frozen pizza products usually microwave much longer. The taste was very similar for all of these Hot and Lean pockets. The crust encapsulates the inner cheeses and ingredients. You have to be real careful when eating this type of pizza because of the burn factor (that may be a reason that they are called Hot Pockets). It is hard enough to eat an open face pizza without getting burned. Here the insides are still cooking even minutes after it was cooked. Tip: break open the center and let the hot air out before eating.

The four cheese pizza was just a bit too much cheese for my taste buds and the supreme pizza had more cheese than meat. Although the Lean pocket was also a pepperoni pizza I like the Hot Pocket pepperoni pizza better because of its crust. The Hot Pockets pepperoni had more seasoning on its crust including a higher garlic taste.

For your convenience I have included some info about Hot Pockets, Lean Pockets, and Nestle below:

About Hot and Lean Pockets

Since our yummily-stuffed hand-held sandwiches first appeared on
supermarket shelves in the early 1980s, America has been, well - eating them. We
created convenient, delicious and affordable LEAN POCKETS® sandwiches so our
customers could take a portion of their breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks to
go. And, 25 years later, it seems they really went with it.

The Early Years

Now everyone knows the great-tasting sandwich with a tasty crust. The HOT
POCKETS® brand sandwich. And while now they’re ready in a matter of minutes,
their rise to fame took only slightly longer. Thanks to Chef America Inc.’s
specially formulated, patented dough, classic filling combos and
microwave-crisping sleeves, the ‘80s brought us a packaged food icon. Building
on the convenience and quality consumers wanted, in 1987, we introduced LEAN
POCKETS® brand to meet the needs of health-conscious consumers.

As this trend toward better for you lifestyles continues, so does the
expansion of the LEAN POCKETS® sandwich line. Made with Whole Grain,
Chef-Inspired and Stuffed Quesadilla options have made their way into our
sandwiches and the busy on-the-go schedules they’re made to satisfy.

There are many good contributions in sandwich history. Over the past
decade, in the frozen hand-held food and snacks category, we’re proud to have
contributed quite a few of them ourselves. Here are a few of our faves:

2001/02

LEAN POCKETS® brand wake up the world with sandwiches for Breakfast.
We’re talking delicious scrambled eggs and cheese with either bacon, ham or
sausage. Nice.

2003

LEAN POCKETS® brand tips our sombreros to Mexican-style varieties. Here
we introduce Mexican flavors wrapped in a corn tortilla flavored crust.

2005

LEAN POCKETS® brand SUBS. Oh happy day. Now we’re making premium sub
sandwiches featuring soft baked bread and your favorite sub shop flavors

2005

Cheese please. LEAN POCKETS® brand varieties become even better-tasting
with "crispier, cheesier crust". Craziness.

2006

Take a number people. LEAN POCKETS® brand varieties now feature
delicious deli-style thin sliced meats.

2007

Good grains it’s LEAN POCKETS® brand Made with Whole Grain. A tender
crust with a good source of fiber and topped with whole grains, and 6-8 grams of
fat per serving makes eating well on the go a go!

In 2002, Nestlé acquired Chef America, Inc., which pioneered the frozen
sandwich category and has led it ever since. The business, known as Nestlé
Prepared Foods Company - Denver, is part of the Nestlé Prepared Foods Company
headquartered in Solon, Ohio. Nestlé Prepared Foods Company also includes the
STOUFFER'S® and LEAN CUISINE® frozen food brands— the nation's leading brands in
frozen meals— as well as BUITONI® refrigerated pastas, sauces and appetizers.
Nestlé USA, is part of Switzerland-based Nestlé S.A.— the world's largest food
company. For product news and information, please visit www.Nestleusa.com or
www.NestleNewsroom.com.

Free DiGiorno Pizzas

2010-01-09T13:14:00.001-05:00

On Wednesday night, there were plenty of free DiGiorno pizzas being handed out. Did you not get any? Well it is OK if you didn’t because there was a catch. You had to be invited to the 2010 People’s Choice Award. For this to have happened you would have to either be a celebrity or know someone famous.

At the 2010 People’s Choice Award, they paused for a moment while free DiGiorno pizza was served on various trays to the whole audience. Many waiters and waitresses came out holding big trays with free pizza for everyone.

This was definitely smart advertising for their product. What I want to know is what did the audience think of DiGiorno pizza? If there are any readers of this blog that were lucky enough to attend this event please let us know what your thoughts are on the pizza that was served there. I am curious as to whether the pizza tasted different than the actual pizza that is served in the microwave (was it fresher, etc.).

If you weren’t at this People’s Choice award, please feel free to comment on your opinion of DiGiorno’s free pizza strategy.

Tacconelli's New Jersey Pizzeria

2009-12-06T12:21:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to briefly touch base and let you all know that I have just completed a review on Tacconelli’s Pizzeria second location in Maple Shade, New Jersey. This has been recognized by many as the best New Jersey pizza. Their original location in Philadelphia is recognized for many years as the best Philly pizza. This review is a very important one as this pizzeria throws much clout in the Philadelphia and New Jersey pizza world.

The New Jersey pizzeria for Taconelli’s has been open since 2003. Since then it has made changes to its business that makes it much better than the original. Please read the review and let us know what you think. If you have been to Tacconelli’s before then let us know your experience.

Philadelphia Pizza Reviews

2009-11-20T15:04:00.004-05:00

Philadelphia Pizza Blog Reviews

The past two weeks I have made incredible progress on the Best Philadelphia Pizza Blog with various Philadelphia pizza reviews. I have journeyed all over the city of Philadelphia to uncover the truth behind the best pizza in Philadelphia. Although there is still plenty of more work to be done and much more pizzas to be eaten, many truths about the best pizza in Philly is slowly unfolding.

The following is the current list of the best pizza joints in Philadelphia. I have also included a list of those that I have given a yellow light (proceed with caution) and those that I just don’t recommend (red light). If you have been to any of these places or just would like to put in your two cents please feel free to comment below or on my other pizza blog.

Best Philadelphia Pizza

Green Light Pizza Reviews (that means GO)

Note: If a pizza place has received a green light then this automatically qualifies them into the Best Philadelphia Pizza Club.

Cacia's Bakery and Cafe - Northern Liberties
Carangi Baking Company - South Philly
Celebre's - South Philly
Criniti's Italian Restaurant - South Philly
Franco and Luigi's Pizzeria - South Philly
Gianfranco Pizza Rustica - Old City
Iannelli's Famous Brick Oven Bakery - South Philly
La Fourno Ristorante Trattoria - South Philly
LaScala's - Center City
Lazaro's Pizzeria and Grill - South Philly
Little Sicily Pizza Steaks and Hoagies - South Philly
Lorenzo and Sons - South Philly
Lorenzo's Pizza - Italian Market
Marra's Cucina Italiana Restaurant - South Philly
New York Italian Bakery - South Philly
Overbrook Pizza - West Philly (Overbrook)
Pica's Restaurant - West Philly
Pine Street Pizza - Center City Philadelphia
Pizza Hut - North Philly
Pizzeria Stella by Stephen Starr - Queen Village
Pizzicato - Old CityRustica - Northern Liberties
Santucci Brothers Square Pizza - Roxborough
Sarcone's Bakery - South Philly
Slice - South Philly
Soho Pizza - Old City
The Couch Tomato Cafe - Roxborough
Uncle Oogie's Pizzeria and Specialty Sandwiches - South Philly
Uncle Tomy's Original Pizza - South Philly
Villari's Bakery - South Philly

Yellow Light Pizza Reviews (that means proceed with caution)

Mama Angelina's Pizza Restaurant - Center City Philadelphia
Osteria - Center City Philadelphia
Pietro's Coal Oven Pizzeria South Street - South Philly
Top Tomato Pizza Kitchen - Center City Philadelphia

Red Light (Not Recommended)

Famous Napoli Pizza - South Philly
Joe's Brick Oven Pizza - Center City Philadelphia
Mack's Boardwalk Pizza - South Philly
N.Y.P.D. Pizza Department - Center City Philadelphia
Paolo Gourmet Pizzeria - Center City Philadelphia

Other Reviews

Maggiano's Little Italy Italian Restaurant - Center City Philadelphia

Please feel free to follow the links above to read the full pizza review of any of these Philadelphia pizza places.

Philadelphia Pizzeria Stella Philly Pizza

2009-11-08T12:22:00.002-05:00

Just a brief post to mention that I have finally made a review of Stephen Starr’s Pizzeria Stella in Philadelphia. For those of you who may not be aware, Stephen Starr is a very famous restaurant owner in Philly and New York. He has been studying the pizza industry for some time now with visits to major pizza cities in America and an in depth study in Italy. He has finally opened his new business in Philadelphia called Pizzeria Stella (Stella translates to Starr in Italian) to showcase his work. Please feel free to visit our Best Philadelphia Pizza Blog to read the review of Stephen Starr’s Pizzeria Stella.

Home Run Inn Pizza Contest Results

2009-10-28T15:41:00.002-04:00

Home Run Inn Pizza Contest Results

The following is information that I recently received from Home Run Inn Pizza for their pizza movie contest results:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHICAGO’S AUGUSTINE NAVARRO FORESEES GRAND PRIZE IN HIS FUTURE FROM
THE HOME RUN INN HALLOWEEN VIDEO CHALLENGE
FOR HIS TWO-MINUTE VIDEO, “FORESEEN VOICES”

Woodridge, IL (October 26, 2009) – It’s a wrap for October’s National
Pizza Month with the selection of the grand prize winner - America’s
cheesiest horror filmmaker - in the second annual Halloween Video
Challenge. The winner is Augustine Navarro of Chicago, who garnered
40,270 votes for his video about a man’s encounter with a fortune
teller in his creative two-minute horror film, “Foreseen Voices.”

Augustine was selected online by voters from a pool of ten
finalists hailing from Chicagoland, Wisconsin, California, and New
York. Over 9,500 individual voters cast over 420,000 total votes in
the contest. To view the winning video as well as finalists’ films,
visit www.homeruninncontest.com.

The grand prize winner will receive $2,500 cash and an Ultimate
Halloween pizza party for his/her friends at home with extravagant
Halloween decorations, Home Run Inn pizza, soda and paper goods for 25
guests (approximate retail value: $5,500).

Round one of voting for top ten finalists ended October 18th,
after which the votes were cleared before round two ended October 25th
at 11:59 PM CST. Each video is a two-minute original horror film
starring Home Run Inn pizza. The ten lucky finalists are flipping over
Home Run Inn pizza for one year (12 frozen 12” pizzas), and a new Flip
video camera (approximate retail value for each finalist: $235).
Entrants were encouraged to be freakishly creative by using original
music, humor and other unique elements, and Home Run Inn pizza was
featured in the movie (see website for guidelines and official rules).

Gina Bolger, Home Run Inn Director of Marketing, said, “A big
congratulations to Augustine for this creative, spooky film entry. We
have never seen so many fans of pizza and horror films cast their
vote… it’s scary how creative Home Run Inn fans are, and how many ways
you can capture your love for pizza on film. Many thanks to all who
entered and participated in this year’s Halloween Video Challenge!”

For more information on the Home Run Inn Halloween Video
Challenge, or where to purchase Home Run Inn pizza in your area, visit
http://www.homeruninn.com.

About Home Run Inn pizzas: All Home Run Inn pizzas are all-natural,
contain no trans fats and were recently voted Chicago’s #1 pizza in
AOL’s “Best Of” Contest. Home Run Inn Pizza is available in grocer’s
freezers in three styles, Classic, Signature and Ultra Thin, and in
Personal (6”) and Family (12”) sizes. Signature pizzas are topped with
premium, gourmet toppings, including Meat Lovers (all-natural sausage,
pepperoni and bacon), and Sausage Mushroom and Cheese Plum Tomato
(vegetarian). Ultra Thin pizza features a light, crispy crust and
varieties include Margherita, Cheese with Fire Roasted Vegetables,
Cheese, Sausage, Pepperoni or Sausage-Pepperoni. With a traditional
style crust, Classic Home Run Inn pizzas come in such favorite
varieties as Cheese, Four Cheese, Sausage, Pepperoni, and Sausage
Pepperoni, and use the same recipe and high quality ingredients as the
pizzas enjoyed in our Chicago area pizzerias.

About Home Run Inn: Voted #1 pizza in Chicago, Home Run Inn Pizza is a
family-owned and operated establishment with seven restaurant
locations and frozen pizza in over 30 states, with pizza made
according to the original family recipe created in 1947 using only the
highest quality ingredients.

###

HOME RUN INN HALLOWEEN VIDEO CHALLENGE - TOP TEN FINALISTS:

1. Agustin Navarro, Chicago, “Foreseen Voices” – GRAND PRIZE WINNER
2. Mark Nadolski, Arlington Heights, IL, “Twisted Tales”
3. Steve Welsh, Aurora, IL, “Jack’s Scary Pizza”
4. John Daniel, Berwyn, IL, “The Legend Comes Home”
5. Christoper Kahler, Chicago, “The Unexpected Guest II: The
Halloween Boo-galoo”
6. Linda Ferguson, Moorpark, CA, “I Would Kill For A Slice”
7. Kyle Ruge, Madison, Wisconsin, “Daddy, I’m Hungry”
8. Jennifer Sherman, Chicago, “Blood on Black Velvet”
9. James Domroe, Liverpool NY, “Zombiesss”
10. Michael Ramova, location undisclosed, “Monsters Pepperoni and Cheesy”

Philly Food Blogs

2009-10-24T16:50:00.004-04:00

Just a brief update on my Philly food blogs progress, particularly over at the Best Philly Cheese Steaks Philly food blog… I have finally completed the best of the best list. There are about 40 reviews that I have done of the most popular Philly cheese steak places. Considering that there are over several thousand restaurants in Philly that serve a Philly cheese steak, I had to be very picky and selected either the most popular and / or what is generally considered to be the best.

My reviews have helped to organize and dispel many myths in the Philly cheese steak world. As my cholesterol level needs to be rebalanced out, I have decided to significantly slow down with my Philly cheese steak reviews for the sake of my health. Running a food blog takes a considerable amount of energy, money, and health problems. I think my Philly cheese steak food blog is well organized enough now to help the food community who is interested in the subject. Therefore, my reviews and posting over there will decrease as well. My attention will next be set to continue focusing on the Best Philadelphia Pizza blog with the goal of now finding the best Philly pizza places. I hope that you all are following along as these food blogs are helping to uncover some true culinary truths about the city of Philadelphia.

Now that I will be back to focusing my attention on pizza, I should also be able to spend more time on this pizza blog. If you have been to any of the places that I have reviewed or have a pizza restaurant for me to consider please let me know so that I can review it on my Philly food blogs!

Pizza Blog Update

2009-10-09T19:36:00.002-04:00

Dear pizza readers,

My apologies again for my lack of participation on this pizza blog. I have been diligently been working on my new Philly cheese steak blog. This week I have frequented 6 major Philly cheese steak shops from all over the city. I will be focusing on this blog for this next several week in addition to my Philadelphia pizza blog. There are great things on the horizon so please be patient. In the meantime, please visit and support my Philly food blogs as you may find good information there, especially if you are a Philly cheese steak fan.

This week in the pizza world, I actually reviewed another extremely old pizza establishment in Philly called Pica’s Restaurant. You may be fascinated with old world Italian tomato pies. If so, check out my review as Pica’s offers a popular Italian square tomato pie.

On other news, I have recently been asked by several writers for them to contribute to this pizza blog. I will be screening them out to make sure their content is for the pizza community. If so, you may be introduced to some new characters on this blog. Also, if you know of anyone who would be able to contribute to this blog in any way and add value to our readers, please let us know at mypizzablog@gmail.com.

This has been another pizza blog update.

How To Make Pizza Dough

2009-10-03T18:29:00.002-04:00

How To Make Pizza Dough

Albert Grande from Pizza Therapy.com, a good friend of Blog Pizza, has asked the pizza community to help promote his video on YouTube about “How to Make Pizza Dough.” The story is as follows.

Albert had made a pizza video about 2 years ago in his kitchen for the fun of it. He decided to post it on YouTube to see what happens. Within the next year, Albert’s pizza video received 50,000 views. During the next year he received an additional 150,000 views.

Albert is on a mission to spread his how to make pizza dough video. He currently stands at 200,000 views. He is hoping to make the 1 million mark because he wants to have his own show on the Food Network (just kidding about the last part – although he would be a great candidate).

In order to help my fellow pizza enthusiast, I am posting the link to his video for all to watch and increase his views. So take a look and maybe you’ll learn a thing or two about how to make pizza dough, a crucial part of the pizza making process. The link is below so enjoy!

How to Make Pizza Dough from pizzatherapy.com

Famous Pizza Magazine PMQ Award

2009-10-01T19:12:00.002-04:00

Famous Pizza Magazine PMQ Award For Best Philadelphia Pizza Blog

Pizza Magazine Quarterly (PMQ) has recently awarded our Best Philadelphia Pizza Blog the 2009 “PMQ Websites We Like” pizza award. This is a very distinguished award that I wanted to share with the readers of this blog.

PMQ has been giving this award out since 2001. Their first two recipients included AboutPizza.com and PizzaTherapy.com, 2 very prominent pizza websites. In 2003, Slice from Serious Eats was given this award when they first came on the scene.

For our fans, this is truly a milestone. PMQ is a leader in the pizza magazines industry. They provide various forms of information for all pizza professionals in the pizza industry. From where to buy dough to selecting pizza ovens, pizza businesses depend on Pizza Magazine Quarterly for pizza information. By receiving this award, our pizza blog is officially listed among the elite pizza websites and blogs.

Thanks PMQ, we will treasure your pizza award!

Philly Pizza and Cheese Steak Reviews

2009-10-01T10:51:00.003-04:00

Best Philly Pizza and Cheese Steak Reviews

I just wanted to provide you all with a little progress report of my new found mission to review the best Philadelphia pizza and cheese steak places. I apologize if this blog’s quality has to suffer as a consequence but I assure you that it is only temporary.

This week I have reviewed several major Philly pizza restaurants and pizzerias, which include Mack’s Boardwalk Pizza, Santucci Brothers Square Pizza, Couch Tomato Café, and Celebre’s. These pizza joints are highly popular in Philly, however, only a select few made the cut for Best Philadelphia Pizza (and some better than others).

Last week I also reviewed several major Philly cheese steak shops including: Philip’s Steaks, Tony Luke’s, and John’s Roast Pork. Al of these steak houses has an international reputation. I have done the honors and gave you the full review.

I highly recommend that you follow along on this pizza and cheese steak story as I uncover the best of the best. Thanks and stay tune for more updates on Blog Pizza!

Daily Reviewer Top Pizza Blog Award

2009-09-22T10:34:00.003-04:00

The Daily Reviewer Top Pizza Blog Award

Blog Pizza was recently included as one of the top 100 best pizza blogs by the Daily Reviewer. Although the top 5 or 10 would have been much better, it is the thought that counts.

This post was made to say thanks to the Daily Reviewer online website for thinking of our pizza blog. For your convenience, I have included the message from their selection committee president below.

Hi!

Congratulations! Your readers have submitted and voted for your blog at The
Daily Reviewer. We compiled an exclusive list of the Top 100 Pizza Blogs, and we are glad to let you know that your blog was included! You can see it at
http://thedailyreviewer.com/top/pizza

You can claim your Top 100 Blogs Award here

P.S. This is a one-time notice to let you know your blog was included in
one of our Top 100 Blog categories. You might get notices if you are listed in
two or more categories.

P.P.S. If for some reason you want your blog removed from our list, just
send an email to angelina@thedailyreviewer.com with the subject line "REMOVE"
and the link to your blog in the body of the message.

Cheers!

Angelina Mizaki

Selection Committee President

The Daily Reviewer

http://thedailyreviewer.com

Osteria Review

2009-09-17T19:43:00.003-04:00

Review of Osteria in Philadelphia

I just wanted place a little update of my extensive review of the famous Osteria in Philadelphia. This place was ranked as one of the top 25 pizza places by Alan Richman.

My review of Osteria was very disappointing for various reasons. The pizza was actually good but not great. Thus, the pizza from Osteria does not rightfully represent Philadelphia pizza as I believe that there are so many better places that deserve recognition. Please visit the Best Philadelphia pizza blog and read the full review.

Best Philly Cheese Steaks Blog

2009-09-14T19:48:00.003-04:00

Best Philly Cheese Steaks Blog Introduction

I just wanted to acknowledge the progress being made at my new site called Best Philly Cheese Steaks Blog. I have fully covered an in depth look at what I call the “Big Three” Philly cheese steak shops: Geno’s Steaks, Pat’s King of Steaks, and Jim’s Steaks.

Today I have also created a new review of a hidden cheese steak shop called Famous 4th Street Delicatessen. This Philly Jewish deli has a cheese steak worthy of being called the best. This review is actually a small representation of what I will be uncovering on this blog. That is, my aim to uncover all of the hidden best Philly cheese steak shops that the Philly tourists aren’t aware of.

If you get a chance, please visit this Philly cheese steak blog as this food blog will be very informative for all of you cheese steak lovers!

Positive Italian Restaurant Pizza Review

2009-09-10T19:17:00.003-04:00

Another Positive Philadelphia Pizza Review

Another great Philadelphia Italian restaurant was reviewed at our Best Philadelphia Pizza Blog. The name of this Italian restaurant is called La Fourno Ristorante Trattoria in the South Street area of Philadelphia. I have confirmed and validated what the fuss was all about for this pizzeria/restaurant.

La Fourno (translates to oven in Italian) has a wood fired brick oven that they use to make pizza greet you at its door. Overall, the hospitality was great, the ambience was fantastic, and the pizza was very good, amongst many other positives. The only negative was the confusion of what constitutes a true Napolitano pizza (they brought out an American pizza originally when asked but corrected this mistake minutes after).

If you are interested in Philly pizza, please take a look at this review and hopefully you may be interested in dining at La Fourno. If you do, don’t forget to return to Best Philadelphia Pizza Blog and comment on your dining experience.

Oldest Philadelphia Pizza Restaurant

2009-09-03T19:51:00.005-04:00

Marra's Oldest Philadelphia Pizza Review

I just wanted to make a quick note that I just wrapped up a nice article review of one of the oldest Philadelphia pizza restaurants, Marra's Cucina Italiana Restaurant. This Italian restaurant is located in South Philadelphia and has producing great pizzas since 1927.

If you have the time, please read my review and if you are interested in Philly pizza you will need to get to Marra's to be a part of pizza history. Being one of the oldest standing pizza places in Philly, they are still consistently creating good quality Napolitano style pizzas. I give this place a green light and have nothing but good words for their old Philly style pizza.

Home Run Inn Pizza Movie

2009-08-27T08:48:00.003-04:00

Home Run Inn Pizza Movie Contest

Blog Pizza has just received word from our friends at Home Run Inn frozen pizza that they have a pizza movie contest. For your convenience I have attached the press release below. You can win some good prizes including a year of free pizza.

By the way, if you have any pizza news that you would like to share with us, Blog Pizza will have no problem getting the word out for you. Just shoot me an email at mypizzablog@gmail.com and after careful review, your pizza media release may just get posted. We kindly ask that you show a little pizza love back with a link to Blog Pizza. This will satisfy our own media department. Thank you.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Toni Antonetti, 847-949-0097, toni@prchicago.com or Marcy
Manning, 847-398-1388, marcy@prchicago.com

HOME RUN INN PIZZA INSPIRES CHEESY FLEDGLING FILMMAKERS TO CREATE
CHILLING TWO-MINUTE HORROR VIDEO

In celebration of Halloween and October’s National Pizza Month, Home
Run Inn frozen pizza invites the next Spielberg or Tarantino -- or the
fun-loving family next door -- to submit a two-minute original horror
film starring Home Run Inn pizza in the second annual Halloween Video
Challenge.

The winner will receive $2,500 cash and an Ultimate Halloween pizza
party for his/her friends at home with extravagant Halloween
decorations, Home Run Inn pizza, soda and paper goods for 25 guests
(approximate retail value: $5,500). Ten lucky finalists will flip
over Home Run Inn pizza for one year (12 frozen 12” pizzas), and a new
Flip Video Camera (approximate retail value for each finalist: $235).

The contest runs from August 31 – October 18, 2009, and then the
second round of voting for the ten finalists begins with the grand
prize winner announcement on 10/26. For rules and how to enter, visit
http://www.HomeRunInnContest.com.

Bagel Bites Pizza Bagels

2009-08-17T19:25:00.004-04:00

Bagel Bites Pizza Bagels Review

Today I would like to present a review of Bagel Bites pizza bagels. If you can recall about 2 months ago I went shopping to ramp up for my second wave of microwave frozen pizza reviews. To be honest I had kind of burnt out of eating microwave pizza. As a result I have not spoken about the topic since and my freezer has still been full of frozen pizzas. In an attempt to clear out my freezer a little, I have gone after the microwave pizza that takes up the most space – Bagel Bites. Considering that I had three boxes in my freezer, after this review I will have more room to store my monkey brain soup and pigeon blood cubes (just kiddin’ – or am I?).

I will consolidate today’s review of three different flavors of Bagel Bites into one. Hopefully, this will be the last that I will ever have to talk about this topic. All in the name of Blog Pizza! Do you see what I do for you all! Whoever said running a pizza blog was easy? Ask Adam Kuban over at Slice what his opinion is. He updates several articles a day on top of endless email and comments. It has become a full time job for him. I do not have the time to run a pizza blog full time but I strive my best to make this blog all encompassing – a one stop shop – a place where you can get any kind of information about pizza. So if there is something missing here that we need to discuss, please feel free to let me know. Or if you would like to contribute to this pizza blog with an article or review, just pass it my way for review first. If I like it then presto “una piza di pizza article for you-a.”

Back to my Bagel Bites pizza bagel review. First, let’s talk about Bagel Bites history and profile. Bagel Bites began in 1985 with Bob Mosher and Stan Garcynski. The idea started out with Bob’s catering company where he served pizza bagels as appetizers. His guests loved them so much that he decided to sell them. He sold so much of them the first year that his sales had exceeded $1 million. In 1991, H. J. Heinz, the giant food conglomerate, bought Bagel Bites. Bagel Bites are now popular all over the United States and Canada.

I have tried three different types of Bagel Bites. First, the cheese, sausage, and pepperoni Bagel Bites are mini pizza bagels with cheese, sausage and pepperoni toppings and tomato sauce. Second, the Three Cheese Bagel Bites are mini pizza bagels with mozzarella, cheddar, Monteray Jack Cheeses and tomato sauce. Third, the Cheese and Pepperoni Bagel Bites are mini pizza bagels with cheese and pepperoni toppings and tomato sauce.

