Took OldestSon out to dinner tonight pre-birthday. We went to Bottom's Up Pizza in Richmond. Bottom's Up is the place that is consistently voted the "Best pizza in Richmond" and has won the State Fair competition several years running. They are VERY GOOD at what they do.
The restaurant itself has an industrial feel to it, and the decor is a mixture of modern, art deco, and brick warehouse. Somehow it all works. It is a very pleasant place to eat, but is not fancy. This was my second trip there, and the food was just how I remembered it. They make a nice pizza with a light crust, and toppings are under the cheese.
Last February when we went there, I was searching for ways to improve my pizza recipes. Eating there was an eye-opener. A lot of the changes that I made to my recipes this year were done with an eye towards being as good as Bottom's Up. Chasing this target has made my food much better.
There are still things that I do differently than they do, but understanding the 'why' has made me much more confident in my product. Important to note are these:
My sauce has a bolder, more complex flavor. I use roasted garlic, lots of herbs and spices, and aged balsamic vinegar in my sauce. Most people like it, but a few do not. Bottom's Up has a much milder tomato sauce, has no garlic (might have garlic powder but it was not prominent), and is more of a straight tomato-basil construct. I have been toying with the idea of making a milder red sauce, and I think that having that option might improve marketability.
My dough has more developed gluten and a higher protein content, which makes the dough more hearty. My dough cooks up like a hearty Italian bread with an open structure. Bottom's Up uses a lower protein content flour. Their dough cooks up with a finer crumb, almost like a focaccia bread. We age our doughs differently as well. They age theirs 12 hours from prep to service. Mine is aged much longer to allow for a more complex flavor to develop, almost like a sourdough in flavor and texture.
Bottom's Up Pizza is well worth the trip. If you are ever in Richmond, VA and want a nice casual meal and some outstanding pizza, GO THERE. You will not regret it. I have eaten there twice, and both times learned something important about the way that they do things. They use quality ingredients, prepared with care. Their end-product is consistent, and consistently good (my experience tracks with some locals I know who eat there regularly).
Ten months ago I ate there and changed most of my recipes as a result. I had placed them at the top of my list of places whose food I wanted to equal. Their food made me want to make mine better, and I had already experienced success with my old recipes.
Today, I made myself a mini pizza for lunch to cement the flavor profile in my head before eating at Bottom's Up again. So, tonight I got to make a close comparison to my goal. I am happy to say that I think I have achieved what I set out to do. I am still going to tweak things. There are always ways to improve the product or broaden the appeal. I do think we have a winner here. In the meantime, if you want a great pizza (and assuming I am not the one cooking it), go to Bottom's Up!
Pax,
Newbius
FTC Note: I paid cash for my meal, and left a nice tip for the very pleasant girl (Leah) who was our server. If the food had sucked, I would have written that instead.
Showing posts with label Pizza. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pizza. Show all posts
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Pizza Party Tonight
Hosting a party for about 35 college kids from GMU Cru tonight. (George Mason University chapter of Campus Crusade for Christ) Homemade pizza, lots of music and games, laughter and joy. I can't wait. :)
Pax,
Newbius
Pax,
Newbius
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Opportunities in disappointment
Every now and then, you will get a wake-up call that forces you to re-evaluate your commitment to your dreams. I got one today. My prospective business partner, who was working a contract job to build up the seed money to start the pizza restaurant, has had a setback. It seems like the job he got hired for was a little bit of smoke-and-mirrors...
Ah, well.
For me, this is a gut-check. "Do I really want this?" The answer is still "yes". So, I will press on. I will continue to refine the processes, and the recipes, until the product is right. I will also continue to build up the name recognition locally by hosting more parties and maybe doing a little catering. In the mean-time, I wish my future partner all the best. When the time is right, then we will move forward. Not before, and not at-risk. And most assuredly without outside financing. I will not be beholden to any bank.
The timing has to be right. I am in no hurry. Instead of causing worry, this little disappointment has been a blessing in disguise. It has allowed me the time to be introspective about what I want and how I intend to bring it to fruition. For now, I will wait patiently and work at what I know.
I need to learn patience anyway.
Pax,
Newbius
Ah, well.
For me, this is a gut-check. "Do I really want this?" The answer is still "yes". So, I will press on. I will continue to refine the processes, and the recipes, until the product is right. I will also continue to build up the name recognition locally by hosting more parties and maybe doing a little catering. In the mean-time, I wish my future partner all the best. When the time is right, then we will move forward. Not before, and not at-risk. And most assuredly without outside financing. I will not be beholden to any bank.
The timing has to be right. I am in no hurry. Instead of causing worry, this little disappointment has been a blessing in disguise. It has allowed me the time to be introspective about what I want and how I intend to bring it to fruition. For now, I will wait patiently and work at what I know.
I need to learn patience anyway.
