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From Talk

New Emile Henry rectangular Pizza Stone feedback.

I have a pizzaiolo for 48 years and have only used http://www.amazon.com/Best-Manufacturers-14-inch-16-inch-Pizza/dp/B000ORE0KA

To me all others fall short. I have seen the Emile Henry stones and from a physical/material standpoint it simply does not compare. Anyone who uses the Best stone will understand. As for heating it up, I put it on the bottom rack just above the electric element in the oven and when it reaches 500 degrees the stone is ready.......about 15 minutes. I have no idea why it would take longer than that to heat to the working temp.

From Slice

Daily Slice: Margherita at Di Carlo, Los Angeles

Well you are all wrong except for billgraney...........this pizza is absolutely delicious. I tried it on July 3 for lunch and it was so good I stopped in for another one and ate it in the car on my way home to San Francisco that Friday. First the sauce; he uses nothing but whole tomatoes he crushes which is amazing since the tomatoes are so naturally sweet. He uses Alta Cucina brand (California grown) sold mostly to restaurants altho I found them in an Italian deli a couple of years ago and they may have been the best pelati I have ever tasted so can understand why he adds nothing for the sauce. But he is just trying to stay within the simple naples style of crushed/pureed san marzano's. His wood burning oven cooks the pie perfectly, it is not soft in the middle at all, in fact i was shocked how crisp it was as well as incredibly tasty with the char. I think he was using 00 flour, tasted like it to me but maybe not which would account for the crisper crust. Size was very generous for the price. The owner is a great guy who knows what he is doing with a real passion for great pizza. I cannot comment on his toppings as I am a margherita guy all the way so tried nothing else....but if I lived near by I would be eating it twice a week. And there is plenty of cheese on the pie if you know what you are eating........but definitely not enough for heavy cheese pie eaters! Think Italia not LA!

From Slice

The Best Surface For Baking Pizza, Part 8: Screen and Stone

There is only one professional quality stone on the market I have been using for many years; and having been a pizzaiolo for over 40 years and tried so many there just is no comparison:

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Manufacturers-14-inch-16-inch-Pizza/dp/B000ORE0KA

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From Talk

New Emile Henry rectangular Pizza Stone feedback.

I have a pizzaiolo for 48 years and have only used http://www.amazon.com/Best-Manufacturers-14-inch-16-inch-Pizza/dp/B000ORE0KA

To me all others fall short. I have seen the Emile Henry stones and from a physical/material standpoint it simply does not compare. Anyone who uses the Best stone will understand. As for heating it up, I put it on the bottom rack just above the electric element in the oven and when it reaches 500 degrees the stone is ready.......about 15 minutes. I have no idea why it would take longer than that to heat to the working temp.

From Slice

Daily Slice: Margherita at Di Carlo, Los Angeles

Well you are all wrong except for billgraney...........this pizza is absolutely delicious. I tried it on July 3 for lunch and it was so good I stopped in for another one and ate it in the car on my way home to San Francisco that Friday. First the sauce; he uses nothing but whole tomatoes he crushes which is amazing since the tomatoes are so naturally sweet. He uses Alta Cucina brand (California grown) sold mostly to restaurants altho I found them in an Italian deli a couple of years ago and they may have been the best pelati I have ever tasted so can understand why he adds nothing for the sauce. But he is just trying to stay within the simple naples style of crushed/pureed san marzano's. His wood burning oven cooks the pie perfectly, it is not soft in the middle at all, in fact i was shocked how crisp it was as well as incredibly tasty with the char. I think he was using 00 flour, tasted like it to me but maybe not which would account for the crisper crust. Size was very generous for the price. The owner is a great guy who knows what he is doing with a real passion for great pizza. I cannot comment on his toppings as I am a margherita guy all the way so tried nothing else....but if I lived near by I would be eating it twice a week. And there is plenty of cheese on the pie if you know what you are eating........but definitely not enough for heavy cheese pie eaters! Think Italia not LA!