All Bagel Bites are promoted as being made with Real cheese; real mini bagels; and 0 grams of trans fat per serving. Each box has 18 mini bagels (about 2 inches in diameter each). Bagel Bites claims to be the official snack of US Youth Soccer (in case you cared). Since my focus was on microwave pizza, keep in mind that all results of this review were based off of a microwaved preparation of this food.

What I liked about the Bagel Bites pizza bagels is the easy preparation and the quickness with which it was cooked. You only have to take off the plastic wrapper and insert the tray that the bagels are already in into the microwave. The box tells you to microwave the pizza bagels for 2 to 2 and half minutes but the fact is that you will need about another minute if you want to cook 1 tray (9 bagels a tray and there is 2 trays in each box). So in total, 1 tray was cooked in about 3 and a half minutes, which is very reasonable in the microwave pizza world. The microwave instructions were the same for all of the different toppings.

Now on to the taste… For a quick little appetizer I don’t think that you can go wrong with Bagel Bites, especially for the kids. But if you are looking for a gourmet pizza or something even half of it then you are looking in the wrong direction. Bagel Bites are fun little bagels to hold you over in between meals. They can be eaten at any time of the day. Since they are so small, it is not difficult to eat a whole tray in less than a few minutes. Actually, to do this review, I ate one tray from all three different toppings and I ate them all in under 10 minutes (closer to 5).

Personally, I liked the Sausage, Cheese, and Pepperoni Bagel Bites the best. You get the most bang for your buck there as you get a wide variety of tastes. The pepperoni and cheese was the same thing except that they took out the sausage. The meat slices on the bagels were very small and bland.

The Three Cheese Bagel Bites were the worst tasting toppings. To be honest the cheedder cheese looked like small drops of mustard. I question the “Realness” of the cheese.

The sauce on the Bagel Bites were miniscule ( I had to dig up my glasses to make sure that it was really in there).

The crust on the Bagel Bites were probably the best part of all of the ingredients for all three toppings. It is hard to explain the reason. The best I can come up with is that it is just fun to eat. This is the signature of this food. You can pop the entire bagel into your mouth in just one bite (thus the name).

Another problem with the pizza bagels is the heavy calorie content. 4 bagels averaged about 220 calories and 60 calories from fat. Considering I ate half of each box – I am looking at about 500 calories a tray times three equals almost 1500 hundred calories for one meal (three trays did the job).

All in all, Bagels Bites are fun, quick, and shouldn’t kill your taste buds. The disadvantages are that they don’t taste great, questionable “Real” cheese, mustard looking cheddar, and unhealthy. Give these pizza bagel Bagel Bites a try and let Blog Pizza know what you think by commenting below on (don’t be shy).

New Pizza Delivery Website

2009-08-13T10:00:00.004-04:00

About A New Pizza Delivery Website: Delivery.com

Blog Pizza has recently made some new friends with a new pizza delivery website called Delivery.com. They have asked us to provide a short profile about what they do. Their service is totally relevant to pizza and has the potential to be a great asset to the pizza world. Just listen to what they can do for you:

Pizza at Delivery.com:

Craving a perfect blend of cheese, crust and sauce complete with that brick-oven taste for which New York pizza is famous for across the world? With dozens of to-go joints to choose from on every block, it’s difficult for those who haven’t had access to the greatest pizza around to pick out the best from the rest for a true New York pizza experience. Guaranteeing delivery of the top pizza that New York has to offer from Ray’s famous original slices in the Village to brick oven favorite Fornino in the ‘burg is as easy as logging on to Delivery.com, the ultimate local online resource guide for local restaurants and merchants. Delivery.com is the quick and easy one-stop-shop for all things New York delivered right to your doorstep from alcohol to gifts, groceries, home goods, catering and of course – pizza!

And Delivery.com is now available in over 65 cities around the country and provides access to a wide range of delivered services including groceries, fine-dining, catering, home goods and gifts, so even when you’re out of town, you’ll be able to have the best pizza right at your fingertips.

Italian Pizza

2009-08-11T18:37:00.002-04:00

Italian Pizza Lovers

Italian pizza is one of the greatest inventions known to man. Just think of all of the happy people that are smiling everyday because of Italian pizza. When people eat pizza they just have to smile. Pizza encourages a happier atmosphere and promotes positive thinking.

What is the point of this post? I just wanted to take time out of my day to show appreciation for Italian pizza. I ate so much of it…I blog about it…I always talk about it…If you are a reader here than obviously you must have some sort of extreme connection with Italian pizzas as well (or you would probably be reading about something else).

Whenever I work too hard or have a bad day… I know that if I want…there is always an Italian pizza just a phone call away. The pizza delivery man is the bringer of good joy (unless you have had similar negative pizza delivery experiences such as mine). In any case, the only thing that bothers me about the Italian pizza experience is the affect after I devour a whole 16 inch pie by myself. I don’t think that anyone in their right mind would feel good then. This is why I have learned to control my appetite…these days I stop eating after half of the box is gone then I give the rest away to someone else (how kind of me – I call this “pizza charity”).

Italian pizza… I owe you and salute you for all of the joyous times that you brought to my life and the billions of others throughout history. In honor of you, I have dedicated this post for all to comment and salute you as well.

If you love Italian pizza then show your love by posting a comment below.

Sincerely,

Blog Italian Pizza

Slice Pizza | Philadelphia

2009-08-04T20:17:00.004-04:00

Slice Pizza Philadelphia

I have just written a pizza review on my Best Philadelphia Pizza Blog for a very popular Philadelphia pizzeria called Slice. Slice ironically doesn’t advertise selling pizza slices instead focusing on their whole pies.

Slice pizza has been honored with many awards since their opening almost three years ago. I have just confirmed that award with a completely positive review of their pizza. Slice pizza has a thin crust Napolitano style pizza slice. The sauce is excellent and the crust is done well. Slice does not have a coal pizza oven but still manages to produce a great pie.

I have ranked them as a green light and an honorary contender for a Philadelphia Best Pizza Award that will be given maybe at the beginning of 2009. Currently, the goal of that pizza blog is to explore all of the so called best Philadelphia pizza joints and confirm who really deserves the title. So go read the review of Slice on Best Philadelphia Pizza Blog!

No Piza Pizza

2009-07-28T20:16:00.009-04:00

What Happens When I Eat No Piza Pizza

This weekend I was supposed to go out with some friends to eat a piz'a pizza. I wanted to put a little review on the famous Tacconelli’s Pizza in Philadelphia but they were closed for the week for vacation. Is this what happens to a pizzeria when they become famous? With no piza pizza (translation: no piece of pizza) to eat, I was forced to do some thinking.

If you don’t know, Tacconelli’s Pizzeria is ranked one of the best Philadelphia pizza restaurants in Philly. Their traffic flow is constant and considering that they only have one man on the oven at all times, customers need to be patient. The day that I was ready to go eat, Tacconelli’s closes its doors down for a week’s vacation and there is no pizza available for the curious consumer. I further explored their hours of operation to find out that they are only open an average of 4 hours a day.

I guess if you owned a restaurant that was considered to be the best pizza place in a major city your attitude on running your business may change. I am not knocking Tacconelli’s at all. I just am thinking out loud about how certain pizza places need to stay open 7 days a week almost 24 hours just to survive (especially in this economy). Then there are famous pizza places that only need to be opened a limited amount of time and just because they can. Tacconelli’s, for example, is packed with customers almost every day. They don’t need to be open all of the time. They know that no matter what time they decide to open their doors that people will come just because they are the best, and people flock to the best pizza places.

This best pizza place mentality applies to many top pizza joints. I don’t agree with this business attitude but I understand it. If a business is really successful, I believe that this is the time to step it up another notch instead of shifting gears down. Don’t these pizza joints know that us consumers get upset when there is no pizza made? Especially if you visit that pizzeria frequently. As a loyal customer, I know that this would upset me.

Anyway, I didn’t get to Tacconelli’s this week but I will make my review on Best Philadelphia Pizza Blog when I do. In the mean time, this article will be building up my future restaurant review.

All I wanted this weekend was a piz’a pizza and it didn’t happen. I ended up eating at a Japanese Sushi place. If you don’t know already, I am a food lover of all kinds as several of my other food blogs point out. I eat food from an average of 4-5 different continents on a normal 7 day week. But Pizza is on the top of my list. I’ll be honest, at this point I don’t believe that I have a favorite because I love all foods. Although I don’t have a favorite food I do have a top list of favorite foods. I don’t know where pizza exactly ranks but it is definitely on the top 5.

So no piza pizza for me this week but I still dropped by to let you all know. Please feel free to comment on Blog Pizza as often as you like. We love your comments and appreciate our readers (even if it is on our philosophical pizza posts like no piza pizza).

Thin Crust Pizza Recipe

2009-07-24T22:56:00.005-04:00

Ultra-Thin-Crust Pizza Recipe with Onions, Mushrooms, and Ricotta

I have discovered another great pizza recipe from Elise of Elise.com (originally inspired from Everyday Food Magazine). This recipe is for Ultra-Thin-Crust Pizza with Onions, Mushrooms, and Ricotta. This is a very tasty pizza. So give it a try and let us know what you think.

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
Pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 large flour tortillas (sandwich wraps)
1 cup shredded Asiago cheese (about 2 ounces)
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
6 button or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Equipment needed:

It really helps to have a baking stone and a pizza peel. If not, you'll use a rimmed baking sheet with some parchment paper.

Method

1a If you are using a baking stone, place the stone on top of the middle rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Allow the oven to stay at 450°F for at least 15 minutes before cooking, to thoroughly heat up the stone.

1b If you are NOT using a baking stone, place racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

2 Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a small sauté pan on medium hight heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften. Add a pinch of sugar and the balsamic vinegar, cook for a few more minutes until the onions are thoroughly softened and translucent. Remove from heat.

3a If you are using a baking stone, sprinkle some corn meal on your pizza peel and place one tortilla on top of the pizza peel. (If you don't have a pizza peel, you can use a rimless baking sheet.) Thoroughly brush the top of the tortilla with olive oil.

3b If you are not using a baking stone, line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and brush with olive oil. Place a tortilla on each baking sheet and brush each with olive oil.

4 Sprinkle each tortilla with half a cup of shredded Asiago cheese. Add bits of ricotta cheese, 1/3 cup for each tortilla. Sprinkle with mushrooms and with the slightly caramelized onions. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

5a If you are using a baking stone, and can fit both pizzas on the stone (it depends on the size of your tortilla) do it. Use the pizza peel to transfer the pizzas to the stone in the oven. If your tortillas are large, you'll need to cook them one at a time. But that's okay. Cooking on the stone goes very quickly. Bake the pizzas until the crust is crisp and very brown - 5-7 minutes using the baking stone. Cut with a pizza cutter or a knife.

5b If you are using baking sheets, place the baking sheets in the oven. Bake until the crust is crisp and brown all over (the time varies, depending on the oven and if your cookie sheet has already been heated, start with 10 minutes and check), rotating the sheets to ensure even baking. Cut with a pizza cutter or a knife.

Each pizza serves 1-2, depending on how hungry you are.

If you have a pizza recipe...let us know. If we think it is good enough for Blog Pizza and our readers then we will let the world know!

Best New Jersey Boardwalk Pizza

2009-07-22T19:10:00.003-04:00

Best New Jersey Boardwalk Pizza: Sam’s Pizza Palace in Wildwood, New Jersey

This weekend I had the opportunity to eat at one of the best boardwalk pizzerias in New Jersey called Sam’s Pizza Palace. Sam’s is located at 26th and Boardwalk in Wildwood, New Jersey right next to Morey’s Pier. Sam’s pizza is truly one of a kind. The best New Jersey Boardwalk pizza!

I am writing this post to inform the pizza community to visit Sam’s. Sam's is definitely a contender for a top 25 best pizza restaurants. I have been eating there for many years and I can truly say that they are consistent every time. Sam’s pizza is a unique pizza with a taste similar to none. If you are a pizza connoisseur then you need to put this place on the map.

As normal, before I start my review I would like to give a brief history of Sam’s Pizza Palace. Sam’s Pizza palace was started by Sam Spera from Valalba, Sicily. He started his American journey in Trenton, NJ in 1951. One day, he visited Wildwood with a friend. That was the day that he realized that he wanted to start his food business.

Within two years of being in Wildwood running a boardwalk restaurant called Marconi’s, Sam opened his restaurant called Sam’s Steak House (officially opened in 1957). Initially this business served only sandwiches and sodas. Sam realized that he needed to add something else so he gave pizza a try. He bought a pizza oven and used the secret Sicilian family recipe to make the pizza. The rest is history as the only thing that has changed since then is the name and a new building (same location but a recent fire caused it to be remodeled).

The review…

What I like best about Sam’s Pizza Palace is their consistency. Every time that I go there (many years because of the proximity to Philadelphia) their pizza tastes the same. They have the same recipe time and time again. A consistent pizza recipe is a must for a great pizza business.

I also like the fact that this pizza business is a family run business. I see the same faces year after year when I go there. These are the family of the original owner Sam Spera. This means that the family must be passionate about their business. Pride and pizza works well together.

Sam’s pizza also has a great set up. They make the pizza right in front of you. These pizza makers are serious too. They can churn out a couple hundred pies an hour (or more). It is fun to watch them work. Actually if you are into pizza like I am then you will be entertained at how fast and efficient Sam’s Pizza Palace is. They can make great pizzas to accommodate one of the busiest sections on the boardwalk of Wildwood, New Jersey.

Sam’ pizza is the truest form of boardwalk pizza. If you walk down the endless Wildwood boardwalk you will see plenty of pizza “want a be’s”. The fact is that Sam’s is the only boardwalk pizza that you should be eating. The second contender, Mack’s Pizza comes nowhere close to a Sam’s pizza.

Also, I would like to recommend that you try the High C Fruit punch to wash your pizza down. It is just regular fruit punch but it tastes like no other for some reason. I think it is because the way their ice is made (very small and choppy).

So go ahead and try Sam’s Pizza Palace. Pizza fans – this place is a must. It is one of the best pizzas in New Jersey and the best boardwalk pizza place in Wildwood, New Jersey.

Philadelphia Best Pizza Blog

2009-07-15T15:27:00.002-04:00

Philadelphia Best Pizza Blog

I just wanted to quickly introduce our new Philadelphia pizza blog (called Philadelphia Best Pizza Blog) that will run side by side with this blog. I have made a post today that has a story in there that may have you laughing in your seats. I reviewed the famous Pietro’s Coal Oven Pizzeria on South Street in Philadelphia. The review was not so good with a yellow light.

I created this new Philadelphia pizza blog to help eliminate the myths about Philadelphia pizza and put this city on the pizza map where it rightfully belongs. As a local, I should be able to dispel some of the rumors about Philadelphia pizza and prove to the pizza world that this city has what it takes to shake up New York and Chicago pizzerias.

I was reluctant at first to start this blog for many reasons but the more I blog with Blog Pizza the more that I realize that too many other cities are taking too much credit for good pizza. So on that note I feel that it is my duty to step up and let the world know about how good Philadelphia pizza is. I will be reviewing all of the best famous pizza places in Philly. I will also review pizza places that only local Philadelphians conceal. But it is time to let the secret out: Philadelphia makes more delicious foods other than cheese steaks and pretzels.

Blog Pizza on out new pizza blog called Philadelphia Best Pizza Blog!

Largest Pizza Restaurants

2009-07-15T13:03:00.003-04:00

Largest Pizza Restaurants

As a frequent reader of Slice, I discovered that R & I just released the largest pizza restaurants of 2009. This was part of their release of the Top 400 Restaurant Chains of 2009. Restaurants & Institutions (R&I) is the leading source of business-critical information, both in print and online, for the entire foodservice industry covering chains, independent restaurants, hotels and institutions.

Before I show the break down of the largest pizza restaurants, I thought it would be nice to brief you with a little snapshot of the entire top 400 chain restaurants results. According to R&I,

“The Top 400 chain restaurants had combined systemwide sales of roughly $312.2
billion in 2008, up 7% from the previous year, according to Restaurants &
Institutions' annual ranking of the largest chain brands. McDonald’s is, once
again, the top-grossing restaurant chain, with worldwide sales of $70.7 billion.
While several of the chains on the list saw double-digit worldwide sales growth
in 2008, quite a few others experienced sales declines, shuttered units,
or faced bankruptcy or buyouts.”

Below are the results of the largest pizza restaurant chains. Of course, Pizza Hut, Domino’s, and Papa John’s are dominating the entire pizza industry.

R & I’s TOP PIZZA RESTAURANT CHAINS

Segment sales: $25,259,000,000
Share of Top 400 sales: 8.1%
Segment units: 37,341

Concept/400 Rank/ Sales $MM

Pizza Hut
6
10,400.0
Domino’s Pizza
9
5,505.6
Papa John’s
26
2,262.4
Little Caesars
42
1,170.0**
Sbarro
56
715.3
Papa Murphy’s Take 'N’ Bake Pizza
69
585.0
CiCi’s Pizza
70
580.0
Chuck E. Cheese’s
84
444.0**
Round Table Pizza
98
388.0**
Godfather’s Pizza
105
330.0**
Hungry Howie’s Pizza
129
265.0
Peter Piper Pizza
168
196.0**
Donatos
180
177.0
Papa Gino’s Pizzeria
195
152.2
Noble Roman’s Pizza
198
150.0**
Gatti’s Pizza
201
148.8
Pizza Inn
206
139.0**
Fox’s Pizza Den
208
137.0**
LaRosa’s Pizzeria
213
134.0**
Jet’s Pizza
231
116.0**
Rosati’s Pizza
232
116.0**
Giordano’s Pizza
242
103.0**
Pizza Ranch
246
101.4
Boston’s The Gourmet Pizza
248
101.0**
Marco’s Pizza
261
93.3
Imo’s Pizza
278
84.0**
Ledo Pizza
286
79.0**
Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen
295
76.0**
Mountain Mike’s Pizza
298
75.0**
Pizza Pro
317
66.0**
Vocelli Pizza
326
62.0**
Shakey’s
329
60.0
Monical’s Pizza
349
54.0
Me-N-Ed’s Pizzeria
354
53.0**
Pizza Factory
371
50.0**
Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream
387
45.0**
Simple Simon Pizza
389
45.0**

· Sales data for chain restaurants are for calendar year 2008 or for a fiscal year ended between July 1, 2008, and April 1, 2009. Exceptions are noted in the ranking pages.
· As with the main ranking pages, chain restaurants are defined as restaurant concepts with more than five locations operating under the same name. In a few instances, concepts with two or more brand names but a single management team (i.e., Checkers Drive-In/Rally’s Hamburgers) are considered to be one chain.
· Unless noted, chain restaurant sales are worldwide totals (company-owned, franchised and licensed) and are in U.S.$ millions.
· The notation (*) indicates sales are a company-made estimate; (**) indicates chain restaurant sales have been estimated by R&I.

Old Orchard Beach Maine Best Pizza

2009-07-08T19:19:00.001-04:00

Old Orchard Beach Maine Best Pizza

The past few weeks I had the opportunity to travel throughout Maine and sample many pizza joints. Since there are too many to talk about in one review I have decided to limit this discussion to Old Orchard Beach Maine best pizza places. Old Orchard Beach is one of the most popular places to be in Maine in the summer and its population goes wild in July and August. More people foster more pizza lovers.

Maine is known for its seafood, especially lobsters. Mainers put lobster on just about everything from omelets to spaghetti. In Maine, if you name it they will find a way to incorporate lobster in that food. With that said, you would think that I would be on a mission to eat lobster pizza while in Maine. If that is what you seek, lobster pizza will be a lot easier to obtain than any other location. But I admittedly did not seek lobster pizza. I just wanted some laid back places to eat pizza while in Maine. Not too much of a request.

This article will focus on my pizza mission in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, although I have eaten pizza all over the state. Old Orchard Beach, Maine does not have any pizza that would turn a New Yorkers head. The main area in Old Orchard Beach called “The Pier” has several shabby pizza joints nearby. These include Lisa’s Pizza, Rocco’s Pizza, and of course the pizza place inside the pier. All of these pizza places are overpriced, small, and have been sitting for hours. These places are designed for the late night bar goers who come out of the bars on the pier drunk and are extremely hungry. These are the first places in sight and cost becomes no object.

The amount of grease that was on the three pizza places just mentioned is out of control. I stuck 4 paper napkins on Lisa’s pizza and still had plenty of grease left on top.

Another thing that bothered me about these quick pizza joints was that the pizza was sitting for a long time. It appeared that several of the pizzas that were not very popular were sitting for several hours. I hope (but probably was) not to have been that unfortunate soul who ate from that pie.

The pizza place on The Pier was the most expensive. Would you believe that I was charged $4 for a slice? One slice. I can see if it was from the best pizza maker in New York. But this pizza was small, oily, dirty, stale and very expensive. I only sampled one slice and did it in the name of this blog.

There were several other pizza places in Old Orchard Beach, Maine that I sampled from but the one that stood out the best was Jimmy The Greeks Brick Oven Restaurant located at 215 Saco Avenue, Old Orchard Beach, Maine 04064. I am giving them Blog Pizza’s Old Orchard Beach Maine Best pizza award (and I will explain).

The irony is that Jimmy the Greeks has received the best Old Orchard Beach Maine Best pizza award from this blog not because of its pizza. Actually, the pizza was less than to about average. I’ll elaborate.

I ordered two small 10 inch pizzas for me and a friend of mine. I had a Margherita pizza and a Mediterranean pizza. The piiza pies were very thin. The crust was not golden at all (very pale). The tomato sauce was not really tasteful. The toppings were not plentiful. These results surprised me though considering that they promote themselves as a brick oven pizza place.

The value for the pizzas was about right. Jimmy the Greeks was not too expensive but yet not cheap. For two 10 inch pies I spent under $25.

OK...So by now your thinking how can I have rated this place the Old Orchard Beach Maine Best pizza award if I have said all bad things about it. The truth is that the true value in this pizza restaurant is in the atmosphere. This place was very lively and fun. Jimmy the Greeks has a different event scheduled for every night of the week. If I was a local then I would be there at least once a week. For example, one day a week they have a beer company come to their place and talk about their beer. Another night is a pizza buffet night.

Jimmy the Greeks also has very good looking staff. I don’t think that I would be alone to say that that is a reason to frequent certain restaurants.

Jimmy the Greeks also has a fantastic bar and drink menu. There are plenty of good local beers on tap. This goes great with a pizza place. There is nothing better than a good pizza except when it is washed down with a good tasting cold beer.

Overall, despite some sacrifices made with the quality of the pizza, Jimmy the Greeks has the best pizza place in the city. It also had the best pizza in Old Orchard Beach. That’s right. Even though I said their pizza was average it was a lot better than its competitors in Old Orchard Beach, Maine.

The article demonstrates that you don’t always have to have the best pizza to be considered a best pizza place. The atmosphere plays a large part in making a pizza place great. Although you can buy the best pizza from someone whose pizza place is an old vendor stand up a dirty alley, that same pizza would taste so much better if it was cooked in a beautiful brick oven pizza restaurant with Frank Sinatra playing in the background. Don’t you think?

So here is my question that I pose for you: Is it the pizza, the pizza place, or both that creates the reviews given by food critics. You know my answer so let’s hear yours.

Thank you for visiting Blog Pizza and reading our post on Old Orchard Beach Maine Best pizza!

English Muffin Pizza Recipe

2009-07-02T17:06:00.005-04:00

Dad's English Muffin Pizza Recipe by Elise Bauer of Elise.com

I found a very interesting pizza recipe called Dad’s English Muffin Pizza from Elise.com that I had to share with everyone. This website and their sister site, simplyrecipes.com, has wonderful recipes for various types of food. I may be posting more recipes from them as I see fit. They have several other pizza recipes that I have to test first before I post them.

If you have a pizza recipe that is special, please feel free to let us know and I may just have to feature it on Blog Pizza.

Dad's English Muffin Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

6 muffin halves (want to make your own English muffins? 1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese, packed1 Tbsp butter1 medium onion, sliced thin3/4 cup diced hamA pinch of chopped fresh sage1/4 teaspoon stoneground mustardOptional: A few slices of fresh tomato

Method

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Melt butter in a medium skillet on medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the diced ham, cook 5 minutes more. Mix in the sage and mustard. Remove from heat.
Put muffin halves, open side up on a sturdy baking pan. Distribute the cheese evenly, sprinkling over the muffin halves. Put the onion ham mixture on top of the cheese. If you want to use tomato slices, layer them between the cheese and onion mixture.
Bake at 425°F for 8-9 minutes, until the muffins and toppings are nicely browned, but not burnt. Cut into quarters for appetizers or just leave whole for a meal or snack.

Worst Pizza Blog Review

2009-07-01T16:16:00.003-04:00

Worst Pizza Blog Review

This article will be a review of our friends at WorstPizza.com, a pizza blog about the best and worst pizza. Overall, Worst Pizza has a very good pizza blog. They offer plenty of useful information to the pizza community. I will review the good parts of this site as well as provide my recommendations for them.

This review is part of our series of pizza blog reviews. WorstPizza.com has been around since the earlier part of 2008. Their pizza blog offers reviews of the best and worst pizza places. Although they have several writers nationwide that help them with various other locations, they appear to specialize in various areas of Florida.

Worst pizza reviews are straight up and that is the number one reason why I like them. They are not afraid to tell the world exactly how they feel about a pizzeria that they reviewed. A site like this has the most to offer to its readers. The reason I believe this is because they make sure that the readers know the truth before they decide to eat there. This is very helpful to many visitors and locals who are looking to eat a good pizza place in their area.

Honest pizza and other food reviews save people time, energy, and the aggravation of experiencing a terrible food restaurant. Worst Pizza provides honest feedback about their eating experiences without regard to favoritism of the store owners. They are totally customer focused, that is, their goal is to help customers have the best pizza experience by doing the grunt work and eliminating the worst pizza places from the list. By having a worst pizza list, customers are able to bypass the risk of trying out bad pizza places.

I have several suggestions for Worst Pizza. First, they should double check the archive page as it does not allow its readers to access former articles. It was very difficult for me to access other relevant articles to learn more about their site as the archives always takes me to the first page.

Second, WorstPizza.com should have an “About Page” as I was not sure, without do research, as of what their site was about. This should be very helpful to other food bloggers who are interested in knowing more about their pizza site.

Third, Worst Pizza needs a snap shot page to summarize their best and worst pizza places they have visited and in ranking order. Without this, readers will have to go through every article to determine what restaurants that should eat at and which ones they should avoid.