Pax,
Newbius
Monday, May 23, 2011
Pizza recipe is changing
I have been playing with the recipes for a couple of reasons. I want to make the dough lighter, and also want to make it easier to produce consistently. To that end, I have removed the olive oil from the dough recipe. I have also gone to a wetter dough, using a cold-rise technique with a longer fermentation (3-5 days).
The results have been very positive, as has the feedback from myguinea pigs guests. This is another whole level above what I have been doing before and the taste and texture are really shining now.
I am still tweaking, but here are a few tidbits: Radically cut down on the sugar. Eliminated the olive oil. Hydration >65% (it is a sticky dough that must be handled with gloves). Divided by weight and then refrigerated for minimum of 3 days at 34F.
Once I have finalized the weights of the crust by pizza diameter, I will post them here.
I know this is kind of a tease...but I might be going commercial with this and want to keep some things close to the vest. If you have the savvy to figure things out from what I have posted, then you really don't need me anyway. :D Good Luck!
Newbius
The results have been very positive, as has the feedback from my
I am still tweaking, but here are a few tidbits: Radically cut down on the sugar. Eliminated the olive oil. Hydration >65% (it is a sticky dough that must be handled with gloves). Divided by weight and then refrigerated for minimum of 3 days at 34F.
Once I have finalized the weights of the crust by pizza diameter, I will post them here.
I know this is kind of a tease...but I might be going commercial with this and want to keep some things close to the vest. If you have the savvy to figure things out from what I have posted, then you really don't need me anyway. :D Good Luck!
Newbius
Friday, May 13, 2011
Friday Night Pizza
It looks like tonight is the night for resumption of Pizza and Games at Casa Newbius. I was thinking that "Friday Night Pizza" might work as a restaurant name (or the title of a book on raising kids, either one). It looks like it will be a party of 20, and I would invite Alan Gura if he was in town. :)
Newbius
Newbius
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Pizza last night
Had another test outing for the new recipes. Feedback was good. The restaurant owner wants me back tonight, and wants to make this a weekly thing.
Baby steps...
Baby steps...
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Pizza updates
I am experimenting with the recipes to improve the flavor. Also, I am working on scaling up the quantities in anticipation of going commercial with it at some point in the near future.
The biggest change to the recipes relates to the dough. I am playing with removing the olive oil from the dough recipe and doing a longer ferment to produce a lighter tasting crust. Initial feedback has been very positive. More to come later...
Pax,
Newbius
The biggest change to the recipes relates to the dough. I am playing with removing the olive oil from the dough recipe and doing a longer ferment to produce a lighter tasting crust. Initial feedback has been very positive. More to come later...
Pax,
Newbius
Sunday, October 3, 2010
A Good Weekend
Friday: Did homemade pizza for the kids and their friends. Played some games. Had good conversation. Good food, good music, good times.
Saturday: Had a relaxing morning doing minor repairs on the car, then board games followed by dinner out for my daughter. Got a surprise visit from a very special friend of my son's.
Sunday: Church service, then more games with the kids. Prepped some frozen pizzas for college, and then taught an adult class at church. Got the kids sent back to college with clean clothes and some homemade goodies.
Now? Just chilling with a Cuervo Gold on the rocks, snuggled with my honey.
This was a very good weekend.
I hope yours was, as well. :)
Pax,
Newbius
Saturday: Had a relaxing morning doing minor repairs on the car, then board games followed by dinner out for my daughter. Got a surprise visit from a very special friend of my son's.
Sunday: Church service, then more games with the kids. Prepped some frozen pizzas for college, and then taught an adult class at church. Got the kids sent back to college with clean clothes and some homemade goodies.
Now? Just chilling with a Cuervo Gold on the rocks, snuggled with my honey.
This was a very good weekend.
I hope yours was, as well. :)
Pax,
Newbius
Friday, October 23, 2009
AlfredOMG! sauce
As promised kids, here is the recipe. I do not claim that this is an authentic Alfredo sauce. I only know that I judge Italian restaurants by their Alfredo, and the places whose sauce tickles my taste buds have stayed in business far longer than those whose sauces were thin, bland, and without character.
This is NOT "low-cal", "low-fat" or low flavor. This sauce is guaranteed to clog your arteries, raise your blood pressure, and spoil you for any other Alfredo-style sauce forever more.
You've been warned...
2-3 TBSP salted BUTTER
2 TBSP finely chopped garlic
2-3 TBSP flour
1/2-1 tsp Sea Salt (to taste)
1/4-1/2 tsp ground white pepper (to taste)
2 cups Heavy whipping cream -or- Half&Half
1/4 cup aged grated Romano (at least 9 months)
1/2 cup aged grated Parmesan (at least 18 months)
1/4 cup aged shredded Parmesan (at least 24 months)
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter on low heat until all is liquid and then increase the heat until the butter begins foaming off the whey.
Add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes until lightly toasted. DO NOT burn the garlic.
Add the flour and whisk thoroughly to ensure incorporation and cook for another minute. This is a white roux with garlic. We do not want the flour to toast or begin browning at all.
