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My computer freaked out the first time I wrote this so I’m hoping I get to post this comment:
With that said my question is about 00 flour. I’ve heard that it is the best flour to use, but to be honest I usually feed my sourdough starter (16 years old) with the stuff, it makes it happy and it seems to do better. I’m thinking because it’s easier for the starter to feed because it’s so finely ground. But it is rather expensive the cheapest I can find it is $1.99 per kilo, so I’m not so keen on trying something that in the end would not really change the pizza. BTW I have worked hard to prefect my pizza’s and I love my pizza both my NY and my Chicago style.
So do you think it’s worth a try?

Finally, maybe SOMEONE can help me! I am originally from IL and have been a NY'r for ten years now -- there is an INCREDABLE difference in pizza -- unless you've had both, you won't know...
Back in IL, the pizza's were thin, the crust was awesome, just awesome! It had a beer taste sometimes, and I have wracked my brain trying to figure it out. There are a couple places here in NY where I really enjoy the pizza, and it seems that most people refer to chicago pizza as the pan pizzas or stuffed which I am NOT talking about here....do you know how to make the crust used in IL so I can re-create it here? My husband only had pizza once in IL and he didn't like it because he's a born and raised Bronx boy--you know, if it's not sicilian, it's thin with some sauce and even the cheese is different! The pizza I grew up with was thin crust, LOTS of delicious mozzarella (which is my second question...what's the difference in the cheeses? there is a DEFINITE difference!)...anyway, the IL pizza was thin, with a beer-y taste, nice sauce and thick delicious gooey cheese and the NY pizza is thin, some sauce and a different kind of moz..OH and the slices to squares thing...hubs STILL makes fun over that one! LOL! seriously, I've tried to write to some restaraunts out there with no luck and want to make homemade IL pizza at home here in NY and have had zero luck in finding any recipes. If you can help or will help, please email me at mariannakeough at hotmail.com .. I'd greatly appreciate your help

Thanks for the tips. Tried the soaking in the sauce before putting it on the pizza tonight, which was nice and better than anything I tried before. But will try and find some Soy bean oil somewhere and try that out.

Also tried the margarine, Oregano & Garlic wash (added a little Marjoram too, just because) and it does seem pretty close to what the pizzeria used to use. Think I'll leave it for just my Marinaras rather than my other pizzas in future though - think it will be great on those.

I use a 14"X16"X5/8" kiln shelf as a pizza stone. I got mine free as it was ruined by a huge glaze drip for its original purpose, but new cost is about 35 bucks from a ceramic supplier. I also use 3 kiln stilts to position the shelf 1/2 inch above the bottom element of my oven. Place stilts at the back corners and front center of the shelf. The reason for 3 stilts is so the shelf won't wobble. I think Williams Sunoma pizza stone is actually a kiln shelf.

Nice looking pizza! Have you attempted deep dish pizza? :)

Hillary
Chew on That

defusion
try coating both sides of basil leaves in soybean oil rather than olive oil (higher smoke point) and place on pizza at beginning of bake. oil will keep basil from drying out and will help retain color,

Great thread! Thanks. I make a lot of pizzas, but new tricks and tips always help me get better.

Always put your oven to the hottest it will go. 550 or so. Always preheat the pizza stone or I use a cast iron skillet flipped upside down. Cornmeal works perfect to keep the dough from sticking and I like the added texture while eating. I use Mark Bittman's pizza dough but most are pretty much the same, but ones that ferment over night are typically tastier. Always use bread flour and I like to use 1/3 white whole wheat flour from King Arthur.

walttrombone: wood or metal peel? what youre looking for is called a "slip" - most home pizza makers and deck oven pizza places uses flour to get the pizza off of the peel and into the oven. you want to use a wood peel for this.

chain places uses "dusting flour" which is 50/50 flour/cornmeal, and does the exact same thing.

the first few times you do it you may use too much and get a floury taste, keep trying it though and youll get it.

$750K/year and no savings? No wonder he's out of work. He's an idiot.

@Cassaendra--what happened to your uncle was dreadful, and inflicted upon him because of racism and evil.

What took away his life was a genuine tsunami of prejudice.

But what is so outrageous about the way these Wall Street individuals have behaved today is that the risks they took hurt us ALL--NOT just themselves, that is why people are so angry. This man was part of the culture where moving money in the search of quick profits off of others, rather than doing something good with business, was the rule. It was money on paper, nothing more. And we are all suffering. The issue is not that he was RICH, but HOW he made his money, and it is not that all bankers are bad, but the way this type of banking was done. Not all bankers are bad, but the bankers involved in the crisis, with their speculation, hurt so many people...

And there is no responsibility--they talk about the 'tsunami' of the financial crisis, when it was of their own making.

Adam, when I saw this post I did think it was relevant, because like you said, sometimes people look down on individuals who work with their hands. When I worked 'menial' jobs I was amazed by how I was treated by customers.

However, the true relevance is driving a pizza delivery truck or making pizza is far more honest and 'real' than managing a hedge fund, and losing your fortune and the fortune of others with unacceptably risky speculation. Maybe, in a way, he is moving up in the world--or at least, hurting less people than most of the bankers involved in the crisis.

Thanks for the story. I appreciate it for what it is, that change happens. Anyone on this board can come upon "tragedy" (subjective) and lose their jobs tomorrow, fail a final exam and lose their scholarship, get hit by a car and become paralyzed from the neck down, fall and hit their had and have seizures for the rest of their lives.

What would YOU do? Feel sorry for yourself? If so, for how long? Risk it all? Go on a shooting rampage? Prefer to stay unemployed for the perfect job opportunity? If so, at what expense? Commit suicide?

So many people think "bankers hours" and are really angry against bankers. My father was honest and hard working. Bankers hours for an executive was from 5 a.m. - 5 p.m., sometimes later, on weekdays, and he would go in on Saturdays too. There were years before this current crisis that banks were merging, our economy was tumbling, and we were not sure if he would have a job - fortunately, nothing bad every happened. He was more conservative w/ his $$ but still invested, again fortunately, in companies that are stable and some have become extremely successful. Some people play it safe, some people have it in them to risk it all.

My uncle poured gasoline over himself and set himself aflame when he lost everything during WWII. The US government took my family's assets and distributed it to the people.

My classmate was shot and killed when some guy came in to her workplace and went on a shooting rampage after losing his job.

Some people live a certain lifestyle which can be expensive to maintain. Unless you've been around this type of situation, you'll never know. All people see is the final paycheck $$ amount, but there are taxes, charities you're "forced" to a contribute to, lifestyle to maintain with others in your league, etc. Of course, in my family, money was always well spent, but I grew up and worked with people who lived in this sort of bubble and have seen the effects when things go south.

I don't feel resentment nor pity for them. There are many ways to go about failures in life. This is a chapter of a story in someone's life.