My final suggestion would be for Worst Pizza to focus on Florida pizza. It appears that they are trying to tackle other areas simultaneously. As far as I know, they are the major pizza player in Florida for pizza blogs. There are so many pizza places to review there that I don’t think that they need to review any other areas. There is a lifetime of reviews in Florida that could keep their site preoccupied.

In summary, WorstPizza.com is an excellent website to learn about the best and worst pizzas in Florida. They have very honest reviews and are proving to be a leader in their market. By following my suggestions above, I believe that their pizza blog will be an even better asset to the pizza community.

So a warm congrats is extended to Worstpizza.com for being another great pizza blog!

Sincerely,

Blog Pizza

Subway Chicken Pizzaiola Pizza Sandwich

2009-06-23T16:15:00.003-04:00

Subway Chicken Pizzaiola Pizza Sandwich Review

This is a review of Subway Chicken Pizzaiola (it could be pizziola but I am too lazy to find out the spelling). This sandwich is not one of Subway’s healthier sandwiches. The reason we are discussing the pizzaiola here is because it is what happens when you put pizza in a sandwich. So you can say that it is pizza related.

Our Italian pizza food blog will provide an overview of Subway before we begin the review. Subway has a very interesting storyline. Subway was founded in the summer of 1965 in Bridgeport, Connecticut by a 17 year old named Fred Deluca and his friend Dr. Peter Buck. Dr. Buck had lent Fred the money ($1000)to get started so that he can make money for college tuition. Fred had named the sandwich shop “Pete’s Super Submarines.”

Presently, Doctor’s Associate Inc. (DAI) is the current owner of Subway with Fred DeLuca serving as the President. The corporate headquarters is in Milford, CT and Subway employs about 600 people. There are currently over 31,000 Subway restaurants in 90 countries. 2005 Sales had reported around $9 Billion worldwide. Subway is the real deal fast food chain ranking number 2 in fast food franchises worldwide.

Subway sandwiches are promoted as healthy and light. An example of this is found in the marketing campaign of Jared Fogle, a man who lost around 250 pounds in one year from eating subway sandwiches as his diet. Jared is now a national celebrity and spokesperson for Subway. Also, see my Subway Philly cheese steak review for more information.

The pizzaiola review…

I ate the chicken pizzaiola (or pizziola) at Subway for lunch. This sandwich is supposedly a hybrid of pizza and a chicken submarine sandwich. I didn’t like the pizza sandwich. There are better ways to fuse a pizza with a sandwich. But then again what did I expect as Subway tends to have boring sandwiches and are not in the pizza business. Their lack of pizza knowledge would prohibit them from ranking a pizza sandwich in the top A list.

It’s not that I don’t like Subway sandwiches. I think that subway sandwiches are a good product for a certain type of people. Those who count calories and like sandwiches are a perfect fit for Subway products. Subway lets you know the exact health contents of all of their sandwiches. As the nutrition tradeoff rule states: the healthier the food the worst that it tastes. And because Subway sandwiches are healthier, they tend to be lighter and less tastier than your typical East Coast sandwich shops.

The chicken pizzaiola was very lighter than I expected. By the way, this was not a five dollar foot long - it was six dollars. On the entire foot long, I had maybe 6 small pieces of chicken, 6 pieces of pepperoni, 4 slices of American cheese, and not much tomato sauce at all. If I were to make a pizza sandwich..I would hook it up. There would be a lot of sauce, tons of cheese, plenty of pepperoni, and whatever else needs to be added.

I added sweet peppers and extra tomatoes to my pizzaiola. This didn’t really help out much with the taste though. I had ordered the Italian bread with this sandwich and asked for it toasted. This may have been the problem too as the sandwich did not appear completely hot (it was warm). This sandwich should have been hotter to enhance the taste.

I do have to say one good thing about the Subway pizzaiola and their sandwiches in general. I am writing this an hour after I ate and I am already feeling like I have digested their meal. This is good because it confirms that their sandwiches really are lighter. If I was to eat this same sandwich at a local sandwich shop, my calorie intake probably would have been tripled and I would have been asleep by now. Keep in mind that I ate a foot long – that is twelve inches. That is a big sandwich! So healthier, I have to give that to them.

This review on Subway Chicken Pizzaiola Pizza Sandwich was presented by Blog Pizza!

Zooma Bar Ristorante Best Pizza Review

2009-06-20T17:19:00.002-04:00

Zooma Bar Ristorante Providence, Rhode Island Best Pizza Review

This post is the long awaited best pizza review of Zooma Bar Ristorante in Providence, Rhode Island. I promised this review and I know that I took awhile but it is here for your reading now.

Last week I was in Providence, Rhode Island with some friends. I love Providence because there is so much good food there. Providence people take culinary and art very seriously. In my opinion, even the food restaurants that don’t taste good in Providence are better than many similar restaurants in the average American city. Now on to Zooma…

I decided to try a place called Zooma Bar Ristorante. Zooma is located on Federal Hill at 245 Atwells Avenue, Providence, RI. Opened in 2004, Zooma is a very Italian restaurant. Actually, the location that they are in, Federal Hill, is considered a very Italian culinary area. There are so many Italian restaurants along this street that it would make your head dizzy from all of the different aromas that you take in on a short walk. But it’s great!

If you can recall my new rating system: green light means need to try at least once, yellow light is proceed with caution, and red light is a “forget about it.” According to this scale, Zooma is a Green Light. I would even take this one step further and have voted it as one of the best pizza places in Providence and have added it to my “Providence Best Pizza” page. This place should have been on Alan Richman’s top 25 best pizza list.

At Zooma’s I ordered the 12 inch thin crust Margherita pizza. There were several things that I liked about this pie. First, in terms of crust, this pizza baby was excellent. The thinness of the crust helped you to savor every bite. If you like it dark, this pizza crust had it. It was slightly blackened but done just right. It was not burnt but oven flavored. The crispiness of the thin crust was a perfect texture that did not crack easy but nice and smooth.

Twelve inches was a perfect appetizer for two. I also ate a giant bowl of pasta after this but I overdid it. I think that if you went there and ordered just the pizza and nothing else, anyone of any size can tackle this pizza solo. Besides, it is just that good.

What else did I like about Zooma Margherita pizza? This place just knows what they are doing. On the menu they tell you exactly how the pie is made, which to me is letting the customer know that they really know how to make a good pizza correctly. Zooma Ristorante makes their pizza by hand in the traditional Neapolitan style using imported Caputo “00” flour and baked in an 800 degree wood burning brick oven. The pizza shows that they did as they said. The blackening on the crust could have only come from a heated oven of such sort and such temperatures. The crust tasted a texture that could have only come from Caputo “00” flour. This restaurant is the real thing.

All of this discussion so far and I haven’t really talked about the pizza toppings. This was a Margherita pizza that was as basic as the Neopolitan style calls for. Margherita pizzas consist of tomato, mozzarella cheese, and basil. Zooma put large amounts of basil spread throughout the pie. The mozzarella cheese was cooked perfectly and dispersed evenly in patches but just enough for the tomato sauce to be noticed.

The tomato sauce (some Italians call it gravy) was really tasteful. It had a sweet backdrop to it. There is a high chance that the chef uses sugar in his/her sauce as this flavor would not have been created without it. Many Southern Italian chefs use sugar and many other spices in their sauce. This is different than the traditional northern Italian style which has a sauce very bland. It all comes down to what style you like. I like taste to my sauce – the more spices the merrier. This sauce didn’t have too many spices and was closer to bland but the way that it was done was indescribable.

Folks, if you ever go to Providence then you need to visit this place. They don’t only have pizza there; they have many other Italian foods as well but their pizza… Their margherita pizza is special. My biggest regret is that I didn’t go back the next day like I wanted to. I wanted to try their Quattro Staggioni pizza. This pizza had tomato, roasted peppers, prosciutto, artichoke hearts, and mozzarella cheese. If they can make a pizza taste so good with so few of ingredients that are in a Margherita pizza then I can only imagine what their pizza would taste like with a few good toppings.

Blog Pizza on Zooma Bar Ristorante Providence, Rhode Island Margherita pizza review!

Murry’s Deep Dish Supreme Pizza

2009-06-19T19:44:00.003-04:00

Murry’s Deep Dish Frozen Supreme Pizza Review

For dinner tonight I ate Murry’s Deep Dish Frozen Supreme Pizza. This review will discuss Murry’s and this brand of pizza that I ate tonight. The Supreme pizza was made with pork, green and red peppers, pepperoni, and onions.

Before we begin, I think there should be a little summary about Murry’s. Murry’s, Inc. was formed by Al and Ida Mendelson, and their son Murry, in Washington D.C. in 1948. Although they had a regular food business, they offered steak as an extra food product.

In 1956, Murry’s moved to a bigger manufacturing plant in Virginia and began offering more frozen food items. Throughout the next two decades, Murry’s continued to grow. In 1971, the company stepped up to the big leagues and purchases a 42,000 sq. foot manufacturing plant in Lebanon, PA and moved its operations to this new facility.

In 1976, Murry’s had two major business milestones. First, it celebrated its 50th retail store opening. Second, it purchased a 162,000 sq. foot building in Upper Marlboro, Maryland and moved its operations and headquarters there.

Murry’s, Inc. still continues to expand and is featured in several thousand restaurants, diners, and other food operations. The Food Stores Division has stores in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and Philadelphia. Murry’s branded products are sold in 49 states and over 10,000 grocery stores (this is where I found their pizza at my local supermarket). The best part about this company is that they are still family owned. That must be one rich family!

With Murry’s background behind us, let us discuss Murry’s Deep Dish Frozen Supreme Pizza. This pizza came in a box of 6 small deep dish frozen pizzas individually wrapped in plastic. The interesting thing about Murry’s Deep Dish Pizza is that it is one of the few pizza products that this company sells. If you take a look at their other products you can see that they are all across the board with other foods. Murry’s food products include: breaded chicken, chicken wings, French toast, patties and burgers, meatballs, Salisbury steak, and sandwich steaks.

Murry’s only has one other pizza product that I am aware of besides the one in this review, pizza patties (they look somewhat appetizing). This means that Murry’s is not completely specialized in frozen pizza. With that said, let the games begin!

According to my new ratings system that I have begun, which includes red, yellow and green lights, I would give Murry’s Deep Dish Frozen Supreme Pizza a yellow light. This means to proceed with caution. Why? Well let’s start out with what I like about Murry’s pizza.

I liked the box on Murry’s pizza. Some may think that this is a stupid reason to like a pizza but the box is as important as a cover on a good book. There were lots of designs and pictures of fresh vegetables and pizza. It was creative and may be what attracted my attention at the supermarket to buy their pizza.

I also liked the size of these pizzas. Murry’s deep dish pies were only maybe 3 or 4 inches in diameter. These size pizzas are great to eat in piecemeal depending on your hunger state.

I like the cook time for this frozen pizza. The pizza box says to microwave for 2 minutes but I needed an extra minute because the cheese did not look done. 3 Minutes for a frozen pizza is still pretty quick.

From a health standpoint, Murry’s pizza was about neutral. The calories were 390 calories with 150 calories from fat. This is about average for frozen piiza. This supreme pizza also had 12% dietary fiber and 30% Vitamin C.

What did I not like about Murry’s Deep Dish Frozen Supreme Pizza? I did not like or dislike their pizza crust. The crust received a yellow light from me as well. It was only about ¾ inch deep. The crust on the bottom had sort of a pale color to it even after it was cooked. This to me produces skepticism as to whether or not the pizza was full cooked.

I did not like their sauce either. It was just bland. This may have been due to this being a supreme pizza and the sauce was hidden by all of the toppings but I doubt it.

The toppings on this pizza were not something worth going crazy about. I also give them a yellow light as well.

But the biggest thing that I did not like about this pizza was the cheese. The cheese just seemed to not look right. It appeared bubbly like the texture in certain ricotta cheese. But I inspected their cheese ingredients thoroughly and ricotta cheese was not in there. This leads me to the ultimate potential problem with this pizza. I am sitting here writing this about a half hour after I finished eating and I am already starting to feel queasy (queasy comes from queso meaning “cheese” – how ironic).

I hope that I don’t throw up tomorrow. If I do I will blame it on the cheese in this pizza and will make sure to let my readers know. You may say “Well, do you feel queasy for some other reason like the fact that you ate 3 pizzas?” I seriously doubt it. 3 pizzas at 390 calories each is less than 1200 calories. I only had one other meal today. My calorie intake for the day is considered still very low compared to what I am used to.

To summarize, I don’t extremely dislike Murry’s Deep Dish Frozen Supreme Pizza (yet) but I am not crazy about it either. The food cooked quick, has deep dish pizzas with a nice size, has a good marketing box, and is somewhat healthier than average. The problem with Murry’s pizza is that I don’t think their pizza tastes that good. More importantly, I am starting to feel sick after eating a pizza meal. I think Murry’s needs to figure out if they really want to be a player in the frozen pizza market. It appears to me that they are hanging on the fences. Murry’s has so many other products and very few of them are pizza. My advice to Murry is to close the deal. What I mean by that is that they have a great box which got their product in my freezer. But when it was time to eat, I was left not completely satisfied. They need to work on the formula of their pizza more, especially the cheese.

Blog Pizza on Murry’s Deep Dish Frozen Supreme Pizza!

Salad

2009-06-17T21:37:00.005-04:00

Salad, Pizza, Salad Pizza, or Pizza and Salad?

Tonight I ate a nice salad for dinner. I know you are saying “Hey, what does this have to do with pizza?” To that I say “Hey, leave me alone, it’s my freakin’ blog!” Besides, I love a good healthy salad and I don’t have anywhere else to put these ramblings.

If you like salad, here are some ideas. I like to put many different vegetables in my salad. These include: cucumbers, lettuce (or Romaine hearts), asparagus, green and red peppers, celery, almonds, raisins, and cranberry raisins. This is my basic salads before I start getting creative (depending on my mood). I usually add various seasons including: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil (or fresh basile), and red pepper. Finally, you can always add your meats, fish, or chicken (grilled or fried).

Salads are great! They are a healthy way to live and be merry. Salads keep you slim and trim and are good for your overall health. Plus they taste great. A salad doesn’t always have to be a meal, they can be an appetizer too. You can eat salads with just about any meal out there. Matter of fact, other than breakfast (that’s just too weird) I can’t think of many other meals that a good salad cannot complement.

Of course, a good secondary appetizer to salad is a good bowl of soup. Any kind of soup will be just right with a salad including: chicken noodle, clam chowder, and even Chinese wonton soup.

Salad also complements less healthy foods as well. Salads go well with: cheese steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, roast beef sandwiches, Italian hoagies, and of course pizza. I hope my audience feels better. I have managed to slip pizza into this conversation so now this post is relevant to pizza.

Pizza and salads are a perfect duo! But can you have salad pizza? I don’t think that is a good idea but if we took the ingredients in a salad and create a pizza for each one it would definitely work. But to take for example a Caesar salad and put it on top of a pizza, that may be weird.

Anyway, I didn’t forget about that review of Zooma Bar and Ristorante in Providence, Rhode Island. I will have that for you shortly. I am still thinking about how good that pizza was!

Blog Pizza on Salad!

Providence Rhode Island Pizza

2009-06-16T19:24:00.003-04:00

Providence, Rhode Island Pizza

This is a quick post to let you know that I am still alive and to talk about Providence, Rhode Island pizza. I went to Providence, Rhode Island this weekend for a little fun. I helped a friend of mine start his blog. His blog called Providence Restaurant Reviews will be about reviews of every restaurant in Providence. The owner of this blog is a food fanatic. He eats out every day and will be providing some solid information to anyone interested in that area. He already has been to both best pizza places on Alan Richman’s top 25 list and has some words to say about it. Keep your eye on that blog to follow his reviews.

I wanted to briefly let you know that I ate at a restaurant on Federal Street in a very Italian part of Providence this weekend and have added a best Italian pizza restaurant to the list. There is a place called Zooma Bar and Ristorante where I ate a traditional margherita pizza that will knock the socks off of any place on Richman’s list. I will give the full review within the next few days but let me say this: every bite of this pizza was like stopping time. I enjoyed this pizza in slow motion and would return to Providence just to eat there again. OK, see you soon for my Zooma Providence Rhode Island pizza review!

Best Pizza Coupons

2009-06-10T11:06:00.002-04:00

Best Pizza Coupons

After writing my last post I have decided that I think it would be a service to my readers to start mentioning the best pizza coupons that I am aware of. This will help the readers who are seeking good discounts on their pizza bill. After all, it is nice to eat the greatest food on the planet and save money at the same time.

For now on, If I find out about great pizza promotions or see good pizza coupons I will throw a post in about it. The trick to this is that you have to catch the sale and act quickly. There is nothing more useless than a good pizza coupon that expired. Sometimes a little paying attention can get you free pizzas though. Does anyone remember the story of Dominos free pizza coupons a few months back? Follow the link that I put up for a quick review.

So keep your eye out for the best pizza coupons that will be discovered here at Blog Pizza!

Pizza Coupons

2009-06-10T10:45:00.003-04:00

Pizza Coupons

Today Blog Pizza will discuss pizza coupons. First, I would like to start out defining what a coupon is. Then I would like to proceed into what a pizza coupon is. Finally, we will do some miscellaneous analyzing of pizza coupons as well as present some pizza coupon ideas.

According to Merriam Webster, a coupon is:

“a form surrendered in order to obtain an article, service or accommodation: as
a: one of a series of attached tickets or certificates often to be detached and
presented as needed; b: a ticket or form authorizing purchases of rationed
commodities; c: a certificate or similar evidence of a purchase redeemable in
premiums; d: a part of a printed advertisement to be cut off to use as an order
blank or inquiry form or to obtain a discount on merchandise or services.”

With the definition of a coupon behind us we can move on to explore what a pizza coupon is. A pizza coupon is, in its simplest form, a coupon (definition above), from a pizza business for one of its food products. It can be for pizza or it can be for something else. As long as it comes from a pizza business for something that it sells. I am applying this definition very liberally. Normally, a basic definition of a pizza coupon is a coupon for pizza. I am extending this definition to include other foods as long as it is from a pizza business.

Blog Pizza’s formal definition of a pizza coupon:

A pizza coupon is an advertisement, either printable or online, that can be
used to obtain a discount for the goods or services from a pizza business (of
any form).

The reason that I am so liberal with this definition is because the words “pizza coupons” have become very ambiguous over the years. The major pizza distributors such as Dominos, Pizza Hut, and Papa John’s have contributed to this confusion. For example, many times Pizza Hut will offer coupons for its pizza pasta which is not pizza but is labeled as a pizza coupon. Under this new definition, these coupons will now officially be considered pizza coupons.

Why are pizza coupons beneficial to a pizzeria or pizza restaurant? A pizza coupon has significant value to a business. It is another tool that can be used to foster the growth of a pizza business. These coupons, in conjunction with the pizza menu, can be used to leverage the customer’s attention. People are always attracted to businesses that offer the best discounts on their products, especially if their products are good. Well, it is the same with the food industry. Pizza coupons are a reflection of the management’s attitude towards helping its customers save money on their order. It is a sign by the company that they care about the well being of the customer.

Pizza coupons in this current economy are a huge tool to winning over potential customers’ business. People now are having very hard times affording everything, including pizza. If a pizza business offers a good pizza coupon that will save customers’ money, they should have no problem increasing their sales.

What are some good deals that a pizza business can offer on its pizza coupons? Great question. Here are some ideas for pizza specials:

How about a three for two sale? Three large pizzas at regular price for the price of two large pizzas.

A two for one sale: Two Large pizzas for the price of one. You might want to make this a limited time only offer and start promoting this coupon months before you offer it.

Smaller coupons include: Buy a large pizza a get a 2 litter soda of your choice for free.

Pizza toppings coupon: Buy a large pizza and get 1 topping (or as many as you want to offer) for free.

Cross selling pizza coupons: Try our new Philly cheese steak stromboli and receive a small plain pizza for free.

Large Order pizza coupons for big parties: Buy 15 large pizzas at the price of ten – toppings extra.

As you can see, pizza coupons serve a variety of functions and are a necessity for a successful pizza business. I have put some ideas out there for pizza owners today of the type of pizza coupons that can be offered. These ideas ranged from smaller promotions to large pizza orders. Hopefully this information is helpful. Please feel free to comment as you like.

This is Blog Pizza on Pizza coupons!

Pizza Hut Pizza Locations

2009-06-09T18:29:00.004-04:00

Pizza Hut Pizza Locations

What can be said about the Almighty Pizza Hut pizza locations? Blog Pizza is back again discussing pizza locations with a special emphasis on the king of pizza franchises, Pizza Hut.

This post was added to foster our research to discover every country where pizza is located. We have taken a big project to discover the many pizza locations around the world where you can find pizza to eat. It is amazing how popular pizza is and how many people on this planet love pizza despite the variety of tastes that people are accustomed to.

Research on Pizza Hut has led us to this list, which has some extra places that we will add to our big list of pizza locations. Does anyone notice that Italy is not on this list? How ironic. Can anyone confirm that there is a Pizza Hut in Italy? It would just make sense to have at least one pizza shop. For now I will omit it until we have proof that there is a Pizza Hut over in Italia.

The following is a list of International Pizza Hut pizza locations:

Algeria
Andorra
Australia
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belgium
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Cambodia
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cyprus
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Fiji
Finland
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Guatemala
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Malta
Mauritius
Mexico
Morocco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russia
Saint Marten
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
Somalia
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Suriname
Sweden
Thailand
Trinidad and Tobago
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands
Yemen
Zambia

And of course…

American Pizza Locations

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

U. S. Commonwealths and Territories

American Samoa
District of Columbia
Federated States of Micronesia
Guam
North Marianas
Puerto Rico
Virgin Islands

Papa Johns Pizza Locations

2009-06-09T17:38:00.004-04:00

Papa Johns Pizza Locations

Where are Papa Johns Pizza Locations? You thought that the pizza locations discussion was over. Here is another post for you about Papa Johns.

It was interesting to note that Papa Johns have locations in every state of America but their international presence is a little weaker than Dominos Pizza locations. This shows the art of pizza franchising. It takes time for some giant pizza conglomerates to acquire franchises in various countries.

Papa John’s international pizza locations didn’t help our search for countries to put on our big list of pizza locations. The countries on the big list were already stated before.

The following is a list of International Papa Johns pizza locations:

Bahrain
Canada
Cayman Islands
China
Costa Rica
Cyprus
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
India
Ireland
Jordan
Kuwait
Malaysia
Mexico
Nicaragua
Oman
Pakistan
Peru
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Russia
Saudi Arabia
South Korea
Trinidad
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
Venezuela

And of course…

American Pizza Locations

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Dominos Pizza Locations

2009-06-09T17:05:00.007-04:00

Dominos Pizza Locations

Where are Dominos Pizza Locations? This post is a follow up post to our previous discussion where I had listed all of the locations in the world that pizza is located. The list is far from complete but is very close.

The reason that I wanted to add this post about Dominos pizza locations is to solidify my point that Italian pizza is one of the few specific types of ethnic foods that can be found all over the world. I venture to say that one of the main competitors would be hamburgers from McDonald’s or Chinese fried rice (Vietnamese Pho will be next).

This post of Dominos pizza locations list all of the international locations of Domino’s throughout the world. This list is in addition to every state, district, and territory of the United States. The total pizza locations as of this post are 63.

I want my readers to really take a look at this list. There are some places in here that the average American never even heard of. Italian pizza is a food that is loved by many. Doesn’t it fascinate you that although this world has many ethnic foods and thus, many different people with different taste buds, there is such a food as PIZZA that the majority of the planet can commonly agree that they love. In this regard isn’t pizza really a universal food?

The following is a list of Dominos pizza locations outside of America where pizza can be found:

Aruba
Australia
Bahamas
Bahrain
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Cayman Islands
China
Colombia
Curacao
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
England
France
Greece
Guam
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Korea, Republic of
Kuwait
Lebanon
Malaysia
Mexico
Morocco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Northern Ireland
Oman
Pakistan
Panama
Peru
Philippines
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Russian Federation
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Maarten
Saudi Arabia
Scotland
Spain
Sri Lanka
Switzerland
Taiwan, Province of China
Trinidad and Tobago
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
Venezuela
Virgin Islands (U.S.)
Wales

and of course.......

American Pizza Locations

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

U. S. Commonwealths and Territories

American Samoa
District of Columbia
Federated States of Micronesia
Guam
North Marianas
Puerto Rico
Virgin Islands

Pizza Locations

2009-06-09T16:30:00.007-04:00

Pizza Locations

How many pizza locations are there in the world that have pizza? Pizza is one of the only foods that can be found in any modernized city or country in the world. I have created this page to list every country where pizza can be found.

It may sound silly to create a post that lists every single pizza location in the world but it is good material to look over while waiting for your hot pizza to be delivered that you ordered online. Please feel free to add to this page. I have started with pizza locations in the 50 United States. We know that you can find some kind of pizza shop in every state in America. If not there, there is always a Pizza Hut or Dominoes pizza store around.

For your convenience, I will be listing all states in America and then every country where pizza is found. If I have missed a country just chime in and let us know. Post a city or country in the comment section to add to our list of pizza locations.

Pizza Locations of the World:

American Pizza Locations

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

U. S. Commonwealths and Territories

American Samoa
District of Columbia
Federated States of Micronesia
Guam
North Marianas
Puerto Rico
Virgin Islands

Countries

Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Argentina
Aruba
Australia
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belgium
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Cambodia
Canada
Cayman Islands
Chile
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
Croatia
Curacao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
England
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Guatemala
Haiti
Holland
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kenya
Kuwait
Lebanon
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Malta
Mauritius
Mexico
Morocco
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Nigeria
North Korea
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Maarten
Saudi Arabia
Scotland
Serbia
Singapore
Somalia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sweden
Switzerland
Suriname
Taiwan, Province of China
Thailand
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
Uruguay
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands (U.S.)
Wales
Yemen
Yugoslavia
Zambia

I think that you are starting to get the idea….Pizza is located in almost every pocket of the world. There are very few specific food besides hamburgers (McDonalds) that this occurs. If you believe that we have missed pizza locations, please let us know as this is a work in progress.

More relevant links:

Dominos pizza locations

Papa Johns pizza locations

Pizza Hut pizza locations

Pizza Toppings for a Pizza Menu

2009-06-08T19:25:00.003-04:00

How would a list of Italian pizza toppings help a pizza shop develop a pizza menu?