While still whisking, slowly add all of the cream (or half and half depending on the results of your last EKG and routine physical...).
Add the salt and pepper and continue heating the mixture while whisking constantly until the sauce thickens and begins to bubble around the edge of the pan.
When thick, remove from heat and stir in the cheeses (in order), incorporating each one thoroughly before adding the next until all of it is smoothly incorporated into the sauce.
Serve over pasta, use as a bread dip, or as the base to the best Chicken and broccoli pizza you have ever tasted... :)
Enjoy!
Notes on the cheeses: I buy my cheese from Costco. These are the Pecorino Romano (green label), Grana Padano aged parmesan (green label), and Aged Shredded Parmesan (black label) cheeses that they sell in the deli section. I have also used good aged cheeses purchased in wedges from places like Trader Joe's or Wegman's with good results. The thing to remember is good ingredients yield good results. These are good results. The quality of the cheese isverycritically important. Do not expect this sauce to taste good if you are using Kraft cheese from a tube...
Edited to add the following:
This sauce is thick by design.
I make this most often as a base for chicken and broccoli pizza.
For pasta, you can thin it to suit your preference by adding up to another cup of cream or half and half. It is much easier to thin a thick sauce than it is to thicken a thin one. You may not even need to add any more cheese... ;)
Please use white pepper. For white sauces you will find that the flavor of a finely ground white pepper is much more compatible with cream-based sauces than black or red pepper is (and no black specks in your sauce making people wonder...). Buy good white pepper. You will be glad you did.
Yes, that really IS a 2:1 ratio of sauce base to cheese. This sauce is thick, velvety, and VERY rich. Truly a heart attack on a plate, but what a way to go!
Pax,
Newbius
This is NOT "low-cal", "low-fat" or low flavor. This sauce is guaranteed to clog your arteries, raise your blood pressure, and spoil you for any other Alfredo-style sauce forever more.
You've been warned...
2-3 TBSP salted BUTTER
2 TBSP finely chopped garlic
2-3 TBSP flour
1/2-1 tsp Sea Salt (to taste)
1/4-1/2 tsp ground white pepper (to taste)
2 cups Heavy whipping cream -or- Half&Half
1/4 cup aged grated Romano (at least 9 months)
1/2 cup aged grated Parmesan (at least 18 months)
1/4 cup aged shredded Parmesan (at least 24 months)
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter on low heat until all is liquid and then increase the heat until the butter begins foaming off the whey.
Add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes until lightly toasted. DO NOT burn the garlic.
Add the flour and whisk thoroughly to ensure incorporation and cook for another minute. This is a white roux with garlic. We do not want the flour to toast or begin browning at all.
While still whisking, slowly add all of the cream (or half and half depending on the results of your last EKG and routine physical...).
Add the salt and pepper and continue heating the mixture while whisking constantly until the sauce thickens and begins to bubble around the edge of the pan.
When thick, remove from heat and stir in the cheeses (in order), incorporating each one thoroughly before adding the next until all of it is smoothly incorporated into the sauce.
Serve over pasta, use as a bread dip, or as the base to the best Chicken and broccoli pizza you have ever tasted... :)
Enjoy!
Notes on the cheeses: I buy my cheese from Costco. These are the Pecorino Romano (green label), Grana Padano aged parmesan (green label), and Aged Shredded Parmesan (black label) cheeses that they sell in the deli section. I have also used good aged cheeses purchased in wedges from places like Trader Joe's or Wegman's with good results. The thing to remember is good ingredients yield good results. These are good results. The quality of the cheese is
Edited to add the following:
This sauce is thick by design.
I make this most often as a base for chicken and broccoli pizza.
For pasta, you can thin it to suit your preference by adding up to another cup of cream or half and half. It is much easier to thin a thick sauce than it is to thicken a thin one. You may not even need to add any more cheese... ;)
Please use white pepper. For white sauces you will find that the flavor of a finely ground white pepper is much more compatible with cream-based sauces than black or red pepper is (and no black specks in your sauce making people wonder...). Buy good white pepper. You will be glad you did.
Yes, that really IS a 2:1 ratio of sauce base to cheese. This sauce is thick, velvety, and VERY rich. Truly a heart attack on a plate, but what a way to go!
Pax,
Newbius
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Friday Pizza Perfect
Friday is always busy...
Between finishing my work for the day, making dough and sauce, and finalizing the list of attendees, it can get tense. But, this is a good thing. It is a good thing because Friday Night Pizza is also serious fun.
By the time 1700 rolled around, the oven was heating and everything was just about set. Lefty had her list of friends, Oldest told me about a couple of his friends, and Lord Obsidian agreed to drop by with a new board game to try out.