From Slice

The Best Surface For Baking Pizza, Part 8: Screen and Stone

There is only one professional quality stone on the market I have been using for many years; and having been a pizzaiolo for over 40 years and tried so many there just is no comparison:

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Manufacturers-14-inch-16-inch-Pizza/dp/B000ORE0KA

From Slice

The Best Surface For Baking Pizza, Part 3: Quarry Tiles

I sure hope slice has mentioned Best Manufacturers amazing stone that none other can compare to. I have been using this stone for 30 years, probably on my 4th or 5th one. once you feel and use it you will know why no other stone is in its league.

You can get a great price delivered and no tax at http://www.amazon.com/Best-Manufacturers-14-inch-16-inch-Pizza/dp/B000ORE0KA

Would love to hear comments from others who have used it or those who have not but take my advice and buy it.......you will be so happy and wonder how all the others can be called stones.

From Slice

My Pizza Oven: Leyway, Making Pizza in Paradise

Leyway I love it. You may have read my two reviews of Cibo and Nuccio's in Manila. I baked 15 pizzas one night in a home built wood burning oven at Club Ocellaris in Anilao, Batangas back in 1994 when the chef from Papparazi convinced Boy Venus to build one. Other than that I have not seen any other outdoor ovens in the Philippines. I lived/worked in Mactan for a year in 2000, would love to have gone over to your place to make some pies with you! Maybe next trip on my way to Dumagete. There are several really good pizza places in Cebu owned/run by Italians. Your pie in the picture looks fantastic.

From Slice

How Do You Prepare Your Tomatoes for Pizza?

I developed a technique for de-seeding and preparing only the quality part of the pelati 40 years ago and have used it ever since. I hold the tomato in my right hand with the stem end near the bottom of my palm, then take my thumb and cut a line from the top to the bottom up the side exposing the inside; i then dunk the inside up and down in the juice from the can until the seeds all fall out. I then open up the rest of the tomato length wise and take out the core from the top until the stringy connectors are gone. The end result is all meat, no seeds, and no stem/core. I crush the meat by hand or rough chop in the food processor. If I want a really classy sauce I just use the meat; if I want volume I strain the juice and add to the tomatoes. I then heavily salt (need to be careful since the canned tomatoes are salted), add almost an equal amount of sugar, fresh ground pepper, and a light dusting of basil/oregano. I will add some doppio concentrato if I use the juice to thicken it up a bit. For classic NY or Naples style NEVER EVER EVER COOK PIZZA SAUCE, IT COOKS ON THE PIZZA AND IF HIGH QUALITY TOMATOES DOES NOT NEED MUCH COOKING. I have been using this recipe for 40 years and have never had a complaint.

From Slice

The United States of Pizza: Where to Eat Pizza in California (Part 1, Northern California)

Adam, There is a really great pizza place in Mill Valley called Small Shed Flatbreads (http://www.smallshed.com/). I have eaten there many times and it is fabulous. They make a killer caesar salad (so similar to my caesar dressing) to go with the individual pies they serve. As is always the case with me when I eat pizza outside of my house I only ate their basic cheese which on their menu is called "Virgi's". it is a very thin almost cracker like crust and the sauce is to die for. I inquired with one of the owners and was told they cook the sauce with finely chopped onions and carrots to get it naturally sweet (the vegies are barely discernable but for someone like me preparing pizza sauce for 44 years I had already figured it out). While I am normally not a fan of cooked sauce being a purist this sauce is knock out and quite sweet the way I like it. I can try to do a review with their cooperation or you can do it your next trip out. By the way, if you ever want a recipe for a blow-you-away caesar salad dressing (only anchovy lovers will enjoy it) let me know and i will send it to you. It is done in a mini food prep so much easier than the traditional method and does not use egg.

Re Toni G my wife and I have been eating in his original place for years since it is 10 minutes from our house (altho the pizza is American style and not Napoletana style at all). A couple of years ago he took me in the back and insisted he give me a huge bag of flour he wanted me to try from his 50lb sack of Caputo "00" despite the fact I told him I buy it in small bags from the Pasta Shop at Market Hall in Oakland.