Yesterday’s list of the best Italian Pizza toppings could help owners of pizza shops develop their pizza menu. This information is a foundation to deciding on many important aspects about a pizza menu. We shall review the advantages of such a list.

This post is a follow to the previous article about the necessity of a pizza menu. A pizza menu is extremely important for a pizza shop and can be the determining factor of how much growth they will have. To select the items that a business will put on its menu a business must analyze its objectives. For example, a pizzeria that wants to specialize only in traditional Margherita pizzas needs to determine if they want to offer pizzas with toppings, and if so, to what extent.

Some pizzerias only serve pizza in its basic form. On the extremist side, there are pizzerias that only serve pizza without toppings. On the other extreme, there are pizza shops that serve pizza with any topping that you can imagine. To serve toppings and to what extent is an executive decision that every pizza business owner needs to make. The pizza menu is an outline of this decision.

When a pizza business owner decides on what pizza toppings they will specialize in they incorporate this information onto their pizza menus in order to notify the public. The public then uses this information to decide on what pizzas they will order.

But how does a pizza shop decide on what toppings they will serve at their business? These decisions come from the management’s goals and opinions about the direction they would like the company to go. Usually pizzerias just benchmark what the pizza business down the street is selling and serve something very similar.

Do the pizza owners have some sort of toppings list to cross off in order to figure out what goes on their menu? They do now! Yesterday’s post about the best Italian pizza toppings can be a very useful tool for these business owners. Instead of making decisions for their menus haphazardly the old fashioned way, there is now a list of all possibly good Italian pizza toppings to consider. As of the current count we have about 300 toppings, more than the average pizzeria will ever need to consider. But the point is to create an extensive checklist of all good Italian pizza toppings based off of the criteria mentioned in that article.

This pizza toppings list should be very helpful to the common pizza owner for creating their menus as it helps in the brainstorming process. All that is needed now is to check off what toppings on that list will be served. You can use a number system too by putting a number next to each topping that stands a chance. 1 -10 with ten being the highest. After you rate each topping, revisit your list to see which toppings were scored the highest and then reevaluate the toppings list until you have the ones that you want.

Hopefully, this post has served as a help to pizza shops either creating their menu or about to update it. Either way just remember that the customer will always interpret the menu as a reflection of management’s concern for its business. A good menu is highly correlated to a successful business.

Another fine article by Blog Pizza on pizza toppings and pizza menus!

Best Italian Pizza Toppings

2009-06-07T21:10:00.006-04:00

Best Italian Pizza Toppings

I have decided to create a page about the best Italian pizza toppings. This page will try to be an all encompassing one stop shop – the most complete Italian pizza toppings page on the internet. This is an extreme challenge but I think possible. I have not found any website yet that has completely focused on this big topping menu that I have mentioned. So on a mission to make Blog Pizza unique – here I go!

Keep in mind that the following list will be a work in progress. Because pizza can really have toppings that can extend with one’s imagination, in theory, this list will include every edible food imaginable. That is not the goal here. I would like to make this page of Italian pizza toppings that the common person would have an interest in eating. If it is too bizarre of a combination then we may have to reserve those Bizarre Foods for Andrew Zimmern.

I am also creating this list to give ideas for pizza makers who are deciding what type of pizza they would like to cook next and are looking for ideas for their pizza recipe. As stated this page is a work in progress but I don’t want to be the only person on the mission. So I am inviting the public to help me create this page by commenting below. Any ideas, please let us know. Remember that I am not looking for styles of pizza, for example, Sicilian pizza. I am trying to just simply generate a list of the most complete best Italian pizza toppings out there. These toppings can be combined with one another in any variety or quantity but as an individual topping it should be able to meet a minimum criterion.

The criteria to be on this best Italian pizza toppings list include:

1) Must be edible
2) Must be able to make an average Italian traditional crust pizza taste good without any other toppings needed.
3) Must only be one topping (for example, can’t be peanut butter and jelly – can only be peanut butter as one item and jelly as another (but jelly pizza would be bizarre)).
4) Must not pass the limit of being considered a bizarre food.

Some of these criteria are opinionated but I will let the public influence the results. This will help balance out the subjectivity.

So (drum roll) here is Blog Pizza’s Best Italian Pizza Toppings List:

Alfalfa sprouts
Almonds
American Cheese
Anchovies
Anchovies
Apple
Artichoke Hearts
Asparagus
Avocados
Bacon
Balsamic vinegar
Bamboo shoots
Banana
Barbecue Sauce
Basil
Bay leaf
Bean sprouts
Beetroot
Black Olives
Blue Cheese
Bologna
Brie Cheese
Broccoli
Broccoli Rabe
Buffalo Chicken
Calamari
Camembert Cheese
Capers
Cappicola
Cardamon
Carrots
Catfish
Cauliflower
Celery
Cheddar Cheese
Cherry Tomatoes
Chick Peas
Chicken
Chili
Chinese Wonton
Chives
Chocolate
Chorizo
Cilantro
Clam
Coconut
Colby Cheese
Coriander
Corn
Corn Beef
Crab
Crawfish
Cucumber
Cumin
Curry Chicken
Dates
Dill
Dried Tomatoes
Duck
Eggplant
Eggs
Escargot
Fennel
Feta Cheese
Figs
Fish
Fried Beans
Fried Rice
Fungi
Garlic
Goat Cheese
Goat Cheese
Gorgonzola Cheese
Gouda Cheese
Green Olives
Green Onions
Green Peppers
Ground Beef
Gruyere Cheese
Ham
Hamburger
Jalapeno Peppers
Laurel
Leaks
Lemon
Lettuce
Lettuce
Limburger Cheese
Lime
Lobster
Manchego Cheese
Mango
Marshmallow
Meatball
Monteray Jack Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Muenster Cheese
Mushroom
Mushrooms
Mussels
Noodles
Orange
Orange Peppers
Oregano
Oysters
Parmesan Cheese
Parsley
Pasta
Peanuts
Peas
Pecans
Pepperoni
Pickle
Pine Nuts
Pineapple
Pistachio
Plum
Pork
Potatoes
Prosciutto
Provolone Cheese
Prunes
Prwan
Red onion confit
Red wine
Ricotta Cheese
Roast Beef
Roast Beef
Roasted Peppers
Roquefort Cheese
Rosemary
Salami
Salmon
Salsa
Sardines
Sausage
Scallions
Scallop
Shrimp
Sour Cream
Soybeans
Spanish rice
Spinach
Squash
Squid
Steak
Sticky Rice
String Beans
Swiss cheese
Tapenade
Tofu
Tomato
Tomato
Tuna
Turkey
Veal
Veal Cutlet
Venison
Walnuts
Watercress
White
White Rice
Yams
Yellow Peppers
Yellow Rice
Zucchini

Italian Pizza Shopping

2009-06-07T20:01:00.004-04:00

Italian Pizza Shopping

My freezer was getting light so I went to the supermarket to do a little Italian pizza shopping. That is right – the frozen pizza reviews will be continuing in the near future.

Even though I have done a large amount of frozen pizza reviews so far, you wouldn’t believe how many variations of Italian frozen pizza are out there. I mean if you combine all of the microwave pizzas, oven pizzas, and toaster over pizzas plus microwave variations of pizzas like strombolis and pizza bites…this frozen pizza project could go on for another 6 months (2 months if I ate frozen pizza everyday – sorry I don’t care for hospitals).

I have concluded that I am on a mission to try every frozen pizza out there to find the best pizza but it will have to be spread out over time because it is just too much. I mean I can do it but the price has to be right. Since this pizza blog is run entirely without a salary I will have to slow down. Despite the challenges ahead, I think that my quest to explore all Italian frozen pizzas is doable in time. If I focused doing this blog 100% on frozen pizza reviews I can complete this task quicker but I would like to eat regular pizza and discuss other pizza topics as well.

So I went pizza shopping tonight and was overwhelmed when I realized how much more frozen pizzas I have left to eat. Regardless, I filled up half a shopping cart and went on my way. The lineup of frozen pizza reviews include: Hot Pockets, Lean Pockets, Bagel Bites, Murray’s deep dish pizza, Kashi, and Totino’s pizza rolls. From these brands I have bought various varieties including: calzones, pepperoni, and cheese flavors.

I hope that you are enjoying these reviews. As far as I know I think that Blog Pizza has the most extensive frozen pizza reviews so far on the internet. If I am wrong please let me know. Right or wrong in about 3 months from now Blog Pizza should have the most complete frozen pizza reviews regardless.

Well I am back from my Italian pizza shopping experience tonight and I am fired up to start my pizza reviews!

Los Angeles Pizza Blog Review

2009-06-06T17:12:00.005-04:00

Los Angeles Pizza Blog Review

Today’s review will be about Los Angeles Pizza Blog (or LA Pizza Blog). This blog is the most popular pizza blog in the LA area produced by John Berardi (JAB).

JAB’s LA Pizza Blog is a perfect starting point for anyone who is interested in finding out about the best pizza places in Los Angeles, California. In LA, it is not as easy to find a good pizza place as Italian food is not as common on the West Coast as the Northeast corner of the United States. For this reason, JAB’s pizza blog is a bit more challenging than the average city pizza blog. JAB has to play a little more detective work in search of the best pizza.

Los Angeles Pizza Blog was formed in 2008 and is a continuous work in progress for JAB to find great pizza according to his taste buds. What kind of pizza does JAB like? JAB ideally likes a NY style pizza as he is originally from the East Coast here in Blog Pizza’s neck of the woods. He also likes as few as toppings as possible. His preferences are a prerequisite in order to understand his ratings for his pizza.

What kind of rating system does he use? JAB uses a 5 slices pizza rating system with 5 being the absolute best pizza and 0 being the worst. Even JAB admits that finding his perfect pizza is difficult in a place like LA.

So far, JAB has created a very elaborate best LA Pizza list that rivals any other LA pizza list out there. LA Pizza Blog has honest reviews and if the pizza isn’t good then JAB will tell you straight up. That is why I like this guy and his blog. Anyone could just give great pizza reviews but “to describe it as they see it” is what a real food critic should not be afraid to do.

So back to Los Angeles Pizza Blog’s Top Ten Best Pizza Places in LA…I have posted his reviews in our LA Best Pizza page and of course, it can be found on JAB’s website as well. JAB also has another top pizza page for those pizza places that have not made it to the top ten best pizza places but are still good enough.

To conclude, the Los Angeles Pizza Blog is the place to go if you want to find a good review of top LA pizza joints. If you live in LA or plan on visiting then I would suggest to read his blog if you want a good pizza place to eat. If you don’t then you may spend countless hours looking for a pizzeria and probably end up eating at JAB’s worst pizza places.

This pizza blog review on Los Angeles Pizza Blog is brought to you by Blog Pizza!

Mexican Pizza Review Two

2009-06-06T16:00:00.002-04:00

Mexican Pizza Review Two

This post is a follow up post to the Mexican Pizza that I ate last night. I know that I gave a good review of this burrito/taco combo in a pizza format but then took it away and said that I probably would not order this food again. That is why I decided to post this follow up because a change has occurred.

This morning when I went to the gym (it is a necessity when you run a food blog) and reevaluated my Mexican pizza review. I decided that I ate too much pizza yesterday and this may have had an effect on my judgment of the Mexican pizza. Is it possible that too much pizza in one day can do such a thing? Yes, I think so. This applies to eating too much of any food. After a while you start to lose interest and may review things that under normal circumstances you would have felt differently.

Yesterday I ate two boxes of frozen pizzas within a two hour window from when the pizza arrived. I was already pizzad out when the delivery man came. I was hungry because it was dinner time but not the same kind of hungry if I didn’t eat those frozen pizzas.

I am writing this to confirm a change in opinion. I agree with everything that I wrote yesterday about Mexican pizza except the last part (This is like a review of my own review). I would order this pizza again. I had said last night that I liked the Mexican pizza but would never order it again. That was my full stomach talking. Refreshed a day later I realize how good that pizza was. I mean it had cilantro, fresh avocados, jalapeño peppers, fried beans, chorizo meat…this pizza was good!

I know that my taste buds were all confused but a day later I think that I can get used to a pizza like that. This is what happens when Italians and Mexicans mix their food – great things happen. I think the last time that Mexican food and Italian food fused was a few hundred years ago and we all know the result of that meal. That had started Italians adding tomatoes into their meals and thus, Italian food as we know it today had begun.

I think that this Mexican pizza is really on to something new. This may be a point of pizza evolution happening. If you have never tried that meal – then try it twice. That is my new recommendation because I think that the first time you may hype yourself up to much about there being too much fusion happening.

Is it possible for someone to change their review a day later? Folks, it just happened. I can’t believe that one day later I am actually craving for this pizza again. It was like the first time that I ate a burrito (it was too long ago and I can’t remember when). But I do know that eventually I came to the point where I craved that food. This is what is happening with the Mexican pizza.

The Mexican pizza review is proof of the continuous transitional state of a food review. A food review is always in a state of change. A review may be written and a day later (or even an hour), the reviewer may have formulated a different opinion about the same food. This is a lesson that most food blog authors who have been writing for awhile have probably figured out.

This is Blog Pizza on the Mexican Pizza Review Two.

Pizza Words Menu

2009-06-05T21:40:00.006-04:00

Pizza Words Menu

The following is a menu of pizza words. We have provided these pizza terms for the benefit and convenience of our readers. This list was derived from pizzamaking.com's famous pizza glossary page. Blog Pizza will be adding definitions over time but this list is a great starting point. Enjoy!

00 FLOUR: In Italy, flour is classified either as 1, 0, or 00, and refers to how finely ground the flour is and how much of the bran and germ have been removed. 00 flour is the most highly refined and is talcum-powder soft. Italian 00 flour is made from Italian grains and/or blends of Italian and imported grains (including Manitoba flour from Canada) to achieve a range of protein of about 10–12.5%. Common brands of 00 flour available at the retail level in the U.S. include Caputo, Bel Aria and Delverde. The Vermont-based King Arthur Flour Company produces a "clone" of the 00 flour (called Italian-Style flour) with a protein level of 8.5% which is quite a bit lower than the imported Italian 00 flours, therefore it is not an authentic 00 flour and will have different behavioral characteristics.

6 IN 1 TOMATOES: A brand of canned tomatoes produced by Escalon Premier Brands located in the rural community of Escalon in the heart of California's San Joaquin Valley. Escalon tomatoes are always vine-ripened to a vibrant red, picked and packed within hours of harvest. Citric acid (a sour tasting preservative) is never added to any Escalon branded product. As a result, the final products are bright in color, and true to the sweet taste of fresh tomatoes. Spooned directly from the can then lightly seasoned, these tomatoes are the secret to making a genuine Chicago-style deep dish pizza. See also ESCALON PREMIER BRANDS.

ABSORPTION: A measurement established by flour producers to describe the capacity of a flour to absorb water and achieve a desired dough consistency. The value is expressed in terms of percent of water absorbed by a flour sample during the measurement test. The measurement is a laboratory measurement and, hence, is not identical to the hydration ratio actually achieved in field applications, although it is usually quite close.

ACTIVE DRY YEAST (ADY): A dried form of yeast that, before combining with other dough ingredients, is activated by re-hydration, or "proofing," in warm water (or other liquid) at around 105–115°F Some brands of active dry yeast can also be combined with a portion of the flour and other dry ingredients, in which case the temperature of the liquid used (usually water) can be as high as 120–130°F Advantages of active dry yeast include convenience of use and long storage life, especially when sealed and frozen in an airtight container.

ADY: See ACTIVE DRY YEAST.

ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR: Flour with a protein level of 10-12%. Ideal for general baking purposes. Higher protein flours make firmer, stronger doughs while lower protein flours produce softer, weaker doughs. Cake flour is typically 7-9% protein; pastry, or cookie, ≈9-10%; all-purpose, 10-12%; bread, 12.5-13.5%; clear and high-gluten, 14-15%; and gluten "flour" (actually refined gluten), 45%.

ALPHA-AMYLASE: The alpha-amylase enzyme develops when grain sprouts. It has a direct impact on bread quality and adversely affects the malting process. As little as 5% sprouted grain, mixed with 95% good grain, can render the entire mixture unacceptable. A certain amount of alpha-amylase is necessary for proper baking to occur. The alpha-amylase breaks down starches to provide sugars to help fuel the fermentation process. The amount of enzyme present can have a direct bearing upon the quality of bread produced. When the alpha-amylase activity is right, a high volume bread with firm and soft texture is achieved. If the activity is too high, a sticky bread crumb and low volume may result. If the activity is too low, a dry bread crumb with large holes may result. Measured using the "falling number" method. See also FALLING NUMBER.

AP: An abbreviation for all-purpose flour.

ASCORBIC ACID: An organic acid more commonly known as Vitamin C and commonly used as an additive for flour and also for instant dry yeast (IDY), and sometimes with active dry yeast (ADY). When added to flour, it acts as an oxidizing agent (by virtue of acting with atmospheric oxygen), which makes it easier to form the gluten network (by preventing the gluten bonds from breaking down) during kneading of the dough. When used with yeast, it acts as a nutrient and provides an acidic environment for the yeast so that it acts faster and longer.

ASH: A term used in relation to flour to indicate its mineral content. The higher the ash count, the more minerals are present in the flour, and vice versa. To calculate the ash count, a sample of the flour is incinerated and the remains (the "ash") are then weighed in relation to the original sample weight to calculate the ash count for that flour. The ash count can serve as an indication of the degree of refinement of the flour since a flour from which most of the bran has been removed will have a lower ash count than one from which less bran has been removed. A flour with a high ash count will also be slightly darker than one with a low ash count because of the higher amount of bran. Today, ash count has even less of a relationship to milling quality than it did a few decades ago because new wheat varieties and richer soils have made higher ash levels the norm, with typical ash values commonly being around 0.50% for domestic wheat varieties.

AUTOLYSE: A rest period, typically lasting 15–45 minutes, during which flour and especially the protein in the flour fully absorb the water before the yeast and salt are added and fermentation activity begins. Full absorption allows the gluten structure to form better, more complex bonds and serves to reduce oxidation of the dough and shorten the overall mix time. Autolyse also helps increase the extensibility of the dough due to the action of protease enzymes in the flour to break down the gluten slightly during the autolyse. Over time, the term "autolyse" has come to be used to refer to almost any rest period during the mix/knead cycle even though such use is not technically an autolyse as conceived by its originator, Prof. Raymond Calvel, a professor emeritus of baking sciences at L'ecole Francais de Meunerie and author of the classic work on European breadmaking, LeGout de Pain. The term autolyse is pronounced ah-toh-leez.

BAKER'S PERCENTS (OR PERCENTAGES): A mathematical tool and "language" used by bakers to analyze recipes and to scale or re-size recipes up or down in quantity. It is a weight-based system in which the percentage of each ingredient is stated in relation to the weight of the flour, which always has a baker's percent of 100%. In the context of pizza dough production, baker's percents can be used to determine the quantities of ingredients required to make any dough batch size or number of pizzas of any given size and crust thickness.

BIANCA: See PIZZA BIANCA.

BIGA: An Italian term that generally means preferment. A biga is made from a mixture of flour, water, a small amount of commercial yeast, but no salt, and typically uses a hydration sufficient to achieve a generally quite stiff, dough-like consistency, much like the final dough into which it is to be incorporated. It is allowed to ferment and ripen at room temperature for several hours (typically 12–24 hours or more) before incorporating into the final dough. Although bigas most often use commercial yeast, a biga can also be made using naturally occurring (wild) yeast. Such a biga is sometimes referred to as a "Biga Natural." The term "biga" is pronounced bee-gah.

BREAD FLOUR: Flour with a protein level of 12.5-13.5%. Ideal for breads and "hand tossed" thin crust pizza. Higher protein flours make firmer, stronger doughs while lower protein flours produce softer, weaker doughs. Cake flour is typically 7-9% protein; pastry, or cookie, ≈9-10%; all-purpose, 10-12%; bread, 12.5-13.5%; clear and high-gluten, 14-15%; and gluten "flour" (actually refined gluten), 45%.

BROMATED FLOUR: See POTASSIUM BROMATE.

BUFFALO MOZZARELLA (MOZZARELLA DI BUFALA): A cheese made from the milk of water buffaloes (river water buffaloes). The cheese is generally considered to be of high quality because the water buffalo milk from which the cheese is made is thicker than regular milk, whiter (porcelain-white), with more butterfat, and more non-fat solids. (It also has 38% more calcium and 43% less cholesterol than cow's milk.) The cheese is a firm, stringy-textured cheese with a thin rind and delicate taste. Its principal drawback for the average home pizza maker is that the cheese has to be imported from Italy, mainly the Campania region of southern Italy (which is home to over eighty percent of Italy's water buffaloes), and, accordingly, is expensive compared with domestic cow's milk mozzarella cheeses. It also starts to deteriorate in quality fairly quickly. While most buffalo mozzarella cheese is imported from Italy, there are at least two domestic producers of the cheese as of this writing.

CAKE FLOUR: A relatively low-protein flour (typically 7–8.5%) milled from soft red winter wheat and used primarily for baking cakes and similar soft baked goods. It is often combined with other flours, including all-purpose, pastry and bread flour, to simulate imported Italian 00 flours for use in making Neapolitan-style pizzas. It has a typical absorption rate of about 53%, ± 2%. It is one of the few flours to be bleached by King Arthur, which is done to achieve greater volume.

CALIFORNIA STYLE PIZZA: One of the identifying characteristics of California style pizza is the toppings. California style tends to use exotic toppings and "off-the-beaten-path" combinations. While it is difficult to determine the origins of this style, some think it started in the 1970's or early 1980's. Back in the 1970's, creative culinary experts like Wolfgang Puck started experimenting with different, non-traditional toppings and later, around the mid-1980's, concepts like California Pizza Kitchen began selling the West Coast style. The dough has the same protein content as Chicago style, but the dough is mixed until it is smooth. The dough is placed in the pan and allowed to rise. In many cases these crusts are par-baked (sometimes called double baked) to order. This is done to help retain the height after baking and it also contributes to the crispy eating characteristic. The crust is light, airy and tender, which comes from the flour and proofing. Toppings tend to range from shrimp and asparagus to smoked salmon and other seafoods. Vegetarian combinations are also predominant. Source: PMQ.

CALVEL (Prof. Raymond): A recognized expert on the production of quality French and other European hearth breads and the originator (in the 1970's) of the autolyse method and other aspects of dough and bread making. Was a professor of baking sciences at the L'ecole Francais de Meunerie and the author of the classic work on bread production, Le Gout du Pain (translated into English as The Taste of Bread.) Is considered by many to be the "father" of bread making.

CAPUTO: An Italian producer of Caputo 00 flours sold in the U.S. and in several other countries for use in making pizza doughs and doughs for other baked goods. The Caputo brands in the U.S. include Caputo 00 pizzeria flour (the flour most commonly used by pizzamaking.com members), Caputo Rosso, and Caputo Extra Blue. The Caputo Rosso flour has the highest level of protein of the three flours and the Caputo Extra Blue has the lowest. See also the Caputo website: http://www.molinocaputo.it/#.

CHEF: See PATE FERMENTE.

CHICAGO STYLE PIZZA: One of the identifying features of Chicago style pizza is its deep dish. In 1943, Ike Sewell created a deep-dish pizza. Ike's belief was if you made a pizza with massive amounts of ingredients (especially sausage) it would become a hearty meal choice for people. He was right, so he opened Pizzeria Uno which specialized in deep-dish pizza and started the Chicago style phenomenon. Chicago style pizza is usually eaten with a knife and fork rather than the hands because it is so thick and heavy. The dough, which contrary to many beliefs, is not really thick, but has a biscuit-like texture and has raised high on the sides of seasoned deep dish pans to hold all of the ingredients in. The cheese is placed directly on the dough and toppings added on top of that. The top is cheesed and sauced with a chunky sauce with a light sprinkling of cheese scattered on top of the sauce. Cooking times are usually longer due to the overall thickness of the pizza. The dough used for this style usually contains 10.5–11.5% protein and is under-mixed (not smooth.) Table grade margarine is used in the pans to add a slight, fried crispness, which contributes to the rich flavor and aids as a release agent in helping to get the baked pizzas out of the pan. Source: PMQ.

CLEAR FLOUR: See HIGH-GLUTEN FLOUR.

COLD FERMENTATION: The fermentation of a dough under refrigeration, usually for an extended period of time, for the purpose of developing better flavors and aromas in the finished crust through increased production of fermentation byproducts.

COMPRESSED YEAST: A fresh form of yeast also commonly referred to as "fresh" or "cake" yeast. It is a "wet" form of yeast inasmuch as it has a moisture content of around 70%, which makes it faster acting than dry yeasts and, hence, attractive to bakers and pizza operators who must use yeast regularly and in high volume in their businesses. This form of yeast is also available to consumers in small packages (usually 0.6 ounces, or 17 g.) sold in the refrigerated sections of many supermarkets. In use, the compressed yeast is either hydrated ("proofed") in tepid water (80–90°F) before using or crumbled and mixed into the flour and other dry ingredients. The principal drawback of this form of yeast is that it is highly perishable and has a short shelf life (refrigerated), usually around two weeks or less. For consumers (but not for bakers) it is also considerably more expensive than dry yeasts on an equivalency basis.

CORNICIONE: Italian term for the "lip" or the outer puffy edge of the pizza.

CRACKER STYLE PIZZA: Pizza Hut made the cracker style crust popular back in the 1950's and they are still identified with this style. The dough is under-mixed according to Tom Lehmann with the American Institute of Baking. It is mixed until you can still see some of the white flour (only about five minutes). This dough needs to be fermented for five or six hours and must be sheeted to obtain its layered, cracker-like texture. The toppings and cheese are modestly applied and not piled up high and a thinner sauce usually works best. Source: PMQ.

CRUMB: A term used by bakers to define the inside of a bread or pizza crust, that is, its internal cell structure. Many factors can influence the cell structure of the crumb. For example, a high hydration dough that has not been overkneaded, has been properly shaped, and has sufficient yeast available at the time of baking to produce a good, final oven spring will generally result in a crumb that is open and airy with a lot of large, irregularly-sized and shaped holes (called alveoles). Conversely, a dough with low hydration, rolled rather than hand shaped, and with low yeast levels at the time of baking (resulting in a poorer oven spring) will generally result in a crumb that is more breadlike, with small, even-sized and tightly formed cells. Experienced bakers can usually tell from the color and other facets of the crumb what kind of flour and yeast levels were used, including the use of preferments.

CUTTER PAN: A circular solid or perforated metal pan with sloping sides and a sharp exposed outer edge for permitting a rolled out or sheeted dough that has been draped over the sharp edge of the pan to be cut to fit the pan by rolling a rolling pin over the dough and pan.