Making pizza is an interesting dance...the timing on my oven at 500 degrees is such that it takes about 12-15 minutes to do one 16" pie right. 7 minutes on the bottom rack, and 5-8 minutes on the middle, depending on the amount and type of toppings. So, first pie goes in on the bottom rack and then moves to the middle rack when number two goes in on the bottom. And so on throughout the cooking process. Since it takes about 7 minutes to toss the dough, sauce it, and top it, the kitchen becomes a busy place while the pies are going in and coming out. This also means that once I get going, I have a new, hot, steaming pile of "Goodness!" coming out of the oven roughly every 7 minutes. 6 pies takes less than an hour from start to finish.
First pie out of the oven is always chicken, broccoli, and bell peppers on AlfredOMG! Sauce (recipe to follow in a separate post). The early arrivers want this one first because it is the house favorite. It almost never lasts 5 minutes on the table and I always have to make two just to keep people happy. Since this one is so popular, I also make another one at the end of the night for the late arrivals and the people who want a third or fourth slice later in the evening.
I knew Lord Obsidian was arriving early due to a later commitment farther south so I put his fave (and one that I really like too) in next. This one is pepperoni, pineapple, and jalapeno on my special Red(state) Sauce. The hot of the jalapeno and the sweetness of the pineapple make a nice counterpoint for each other and the salt of the pepperoni combines nicely with the tang of the sauce. Another winning combination. Lord Obsidian walked in about a minute before the pie came out of the oven. Great timing, and an indicator of how the night was going to go.
OldestChild likes pepperoni (JUST pepperoni), and one of his friends is also particular about that, so that was the next pie in the oven. Oldest was waiting patiently for it to come out and his friend arrived just as I was slicing the pie on the board. Another timing win! The evening was starting to really hit stride.
Next to go into the oven was 6heese! No, that is not a typo...my cheese pizza uses mozarella, aged parmesan, and a 4 cheese blend for a total of 6 cheeses on the red sauce. As I put this pie into the oven, some of Lefty's friends came in who ONLY eat cheese pizza. It was almost like there was some kind of pre-ordained flow to the way things were going.
The party was in full swing by this time, with games and movies going, lots of talk, and laughter in every room. I had just two more pies to make and pie number 5 is another house favorite: smoked ham and pineapple. Toss the dough (watch the ceiling!) and throw it on the pan. Sauce it up, thick layer of mozzarella, generous portion of ham and lots of pineapple, a sprinkle of aged parmesan and into the oven it goes.
The last to go in was another Chicken AlfredOMG pie. This last one came out of the oven right about the time that the last of Oldest's friends came through the door and a few minutes before my beautiful wife got home. The last pie to come out of the oven did so less than an hour after the first one went in, and everybody got to have their favorite type - hot and fresh from the oven - upon arrival. I would call that a cooking WIN!
Now that the pies were out and everybody was NOMming, I got to play a new game (to me) called "Endeavor". This game is a winner and I am going to have to add it to the board game rotation at Casa Newbius. If you like Catan, you will like this one.
All in all, a good night. Lots of food, conversation, and fun. Less than a pizza's worth of leftovers...a few slices of ham and pineapple (BREAKFAST!), a couple slices of cheese, a slice or two of pepperoni (but no Alfedo). And, I got to try a new game. I am really looking forward to the next pizza night. Maybe next week??
Pax,
Newbius
Between finishing my work for the day, making dough and sauce, and finalizing the list of attendees, it can get tense. But, this is a good thing. It is a good thing because Friday Night Pizza is also serious fun.
By the time 1700 rolled around, the oven was heating and everything was just about set. Lefty had her list of friends, Oldest told me about a couple of his friends, and Lord Obsidian agreed to drop by with a new board game to try out.
Making pizza is an interesting dance...the timing on my oven at 500 degrees is such that it takes about 12-15 minutes to do one 16" pie right. 7 minutes on the bottom rack, and 5-8 minutes on the middle, depending on the amount and type of toppings. So, first pie goes in on the bottom rack and then moves to the middle rack when number two goes in on the bottom. And so on throughout the cooking process. Since it takes about 7 minutes to toss the dough, sauce it, and top it, the kitchen becomes a busy place while the pies are going in and coming out. This also means that once I get going, I have a new, hot, steaming pile of "Goodness!" coming out of the oven roughly every 7 minutes. 6 pies takes less than an hour from start to finish.
First pie out of the oven is always chicken, broccoli, and bell peppers on AlfredOMG! Sauce (recipe to follow in a separate post). The early arrivers want this one first because it is the house favorite. It almost never lasts 5 minutes on the table and I always have to make two just to keep people happy. Since this one is so popular, I also make another one at the end of the night for the late arrivals and the people who want a third or fourth slice later in the evening.
I knew Lord Obsidian was arriving early due to a later commitment farther south so I put his fave (and one that I really like too) in next. This one is pepperoni, pineapple, and jalapeno on my special Red(state) Sauce. The hot of the jalapeno and the sweetness of the pineapple make a nice counterpoint for each other and the salt of the pepperoni combines nicely with the tang of the sauce. Another winning combination. Lord Obsidian walked in about a minute before the pie came out of the oven. Great timing, and an indicator of how the night was going to go.