By the way, Arinell's in Berkeley still makes the best slice in N. Cal.

Last night I made 3 pies: margherita, fresh garlic.......and the 3rd was 1/2 spanish ventresca/roasted garlic and 1/2 fresh steamed baby artichokes and eggplant cutlets sliced. My place is where the real pizza action in N. Cal is taking place!!

From Slice

Poll: How Do You Like Your Sauce, Precooked or Uncooked?

Sorry my previous post was incorrect, the name is not Marin Flatbread but is Small Shed Flatbreads at http://www.smallshed.com/index.html

From Slice

Poll: How Do You Like Your Sauce, Precooked or Uncooked?

I have been baking pizza for 40 years according to the traditional style of Naples and NY which uses strictly 100% uncooked sauce. From a purists standpoint there is no other choice. With that said there is a phenomenal pizza place in Mill Valley, CA called Marin Flatbread pizza It is a fantastic very thin wood oven baked pie with a sauce to die for. When i inquired about the sauce (being an afficionado) I was told it was cooked, and when i asked how they got it so sweet they told me they used carrots. This is something I would consider sacriligious both the cooking of the sauce and carrots. Yet the pizza is so good it shows you what I know and what I can learn. 40 years ago I used to get a pizza from an old Italian guy with a restaurant off the beaten path in Monterey, CA. His sauce was not only cooked but had to have at least 10 ingredients in it including small pieces of bell pepper. All I can say is that to this day it was one of the most incredible pies I have ever eaten. So it just goes to show that you can use a cooked sauce......but beware that it better be unique and knockout or it has no place on a traditional pie. Adam, if you like I can do a review one of these days next time I am up there to eat.

From Slice

The Paupered Chef's Guide to $3 Homemade Pizza Stones

All sounds great but after baking in home ovens on stones for 30 years I highly suggest what is often considered the best stone on the market produced by Best Manufacturers. The best price I have seen is at http://www.amazon.com/Best-Manufacturers-14-inch-16-inch-Pizza/dp/B000ORE0KA

From Slice

Pizza in Manila: Nuccio's

Unfortunately I have to report that Nuccio's is out of business! He closed in September of 2008 because he was going to open a bigger and better place around the corner on Jupiter St. in the old closed La Taverna Restaurant. It seems it did not work out and altho an Italian restaurant did open there he is not involved...............so his pizza may be gone forever. Wonder what happened to that fabulous wood burning brick oven he imported from Italy that was in his pizza joint?

From Slice

Best Pizza in San Francisco, According to Michael Bauer

The only places i am not familiar with are Rosso and Gialina, will try them soon.

I agree with all of Ed's comments on the ommissions, none belong on the list. Also Pauline's, good but no way on the best list. I am surprised Ed did not even mention Amici's.

Picco is very good, flatbread style, belongs on the list. To have Goia on there and not Amici's makes no sense. In fact, no matter how you slice it, anyone who leave Amici's off the list has no idea what they are talking about. Bauer has good taste buds.......but is not savvy when it comes to pizza.

Pizzaiolo definitely belongs on the list, leaving A18 off is hard to understand.

I have been a pizzaiolo student for 43 years, my pizza consists of "00" flour, san marzano's, bufala or fior d'latte.........the finest ingredients..........i am a master at dough and pizza making.........yet i always marvel at the consistent quality with that brick oven char and the wonderful NY/East coast style pizza they have achieved. They should have been on the list!

From Slice

Upstart Newark Pizza Truck Actually Cooking Pizza in Truck

In the late 1950's until early 1960's when i was a kid in Franklin Square there was an old white converted school bus owned by an Italian guy with a heavy accent that came around every Tuesday. He had a full pizza oven and made the pizza's in ther spot fresh. He would often make a couple of pies and drive in the neighborhood as they cooked and honk his special horn so you knew he was around. The pizza was super, and most weeks my mom would give me the money and i would go out and buy one. The smell from the truck was fantastic, and you could sometimes smell it a couple of blocks away which was another way you knew he was coming.

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