DAIRY WHEY: A baking ingredient derived as a byproduct of cheese production and processed into a dry form for use in doughs to promote greater crust browning. Dried dairy whey includes around 70% lactose, a milk sugar. It's the only simple sugar that is not metabolized (consumed) by yeast. But it contributes to browning of the crust. The lactose also has a low sweetness factor, so it won't be detected in the crust. So the result will be better color in the finished crust but not the accompanying sweetness. The usual rate of use of dairy whey is around 4% by weight of flour.

DAMAGED STARCH: Starch in flour that is damaged during milling (and sometimes inherent in the wheat grain.) Damaged starch in a flour is important because enzymes in the flour, namely alpha- and beta-amylase, work on the damaged starch to produce compounds that are converted to simple sugars for feeding the yeast during fermentation and also to contribute to the residual sugars in the dough at the time of baking to promote better crust browning.

DIASTATIC MALT: A barley malt commonly used in flours to increase the extraction of sugars from the flours for use as food for the yeast during fermentation and to increase the residual sugars in the dough at the time of baking to promote increased crust browning. The diastatic malt is produced from barley that has been sprouted, dried and ground into flour. The diastatic malt works through enzymatic activity (it provides additional alpha-amylase) to release sugar from the damaged starch molecules of flour. Diastatic malt is available in both dry and liquid form. The recommended rate is about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon for every 3 cups of flour. Any more than that can result in a slack, sticky dough and a gummy crumb in the baked crust.

D.O.P./DOP: An abbreviation for Denominazione d'Origine Protetta, or "denomination of protected origin." This mark is guaranteed by the European Community (EU) and was created to promote the authenticity and artisan characteristics of certain food and agricultural products. These products are split into the categories of cheese, fruit and vegetables, salumi (or meats), and olive oils. A DOP certification guarantees that a product and all phases of production for that product have been carried out in a strictly defined geographic area which, in some cases, can be just a small cluster of villages. Among the pizza related ingredients that are often covered under the D.O.P. mark are San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella cheeses, olive oils, prosciutto di Parma, grana padano, pecorino Romano, and Parmiggiano Reggiano cheeses.

DOCKING: The act of poking numerous holes into a pizza skin immediately prior to topping which helps prevent large air bubbles from forming in the crust during baking. Usually performed using a specialized tool called a dough docker. Can also be performed using a fork, but this technique can be slow and time consuming.

DOUBLE-ZERO FLOUR: See 00 FLOUR.

DOUGH CONDITIONER: A general term used for additives that function to help improve the quality of the finished product by altering the way dough behaves. There are four main categories of dough conditioners: 1) enzymes, 2) oxidizing agents, 3) reducing agents, and 4) emulsifiers. Enzymes are biological catalysts that accelerate chemical reactions, such as increasing the extraction of sugar from starch. Oxidizing agents improve the dough strength by forming bonds between the protein chains. Reducing agents weaken the protein by breaking bonds between proteins during mixing, thereby reducing the mixing times and dough elasticity Emulsifiers strengthen the dough or soften the crumb. Examples of additives falling into the above four categories include diastatic malt, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), L-cysteine (or PZ-44), and lecithin, respectively.

DOUGH RELAXER: A baking ingredient used to relax dough that is excessively elastic and prone to shrinking and snapping back. The problem is most commonly experienced with doughs made from high-gluten flours. Common examples of ingredients used to relax such doughs so that they can be shaped and stretched to the desired size (diameter) include glutathione (dead yeast cells), L-cysteine, and PZ-44 (a combination of L-cysteine and whey proteins). Since these ingredients are available primarily for use by professional pizza operators, home pizza makers usually rely on high hydration levels and longer periods of fermentation to allow the enzymes in the flour (namely the protease enzymes) to soften the gluten so that the dough becomes sufficiently extensible to shape and stretch out to the desired size. (Note: a dough relaxer product produced by Lora Brody for use by home bakers has been discontinued.)

DRY MILK: A powdered milk product commonly added to dough primarily for crust color development (browning). It includes lactose (about 50%), a simple sugar that is primarily responsible for the browning but is not consumed by the yeast. Consequently, the sugar is available during the time of baking as a residual sugar to promote browning. Because lactose has a low sweetness value, it will not be detected as sweetness in the crust. What is important is that the powdered milk be of a high-heat baker's grade form, not the type sold in supermarkets. The baker's grade form of dry milk has been heated at high temperature and otherwise processed to disable certain offending constituents of milk (either a whey protein or an enzyme) so that the dough doesn't become overly slack and soft. A typical rate of use of the baker's grade dry milk is around 3–5% by weight of flour. At higher levels of use, the dry milk can provide a measure of softness in the finished crust.

ELASTICITY: The capability of dough to return to its original shape after stretching. This effect is often referred to as "dough memory". Generally speaking, doughs made with high-protein, high-gluten flours tend most to exhibit this tendency because of their higher gluten content and their more extensive and stronger gluten network. Doughs will also exhibit high elasticity if they are reworked or re-kneaded just before shaping and stretching, which disorients and misaligns the gluten strands from their relaxed state just prior to reshaping.

ESCALON PREMIER BRANDS: Producer of super-premium "fresh pack" tomato products, considered to be one of the best in the industry. One of the few producers that does not use citric acid, a bitter-tasting preservative, in any of its products. Some popular Escalon brands include 6 IN 1 and Bontá. Used exclusively by reputable pizzerias around the country. Escalon's product line is similar to that of rival Stanislaus Food Products (see Escalon/Stanislaus Cross Reference table.) See also rival STANISLAUS FOOD PRODUCTS.

EVOO: Abbreviation for extra virgin olive oil.

EXTENSIBILITY: The capability of dough to be shaped and stretched without breaking or springing back to its original shape. Generally speaking, doughs made with low-protein low-gluten flours, high hydration levels, and long fermentation times will tend to be more extensible than doughs made with high-protein high-gluten flours, low hydration levels, and short fermentation times.

EZZO PEPPERONI: A super-premium brand of pepperoni produced by Ezzo Italian Meats based in Columbus, Ohio. Ezzo pepperoni is made by hand in small batches, is very lean (21% fat compared to 28% like most), and has an excellent spice profile.

FALLING NUMBER: A term used by millers and bakers to refer to the alpha-amylase activity in flour. The falling number (FN) value has an inverse relationship with the alpha-amylase activity meaning the higher the alpha-amylase activity the lower the FN value, and vice-versa. For many flours, the falling number is adjusted through the addition of diastatic malt, or fungal amylase, to increase the level of enzymatic activity for optimum dough performance. Such adjustments are usually done at the mill, but sometimes by the baker. Malted bread flours typically have falling numbers of 250–290. Generally, a falling number value of 350 or greater indicates low enzyme activity. Values below 200 indicate high levels of enzyme activity. For comparison purposes, the King Arthur Sir Lancelot flour, which is a malted flour, has a falling number of 250 ± 30 seconds. By contrast, the Caputo 00 pizzeria flour, which is unmalted, has a falling number of 340–360 seconds. Quite often, the falling number alone will indicate whether a particular flour is malted or not. See also ALPHA-AMYLASE.

FERMENTATION: The process by which yeast metabolizes (consumes) simple sugars to produce carbon dioxide and alcohol (ethyl alcohol). The sugars come basically from three sources: a small amount of simple sugars naturally present in the flour, sugars that are converted from complex sugars to simple sugars through a series of conversion operations, and sugar that is released by enzymatic action on damaged starch in the flour (starch that is primarily damaged during milling). The carbon dioxide resulting from fermentation is trapped within the gluten structure, causing the dough to rise. The alcohol is converted to compounds that provide flavor and aroma to the finished crust.

FIBRAMENT: A brand of baking (pizza) stone sold by AWMCO.

FIOR DI LATTE: "Flower of the Milk," a fresh, soft, whole-milk mozzarella cheese made from the milk of a cow.

FOCACCIA STYLE PIZZA: Focaccia style pizzas can be identified by the absence of sauce. These pizzas start with a round, flat bread (focaccia) that ranges from 3/8 to as much as 1-inch in thickness and starts with a medium crust dough. They are topped with oils, grilled vegetables and other toppings and can be found in many gourmet pizzerias. This style of pizza is among the oldest styles of pizzas as they were the first types made before the introduction of tomatoes by European explorers returning from Mexico and Central America. Source: PMQ.

FRESH PACK TOMATOES: Fresh pack tomatoes are only packaged during the tomato season. They are vine-ripened and usually processed and packaged within a few hours from being picked in the field. This is in contrast to remanufactured tomatoes where they are picked, processed into a concentrate and packaged at a later date after being reconstituted with water.

FRICTION FACTOR (FF): A value, expressed as temperature, that represents the amount of frictional heat imparted to a dough by the particular machine (e.g., stand mixer, food processor, or bread machine) used to mix and knead the dough. This value is used along with other temperature measurements, namely, room temperature and flour temperature, to calculate the temperature of water required to achieve a desired finished dough temperature (usually around 80–85°F, which is considered optimal for fermentation purposes.) Water temperature is selected for adjustment since it is the easiest of all the temperatures to control. The value of FF will vary depending on the type of machine used, the machine speeds used, bowl and dough batch size, and duration of knead.

GLUTEN: An elastic, rubbery substance that results when certain proteins in flour, namely glutenin and gliadin, are combined with a liquid (usually water) and mixed together. Prior to this combination the gluten does not exist. When the gluten in dough is properly kneaded, a strong and highly developed gluten network forms that has a honeycomb-like structure which traps gases (i.e., carbon dioxide) produced during fermentation. As the gases are produced in quantity, the gluten structure expands, causing the dough to rise.

GRANDE CHEESE: A super-premium mozzarella cheese produced by the Grande Cheese Company based in Lomira, Wisconsin. Their signature mozzarella cheese is rich and creamy, soft and tender, with excellent taste and cooking (melting) characteristics. Used by many reputable New York pizzerias, this high-butterfat cheese is credited for leaving those yellow trails of oil running down your arm when you eat a slice of genuine NY-style pizza.

HIGH-GLUTEN FLOUR: Flour with a protein level of 14-15%. Exceptional for "hand tossed" New York-style pizza and bagels. Higher protein flours make firmer, stronger doughs while lower protein flours produce softer, weaker doughs. Cake flour is typically 7-9% protein; pastry, or cookie, ≈9-10%; all-purpose, 10-12%; bread, 12.5-13.5%; clear and high-gluten, 14-15%; and gluten "flour" (actually refined gluten), 45%.

HOLE STRUCTURE: See CRUMB.

HYDRATION: A term that refers to the capacity of flour to absorb water. Hydration is usually stated as a baker's percent, or ratio, that is equal to the weight of water divided by the weight of flour used in a recipe. Different flours have different capacities to absorb water, with high-protein flours having higher hydration capacities than lower protein flours.

HYDROSCOPIC: See HYGROSCOPIC.

HYGROSCOPIC: The capacity of a substance to absorb moisture from its surroundings. Flour, salt and sugar (and honey) are good examples of hygroscopic ingredients familiar to pizza makers. The term hygroscopic is sometimes spelled hydroscopic.

IDY: See INSTANT DRY YEAST.

INSTANT DRY YEAST (IDY): A very finely-divided strain of dry yeast that, because of its particular strain and its smaller particle size than active dry yeast (ADY), needs no re-hydration, or "proofing", in water or other liquid to activate it and can thus be added directly to the flour and other dry ingredients. Moreover, instant dry yeast contains more live cells than active dry yeast, further facilitating its activation. Once in the flour, the instant dry yeast can tolerate liquid temperatures of 120–130°F Because of all these factors, the instant dry yeast will start to work faster than active dry yeast. Like active dry yeast, advantages of instant dry yeast include convenience of use and long storage life, especially when sealed and frozen in an airtight container.

JOHNS (Pamela Sheldon): A cookbook author known in pizza circles for her book, Pizza Napoletana!, devoted to Neapolitan-style pizzas. For a review of this book, see the book review section of the pizzamaking.com site.

KASL: See SIR LANCELOT FLOUR.

KING ARTHUR FLOUR COMPANY: A well-known source of baking ingredients and highly regarded for its high-quality, unbleached, unbromated flours with tight milling specifications and generally higher protein levels than competing brands. While King Arthur has a retail store in White River Junction, VT, it does a substantial mail-order business through its Baker's Catalogue.

KOSHER SALT: A form of salt produced through the use of evaporation processes but having a larger particle size (and different shape) than ordinary table salt. Kosher salts usually contain no additives. Kosher salt can be substituted for table salt in recipes, but because of its larger particle size, it is often recommended that the amount of the Kosher salt substituted be about 1 1/2 to 2 times the amount of table salt, by volume. As a matter of convenience, producers of some brands of Kosher salt suggest using the same amount of Kosher salt as table salt, by volume.

L-CYSTEINE: L-cysteine is used in flour as a treatment agent to aid in the relaxing of gluten in doughs, such as pizza bases, that are heavily manipulated. In controlled amounts, it will break the sulfhydryl bridges between gluten proteins, producing weakened flour. See also DOUGH CONDITIONER.

LEHMANN (Tom): Director of Baking Assistance at the American Institute of Baking (AIB), Manhattan, KS, and a technical advisor and consultant to the pizza industry. He is an acknowledged expert on pizza dough and its commercial production and management and is a frequent contributor on such matters at the Pizza Marketing Quarterly (PMQ) and Pizza Today, including their online forums. He is frequently referred to as the "Dough Doctor."

LEVAIN: A French term for a natural preferment that is essentially synonymous (in the U.S.) with sourdough. It is a culture of a naturally-occurring (wild) yeast and bacteria that can leaven and flavor a bread or pizza crust. It is refreshed periodically by replacement of a part of the culture by new flour and water, and a portion of the refreshed culture is allowed to ferment and mature (ripen) before incorporating into the final dough. The remainder of the culture is used to begin the next batch of dough. A levain, or "sourdough," can be perpetuated for many years, even centuries for certain highly-stable strains.

MAKE-UP BOARD: See PEEL.

MARGHERITA: See PIZZA MARGHERITA.

MARINARA: See PIZZA MARINARA.

MOZZARELLA CHEESE: A soft, pasta filata (stretched curd) cheese made in a way resembling provolone. In the United States, milk (whole, lowfat, nonfat) is usually pasteurized, and set by warming to 95°F and adding lactic acid-producing bacterial starters and a coagulating enzyme. The curd is separated from the whey, and when a critical acidity has been reached, the mozzarella curd is immersed in hot water (170° to 180°F), or heated with steam, and kneaded and stretched until smooth. Thereafter, the cheese is molded into proper forms, immersed in cold water to harden, and sometimes salted in brine. The cheese has little or no curing and may be used immediately after processing. Available forms of mozzarella cheese include part-skim mozzarella, low-moisture mozzarella, and low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella. String cheese derived from mozzarella is also popular. Source: National Dairy Council.

MOZZARELLA DI BUFALA: See BUFFALO MOZZARELLA.

NEAPOLITAN STYLE PIZZA: 'a pizza Napoletana. According to the Associazione vera pizza napoletana, genuine Neapolitan pizza dough consists of wheat flour (type 0 and/or 00), natural yeast or brewer's yeast, and water. For proper results, strong flour with high protein content (as used for bread-making rather than cakes) must be used. The dough must be kneaded by hand or with an approved mixer. After the rising process, the dough must be formed by hand without the help of a rolling pin or any other mechanical device, and may be no more than 0.3 cm thick. Baking the pizza must take place in a wood-fired, stone oven at 485°C (905°F) for 60–90 seconds. When cooked, it should be soft and fragrant. The classic types and their respective toppings include:

Marinara or Napoletana: tomato, olive oil, oregano, and garlic. Margherita: tomato, olive oil, fresh basil leaves, and fior-di-latte or mozzarella di bufala. Formaggio e Pomodoro: tomato, olive oil, and grated parmesan cheese. Basil leaves are optional.

NEAPOLITAN-AMERICAN STYLE PIZZA: See NEW YORK STYLE PIZZA.

NEW YORK STYLE PIZZA: New York style pizza can be traced back to the 17th century when Spanish soldiers were occupying the area around Naples, Italy. One of their favorite snacks was a soft, crispy dough with toppings that the Neapolitans called sfiziosa. Like local New Yorkers who fold their slices in half and eat while walking, these Spanish soldiers folded the flat bread into a libretto (little book) and ate it with their hands. One of the main characteristics of New York style pizza is its thin, chewy crust, but that isn't everything that defines New York style pizza. Many might say that it's not New York style unless it leaves those yellow trails of oil running down your elbow when you eat it. This comes from the high butter fat cheese they use. Big Dave Ostrander says most New York pizzerias use Grande mozzarella cheese to get this trait. For New York style, fresh mozzarella isn't an option... it's a rule! Many are hearth or deck oven baked and the sauce is usually thinner than most sauces with fewer ingredients added. The dough is made with high protein, high gluten flour (usually 13.5 to 14.5% protein) and is slightly chewy. There is an old urban legend that you can only produce New York pizza in New York due to the hard water they have. While it's true that New York has hard water, it's debatable as to whether this is the secret ingredient. Source: PMQ.

NON-DIASTATIC MALT: A diastatic malt without the enzyme activity capability and commonly used for flavoring, color, and crust browning purposes. Available in liquid or dry form, it is sweet and flavorful and can be used in lieu of other sweeteners, and caramelizes well and contributes to browning. However, it isn't the same as and doesn't operate like diastatic malt and consequently shouldn't be confused with diastatic malt.

OLD DOUGH: See PATE FERMENTE.

OSTRANDER (Dave): A former independent pizza operator and now a consultant to the pizza industry. He is also a frequent contributor to the Pizza Marketing Quarterly (PMQ), including its online forum. He is well known for his "Old Faithful" pizza dough recipes which have been used by pizza operators all around the world to make over 2 million pounds of dough. He is an acknowledged expert on the management of pizza operations, from startup to mature business. Ostrander is often referred to as the "Pizza Doctor" or, more commonly, "Big Dave."

OVEN SPRING: The rapid increase and final burst in the expansion of dough once it is loaded into the oven. The dough expansion will cease as soon as the temperature of the dough reaches about 140° F, at which point the yeast dies. There are many factors that influence the degree and quality of the oven spring when baking pizzas, including overall dough quality (it should not be stiff or overkneaded, and it should have good hydration), the amount of yeast in the dough as of the time of baking, the degree of fermentation (it should not be underfermented or overfermented), and oven temperature. The manner in which the pizza is baked, that is, whether using a pan, stone/tiles, or pizza screen, will also be a factor.

OXIDATION: As applied to pizza dough, the term means a chemical reaction that takes place when air is incorporated into the dough, as by mixing and kneading. The effect is to reinforce the gluten bonds and strengthen the dough and increase the hydration capacity of the dough. However, excessive oxidation, which can occur if the dough is kneaded too long, can have the adverse effect of destroying caretenoid pigments naturally present in the flour and result in a loss of color and taste in the finished crust. This is one of the reasons why an autolyse period is often used since the autolyse will have the effect of shortening the overall kneading time.

PAN STYLE PIZZA: This style gets its name because it's cooked in a pan, but there is more to it than that. The pan has oil in it that fries the bottom layer of dough giving it a light crunch, and a slightly different flavor than a conventionally, baked pizza. The dough is somewhat thick as a result of the dough being allowed to proof/rise in the pan prior to baking. Toppings and cheese usually don't identify a pan style and can be used in any amounts. Areas in the southeastern U.S. are usually identified with this style of pizza. Source: PMQ.

PAR-BAKE: The partial baking of a dough, without anything on it, to prepare a partially-baked crust, or "shell", to be used to prepare a finished pizza at a later date. Until then, the par-baked crust is refrigerated or frozen (or kept at room temperature for near-term use). When a finished pizza is to be made, the partially-baked crust is dressed with sauce, cheeses and other toppings and baked until done.

PARCHMENT PAPER: A paper that has been treated with sulfuric acid and coated with silicone. The sulfuric acid makes the surface of the paper smooth so that it resists grease and moisture and tolerates high oven temperatures. The silicone coating prevents foods from sticking. Instead of using a peel, some home pizza makers use parchment paper on which to build their pizzas before loading into the oven. Parchment paper is not wax paper, which is paper coated with a paraffin wax.

PARMESAN CHEESE: Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano) is the most widely known variety of grana (which means hard grating) cheese, the most important cooking cheese in northern Italy. This salty, sharp-flavored, grating cheese is also manufactured in the United States. A mixture of whole and nonfat milk, usually pasteurized, is warmed to 95°F and a bacterial starter is added. After ripening for 5 to 10 minutes, a coagulating enzyme is added. The resulting curd particles are cut into pieces no larger than wheat kernels and cooked, with stirring, for about 45 minutes at a relatively high temperature of 115° to 125°F. The curd is allowed to settle and drain, and is placed in circular cloth-lined hoops and pressed. The pressed curd is removed, salted in brine for 14 to 15 days, and then dried 8 to 10 days. During cooling, which takes from 10 to 24 months in a cool (50°F), ventilated room, the cheese is frequently turned. The rind may be treated with a mixture of dark earth dye and olive or other vegetable oil. Source: National Dairy Council.

PASTRY FLOUR: A relatively low-protein flour typically milled from soft white/red winter wheat and primarily used for pastries. However, it can be combined with other flours, including all-purpose, cake flour and bread flour, to simulate an imported Italian 00 flour for use in making Neapolitan-style pizzas. The flour has a typical protein content of 8.5–9.5%.

PATE FERMENTE: A French term used to mean a slightly-aged prefermented dough. In one version, the pate fermente is made by combining a starter, such as a sourdough starter, and flour and water, and the combination is left to rise and then refrigerated overnight or, in some cases, for several days before incorporating it into the final dough. In another form, often referred to as a chef or "old dough", a portion of one day's dough production is taken and used in the next day's production. Consequently, the removed dough has the same ingredients as the dough batch from which it was taken, including flour, water, commercial yeast and salt. In both forms, the hydration of the pate fermente is established to be reasonably close to the hydration of the finished dough into which the pate fermente is to be incorporated.

PEEL: A long-handled spade-shaped tool that is used chiefly by bakers for getting something (as bread or pizza) into or out of the oven. Peels generally come in wood and metal versions. The wood version, sometimes called a make-up board, is considered best for assembling and "peeling" a pizza into the oven, and the metal version, which has a very thin blade, is considered best for removing pizzas from the oven (although the two can be used interchangeably.)

PEPPERONI: In the U.S., pepperoni refers to a spicy Italian-American variety of dry salami made of pork and beef. Pepperoni is a descendant of the spicy salamis of Italy, such as salsiccia Napoletana piccante, a spicy dry pork sausage from Naples. Pepperoni is frequently used as a pizza topping in American-style pizzerias. It is the most popular pizza topping in North America, present on at least 30% of all pizzas. For pepperoni that "cups" and chars when cooked, choose a brand with a collagen casing.

PIZZAIOLO: A term most commonly associated with a trained Italian pizza maker, especially one with skills in making and baking Neapolitan pizzas, particularly in a high-temperature wood-fired oven, with exceptional skills in managing and mastering the use of the oven for high volume production. Plural form is pizzaioli. Called "pie man" in the U.S. Northeast.

PIZZA BIANCA: Roman leavened flatbread flavored with olive oil and salt.

PIZZA MARGHERITA: Classic Neapolitan pizza. Topped only with tomato, mozzarella cheese, olive oil, and fresh basil. See also NEAPOLITAN STYLE PIZZA.

PIZZA MARINARA: Also known as Napoletana. A cheeseless pizza topped with tomato, olive oil, oregano, and fresh garlic. See also NEAPOLITAN STYLE PIZZA.

PIZZA STONE: A flat slab of material, such as a ceramic, clay or other refractory material, or a lead-free firebrick material (cordierite), or soapstone material, that can be preheated at high oven temperatures (in excess of 500° F) to permit a pizza to be baked on it. The pizza stone usually is rectangular or round with a typical thickness of about 1/2 to 7/8 inch.

POOLISH: A French term with Polish origins that is used to mean a preferment that is made with equal amounts of flour and water (which produces a pancake-like batter with a hydration of 100%), and a small amount of commercial yeast, but no salt. It is usually left to ferment and ripen at room temperature for several hours, although it is sometimes refrigerated for many hours (e.g., overnight) before incorporating into the final dough. The term poolish is pronounced poo-leash.

POTASSIUM BROMATE: A flour improver that acts as a maturing agent. Potassium bromate is a strong oxidizer that strengthens dough and prevents it from falling when handled between proofing and baking yielding higher volume bread. Please note that potassium bromate has been classified as a carcinogen and has been banned by the World Health Organization. As a result, many nations, including Canada and those of the European Union, have banned its use. While not banned in the US, the Center for Science in the Public Interest has petitioned the FDA to do so. In response, the American Bakers Association, which opposes such a ban, published a statement saying that potassium bromate is converted to harmless potassium bromide during the baking process. Flours that are bromated are labeled as such on the packaging.

PRE-BAKE: To partially bake a dough, for a few to several minutes, without anything on the dough, for the purpose of creating a greater rise in the crust or, in some cases (as with a cracker-type crust), to allow the crust to dry out before adding sauce, cheeses and other toppings and completing the baking.

PREFERMENT: A partial preparation of flour and water and yeast (naturally-occurring or commercial), that may or may not include salt, that is left to ferment and mature before incorporating into the final dough. The ingredients and period of fermentation are controlled to achieve the desired leavening power and maturation (ripening) before incorporation into the final dough. The preferment can be fermented at room temperature or under refrigeration, or a combination of both. Depending on its final intended use, it can take a liquid form, semi-liquid form (like a batter) or it can be stiff and dough-like. The benefits from using a preferment include a strengthened gluten structure, a shortened overall production time, and superior crust flavor.

PROOF: A term often used in bread baking to describe the final rise of the bread dough while it is in the pan or bread board just prior to baking. The term is often somewhat erroneously used in the context of pizza doughs to describe the process of fermentation. It is more correctly applied to the process by which certain doughs, such as deep-dish doughs or Sicilian-style doughs, are permitted to rise, or "proof", either at room temperature or in a proofing unit (often with humidity), in advance of dressing and baking.

PROVEL CHEESE: A St. Louis original. A blend of white cheddar, Swiss, and provolone cheese. Considered the key ingredient in St. Louis-style pizza, most notably Imo's Pizza.