OldestChild likes pepperoni (JUST pepperoni), and one of his friends is also particular about that, so that was the next pie in the oven. Oldest was waiting patiently for it to come out and his friend arrived just as I was slicing the pie on the board. Another timing win! The evening was starting to really hit stride.
Next to go into the oven was 6heese! No, that is not a typo...my cheese pizza uses mozarella, aged parmesan, and a 4 cheese blend for a total of 6 cheeses on the red sauce. As I put this pie into the oven, some of Lefty's friends came in who ONLY eat cheese pizza. It was almost like there was some kind of pre-ordained flow to the way things were going.
The party was in full swing by this time, with games and movies going, lots of talk, and laughter in every room. I had just two more pies to make and pie number 5 is another house favorite: smoked ham and pineapple. Toss the dough (watch the ceiling!) and throw it on the pan. Sauce it up, thick layer of mozzarella, generous portion of ham and lots of pineapple, a sprinkle of aged parmesan and into the oven it goes.
The last to go in was another Chicken AlfredOMG pie. This last one came out of the oven right about the time that the last of Oldest's friends came through the door and a few minutes before my beautiful wife got home. The last pie to come out of the oven did so less than an hour after the first one went in, and everybody got to have their favorite type - hot and fresh from the oven - upon arrival. I would call that a cooking WIN!
Now that the pies were out and everybody was NOMming, I got to play a new game (to me) called "Endeavor". This game is a winner and I am going to have to add it to the board game rotation at Casa Newbius. If you like Catan, you will like this one.
All in all, a good night. Lots of food, conversation, and fun. Less than a pizza's worth of leftovers...a few slices of ham and pineapple (BREAKFAST!), a couple slices of cheese, a slice or two of pepperoni (but no Alfedo). And, I got to try a new game. I am really looking forward to the next pizza night. Maybe next week??
Pax,
Newbius
Friday, October 16, 2009
Pizza Friday
Casa Newbius will once again be alive with the sounds of raucous teens consuming mass quantities of homemade pizza and playing board games. It will be good to have some noise in the house again.
If you were invited, the first pie comes out of the oven at 1800. If you weren't invited...there must have been a reason. ;)
Cheers!
If you were invited, the first pie comes out of the oven at 1800. If you weren't invited...there must have been a reason. ;)
Cheers!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Contrasts...
This past week was one of interesting contrasts. The work week was hectic and stressful due to demands from the job. We got some unreasonable delivery expectations from my customer requiring some super-human effort on the part of our team. We will get it done, but I do not expect to get any recognition. Maybe that is a good thing.
Yesterday was "National Dungeons and Dragons Day" and saw the release of Players Handbook 2 along with some new player classes. Got to spend the day with some very good people playing games and basically enjoying a somewhat slower pace. I also got an introduction to a very cool board game called Power Grid. I might ask for it for my birthday.
Friday, I was finishing up some stuff for work and then adjusted the scope rings on Beauty. I looked over and saw one of the cats sunning herself on the floor. I had to take a picture. So here is a different kind of contrast for you. Both of these make me smile.
I call them Beauty and the Beast.
Meet Beauty:
and the Beast:
Both of these girls are useful in home defense...The Beast (Princess Sophie) handles everything under 5 pounds and charms everything over 50 pounds. Beauty just handles everything else. Both of them were rescued from unkind circumstances and they have a home now where they are loved and cared for.
Friday night was more pizza and games with the teens. I am in awe of these kids, they are just amazing. Another Friday night recharging the batteries and having fun with people I like. Friday and Saturday were great unwind days. Lots of laughs and good times. Sunday is shaping up to be a good one too. Looking forward to finishing out the weekend on a high note, with good people and good times.
I hope your day brings you smiles too.
Pax,
Newbius
Yesterday was "National Dungeons and Dragons Day" and saw the release of Players Handbook 2 along with some new player classes. Got to spend the day with some very good people playing games and basically enjoying a somewhat slower pace. I also got an introduction to a very cool board game called Power Grid. I might ask for it for my birthday.
Friday, I was finishing up some stuff for work and then adjusted the scope rings on Beauty. I looked over and saw one of the cats sunning herself on the floor. I had to take a picture. So here is a different kind of contrast for you. Both of these make me smile.
I call them Beauty and the Beast.
Meet Beauty:
and the Beast:
Both of these girls are useful in home defense...The Beast (Princess Sophie) handles everything under 5 pounds and charms everything over 50 pounds. Beauty just handles everything else. Both of them were rescued from unkind circumstances and they have a home now where they are loved and cared for.
Friday night was more pizza and games with the teens. I am in awe of these kids, they are just amazing. Another Friday night recharging the batteries and having fun with people I like. Friday and Saturday were great unwind days. Lots of laughs and good times. Sunday is shaping up to be a good one too. Looking forward to finishing out the weekend on a high note, with good people and good times.
I hope your day brings you smiles too.
Pax,
Newbius
Friday, February 27, 2009
I love Friday nights...
I really love Friday nights.
Friday is the day when I get to hang out with the coolest people I know: my teen-aged kids and their friends. In four or five hours, my batteries are totally recharged for another week in the trenches.
The standing deal is this: I make the pizza. 3, 4 or more, depending on group size. Hand-tossed dough, and sauces-yes plural-from scratch, plus whatever toppings they want.
They can invite any friends they want to have over for food, and music, and board or card games. The door is open to anybody they know who wants to be a guest for the evening.
Frankly, I think I get the better end of the deal.
I get to hang out with some of the brightest, freshest, most talented teenagers I have ever met. Their parents know that the kids are safe, and I know where my kids are on Friday night. Most of these friends go to Youth Group with my teens. They are really a wonderful group. So far, every one of the friends has earned a standing invitation to return.
What impresses me most though is their diversity of talent, thought, and world view. All have very clear thinking on the issues of the day. A lot of them are honors students. Some are musicians. Some sing in choir. Some are athletes. They have wonderful senses of humor, sparkling wit, and quick minds. Their parents did very well with every single one of them. I am proud that these are the people that my teens choose to be with.
If these kids are our Nation's future, we are going to be all right.
Here's hoping that your Fridays go as well as mine do.
Pax,
Newbius
Friday is the day when I get to hang out with the coolest people I know: my teen-aged kids and their friends. In four or five hours, my batteries are totally recharged for another week in the trenches.
The standing deal is this: I make the pizza. 3, 4 or more, depending on group size. Hand-tossed dough, and sauces-yes plural-from scratch, plus whatever toppings they want.
They can invite any friends they want to have over for food, and music, and board or card games. The door is open to anybody they know who wants to be a guest for the evening.
Frankly, I think I get the better end of the deal.
I get to hang out with some of the brightest, freshest, most talented teenagers I have ever met. Their parents know that the kids are safe, and I know where my kids are on Friday night. Most of these friends go to Youth Group with my teens. They are really a wonderful group. So far, every one of the friends has earned a standing invitation to return.
What impresses me most though is their diversity of talent, thought, and world view. All have very clear thinking on the issues of the day. A lot of them are honors students. Some are musicians. Some sing in choir. Some are athletes. They have wonderful senses of humor, sparkling wit, and quick minds. Their parents did very well with every single one of them. I am proud that these are the people that my teens choose to be with.
If these kids are our Nation's future, we are going to be all right.
Here's hoping that your Fridays go as well as mine do.
Pax,
Newbius
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Pizza, updated
I promised last year to post the sauce recipe. Didn't happen. Sorry...
I have updated the dough recipe however, and will now post both the updated dough recipe and also the red sauce. Here goes:
Pizza
Pizza Dough:
This recipe will make 2-16” thick crust, or 3-16” thin crust pizzas.
3 cups warm water
1 Tbsp Sugar
4 ½ tsp Active Dry Yeast
1 Tbsp Sea Salt (regular salt can be substituted)
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 to 9 ½ cups Bread Flour (all-purpose can be substituted)
Pizza Sauce:
1 can (15 oz.) Contadina Tomato Sauce
1 can (6 oz.) Contadina Tomato Paste
1 ½ Tsp Sea Salt
1 Tbsp ground black pepper
3 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
2 rounded Tbsp minced garlic
2-3 Tbsp McCormick “Italian Seasoning” herb blend
Combine all ingredients in bowl with wire whisk and allow to sit for at least 1 hour before using.
In Stand mixer or large bowl, combine 1st 3 ingredients and let stand for 3 minutes
Add salt and oil and stir well
Mix in flour and knead well until dough has satiny feel and is no longer sticky. You should be able to mix in 8 cups to start and add flour until proper consistency is reached. Amount of flour will vary depending on humidity, absorption of flour, and other factors.
Lightly oil a large bowl and put dough in to rise, covered with plastic wrap, until at least doubled in volume (2-3 hours at room temperature). Punch down, knead in bowl, and allow to rest for another 30 minutes.
Divide dough evenly by weight for pizza crusts. Lightly knead dough and form into a tight ball, being careful not to expel too much air.
Roll out dough on lightly floured surface (I use 50/50 mix of corn meal and flour) and toss/stretch to size.
Top with sauce and your favorite toppings and bake in pizza pan (or on a stone) at 450-475° for 12-15 minutes until crust is light brown. You might want to start out in the lower third for 7-8 minutes, then move to the middle for the remainder of the cooking time.
I have updated the dough recipe however, and will now post both the updated dough recipe and also the red sauce. Here goes:
Pizza
Pizza Dough:
This recipe will make 2-16” thick crust, or 3-16” thin crust pizzas.