PROVOLONE CHEESE: Provolone, an Italian cheese, is representative of the pasta filata or stretched curd cheeses. In these stringy-textured cheeses, the curd is cooked to a relatively high temperature and is pulled and molded while hot into various shapes. The name provolone is derived from the Neapolitan word "prova," meaning ball-shaped. In the United States, provolone, except for the addition of special flavor-producing enzymes, is manufactured similarly to Cheddar up to the time of matting the curd. At this point, the curd for provolone is cut into slabs that are worked and stretched in hot (180°F) water or whey. The hot curd is kneaded and stretched either by hand or machine until it becomes shiny, smooth, and elastic. The curd is molded into various shapes, such as pear, melon, cylinder, sausage, or ball. The shaped curd is then chilled in cold (50°F) water to harden, and salted for several days in cool brine. After brining, the cheese is packaged, cured for a few months, and usually smoked. Before selling, the cheese may be covered with wax or plastic film. Source: National Dairy Council.

PROTEIN: The dominant proteins found in wheat flour are glutenin and gliadin which, when combined, form gluten. See GLUTEN.

PZ-44 DOUGH CONDITIONER: A blend of whey and L-cysteine, a crystalline amino acid which is a natural component of protein. PZ-44 dough conditioner is often used in pizzerias as a dough conditioner helping to produce a more workable pizza dough. Biochemical reactions of L-cysteine and flour proteins result in shorter mixing time and increased extensibility (rapid relaxation without fermentation.) See also DOUGH CONDITIONER.

QUARRY TILES: See TILES.

RAPID-RISE (OR QUICK-RISE) YEAST: A form of instant dry yeast (IDY).

REINHART (Peter): Chef on Assignment at Johnson and Wales University (a culinary institute), in Charlotte, NC. Is a consultant to the baking industry and food companies and a frequent lecturer on baking matters, and a well-known author of cookbooks on bread baking. Is the author of American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza. For a review of this book, see the book review section of the pizzamaking.com site.

RELEASE AGENT: A substance which helps prevent an unbaked pizza from sticking to the make-up board (or pizza peel) so that the pizza will slide off easily into the oven. Most people use a dusting of raw white flour for this purpose, but semolina flour or cornmeal can also be used. Another trick-of-the-trade is lifting a section of the dough's edge, blowing an air bubble underneath, then quickly releasing it before the air can escape. This air pocket causes the pizza to "float" on the peel making its release very easy.

REST PERIOD: See AUTOLYSE.

RETARDED DOUGH: See COLD FERMENTATION.

RIPEN: A term commonly applied to certain preferments to describe the maturation of the preferment, as evidenced by the preferment having achieved a fully risen state (domed) and on the verge of receding or falling back at the center. In the case of a poolish or sponge, the ripening is indicated by the presence of small carbon dioxide bubbles at the surface of the poolish with cracks and signs of collapsing. The term ripen is also sometimes used to refer to a dough that has fermented to the point where the dough has peaked and should be used before it overferments and starts to recede or collapse.

ROMANO CHEESE: Romano cheese, an Italian, sharply piquant, grating cheese resembling Parmesan and other grana cheeses, is manufactured in a similar manner to that described for Parmesan. Some Romano cheese is made in the United States from cow's milk but most of it is imported into this country. It is cured for 5 to 12 months or longer. Source: National Dairy Council.

SAN MARZANO TOMATOES: A famed varietal of tomatoes from the Naples region of Campania, Italy and grown on vesuvial volcanic soils. The San Marzano tomatoes (the varietal) are elongated, firm, plum-like tomatoes with fewer seed cavities than most tomatoes. They also have a naturally low-acid content. The San Marzano tomatoes sold in cans may or may not bear the D.O.P. designation. However, those that do will have a special numbered label, and will indicate the region around Naples, such as the Agro Sarnese-Nocerino region, where the San Marzano tomatoes were grown. Cans not bearing the D.O.P. label may be of questionable provenance.

SCREEN: A round, expanded, metal (usually aluminum) screen with a beaded outer rim. Because of the open character of the screen, air circulating beneath a pizza placed on the screen can readily permeate the screen and provide uniform baking of the pizza and browning of the bottom of the crust. Pizza screens come in a wide variety of sizes, from about 6 inches to over 20 inches. Although pizza screens are usually round, they also come in rectangular shapes.

SEA SALT: A form of salt formed from evaporation of seawater at ordinary atmospheric temperature and pressure and then harvested. It has a larger particle size than ordinary table salt, and can come in different particle size gradations, including very coarse, which may require grinding in a mill or mortar and pestle before using for applications requiring small particle size, such as pizza dough making (although it can be used as a condiment on top of a finished pizza). Sea salts include naturally occurring beneficial minerals such as calcium and magnesium and are free of additives, such as anti-caking and anti-clumping chemicals and dextrose, as are commonly added, along with iodide (usually potassium iodide), to ordinary table salts. In the context of pizza dough, Sicilian sea salts are considered by some to be particularly useful because of their high hygroscopicity capacity (their capacity to absorb water).

SEMOLINA FLOUR: A coarse, granular flour product with bright yellow color produced by milling durum wheat, a high-protein, high-gluten wheat. A typical protein content for semolina flour is around 12–13%. The semolina flour is available in coarse and fine grades. It is frequently combined with other flours, at a rate of up to 25%, to produce a chewy finished crust.

SHEETING: The act of rolling dough into a very thin and uniform sheet. Most commonly performed using a specialized machine known as a dough sheeter or dough roller. A rolling pin may also be used, but this technique can be slow and labor-intensive.

SIR LANCELOT FLOUR: King Arthur's Sir Lancelot (KASL) flour is a high-quality, high protein, high-gluten flour produced by the King Arthur Flour Company based in Norwich, Vermont. This flour is available in large quantities (50-lb. bags) from various bakery distributors, foodservice companies and other intermediaries, some of whom will sell to individuals on a cash-and-carry basis (the KASL flour is not presently sold at the retail level.) The KASL is made from 100% hard red spring wheat, is malted to increase enzyme performance, and has a protein level of 14.2% ± 2%, an ash level of 0.52% ± 0.02%, and an absorption rate of 63% ± 2%. The KASL tolerates a long dough fermentation time and will exhibit greater browning and chewiness in the finished crust than other flours. These characteristics of the flour make it especially suitable for thin New York style pizzas. Because of its high gluten content, King Arthur does not recommend hand kneading doughs made from the KASL. See also KING ARTHUR FLOUR COMPANY.

SKIN: A term of art used by pizza makers to describe a dough round that has been shaped and stretched or rolled out from a dough ball into a pizza round (or other shape) in preparation for dressing and baking.

SLACK DOUGH: An overly wet dough with no elasticity or spring-back.

SOURDOUGH: See LEVAIN.

SPONGE: A preferment similar to a poolish or biga. It can include part of the flour and yeast and all or a part of the water to be used in the final dough, and is combined with additional flour, water, yeast and salt to make the final dough. The sponge can be allowed to ferment and mature (ripen) at room temperature, under refrigeration, or a combination of both.

STANISLAUS FOOD PRODUCTS: Producer of super-premium "fresh pack" tomato products, considered to be one of the best in the industry. Some popular Stanislaus brands include Saporito, Full Red, and 7/11. Used exclusively by reputable pizzerias around the country. Stanislaus' product line is similar to that of rival Escalon Premier Brands (see Escalon/Stanislaus Cross Reference table.) See also rival ESCALON PREMIER BRANDS.

STARTER: See PREFERMENT.

STIFF DOUGH: An overly dry dough (less than 50% water) which is dense and nonelastic.

STONE: See PIZZA STONE.

STUFFED STYLE PIZZA: Some people confuse a stuffed pizza with Chicago style. While they may look similar, they are quite different. Stuffed pizzas start with a medium thick dough/crust and then some sauce, toppings and a layer of cheese are added. A separate (much thinner) layer of dough is then placed on top of the toppings and then given another, and greater, application of sauce and cheese on top of the pizza. This creates a lasagna-like pie. Cook times on this style are usually in the 30-minute range. Source: PMQ.

TARE: The weight of a container or wrapper that is deducted from the gross weight to obtain net weight. Most digital scales allow you to perform this task easily by placing the empty container on the scale and pressing the tare button. Then, when the container is filled, only the weight of its contents is displayed.

THICK STYLE PIZZA: Thick style pizzas are really nothing more than a thicker version of a thin crust pizza. They are usually baked on a screen, disk, or directly on the oven hearth. The height or thickness of this style of pizza is achieved through both greater dough weight and some proofing, though not as much proofing as is given to the pan style thick crust varieties. Immediately after proofing, the dough is sauced and topped in the usual manner and taken to the oven for baking. The finished pizzas have moderate thickness, a slightly crispy bottom texture and a moderately chewy eating characteristic. This type of pizza does not have a regional preference, but it is instead, found served throughout the entire U.S. Source: PMQ.

THICKNESS FACTOR: A number often used within the pizza industry to correspond to a particular pizza crust thickness, from "thin" to "medium" to "thick". The thickness factor is used in a mathematical expression to calculate the amount of dough that is needed to make a pizza of any given size (diameter) and desired thickness. The thickness factor of an existing dough can also be calculated from the weight of the dough and the size of pizza made from that dough. Typical values of thickness factors for "thin", "medium" and "thick" crusts are 0.10, 0.11, and 0.12–0.13, respectively. Thickness factors for deep-dish doughs will usually be higher (above 0.13).and for cracker-type or other thin crusts they will often be lower (around 0.05).

TILES: Unglazed, fired, quarry clay tiles used in arrangements of one or more layers on an oven rack or grill for use as an alternative to pizza stones for baking pizzas. The tiles are most commonly found in ceramic tile stores or home improvement stores (such as Home Depot and Lowe's, with typical sizes of 6″ × 6″, 8″ × 8″ or 4″ × 8″ (and generally about 1/2″ thick). Since food is to be cooked on the tiles, for health reasons it is very important that the tiles be unglazed.
THIN STYLE PIZZA: A thin crust style pizza dough is mixed until it is smooth and then stretched by hand. The texture of a true thin crust is crispy on the outside, yet soft inside. This style of pizza has been traditionally found in taverns and bars because they allow the customer to eat without being filled up on dough. The toppings and cheese are modestly applied and not piled up high and a thinner sauce usually works best. Source: PMQ.

VWG: See VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN.

VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN (VWG): A dried wheat protein of high-gluten, hard wheat grain that has had all of the starch removed and is then dried. It is frequently used to supplement other flours to increase the overall protein level of such flours. Vital wheat gluten has a typical gluten content of about 45% and a protein content of about 75%. Its recommended use is at the rate of 1 to 2 teaspoons for each cup of flour or 2–3% by weight of flour. Each 1% addition of vital wheat gluten increases the protein content of the flour to which it is added by 0.6%.

VITAMIN C: See ASCORBIC ACID.

YEAST: A living, microscopic, single-cell organism that, as it feeds, converts sugars and starches into alcohol and carbon dioxide (known as fermentation.) This trapped carbon dioxide gas is what causes doughs to rise, or leaven. See also LEVAIN, ACTIVE DRY YEAST, INSTANT DRY YEAST, and COMPRESSED YEAST.

Mexican Pizza Review

2009-06-05T20:29:00.004-04:00

Mexican Pizza Review

My Pizza that I ordered arrived – a Mexican Pizza. This pizza that I had is a true reflection of what you would expect if you thought of what a Mexican pizza looked like. The pizza consisted of: beans, Jalapeno peppers, avocado, onions, cilantro, chorizo, chicken, and pork.

If anyone had read my review last week, you will remember that I had some problems with my traditional pizza delivery place that I have been ordering from for the past 5 or so years. There was a whole laundry list of problems that had been happening for a while but then the list got bigger last week and I pushed them aside. Tonight I tried out a new pizza place.

This new pizza place had such an interesting variety on their pizza menu for an Italian pizza place that I had to start with the pie that caught my eye. The Mexican pizza when it arrived was a beautiful pizza pie. This new pizzeria has 12, 14, and 16 inch pies. I ordered the 12 inch which is good for two people at least. Today I ate half of the 12 inch pizza. It seems like a lot but I am a heavy eater and with the two other frozen pizzas that I ate less than 3 hours ago, I think that I had my full. When I decide to slow down with my pizza reviews I am going to have to go back to a normal 2 to three pizza slices maximum.

So what made this Mexican pizza so special? First, this new place had wax paper under the pizza. By reading many of my pizza reviews you will tell that this is something that I take seriously. Wax paper is a true sign of an attempt to be cleanly.

The 12 inch Mexican pizza was so picturesque. I am sorry that I didn’t take a picture – one of these days I plan on getting a little better with my camera. It’s not that I am a bad photographer – I am just lazy.

The crust was nice and crispy and golden brown. But what really stood out at me was the colors. The Mexican pizza colors were brown and green. All of the ingredients in this pizza fit in the brown and green spectrum some way or another. The greens were the hot Jalapeno peppers, avocados, and cilantro. The browns were the beans, golden onions, chorizo, chicken and pork, and the brown crust.

Aside from the colors, the other highlight of this Mexican pizza was the texture. This was a traditional size crust that appeared very thick from the quantity of ingredients. For so many ingredients, one slice was a big journey. The avocados were a major part of this texture. There were huge chunks dispersed throughout.

The Mexican pizza to me was a prime example of what the child would look like of an Italian cheese pizza and a taco. I have had pizza in Mexico before but never Mexican pizza. Readers from the West Coast may think that this is strange but Mexican Pizza is a treat because we don’t see pizza like this too often on the East Coast. This pizzeria must be trying really hard for business by taking a chance with their variety like this. I mean the amount of beans and jalapenos on this thing was like “OH MY” – food fusion at its best.

Overall, I really liked this pizza in many ways. I like the uniqueness of it, the ingredients, the texture, the taste, etc. Despite this, I would probably not eat this pizza again over a traditional option unless necessary because it is just a little too overboard. I view this pizza as a one time trial only (an experiment). The tastes are so plentiful that it was actually confusing my taste buds.

As a big fan of Mexican food and pizza it was very overwhelming for me to try both of these foods in a combo hybrid meal. I didn’t know how to distinguish the pizza taste from the Taco taste. It just didn’t feel right. I think that they are supposed to be two separate foods and are better off by themselves. Sometimes mixing foods are just not right.

Think of cereal and orange juice. Separate they make a great combination breakfast (maybe even some coffee). Imagine putting the orange juice together with the cereal. Now that is a different meal (in a bad way). I have tried it before and trust me – you want to throw up. The point that I am making is that although this meal was good to try and was delicious, the irony is that if I had the choice I would just stick with traditional pizza toppings.

This is Blog Pizza and Mexican Pizza!

Friday Night Pizza Night

2009-06-05T18:33:00.002-04:00

Friday Night Pizza Night

This is a little something post about Friday night pizza night while I am sitting waiting for my ordered pizza to arrive. I know that I ate two frozen pizzas already within the past two hours but what the hell – today wasn’t a healthy day anyway so I ordered another pizza for dinner. I will tell you about my meal within the next hour.

The real purpose of this post was to reflect on whether Friday is typically considered pizza night. I don’t know about the rest of the world but here in the Northeastern United States around Philly and New York, Friday nights are traditionally considered pizza nights for many people. I am sure that Saturdays is an equal contender but if I have to put my money on the top day all across the world I would say that day is Friday.

We have many different readers on this pizza blog and from various parts of the world. Several of these readers are writers on other pizza blogs. I am writing this post out of curiosity to know what night is pizza night all over the world.

If you are curious too than participate here by commenting and tell us about your pizza night. State your favorite pizza night, your location, and what you believe to be your city’s or area’s favorite pizza night. Let’s test the Friday Night Pizza Night theory to see how true it is!

Stouffers French Bread Pepperoni Pizza

2009-06-05T17:41:00.002-04:00

Stouffer’s French Bread Pepperoni Frozen Pizza Review

The following review is about Stouffer’s French Bread Pepperoni Pizza. This review is the second review about Stouffer’s frozen pizza and my second review today. After putting down a DiGiorno Thin Crust Supreme pizza today, I was still hungry and attacked the Stouffer’s French Bread. I am going to be one fat person after these frozen pizza reviews (and this blog period). Do you see what I do for my readers – I put my health at stake!

It is a shame that I had to eat Stouffer’s pepperoni pizza after a good meal with DiGiorno Supreme pizza. I really know how to turn a good party bad. The good frozen food taste (as good as frozen food gets) of a positive pizza review lingered in my mouth until I put that Stouffer garbage in there.

If you read my Stouffer pizza review the other day you would have noticed that I do not like Stouffer’s so far. You can also guess that my review today won’t be any better. Good guess.

I will reiterate briefly my problem with Stouffer’s. Stouffers pizza is unlike any other microwave pizza so far. They give you two options: put the pizza in the conventional oven or put the pizza in the microwave and the conventional oven. To me, the logic of developing a pizza that offers half microwave instructions is not understood. I have racked my brain to figure out why executives at a major corporation like Stouffer’s haven’t figured out that if you are offering microwave instructions for a product that you are targeting people who are pressed for time. These people do not want to put their food in the microwave and then still have further instructions to follow.

On to my review…

As I said in my previous article I refuse to cook this pizza other than 100% in the microwave as I had perceived it to be. I know this will tint my review but take it for what it is worth.

The pepperonis in this pizza were very small slices and not very many. This is the opposite of the pepperoni on both the DiGiorno Supreme pizza and the Pepperoni pie. If they say pepperoni I want to see my pepperoni’s worth.

I was disappointed in the French bread as well. I know that the microwave didn’t do it much justice but even in the oven it still wouldn’t compare to Red Baron French Bread pizzas.

The cheese was minimal and average tasting.

With two French bread pizzas in each box, each pizza by itself was average size (maybe 6 inches).

Calories in this pizza were 410 and 180 from fat. The saturated fat was a little lower than average at 43%.

Overall, this pizza is not even on the same playing field as Red Baron French Bread pizza. I would recommend that frozen pizza over Stouffer’s any day of the week.

This review of Stouffer’s French Bread Pepperoni Pizza was courtesy of Blog Pizza!

DiGiorno Thin Supreme Frozen Pizza

2009-06-05T16:49:00.001-04:00

DiGiorno Thin Crispy Crust Supreme Frozen Pizza For One Review

Today I swallowed the DiGiorno Thin Crispy Crust Supreme Frozen Pizza For One for lunch and now I am posting a review. The Supreme pizza is made with pepperoni, green peppers, red peppers, yellow peppers, onions, and sausage made with pork, chicken and beef.

This post is another follow up to the DiGiorno frozen pizza reviews. If you can recall from my past DiGiorno reviews, I am starting to become a big fan of their frozen pizza. I think that they have figured out how to make frozen pizza actually taste good. One of my top pizzas so far is DiGiorno’s pepperoni garlic bread pizza.

One thing I like about DiGiorno’s supreme pizza and all of their other pizzas thus far is their pizza box. Their box, from a marketing standpoint, is very eye catching and appealing. It makes you want to take the pizza home and try it when you are shopping at the supermarket. This is opposed to some pizza boxes that are just boring, particularly the Stouffer’s pizza.

Overall, the DiGiorno Thin Crispy Crust Supreme Frozen Pizza For One was very good. Actually I am ranking it equal with DiGiorno Pepperoni For One (one of my top frozen pizza picks so far besides Red Baron French Bread Pepperoni). This pizza had many good features. Just like the pepperoni version this pie had nice slices of pepperoni dispersed throughout the pie. There was also much more and this is why it is called supreme. This pie has a little bit of many of the popular toppings including sausage, pepperoni, peppers (red, yellow, green), and onions.

The tomato sauce on this DiGiorno Thin Crispy Crust Supreme Frozen Pizza For One was very good for frozen pizza. Believe it or not this pizza was one of the closest pizzas to a good non frozen pizza yet. The tomato sauce had a good amount of flavor inside.

The cheese was very good as well even though it was hard to distinguish this flavor with the rest of the pizza. This was because there are so many toppings in the supreme pie.

I had no complaints about the thin crust on the supreme pizza either. I don’t really have a preference for crust as I like them all if cooked to do what it is supposed to. Thin crust, traditional crust, thick crust, deep dish crust, and flatbreads…to me I try to appreciate the pizza for what it is worth as an individual. I don’t discriminate against varieties of pizza although many other people do have preferences. The reason that I mention this is to prep you to understand that I don’t favor thin crust more than others. With that said, this thin crust frozen pizza was a good thin crust. I appreciate its thin crust qualities just like I appreciate the DiGiorno Garlic Bread Pepperoni’s crust for being what it is. By the way, that garlic bread helped bring the DiGiorno pepperoni pizza to the top of my charts.

The calories for the supreme pizza were about high average standing at 570 and 200 calories from fat. There was 12% fiber in it though which can be helpful.

The microwave instructions were average DiGiorno’s. The pizza comes out and is put on a tray that is flipped over. You then insert the pizza tray into the microwave and cook it for about 5 minutes.

I didn’t realize that DiGiorno is made from Kraft foods. Kraft is a very large company that specializes in cheese. I never put the equation together but this relationship with the world’s leader in cheese could be the reason that DiGiorno excels in creating a frozen pizza that is as close to the real thing as a microwave can take you.

This review on DiGiorno Thin Crispy Crust Supreme Frozen Pizza For One Review is brought to you by Blog Pizza!

IHOP Pizza Review

2009-06-04T19:25:00.003-04:00

Does IHOP Serve Pizza?

For brunch today I revisited one of my favorite places, IHOP restaurant, in search of breakfast and pizza. That’s right, I figured while I am at IHOP; let me see if they have pizza on their very large menu. At this point you are probably thinking “Wow this blog is getting weirder every day.” Hey, I don’t mind. The purpose of this blog is to learn all about pizza. This includes searching in places where you wouldn’t traditionally expect to find it. IHOP is that place.

IHOP or The International House of Pancakes is famous for its American breakfast meals. Their food usually consists of pancakes, waffles, French toast, eggs, crepes, sausages, bacon, ham, coffee, and juice. Over the years, IHOP has ventured into the lunch and dinner arena and has expanded its menu of choices. Is was this fact that led me to IHOP to believe that they may have a chance of offering pizza or something close to it.

Today, I ordered the International Passport dish with Crepes. It was very good but did not look like the picture on the menu. This menu option had two strips of bacon, two sausages, eggs (over easy), and crepes with strawberry sauce on top. No toast (they must have forgot). I didn’t discuss pizza yet – don’t worry you didn’t miss anything.

I searched thoroughly on the IHOP menu but could not find any signs of pizza. The closest thing that I found to pizza was their mozzarella sticks. These mozzarella sticks were very good. It made me think about this food. Mozzarella sticks are an alternative version of pizza. How do I conclude this? The mozzarella cheese inside combined with the fried doe outside when dipped into a tomato sauce similar to pizza is actually a cheese pizza with a different shape.

If you would agree with my analysis of mozzarella sticks than you would also conclude that I did find pizza at IHOP. Think of pizza as a transformer. It doesn’t always have to be one shape or size. It can transform into many variations. The history of pizza is consistent with this theory. Pizza had many different variations throughout the past several thousand years before it became the modern pizza that is famous from Napoli, Italy. To extend this theory, you would conclude that mozzarella sticks is a variation of pizza (or pizza in another form).

To conclude, who would have thought, there is such as thing as an IHOP pizza!

Stouffers French Bread Frozen Pizza

2009-06-03T21:44:00.004-04:00

Stouffer’s French Bread Pizza With Extra Cheese

This article is a review of Stouffer’s French Bread Frozen Pizza With Extra Cheese. This pizza comes two in a box.

Before I begin my review I would like to discuss the history of the company Stouffer’s. The Stouffer’s brand began in 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio. Abraham and Mahala Stouffer opened a coffee shop serving homemade foods. Abraham and Mahala eventually turned the business over to their two sons, Vernon and Gordon Stouffer. Vernon and Gourdon then expanded their operation through several chain restaurants.

It was at these restaurants that a demand had grown for Stouffers frozen foods. The Stouffer’s customers were asking to take the food home from the restaurants so that they can enjoy the meal later.

The milestone in the company began in 1954 when the Stouffers’ family founded their frozen food operation that is what you know today. The final milestone for Stouffer’s was in 1972 when they became a part of the giant company Nestle.

Now on to my review.

I was not pleased with this product at all. I give it a red light (I like this light system I think I may use it more often). Do not buy this pizza. A much better comparable product is the Red Baron French Bread Pizza. Let me tell you why.

First and foremost, this is not a full microwave pizza. This bothers me because I feel tricked. On the back of the box it states microwave 5 and ½ minutes. At the supermarket I was in quick mode and didn’t read the rest of the instructions. This product is actually made to be oven cooked. That’s right – not toaster just oven. The box says to put the pizza into the oven for twenty minutes. Directly next to these instructions is what appears to be the microwave directions until you read closer.

This is the strangest thing – it is a microwave and oven combo directions. Not just microwave. Stouffer’s directions for the pizza requires you to put the French bread pizza into the microwave for about a minute and a half (1 pizza) and then transfer the pizza onto a preheated baking sheet for another 4 to 6 minutes. What is this crap? Why would anyone want to go through all of the trouble to put microwave pizza into a microwave only to finish it off in the oven. For that amount of time spent I could have had a pizza delivered to my house and been abused by the delivery man.

In my opinion, Stouffer’s has killed themselves with this product. I would give them more respect if they didn’t offer microwave directions than to give half ass teaser microwave directions. I can’t understand why anyone would want to buy this product when they could get a better tasting quicker product from Red Baron that is bigger and thicker than this pizza.

I want to make this clear I don’t care what the instructions say, I wanted a microwave pizza and I am not going to compromise. I made up the remainder of the missing microwave instructions myself and microwaved this fake microwave pizza for five minutes. That seemed about right. So this admits my disclaimer that I am making this review half way just like Stouffer’s made their microwave instructions half way. I refuse to put this pizza into a microwave oven and will evaluate this French bread with extra cheese and the other two Stouffer’s pizzas that I have in my freezer as cooked in my microwave 100%.

The pizza turned out less than average. There was a nice size amount of cheese on top and the sauce was ok. The bread was smaller and thinner than Red Baron. The health benefits of this pizza were average. There were 400 calories and 160 calories from fat in this pizza.

Another turn off about the Stouffer’s pizza is the box. I don’t understand how a company as large as Stouffer’s who is owned by the giant Nestle company can produce a pizza with a box as boring as this. The whole box is red and the front cover has a picture of two pizzas and that’s it. You might say well what else do you want? I am not a marketing genius (or am I) but there are a million ways to spice up the face of this box. This may be part of Stouffer’s effort to save money because if they really wanted to spend money they would invest in making this product line a real microwave food. Frozen pizzas cooked in the oven are not the right style for this size pie. You need a family size pie to make cooking in the oven worth consumer’s time. An individual who eats frozen pizza usually is eating this because of a time constraint.

Overall, I do not like Stouffer’s or their French bread extra cheese pizza (where was the extra cheese). You can probably tell that my next two reviews of their pizza will be similar. I don’t have anything against them personally. I just see them from a business standpoint not being able to grasp certain concepts that could make their company much more profitable.

My advice to Stouffer's is the following:

First, Stouffers if you are reading this I would update your microwave pizza to follow the same pattern as Red Baron French Bread pizza. Use their dynamic microwave tray and this pizza will be cooked 100% in the microwave. This will be a great value to your customers. Second, if you want this product to be cooked into the oven please be considerate of your customers who have a toaster oven. They need that option as well. Third, change your box. Put some life into it. Make me want to pick your pizza over the other three million in the freezer section. I have more advice but do this first and then we’ll talk.

This article was a review by Blog Pizza of Stouffer’s Frozen French Bread Pizza With Extra Cheese.

California Pizza Kitchen Frozen Margherita Pizza

2009-06-03T19:26:00.002-04:00

California Pizza Kitchen Frozen Crispy Thin Crust Margherita Pizza For One Review

This review is about California Pizza Kitchen Crispy Thin Crust Margherita Pizza For One. This article is a follow up post to California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza For One in which I had an overall positive review. This Margherita pizza is labeled on the box as crispy thin crust pizza topped with tomato sauce, parmesan, asiago, and romano cheeses, tomatoes, mozzarella cheeses, and basil.

Similar to my review of California Pizza Kitchen’s (CPK) Barbecue Chicken I have a positive review of this pizza. For frozen pizza, there are many good qualities of this pizza and some are different than CPK’s other flavor. The thin crust pizza was very tasty. To hear the crackle of the dough in your mouth as you eat is slight confirmations of a well put together pizza. Although microwave pizza is on another planet than homemade fresh pizza, for what frozen pizza is worth, this would have some value.

I also give credit to California Pizza Kitchen for the sliced tomatoes sprinkled on top. The tomatoes were a good quantity considering that this pizza was a rather small pie.

The variety of cheeses on this pizza resulted it a good finish as well. As thin as the pizza was, the cheese and tomatoes equaled the size of the crust. This is the way I like pizza with a good amount of toppings. When the chef is stingy and don’t give enough cheese, sauce, and/ or toppings it is very noticeable on a pizza. This results in a pizza that tastes close to eating plain dough. That is not pizza – it is dough!

The tomato sauce on this pizza was not the best but it was good enough. I think the abundance of tomatoes on top of the cheese compensated for the thin layer of pizza sauce.

The microwave instructions were easy. This baby pizza cooked in less than 4 minutes and was eaten two minutes thereafter.

California Pizza Kitchen produced an average healthy pizza (if pizza was healthy). The calories in this one serving pie was 420 and 160 calories was from fat. The margherita pizza did have 40% of your daily value worth of calcium in it. However, this pizza has a 40% saturated fat item listed there on the nutrition summary sheet. But what do you want from a frozen pizza?

Overall, I give California Pizza Kitchen Crispy Thin Crust Margherita Pizza For One a green light. Good job! As I stated in their last review though, CPK needs to work on expansion of their product lines and market shelf because they only had a small little 10 inch section on one freezer shelf in the supermarket that I shopped at. This was small relevant to the entire half isle dedicated to frozen pizzas.

This concludes Blog Pizza on California Pizza Kitchen Crispy Thin Crust Margherita Pizza For One!

Vietnamese Food Blog

2009-06-02T16:45:00.002-04:00

Vietnamese Food Blog

This is an introductory post to my new Vietnamese Food Blog! This new food blog is an addition to our ethnic food blog network.

Several weeks back I had introduced the Chinese Food Blog to the readers here at Blog Pizza. I had said that this was the first food blog of many as I begin to roll various food blogs out. The reason that I am doing this is because I am finding from this pizza blog how much I really enjoy discussing various foods. On an average week I may eat at minimum 5 different types of ethnic foods in some form of a meal. This has been the norm for me for many years. Because of this experience I believe that I am comfortable now expanding my writing skills into the other foods of my life.

This new blog called Vietnamese Food Blog will analyze the depths of Vietnam food, especially focusing on pho. Pho is the most popular food eaten by Vietnamese as it is a meal with many varieties. Pho, also known as noodle soup, will be as popular as pizza in America within the next 10 years. If you don’t believe me, this blog is time stamped so you can return in 10 years and quote this posting.

Pho is a food that is addictive and grows on you every bowl that you have. It is quick, tasty, cheap, and fun. Aren’t these all the same qualities that made pizza famous? You watch and see. Pho is already spreading in popularity all over America.

This Vietnamese Food Blog is located at: www.eatvietnamesephonoodlesoup.blogspot.com. I tried to make this website name simpler but this is all that I could get. That is OK because it is understood that the blog will be called Vietnamese Food Blog for short.

I recommend that my readers check out this blog as I will try to post often. It is a big responsibility to juggle multiple blogs at the same time. So please forgive me if I am not always on this blog because I will surely be posting somewhere within my network. If you tune into my ethnic food blogs then you will surely find my current posts somewhere.

Blog Pizza welcomes the Vietnamese Food Blog!

Korean Pizza Review

2009-06-01T18:30:00.004-04:00

Korean Pizza Review

Yesterday I had Korean pizza for dinner. When I say Korean pizza it is the name that I labeled it. It can also be interpreted as Korean pancakes or various Korean names.

I believe that the official spelling for the Korean pizza is pa jun but I saw on another menu that it was spelled pageon. I don’t know. All I know is that I went to a Korean food restaurant yesterday in the spirit of finding variations of pizza. What I found was a very tasty meal complements of Korea. To be honest, this was the second time that I had visited this place. The first time I had ordered the Korean pizza as an appetizer while my main meal was a Korean experiment.

I had found out that the Korean pizza appetizer was the highlight of my meal by a long shot, So I had decided to revisit this Korean restaurant with the intentions of making the Korean pizza my entire meal this time. That’s right no crazy seafood soups just Korean pizza (oh and the 10 small vegetable appetizers that they bring to your table including KimChi).

I keep saying Korean pizza because I feel comfortable with that term. Some Americanize this dish by calling it a Korean pancake. Actually, this dish is very far from a pancake and closer to pizza. Pizza can have vegetable or seafood toppings on or in it unlike pancakes. Thus, pizza would be more appropriate. Now that I cleared that up I have a few more thoughts on Korean pizza.

Korean pizza is a very good taste if made right. The Korean pizza recipe is mainly flour, water, eggs, scallions, and optional red peppers or seafood. When the pizza is complete it tastes best dipped in soy sauce. The soy dip that I had may have had something extra in there though because it did not taste like pure soy. If you are a spicy food lover then adding some red peppers to this dish is a way to bring it alive.

I ordered what appeared to be equivalent to a 10 inch Korean pizza and ate the whole pie with no problem. This Korean pizza brought some thoughts to my head. How about adding cheese to this style of pizza? How about tomato sauce? At what point would fusion with Italian pizza cause this enjoyable Korean pizza to lose its taste? That is an experiment that I propose to my readers. Has anyone ever tried to Italianize Korean pizza?

The best part of the Korean pizza is truly a combinations of the scallions mixed with the crispiness of the fried pancake. The two tastes together complement each other in a pleasant way.

So if you have not tried Korean pizza, I urge you to do so. You can be an American if you want and ask them to throw some cheese on there. I can’t guarantee that the comment will go over too well but you can try. Oh…and remember if anyone calls this food “Korean pancakes” tell them that Blog Pizza said to get it right - it is “Korean pizza!”

Slice | Serious Eats Blog Review

2009-05-31T11:34:00.006-04:00

Slice Pizza Blog From Serious Eats Review

OK…here is the long awaited review of Slice (in reference to pizza slices) from Serious Eats. The main reason for the procrastination is because this website has been around for a long time and has much depth to be reviewed.

I will start my review of Slice from its pizza history. To do that I would like to talk about Serious Eats. Serious Eats is the master website of Slice and was founded circa 2003 by famous food critic, Ed Levine. Levine has been a food critic since about 1992 and is famous for his pizza book: Pizza: A Slice From Heaven. This book was derived from Levine’s research from scouring the globe eating pizza. Supposedly he ate 1000 pizzas in a year (3 a day).

Ed Levine loved journalism but wanted to start his own company and break away from the rules that giant companies like The New York Times enforce on their editors. Thus, Serious Eats was born. Ed Levine started adding his articles from the beginning and building loyalty amongst his readers.

Serious Eats, one of the major food blogs on the internet, has several major subwebsites, which include: Slice, A Hamburger Today, Photograzing, and Serious Eats: New York. Each of these subwebsites focus on its own niche. Slice, the topic of this review, obviously focuses on pizza. A Hamburger today focuses on hamburgers. Photograzing is about various photographs of different kinds of foods. Serious Eats: New York appears to have anything to do with food in New York.

Ed Levine used to write often for Slice and occasionally pops in there. However, these days he seems to be focused on building Serious Eats: New York as he posts frequently to there. The main contributor to Slice is Adam Kuban, the founder and editor in chief.

A little about Kuban. Adam Kuban arrived in New York City in 2000. As he claims, he ate pizza almost every day for the first six months of his NYC experience (a feat similar to Levine). His love of pizza began in his hometown of Olathe, Kansas where he grew up testing pizza recipes with his family. Kuban’s pizza enthusiasm has led Slice, formed in 2003, to the popularity that it enjoys today.

Speaking of popularity, Slice has a page called “Press and Props” which archives all of their various mentionings by many different media outlets. Some of these outlets include The New York Times and The New York Post.

What features does Slice offer? Slice offers many different features that may at first be a bit overwhelming but that is only because there is so much depth and history to the site. Slice has various pizza maps of the many pizza places that have been reviewed. Slice also has pizza recipes, pizza videos, and pizza reviews. If you would like to search Slice, they have an easy drop down menu to browse pizza by location or you can browse their archives by date or category. This is very important for a website that has been around posting almost daily for about 6 years.

The main objective of Slice is to supply pizza information to its readers. This info comes from reviews and various sources all over the internet. Particularly they are fond of having a links page with various pizza highlights.

Ok... the fun stuff... I like my friends over at Serious Eats, particularly Slice. I think that the information that they provide is very helpful for readers searching for food information. Slice focuses on the most popular food in the world, pizza. The style of information that Slice produces is very unique. Kuban finds a way to merge all pizza information, whether relevant or not, to the overall theme of his site. They are indeed similar to a New York Times of Pizza (if such a thing existed).

My review is very positive of Slice, as their information is very useful to the pizza community. I wish their weblog the best of luck and look forward to working with them to improve and unify the pizza world.

This is Blog Pizza signing off!

Hero Pizza Delivery Man Story

2009-05-31T09:34:00.001-04:00

Hero Pizza Delivery Man Story

I had to write a post about a hero pizza delivery man who rescued a woman in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee on Friday. This story is actually ironic compared to my experience on Friday of a pizza delivery man who ripped me off by asking for a tip on top of a hidden delivery charge that he denied. The following story proves that there are good pizza delivery people out there.

Chris Turner, a pizza delivery man for Capelli’s Pizza in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, delivered an extra large supreme pizza, hot wings, and soda to a cabin in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. What he found as he wife waited in the delivery van would make him a hero. He came to the door to find a woman gagged asking for him to call the police. He took the pizza money from the man at the cabin and pretended to not know what was going on. He then proceeded to the neighbor’s house to have them call the police. The neighbor put his truck in front of the suspicious cabin to ensure that nobody flees (clever) while waiting for the police.

When the cops finally arrived it turns out that the woman in the cabin was abducted and raped. David Joseph Hansen had kidnapped the victim from Atlanta and drove her almost 250 miles to the cabin in the Smoky Mountains. He then slipped her a mickey and raped her several times.

If not for the pizza delivery man tipping off the police than this woman’s future would have been unpredictable. She could have been killed after the rapist was done with her.

Folks, I interpret this story differently than many. Most people would see this as another hero story with a positive ending. I say that this is a story about different kinds of people. Friday night, my pizza delivery man had ripped me off and lied about not charging me for a delivery charge. This pizza place I have been going to off and on for at least 5 years. The delivery man’s actions on Friday had confirmed to me that I had been ripped off many other times by possibly the same man at this place.

I had several other incidents that I gave the benefit of the doubt to this man for being ripped off only because I am a nice person and I liked this pizzeria. One time, I had handed the man a fifty dollar bill for a meal worth fifteen dollars and he told me that I only gave him twenty dollars. I brushed it off as maybe he was right. No, he was not right. A liar and thief will keep stealing from you again and again. After Friday’s incident I realized that I am tired of being ripped off by pizza delivery people. It has always been a catch 22 situation though because I feel that if you don’t respect your delivery person than you may end up with a little surprise in your food.

The point that I am trying to make is that here I was about to label all pizza delivery people as “bad” because of my negative experiences. Then suddenly on the same day as that incident a pizza delivery man from Tennessee becomes a hero for going out of his way to save an innocent woman’s life. How crazy is the timing of all this. The moral of this story for me is “don’t judge all pizza delivery people the same.” Some may be heroes and some may be thieves. If you have a thief as your pizza delivery person then maybe it is time to start looking for another pizzeria for delivery (like I will be).

Pizza French Fries Review

2009-05-30T14:57:00.002-04:00

Pizza French Fries Review
To follow up about my dinner last night I had forgotten to discuss the pizza French fries that I had ordered for dinner. You might say “What do we need to hear about pizza French fries that you ate for?” Well, as this is a pizza blog my goal is to cover every possible perspective of pizza and elaborate on it. Here is my opportunity to elaborate on pizza fries.

French fries are famous all over the world, particularly in Europe, North America, and wherever you can find a McDonald’s burger joint. French fries have many names including chips, frites or pommes frites. In America, we usually just shorten this to fries as in “Do you want fries with that.” Considering this is a pizza blog, let’s take the concept of French fries and integrate this with pizza. I can’t speak for the West Coast but here in the Northeast coast, particularly in Philadelphia and New York, pizza fries are well known and are made at any of your local pizza shops.

Pizza French fries are French fries with tomato sauce and cheese on the top. The effect is similar to a pizza except the fries substitute the crust. This result is usually very good as it takes two famous foods here in America and puts them together. You have got to love them hybrid foods! This one usually works well. Some variations of the French fry pizza are when the fries are made with sweet potatoes. This result is Sweet Potato Pizza French Fries. Interesting and tasty.

Last night my order of pizza French fries was not good at all. You should read yesterday’s post to see how else the pizza place went wrong. The pizzeria had put fries with minimal cheese and very minimal sauce. I think the key to successful pizza fries is to have a lot of sauce on top of the French fries. The second thing that makes the pizza French fries good is the quality of the Italian tomato sauce. If the tomato sauce tastes like it should be served at a good Italian restaurant than it should be ideal for ideal pizza fries. The third important step to having a good pizza fry’s recipe is the cheese that is used. I particularly believe that Mozzarella cheese is ideal for this meal. If you were to go to some famous places like Geno’s or Pat’s Steaks in Philadelphia, they use melted cheddar cheese on their fries. Cheddar can work as well but man...Wil you feel unhealthy after you eat that. Especially hot melted cheddar cheese.

All in all, pizza fries are a good supplement to a good pizza meal. If the region that you’re in doesn’t serve this, then you can try making them yourself with the tips that I gave you above. If you don’t know how to make Italian pizza sauce then that is a topic of another discussion. TaTa.

This concludes Blog Pizza on Pizza French Fries.

Vegetarian Pizza Delivery Order

2009-05-29T21:15:00.003-04:00

Vegetarian Pizza Delivery Order

After a long week of eating frozen pizza for frozen pizza review it is nice to break away and order delivery for a real vegetarian pizza. This vegetarian pizza was a large 16 inch pie with many different toppings including: mushrooms, olives, peppers, broccoli, spinach, and onions. It had the works.

This particular pizzeria is one of my top three pizza places for delivery and I just can’t believe the experience that I had tonight. Several concerns. First, the pizzeria raised the prices on the menu that I was given last month. This has got to be the third time that the prices were raised this year. I can recall last month that I had ordered pizza here and when I questioned the high bill I was told to get a new copy of the pizza menu. How many times can a company keep changing the pizza menu on its customers? It is just not fair and this should have been analyzed in my previous discussions of a pizza menu and successful marketing plans. You can’t keep confusing the customers. If you want to change the menu then I would say do it at MAX twice a year. Anything more than this is not fair.

Anyway, I am a loyal customer to this place and I was disputing the pizza bill because I had “an old menu” that was not updated. I called and ask the lady at the pizza place to explain my bill for me because it seemed to high. With a quick answer she then said “I have to go” and hung up on me. Folks, it takes a long time to earn a customer’s respect and a quick moment to lose them. Let me continue.

This pizza place charges a automatic delivery charge of $2. When the pizza delivery man came he had his hand out for a tip. I asked him if there was a delivery charge and he said no. I gave him a few dollars. I then called back and found out about the delivery charge that I already knew they had (was just double-checking – maybe some more updates like the pizza menu). The end result is that I was lied to by the pizza delivery man. I don’t mind giving the pizza delivery man a tip. They work hard to make a living too. But when they lie to you – I just can’t stand that.

So now this delivery guy gets a piece of the $2 delivery charge that was mandatory on my bill plus the several dollars that I gave him for being a nice person. This wasn’t the first time that I have been lied to by a pizza delivery person. Actually, it has happened quite a few times but I seem to just let it slide. But take this scenario and multiply the effect if this pizzeria does the same thing to every one of their customers. If they have 500 deliveries a night times at $2 extra charge then that is $1000 scam money a night. This is not fair.

Let me continue with my problem with this place (notice that I am not including their name here). When I received the pizza and the bill it was interesting that the bill only had a total on it. No breakdown of prices. Nothing. Just the total. This ties into the whole scam picture. The menu has silently had its prices increased; the delivery guy keeps a tip on top of a silent delivery charge, and now a bill with no information. Who do they think their fooling? It is a shame that they did me in like this because they could have had me as a customer infinitely. I have also referred all of my friends and family there which has probably had an exponential effect on their business over the years. Now they may have lost me. One more complaint.

If you have been reading my blog you will notice that one of the things that really bothers me is pizza placed on top of the box without any paper underneath. This paper keeps the pizza sanitary by not letting it touch the dirty pizza box that was sitting in the cellar of the pizzeria for months. The one thing that I always liked about this pizzeria is that they were clean. Their restaurant is clean and their delivered pizza is on top of a clean wax paper inside the box. Today, for the first time when I ordered from this place – guess what? There was no wax paper under the pizza – it was placed right on top of what was obviously a dirty box.

Wow! What is happening to this place? Is the owner a victim of the current economy and is trying to scam people out of money? I doubt it. This place makes tons of money regardless of the economy. Why are they doing this to their customers? The other issues mentioned above is worth giving them a second chance considering how long I have been there. But the wax paper thing? It is highly unlikely that I will be going back there for a while if at all.

Anyway… I started writing this blog about the vegetarian pizza that I had tonight and really got sidetracked here. I must have been more upset than I thought.

Vegetarian pizza is typically pizza with all vegetables. The key to being vegetarian is to have no meat, chicken, or poultry. Although this is highly debatable as there are many different extremes to being vegetarian. Vegans are vegetarians at the farthest extreme as they don’t even like dairy. Vegans would have a problem with the vegetarian pizza that I had tonight because I had a vegetarian cheese pizza. That is the way I like it healthy but tasty. If I really wanted to eat health food than I wouldn’t be eating pizza.

You didn’t think that you could get so much drama from a pizza blog? Blog Pizza has it all. So this concludes my vegetarian pizza delivery order journey tonight!

Red Baron Cheese and Garlic French Bread Pizza Review

2009-05-29T14:38:00.001-04:00

Red Baron Singles French Bread 5 Cheese and Garlic Pizza Review

My next review is about the Red Baron singles French bread five cheese and garlic pizza. This French bread style pizza is topped with a garlic spread, mozzarella, provolone, white and yellow cheddar, and parmesan cheeses. That is a lot of cheese! This is another 2009 Chefs Best award winner for best taste. American Culinary Chefsbest Chefsbest Award for best taste is awarded to the brand rated highest overall among leading brands by independent professional chef judged as award in 2008.

So let’s talk about the fun stuff. By the way, this is another follow up review as a part of the Red Baron Series. I had previously reviewed the French bread pepperoni and the mini deep dishes.

Red Baron singles French bread five cheese and garlic pizza comes in a box of two individually wrapped pizzas. You can microwave or oven bake the bread if you want. Since I am in microwave mode that is what I did for consistency. Making this pizza in the microwave was superfast – 2 minutes. This is unheard of in the microwave world. Ellio’s pizza is three minutes and some of the DiGiorno pizzas had taken me up to eight minutes to cook.

The microwave process to cook Red Baron singles French bread five cheese and garlic pizza was extremely easy. If you can recall from my review of Red Baron French bread pepperoni pizza how I raved about the microwave system and the easy pizza tray they invented then you will understand the following. This pizza tray was identical to the pepperoni pizza tray. There were the holes in the bottom and you only had to take the plastic off the top of the pizza. It saved extra steps unlike many other frozen pizza companies that you have to take a tray out and turn it upside down before putting the pizza on top. This pizza tray system is the best one out there. I am surprised that Red Baron did not use the same pizza tray for their mini deep dishes. Anything is better than the Ellio’s pizza tray that I experienced earlier. That tray needed a rocket scientist to figure it out (you didn’t know that I was a rocket scientist).

The five cheese and garlic flavor pizza was very tasty and Red Baron had put plenty of cheese on top. The cheese was very noticeable too. Although this pizza tasted very good, it is not healthy for you. The calories were 410 for each pizza but had almost 50% of calories from fat at 200. There was 40% saturated fat and only 7% dietary fiber. I wouldn’t eat this pizza if you are worried about your weight.

Overall, I dig Red Baron singles French bread five cheeses and garlic pizza. The taste is good, the microwave time is quick, and the microwave tray is the best one. The bad side is that it is not healthy but great tasting foods usually don’t have a high correlation with health. This Red Baron is starting to wear on me. I don’t know but they may be the brand that will make me convert to a frozen pizza lover (aside from DiGiorno pepperoni pizza).

This concludes Blog Pizza’s Red Baron singles French bread five cheese and garlic pizza review.

Ellio's Microwave Cheese Pizza Review

2009-05-29T10:26:00.002-04:00

Ellio’s Microwave Cheese Pizza Review

Blog Pizza is now in full frozen food mode with a new review of Ellio’s microwave frozen cheese pizza by McCain Foods. This is a single pizza for one made with one hundred percent real cheese and no preservatives or artificial flavors.

Before we start our review, I would like to step back and introduce Ellio’s history to you as this is our first review of Ellio’s pizza. Ellio’s pizza has been around in the frozen food category for a long time. Personally, growing up, Ellio’s pizza was the only frozen pizza that I ate as a kid and did not venture into any other frozen pizzas, either microwavable or toaster oven. This may have been due to lack of option as that was what was put into my freezer. So for me, this will be an interesting review as I have a deep history with this brand.

Ellio’s pizza history began in 1963 when it was founded in Great Neck, NY. Ellio’s slowly became more popular particularly as Americans became more infatuated with pizza and as the population grew. In 1967, the rectangular shape of Ellio’s pizza was introduced that most consumers associate that brand with. In 1988, Ellio’s hit big time and became a part of McCain Foods. Ellio’s pizza always focused on plain cheese pizza as this formula had worked for them. They finally diversified in 2004 by introducing Ellio’s pepperoni pizza. It is very interesting that they have never jumped on variety of toppings long before. I feel that they missed out on a giant opportunity as many consumers would love to switch things up a little and try other flavors.

Anyway, 2004 was Ellio’s variety wake up call. They must have seen success from the pepperoni pizza and decided to keep trying new things. Here comes the big part of their history. Finally, in 2006 Ellio’s microwave pizza (the topic of the review) was sold at stores. Could you imagine how much McCain Foods have disadvantaged themselves by waiting that long for microwavable pizza. They were the first or one of the first frozen pizzas in the industry and should have been at the forefront of the microwave revolution that began in about the mid 1990s with DiGiorno.

Wait! The story of Ellio’s is not over. In 2008, Ellio’s introduced two new flavors to the microwavable market: Italian sausage and pepperoni pizza and supreme pizza. Finally, they are starting to understand what the consumer is demanding. Paying attention to the customer’s needs will always help to keep a business afloat.

Now that we have presented my history with Ellio’s and the history of Ellio’s pizza we can move on to the pizza review. I have always liked Ellio’s growing up. It may have been that I was forced to eat this pizza as it was the only quick food that was always in my freezer. At a certain point, I remember that there was so much Ellio’s in my freezer that I started to get sick of looking at the boxes. This went on for years. This will not affect my review, however, because I haven’t been subjected to Ellio’s torture in a long time.

Ellio’s microwave cheese pizza is the lowest calorie frozen pizza that I have ate yet. At 380 calories and 90 calories from fat, it topples most of the competition. There is also 14% fiber in it which helps the stools to run well. Another good point about Ellio’s microwavable cheese pizza is that the pizza tastes very similar (I said similar not the same) as the toaster oven version. So McCain Foods was able to create consistency in the dough, cheese, and sauce. This was circular pizza that had just enough cheese on it. Ellio’s pizza is usually a very thin pizza as opposed to DiGiorno heavier style thick pizza.

Here comes the bad parts. First, let me say again that I can’t believe that it took this long for Ellio’s to come out with a microwavable version of pizza. What is wrong with McCain foods? They need to be all over that market considering their history in the frozen pizza business. They should be blowing the competition away.

I do NOT like the pizza tray system of Ellio’s pizza one bit. Actually, their pizza tray was the worst pizza tray design that I have experienced so far in all of my frozen pizza reviews. There is a three step system that is so confusing that it turns out to be like ten steps. On your own, the customer has to figure out that you have to cut around the perforations of the entire box to fold the lid back and then sit the pizza on the top of the box. It is not even a pizza tray, you are heating the pizza on top of the same box that the pizza comes in. If McCain Foods is reading this, please redo your boxes to look like Red Baron’s French bread pizza tray with the holes in it. That is the best system so far. McCain: benchmark your competition!

Overall, the taste of Ellios cheese pizza was what I had expected as it is similar to the toaster over version. It did cook in 3 minutes so it was very fast. Ellio’s pizza is a rather bland pizza taste but it works if you are in a hurry. McCain just needs to do something about the pizza tray!