3 cups warm water
1 Tbsp Sugar
4 ½ tsp Active Dry Yeast
1 Tbsp Sea Salt (regular salt can be substituted)
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 to 9 ½ cups Bread Flour (all-purpose can be substituted)
Pizza Sauce:
1 can (15 oz.) Contadina Tomato Sauce
1 can (6 oz.) Contadina Tomato Paste
1 ½ Tsp Sea Salt
1 Tbsp ground black pepper
3 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
2 rounded Tbsp minced garlic
2-3 Tbsp McCormick “Italian Seasoning” herb blend
Combine all ingredients in bowl with wire whisk and allow to sit for at least 1 hour before using.
In Stand mixer or large bowl, combine 1st 3 ingredients and let stand for 3 minutes
Add salt and oil and stir well
Mix in flour and knead well until dough has satiny feel and is no longer sticky. You should be able to mix in 8 cups to start and add flour until proper consistency is reached. Amount of flour will vary depending on humidity, absorption of flour, and other factors.
Lightly oil a large bowl and put dough in to rise, covered with plastic wrap, until at least doubled in volume (2-3 hours at room temperature). Punch down, knead in bowl, and allow to rest for another 30 minutes.
Divide dough evenly by weight for pizza crusts. Lightly knead dough and form into a tight ball, being careful not to expel too much air.
Roll out dough on lightly floured surface (I use 50/50 mix of corn meal and flour) and toss/stretch to size.
Top with sauce and your favorite toppings and bake in pizza pan (or on a stone) at 450-475° for 12-15 minutes until crust is light brown. You might want to start out in the lower third for 7-8 minutes, then move to the middle for the remainder of the cooking time.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Links added, life lessons...
I just added some links to places I visit. More will be added if I remember to do it.
Judging by the links, one might get the impression that I am right of center politically, believe in the Almighty G_D, like airplanes, computers, sailboats, and guns. It would be a pretty good guess...
Put it another way: Take responsibility for yourself. Work for the things that matter to you. Live below your means. Be self-reliant. Do not depend on anybody to come to your aid (especially government, as they have no obligation to do so). Honor the basic laws of right and wrong. Recognize that there is evil in the world, and that we are engaged in battle daily with foes both seen and unseen. Love your family. Honor your spouse. Train your kids to be self-reliant, mature, thinking people of integrity. You know, the LIFE basics...
Advice: Take 5 minutes every day to quietly reflect on what was special about the day, even if it was just a dew drop on a flower in the garden. Your life will be enriched by the small things, not the large. Think about that...
Enough pontificating (especially for a non-Pope)...
I just found Con-Agra Kyrol brand high-gluten flour at Costco. It is time to try it in the pizza dough recipe. Mmmmm, Pizza! :) Making pizza a day early tomorrow due to the Independence Day holiday. July 4th is burgers and brats, hot dogs and beer, all of the sides, and lots of fireworks!
Cheers!
Newbius
Judging by the links, one might get the impression that I am right of center politically, believe in the Almighty G_D, like airplanes, computers, sailboats, and guns. It would be a pretty good guess...
Put it another way: Take responsibility for yourself. Work for the things that matter to you. Live below your means. Be self-reliant. Do not depend on anybody to come to your aid (especially government, as they have no obligation to do so). Honor the basic laws of right and wrong. Recognize that there is evil in the world, and that we are engaged in battle daily with foes both seen and unseen. Love your family. Honor your spouse. Train your kids to be self-reliant, mature, thinking people of integrity. You know, the LIFE basics...
Advice: Take 5 minutes every day to quietly reflect on what was special about the day, even if it was just a dew drop on a flower in the garden. Your life will be enriched by the small things, not the large. Think about that...
Enough pontificating (especially for a non-Pope)...
I just found Con-Agra Kyrol brand high-gluten flour at Costco. It is time to try it in the pizza dough recipe. Mmmmm, Pizza! :) Making pizza a day early tomorrow due to the Independence Day holiday. July 4th is burgers and brats, hot dogs and beer, all of the sides, and lots of fireworks!
Cheers!
Newbius
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Making Pizza...
I love pizza. The number one fast food in America, and I love it. I'll eat it cold for breakfast if it is in the 'fridge. Put anything on it (even anchovies-in moderation) and it is a real meal. I'd eat it every day and not get tired of it, as long as I got to vary the toppings...
You can do that with pizza.
The only trouble is, it is getting expensive. I guess the cost of everything is being increased by the cost of everything else (see previous post). Whatever. Since I love to cook, and I've got to feed at least three teenagers every Friday ('cause Friday is "Pizza Night" and has been for about 16 years) I have decided to dive into rolling my own.
Fun stuff.
The hardest part has been perfecting the crust. I think I have just about nailed the dough recipe, and I am still playing with oven temp to get that just-right doneness on the bread without burning the cheese. You know...food experimentation. Alton Brown would be proud.