This concludes Blog Pizza’s Review of Ellio’s Microwave Cheese Pizza!

Red Baron Deep Dish Pizza Review

2009-05-27T18:59:00.001-04:00

Red Baron Singles Mini Deep Dish Cheese Pizza Review

This article is a review of Red Baron singles mini deep dish cheese pizza. This is another frozen pizza saga of Red Baron. Early today I had tried the Red Baron French bread pepperoni and now I am back for more. I think that I like asking for trouble.

Red Baron singles mini deep dish cheese pizza promotes itself on its box as:

“The great taste of Red Baron pizza in a convenient bite sized pizza. Red
Baron singles deep dish mini pizzas lets you enjoy full pizza taste. With
all the finest ingredients, Red Baron singles deep dish mini pizzas are perfect
at lunch or dinner, or as a wholesome snack on the go.”

I thought that Red Baron singles mini deep dish cheese pizza was a good break from the usual frozen pizza. These mini pizzas are served four in a packet with two packets or eight pizzas total. About three to four bites and each one of these baby pizzas are terminated.

I thought that the taste was good for a frozen pizza. The cheese was melted nice, the tomato sauce underneath was average, and the crust was decent. This biggest thing that I liked about these pizzas were that they were fun. I can see them being mouth poppers while watching a movie at home instead of eating popcorn. The health value was about average.

There were several things that I didn’t like about Red Baron singles mini deep dish cheese pizza. First, keep in mind that although it says deep dish pizza it is a microwave version of deep dish. A microwave cannot replicate the taste of an authentic deep dish pizza cooked at a pizzeria. Actually, this deep dish pizza did not come close to the taste of a real deep dish pizza. The crust was something to be identified with microwave food.

I didn’t like that these mini cheese pizzas had to be cooked on top of a pizza tray that had to be flipped around. I just ate the Red Baron French bread today and this had the best system for cooking frozen pizza. It was a tray that the pizza sits in with holes in the bottom. Microwaving that pizza was a two step process. Take off the plastic and stick it in the microwave.

This deep dish pizza, even though it is made from the same company and is the same brand, has an extra couple of steps. When it comes to microwave food the system must be built around impatient people. People who cook with a microwave don’t have time to wait or complete extra steps. They want their food now or else they would cook it in the oven. I think that is where this deep dish pizza went wrong. Red Baron obviously already have a great microwave system for the French bread pizza. So why can’t they duplicate that system consistently for all of their other varieties of pizza? Make it easier for the consumer and they will come.

To conclude, I like Red Baron singles mini deep dish cheese pizza just like the French bread pepperoni that I had today. Red Baron seems to produce quality frozen pizzas and with a quick microwave time. The deep dish minis are a unique twist on your normal frozen pizza and I interpret them as “fun pizza.” The biggest issue that I had with the deep dish pizzas was the inconsistency in the microwave trays that were used. This created an extra two steps for the consumer that the French bread pizza seemed to eliminate. I can’t determine why it would be so complicated to create a microwave tray similar to the French bread pizza with holes in the bottom. The other negative was that the deep dish taste of this pizza did not resemble real deep dish pizzeria style pizzas.

Thanks for reading our review on Red Baron singles mini deep dish cheese pizza!

Red Baron Pizza Review

2009-05-27T15:38:00.003-04:00

Red Baron Singles French Bread Pepperoni Pizza Review

This review is about Red Baron French bread pepperoni pizza. The box of Red Baron’s pizza comes with two individually wrapped single pizzas. The French bread is topped with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese (made with 100% real cheese), and pepperoni.

The Red Baron Pizza is a product of the Schwan Food Company. This pizza brand tastes much better than Tony’s Pizza, which is another Schwan Food Company product. Tony’s best thing that it had going for it was the price that was incomparable to any of the frozen pizzas that I have done a review for so far.

The Red Baron French bread pepperoni pizza was good for several reasons. First, I liked the French bread concept in a microwave. Microwave heating cooks from the outside first and then works its way towards the center. The size and shape of the pizza in this form seems to work well with microwave heating.

The Red Baron French bread pepperoni pizza was also good because of the proper amount of toppings on the French bread. That is, this pizza had just the right amount of mozzarella cheese and pepperoni on it. The size of the pepperoni slices was also acceptable and the taste after it was cooked allowed just enough pepperoni juice to slide down the length of the bread. Nice!

I also liked this Red Baron pepperoni pizza because it was fully cooked in 3 minutes and 30 seconds. This is super fast considering the size of the pizza. This pizza is longer than most of the other frozen pizza brands and styles that I have eaten and it blew out the competition by over a minute and a half cook time. It may have something to do with the bread pizza not being circular but I don’t think so.

Another thing that I liked amount this Red Baron pizza was the microwave plate that it came in. More than any other brand or style, this pizza had a box tray underneath it with holes along the sides to let heat in and out. This supposedly cooks it better. I believe that this pizza tray design is where all frozen pizzas should be. Other frozen pizza companies need to figure out the science of this tray. I think the other options to cook frozen pizza are annoying. I am not being lazy but I would rather not take a pizza out of the plastic, flip over a tray, and then put the pizza on top while trying to catch the cheese that is falling off. Red Baron’s French bread pizza gave me no trouble at all. I simply removed the plastic and slid the pizza and the tray it is in straight inside the microwave. Ingenious! Why can’t they all be this easy?

The nutritional benefits of Red Baron's pizza were about average. Each slice was 360 calories and 130 calories from fat. There is a good amount of sodium in here though at 1070 mg or 45% of the daily recommended value.

Red Baron’s pepperoni pizza was awarded a 2009 Chefs Best Award for best taste. The ChefsBest Award for best taste is awarded to the brand rated highest overall among leading brands by independent professional chefs judged as award in 2008. It appears that I wasn’t the only one with a good review of this pizza.

My usual readers may be confused because I don’t really have anything bad to say about this pizza. Am I converting to being a frozen pizza lover? I hope not but I sure am eating an extraordinary amount these days.

This concludes Blog Pizza’s Red Baron Singles French Bread Pepperoni Pizza Review!

Pizza Menu Delivery Options

2009-05-27T10:14:00.002-04:00

Pizza Menu Delivery Options

There are many methods to deliver a pizza restaurant’s pizza menu into the hands of its customers. A pizza menu can be left at the counter of the pizzeria, delivered by its customers, delivered via pizza delivery man, delivered by an outsourced company, or delivered via a pizza company’s online website.

This post is a follow up post to yesterday’s overview of a pizza menu. In that article we had discussed the significance of a pizza menu; what categories to put on a pizza menu; its relationship to a pizza company’s mission statement and goals; prices of pizza; and various other related topics. The discussion today will focus strictly on methods of delivery for the pizza menu. In other words, we will focus on how to get the pizza menu into the hands of the customer.

The first way to distribute pizza menus is to leave a stack of them on the counter or display table at the pizzeria or pizza restaurant. It should be somewhere extremely visible usually near the cashier. This will be easy to grab for customers in a variety of situations. People coming into the restaurant whether they are staying or not should be able to take a pizza menu. Also, people who are leaving the pizzeria are good candidates for the menu because they can take it home and ponder over their next visit or if they need a pizza delivery.

The goal is to get a pizza menu into the hands of every person (not just customers) who walks through the door. Every person that has a pizza menu has the ability to spread the word of your business exponentially at the minimal cost of a cheap pizza menu. This is the marketing power of a pizza menu that we had discussed yesterday. A pizza menu is a representation of a company’s food products that are for sale currently. Without a menu a company may never be able to expand to its fullest potential.

Another way to distribute a pizza menu is via a pizza customer. This concept is interrelated to the marketing power of a pizza menu. If a customer really enjoys the pizza at a particular pizzeria then they will want to tell all of their friends and family. They will probably grab a stack of menus from your store and then go on a personal mission to help market your business for free. They will hand them out to everyone they care about in hope of making them as happy as they were when they ate your pizza. People tend to want to be given credit by their friends and family as being the person who introduced a new food or restaurant to everyone. It makes them feel a sense of worth. This is how a successful pizzeria will get their customers to do their legwork for them.

Think about it. If a pizza customer went and told 10 people about your pizza business and then each one of them told ten people…hey..you are now in business. But this marketing phenomenon does not stop there. These customers will continue to spread the word until your business is flourishing out of control. Just be prepared for this growth or else your business may suffer. As the old restaurant adage goes “Every happy customer will tell 2 or 3 of their friends but every unhappy customer will tell all of their friends.” Be cautious of growing bigger than can be handled.

Another method to deliver the pizza menu is via the pizza delivery man or woman. The pizza man has a key role other than delivering pizza. To many, he (or she) is the face that is representing the whole business. When the pizza delivery man delivers a pizza he should be handing out at least one menu to every customer. That is, the pizza delivery person has an opportunity to market your business a little further every time a pizza is delivered. If a pizzeria has a really aggressive marketing campaign then I would recommend handing out about three to five menus to every household. This will allow a cushion to help your pizza customer spread the word for you. They may take the menus and distribute them to their friends, family, or even coworkers. These will put the cycle into full gear. The pizza delivery man can also give brochures, magnetic business cards, or some other marketing material to the customer in addition to the pizza menu. This is advertising at its best.

An outsourced third party company can deliver pizza menus to customers and/ or potential customers. There are many different companies that provide services where they will deliver your marketing materials to a target market that you specify. This option can be expensive but will get cheaper on the amount of volume that you want to deliver. For example, you may want to deliver 15,000 menus to a particular zip code and this may cost around $1,500 each occurrence. It may seem expensive but it is an advertising cost that has to be weighed by the amount of sales that can be produced. If that $1,500 investment will increase your sales by $1,500 a week permanently that it is a no brainer.

The cheapest way to deliver your menu to your pizza customers would be via an online pizza website. Statistics from several of the big pizza chains are demonstrating that an online pizza menu is increasingly become more popular for customers. If a customer is in a jam and needs a menu pronto then they could easily go straight to that company’s website, download the menu, and print it out all in the matter of seconds.

Having a pizza menu online is a significant advantage for an Italian pizza business. It is another opportunity to make the sales process easier for its customers. Think about that customer who needed a menu now and doesn’t have one. When they go on the internet and your website doesn’t have a menu then they may move on to check the menu out of the website from the pizzeria on the next block. This all could have been avoided with a simple scanned in copy of a pizza menu added straight to your website.

Pizza menus are unquestionably a significant tool for a pizza business to become successful. There are many ways to deliver a pizza menu into the hands of customers and prospects. As outlined above, some of these ways include displaying the menu at the place of business; having customers distribute menus, the pizza delivery man; an outsourced distribution company; and an online pizza menu. This list is not exclusive as there are plenty of more creative ways to hand out a pizza menu. However, it is a very good starting point for a pizza business looking for ideas.

What pizza menu distribution method is the best? That answer really depends on the nature of the pizza business. If advertisement funding is not an issue than I would recommend to use as many distribution options as possible. If costs are limited, then I would recommend not being too generous with the pizza menus. On the other hand, if a pizza business is too cheap with the menus than it could hurt the business. Remember, it takes money to make money.

This has been another fine article presented by Blog Pizza on Part Two of Pizza Menus: Pizza Menu Delivery Options.

California Pizza Kitchen | Frozen BBQ Chicken Pizza

2009-05-26T21:13:00.002-04:00

California Pizza Kitchen Frozen BBQ Recipe Chicken Pizza For One Review

This post is a review of California Pizza Kitchen barbecue recipe chicken frozen pizza for one. This BBQ pizza is topped with BBQ sauce, white meat chicken, reduced fat mozzarella cheese, smoked Gouda cheese, red onions, and cilantro.

To start our frozen pizza review I would like to back up a moment to explain who California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) is. California Pizza Kitchen was started in 1985 by two lawyers, Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax. These two lawyers threw in the towel for legal practicing to tend to their restaurant dreams. The concept behind CPK was to create a restaurant that serves pizza that are specialty dishes that everyone loves to eat. They have a large variety of pizza dishes incorporating cuisines from around the world.

California Pizza Kitchen is now an extremely popular pizza restaurant chain with 250 different restaurants in their network. Over 200 of those restaurants are company owned and about 50 are franchised. CPK also offers soups, salads, sandwiches, and pasta at their restaurants. CPK also made an agreement with Kraft Pizza Company, a subsidiary of Kraft Foods Inc., to deliver frozen pizzas to various supermarkets and retail outlets. This is where this review kicks in.

The interesting part about shopping for frozen pizza last week was my discovery of California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizza. I did not even know that they produced this line of food. There was only one little section for their frozen pizzas out of a whole isle. This means that they still have a long way to go in order to penetrate this market. So here comes my review.

Tonight I ate the barbecue chicken pizza for one. I would say that it was very good for a frozen pizza. The flavor was there from the crust to the cheese to the barbecue sauce that was hidden underneath. California Pizza Kitchen put a good amount of chicken on the pie. The crust was also above average for frozen pizza.

California Pizza Kitchen barbecue chicken pizza also had a very efficient microwave system similar to DiGiorno pizza. There was a tray that came in the box that had to be flipped over. The pizza went on top of this box and was put into the microwave for 3 and a half minutes with an extra 15 seconds if the cheese did not melt. The cook time for this pizza was much faster than the competition. DiGiorno pizzas ranged from 5 to 8 minutes in the microwave. When you’re dealing with microwave food my theory is that the faster that it can be cooked the higher the rating that the pizza deserves. If a customer wants to wait for a pizza they will order one from the pizza menu. Microwave pizza is meant for convenience and should be quick.

California Pizza Kitchen Barbecue chicken pizza tops most of its competitors from a nutritional standpoint. The calorie count is 500 with only 120 calories from fat. It also has 16% fiber and 25 grams of protein. It’s nice to know that you are getting healthier by eating pizza. Now only if you can lose weight by eating pizza every day. I want to be the first to know when that idea is proven.

Overall, I thought that California Pizza Kitchen barbecue pizza was good in many categories for frozen pizza. It still has a long way to go to gain more market shelf in the supermarkets though as it only has a tiny section in the freezer.

Thanks for reading Blog Pizza and the California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Recipe Chicken Pizza For One Review!

Pizza Menu

2009-05-26T17:37:00.002-04:00

What is a pizza menu?

A pizza menu is a snapshot of what food a particular pizzeria or restaurant has for sale. Blog Pizza will be exploring this topic today in further detail because it is highly relevant to the pizza industry. Any successful pizza restaurant must have a well defined pizza menu ready to be handed out to a customer at any given moment.

A pizza menu is very important to a pizza business for several reasons. First, a pizza menu will establish credibility within the mind of the customer. When a customer is just browsing your business they want to see what is on your menu. If you don’t have a menu than you will look very unprofessional. In many cases, a simple list of what foods are served at a pizzeria will be a symbol to the customer that you take your business serious. Serious business owners get all of the customers. A wise old Italian man would say, “No pizza menu, no sella pizza!”

Another important reason for a piiza place to have a pizza menu is to help the business consolidate all of its food options into one list. This is good for both the business and the customer. For the business a pizza menu is good because it helps them really analyze what items they are going to tell the public that they offer. The specifics on this list will really help them to define other areas of their business like their mission statement and future goals.

For example, if Antonio’s pizzeria is developing a menu for their new business then they are forced to categorize and prioritize their pizzas. Many questions will have to be asked. These include:

What is our best pizza?

How much should we charge for our pizzas?

How many toppings should we offer?

Should we sell sandwiches too to complement the other foods for sale?

How much will they cost?

What do my competitors charge?

Should I sell thin crust or deep dish?

Should I offer white pizza?

If so, what type of white pizza?

What type of drinks should I offer?

How much should the drinks cost?

There are many more questions that will surface as Antonio’s pizza is trying to formulate their pizza menu. This brainstorming activity is a necessity of creating a pizza menu. Those who think creating a pizza menu is easy to do should think again. Creating a pizza menu is like putting all of the ideas of the store down on paper. You may need to rethink your pizza business in a way never done before.

A pizza menu is also beneficial to the customers as well because it allows them to decide what they want. Most people can’t decide what they want from the menu of choices in their mind. They also can’t read your business owners mind to distinguish the foods that they are actually selling. This is where the value of menus comes into play.

A pizza menu will allow a customer to sort through the options of foods that a particular business has to offer at that current time. It is extremely important that items on the menu are current or else the customer can become frustrated. If you own a pizzeria, don’t fall into the trap to believe that “I only sell pizza so what do I need a pizza menu for?” This is a deadly misconception.

Every pizzeria has different types of pizzas, different toppings, pizza specials, combinations, pizza sizes, slice variations, and price differences from the pizzeria down the street. It is important to communicate this information to the pizza customer as to avoid confusion and frustration. Any business owner knows that you want the customer to be happy the whole way through the sales process. If they get agitated at any point then the business risks losing the sale. This principle applies to the pizza industry as well. A solid, well communicated, updated pizza menu can prevent an agitated customer and help foster more pizza sales.

Another reason for having a pizza menu is to foster the marketing aspects of a pizza business. A pizza menu has the ability to get into many different hands. Once a customer has a menu of their favorite pizza place they tend to share it with all of their friends and family. They want everyone they love to know about this great pizza place that has brought them much happiness. This is free promotion that happens through a process that I call the “Pizza Menu Life Cycle.”

The Pizza Menu Life Cycle starts out at a pizzeria. It is then distributed to a customer. The customer then either places the pizza menu so that all can see (such as on the refrigerator) or gives it away to someone they care about who would also enjoy this pizza (of course the original pizza customer will go back and get another one). The pizza customer’s referral will repeat the cycle after they have enjoyed the pizza and would also like to spread the word. This cycle goes on and on and is the quickest way for a pizza company to market their business at the lowest cost. The only cost is to print as many pizza menus as possible.

Hopefully by now you are starting to see the value added to a business of a having a great pizza menu. Some basic questions include how many pizza menus should a pizzeria start out with? The answer to this question really depends on the nature of the business. How many times does the business plan on updating the menu? If often then you would not want too many pizza menus because as the new menu replaces the old menu you will be stuck with much excess inventory (you don’t want to give out outdated menus to a customer). A business should also consider how aggressive their marketing plan is. If the pizzeria is a small mom and pops with no plans for franchising then they will not need as many menus as a large franchised pizza business. A generic answer to how many pizza menus would be about 1000 to start. You can always add more later but 1000 would be enough usually to forecast how many menus the business will need in the future. Call it a pilot sample.

What type of designs can be placed on a pizza menu? The sky is the limit. A pizzeria should always consider adding their trademarks and business contact information at minimum. Also, choose colors that are representative of the theme of your pizza business.

What kind of categories should the pizza menu be divided into? There are many options but that depends on the nature of the business. If the business only sells pizza then the categories will be separated amongst pizza styles, toppings, specials, size of crust, or any other relevant category. If the pizza business sells other foods like sandwiches or pasta dishes then they will need separate categories for those food items as well.

There will also need to be a beverage section. List all of the types of beverages, for example: Coca Cola, Sprite, Snapple iced tea, Ginger Ale, Pepsi, 7UP, milkshakes (include flavors like vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry), water, and seltzer. The menu should also show the originality of the business. This is their opportunity to shine to the customer. They may want to consider putting their famous slogans on there or anything that they feel will attract more customers (a full lesson on marketing is beyond the scope of this post).

What type of prices should be placed on a pizza menu? It depends on the business again. How much does the business need to sell their pizzas for in order to make a profit that they will feel comfortable with? Now how much would the average customer pay for that slice? Weigh the difference between the two numbers and if the business owner can compromise to make the numbers best for everyone then those prices may be a good starting point on the pizza menu. Also, check out the competitors. What are Pizza Hut, Dominos, Papa John’s, and the pizzeria up the next street charging per pizza slice? This is called benchmarking and is a necessity to survive in business.

I have discussed pizza menus today because it is a topic that may interest many of our readers particularly those that have pizza businesses or are considering opening one. Hopefully I have provided enough information to get the brain kicking for those that doubt the power of a pizza menu. If you still don’t believe in pizza menus that I recommend that you take a look at Dominos pizza menu and Pizza Hut pizza menu and take a guess at how much extra revenue those menus drive to their business. I don’t have those exact numbers but I know that they have to be very high.

Referring back to my Pizza Menu Life Cycle Theory, there are plenty of customers who will take the pizza menu and stick it with a magnet on their refrigerator. Every person who walks in that house will then ask about that particular pizza place. This is “free advertising.” Imagine if the menu made it to the refrigerator of everyone of your customers. This free marketing potential of the pizza menu would become magnified. This is the true power of the pizza menu!

Update: The pizza education continues in Pizza Menu Part II: Pizza Menu Delivery Options.

Passion 4 Pizza Review

2009-05-25T20:29:00.004-04:00

Passion 4 Pizza Website Review

This review is about a newer pizza website called passion-4-pizza.com. As stated in our link exchange page, we will be happy to provide a review of any pizza blogs or websites. If you would like to link with us, however, please review our link exchange policy.

Passion 4 Pizza is a very cool new website that appears to have been around for almost a year now. A nice couple from Long Island New York runs the website and offers their perspectives on pizza. Lillian D’Eustachio and Cary Steiner are both pizza connoisseurs that have incorporated pizza into their history together.

For Lillian and Cary, pizza was always a fascinating food. Cary always liked local New York pizzerias and Lillian preferred her grandmother’s pie. Cary remembers his youth when he ate at the local Brooklyn pizzerias. Lillian, being from Italian descent, had grown up watching her grandmother make pizza. Pizza was a highlight of her childhood, which may have something to do with her Napolitano grandmother’s pizza recipe.

Passion 4 Pizza is Lillian and Cary’s journey to discover and review New York pizzerias, specifically, Long Island pizza. Since they are from Long Island, they are able to provide a fresh perspective of their local pizza places including the famous Umberto’s. They also have reviews of other New York pizzerias as well as out of state pizzerias that they have visited.

Passion for Pizza is a pizza website with an interesting New York perspective on pizza. It is great to have a pizza site that talks honestly about New York pizza from local New Yorkers. Although another famous website called Slice also focuses on New York pizza, they don’t target Long Island pizza like Lillian and Cary. This leads to my recommendations for their website. I recommend that Lillian and Cary continue to focus on creating reviews only for Long Island pizzerias. I bet there are almost 500 pizzerias in that area (Long Island still is New York – there is a pizza place every square foot). If they focus on their area of expertise (Long Island pizza) then they will build credibility and be able to take their website to the next level.

In sum, Passion 4 Pizza is a pizza website worth taking a look it. They have much useful information as well as some cool pics of pizza and themselves (I love those 70’s pics). Blog Pizza wishes Cary and Lillian the best of luck!

This concludes Blog Pizza’s review of Passion 4 Pizza website!

DiGiorno Four Cheese Pizza Review

2009-05-25T18:33:00.003-04:00

DiGiorno Traditional Crust Four Cheese Pizza For One Review

Round three of the DiGiorno saga is a review of DiGiorno traditional crust four cheese pizza for one. Is it true that DiGiorno’s fresh baked taste is really from the microwave? Let us explore the truth behind the slogan.

DiGiorno four cheese pizza is an overall better quality cheese pizza compared to the competition amongst other frozen cheese pizza brands. There is a good amount of cheese that is topped on the crust. The overall effect is pleasant if you like that much cheese. Just remember to double check that all of the cheese is cooked before you eat it. If not, put the pizza back in the microwave and cook the pizza 30 seconds more at a time until the cheese is fully melted.

There were some things that I did not like about the Four Cheese Pizza. First, the ratio between cheese and sauce was largely unbalanced. There was barely any sauce for the amount of cheese that was on there. I think that a very good cheese pizza must have good quality sauce to complement it. It is understood that the pizza is called four cheeses for a reason but if you are going to put the much cheese it should be counterbalanced with a little more sauce. Otherwise, it should be called something like inside out mozzarella sticks instead of a pizza.

Overall, I did not like this pizza any better than the other two varieties of DiGiorno’s pizza. Actually, DiGiorno pepperoni pizza still has my unanimous vote amongst the three varieties so far and by a long shot. It was something about the quantity and quality of the pepperoni pizza that has made the particular pie king of the DiGiorno family so far. One other thing that I liked about the pepperoni pizza was the taste of the crust. The herb flavor made their crust stand out. The sausage and four cheese pizzas with original crusts were a little bland. But what the hell do I know, I don’t really like frozen pizza to begin with?

From a nutritional standpoint, this pizza had fewer calories than the other DiGiorno pizzas with toppings. However, it still had an enormous amount more calories than the competitors such as Tony and Celeste pizza. The traditional crust four cheese pizza has 720 calories with 270 calories from fat.

The one healthy part of this pizza was the amount of fiber in it. There was 6 grams of fiber or 24% in the pie. This is a healthy amount. However, after I ate it, I still did not feel any healthier than before (only a little more bloated).

This concludes another wild frozen pizza review by Blog Pizza on DiGiorno Traditional Crust Four Cheese Pizza For One!

DiGiorno Sausage Pizza Review

2009-05-23T16:43:00.001-04:00

DiGiorno Traditional Crust Sausage Pizza Review For One

This will be a short review of DiGiorno Traditional Crust Sausage Pizza For One. I have tried this pizza and I have several comments to make about it.

This post is a follow up post to DiGiorno Pepperoni Pizza. Overall, I thought this sausage pizza was rather tasty for a frozen pizza but no match for the DiGiorno Pepperoni pizza that I ate the other day. The sausage pizza had sprinkles of sausage as a topping but definitely didn’t match up to the amount of pepperoni that was on the DiGiorno pepperoni pizza.

The crust was average for a frozen pizza. I don’t know what happened but for some reason this pizza had taken much longer to cook in the microwave then the DiGiorno pepperoni pizza pie. The directions have you microwave the pizza with a length of time varying on the microwave wattage with a range of 3 to 6 minutes. However, it also states that the pitsa is not done until all of the cheese is melted.

The cheese on the DiGiorno sausage pizza was not melted until after about 8 minutes, which is unacceptable compared to the competitors. Microwave pizza should be done in 5 minutes or less or else it wasn’t prepared right (that’s my take). The DiGiorno pepperoni was done in 5 minutes as promised. Of course I always add a few extra minutes for cool off time. You can get a nasty tongue burn if you eat this pizza without waiting for it to cool down.

Overall, DiGiorno traditional crust sausage pizza for one had an average rating for frozen pizza. If you only like sausage then this pizza is your only choice. If you are not a picky carnivore like me, then so far DiGiorno pepperoni is king. Ok, I will be moving on to try the plain cheese version. Stick around for some more reviews of frozen pizza.

This concludes Blog Pizza’s review on DiGiorno Traditional Crust Sausage Pizza Review For One!