Here's my dough recipe:
2 ¼ Cups Water, 85°-110°F
1 Tbsp Sugar
4 ½ Tsp Active Dry Yeast (or 2 packages, I use Red Star)
1 Tsp Salt
¼ Cup Olive Oil
4 (+) Cups King Arthur Bread Flour
4 (+) Cups King Arthur All-Purpose Flour
Instructions:
Combine Water, Sugar, and Yeast in mixing bowl of Stand Mixer (I use a Kitchen Aid 325 Watt, 5 quart) and allow mixture to sit for 3-5 minutes until foamy. Add salt and oil and stir until salt dissolves.
Add Flour and mix with dough hook at low speed until smooth dough ball forms. (If necessary, add additional flour to smooth out the mixture, but not more than an additional ½ cup.)
Allow dough to rest and rise, covered, until doubled in bulk. Punch down and divide into 3 equal portions. Cover, and allow dough to rise again until doubled in bulk.
Roll out on board coated with 50/50 mixture of flour and corn meal, transfer to stone, pan, screen, whatever, and top with sauce and toppings.
I bake them at 450F for about 15 minutes. I use 13" pizza stones and get 3 nice, thick, crusts that are light and a little chewy. If you like your pizza dough with more "chew", use all Bread Flour (instead of half) or you can even go to a high-gluten flour. You can also increase the olive oil and reduce the water (1:1 substitution-up to 3/4 cup of oil-but I like the lighter flavor and texture of this ratio).
You can make this dough as much as a day in advance, but you will have to use COLD water for the yeast, and proof the dough in the refrigerator to slow down the rise (only one rise this way too). Your dough will be even heartier this way since the gluten will have had more time to form in the bread dough. Make sure you cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap if you put it in the 'fridge, so you don't get stray odors from last night's fish or last week's chinese leftovers. You know you have some of that in there...
I make a nice sauce too, but that is another post altogether. Sauces and toppings. Mmmmm. Maybe two posts. :)
The best thing to come out of rolling my own pizza? I get to spend a little more time with the kids and their friends. I know where they are on Friday night, since they are in my kitchen helping make their own special, custom pizza pies. The $30 a week I save is just pure added bonus.
Try it. The Domino's down the block might not like you for it, but I assure you that you will enjoy the process and the pizza. Your kids might even stay home on Friday night.
Cheers!
Newbius
You can do that with pizza.
The only trouble is, it is getting expensive. I guess the cost of everything is being increased by the cost of everything else (see previous post). Whatever. Since I love to cook, and I've got to feed at least three teenagers every Friday ('cause Friday is "Pizza Night" and has been for about 16 years) I have decided to dive into rolling my own.
Fun stuff.
The hardest part has been perfecting the crust. I think I have just about nailed the dough recipe, and I am still playing with oven temp to get that just-right doneness on the bread without burning the cheese. You know...food experimentation. Alton Brown would be proud.
Here's my dough recipe:
2 ¼ Cups Water, 85°-110°F
1 Tbsp Sugar
4 ½ Tsp Active Dry Yeast (or 2 packages, I use Red Star)
1 Tsp Salt
¼ Cup Olive Oil
4 (+) Cups King Arthur Bread Flour
4 (+) Cups King Arthur All-Purpose Flour
Instructions:
Combine Water, Sugar, and Yeast in mixing bowl of Stand Mixer (I use a Kitchen Aid 325 Watt, 5 quart) and allow mixture to sit for 3-5 minutes until foamy. Add salt and oil and stir until salt dissolves.
Add Flour and mix with dough hook at low speed until smooth dough ball forms. (If necessary, add additional flour to smooth out the mixture, but not more than an additional ½ cup.)
Allow dough to rest and rise, covered, until doubled in bulk. Punch down and divide into 3 equal portions. Cover, and allow dough to rise again until doubled in bulk.
Roll out on board coated with 50/50 mixture of flour and corn meal, transfer to stone, pan, screen, whatever, and top with sauce and toppings.
I bake them at 450F for about 15 minutes. I use 13" pizza stones and get 3 nice, thick, crusts that are light and a little chewy. If you like your pizza dough with more "chew", use all Bread Flour (instead of half) or you can even go to a high-gluten flour. You can also increase the olive oil and reduce the water (1:1 substitution-up to 3/4 cup of oil-but I like the lighter flavor and texture of this ratio).
You can make this dough as much as a day in advance, but you will have to use COLD water for the yeast, and proof the dough in the refrigerator to slow down the rise (only one rise this way too). Your dough will be even heartier this way since the gluten will have had more time to form in the bread dough. Make sure you cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap if you put it in the 'fridge, so you don't get stray odors from last night's fish or last week's chinese leftovers. You know you have some of that in there...
I make a nice sauce too, but that is another post altogether. Sauces and toppings. Mmmmm. Maybe two posts. :)
The best thing to come out of rolling my own pizza? I get to spend a little more time with the kids and their friends. I know where they are on Friday night, since they are in my kitchen helping make their own special, custom pizza pies. The $30 a week I save is just pure added bonus.
Try it. The Domino's down the block might not like you for it, but I assure you that you will enjoy the process and the pizza. Your kids might even stay home on Friday night.
Cheers!
Newbius
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