Pizza in…Amsterdam?

I want to catch up a little on some recent GPS (Great Pizza Search) pizzas. If you want the short version, don't order pizza in Amsterdam! If you want the long version, keep reading… Nebelatan Word of the Day Agita (a-jee-ta) - Heartburn, acid indigestion, an upset stomach or, by extension, a general feeling of …

Old Forge vs New Haven – Part 2 & A Special Treat

My last blog post (see here) was Part 1 of my personal challenge of Old Forge (PA) and New Haven (CT) to determine, according to me, which has the better pizza. Both Old Forge and New Haven are considered some of the best pizzas in the world. In Part 1, I reviewed Arcaro and Genell …

Old Forge vs New Haven – Part 1

It's the best in the world Old Forge, PA (self proclaimed) versus what many others consider the best the world New Haven, CT (by Bar Stool Sports, One Bite)! We needed to travel to South Jersey and decided that we’d stop half way in Old Forge, PA and on the way back, drive through New …

You U-LET! Average Joe’s & TK’s Pizza!

I’ve been eating lots of pizza lately; about 3 times per week! And you know what, I’m not tired of it! But, I can hear my father’s voice saying, “You U-LET (pronounced you-let)”! What is a U-LET? Read on… Dad (Grandpa Tony) worked on the docks as a second job for most of my younger …

Uncle Frank & Ooni Bakes #2

One of the big things I notice in Italy when we visit is the difference in music between what I hear versus what I know.  The music I hear while there now is "Contemporary Italian." What I know if "Old Italian" which is that of my parents and UNCLE FRANK'S ITALIAN MELODIES! I'm not sure …

Onni as in Dooney – Ooni Koda 1st Bakes

A few posts ago, when I introduced our grill top oven for Florida, I mentioned that we'd purchased a pizza oven for our NY home.  It is a very rare return/scratch & dent Ooni Koda 12 from Amazon. And, just like my ma, "Cathy, but it was on SALE!" Ooni has a cult-ish following with …

Yes, Pizza by Another Name – Piz #2

These events were just before we left for Italy (eataly?!) I'm unsure if it's just me, but I get a nostalgic melancholy whenever I leave somewhere, even when I'm returning to people that I love.  Thus was the feeling upon leaving our southern home for our friggin cold northern abode. Last Cappuccino and Cornetto at …

Funiculi! Funicula! Pizza Nepalitana, Part 4

Here I am, typing this while flying home.  The flight’s in-air entertainment has Stanley Tucci’s “Searching for Italy” series (WEB LINK)  Of course I watch the “Napoli and the Amalfi Coast” episode. Where else would Stanley be other than NAPOLI.  Tears fill my eyes, and I sob as the first stop is “Pizza Fritta.”  The …

Oh Mio Zi! Pizza Nepalitana, Part 3

Neapolitan Words of the Day -  Zi ’Ntonio ’Ntonio is Neapolitan for Antonio, drop the letter up front this time and add an apostrophe! Antonio is Anthony in english. Zi - is short for Zia (aunt) OR Zio (uncle).  Zi becomes Aunt or Uncle depending on the masculinity of the name that follows! And, yes, I had an …

A’ Fanabola’! Pizza Nepalitana, Part 2

Neapolitan Phase of the Day A' Fanabola' slang for "Go to Napoli" (aka Go to Hell). At the time of the great emigration (1880s - 1920s), Napoli was considered to be hell. And depending on the intensity of one's inflection and conviction , it means, "Go f¥€k yourself (or in the Justin Bieber’s immortal words …

That’s Amore! Too much of a good thing?

ONCE AGAIN, LONG, BUT IT WILL EVENTUALLY BE ABOUT PIZZA! Most people believe that it’s possible to have “too much of a good thing”.  I don’t subscribe to that;  I prefer “to stick with what I know”. Dean Martin was thought to have too much of a “good” liquor, but the "true" stories say that he drank …

Torna A Surriento!

A LONG ONE, BUT I PROMISE IT WILL BE ABOUT PIZZA! One the most moving videos for me on YouTube is Pavarotti’s “Torna A Surriento”. https://youtu.be/HbUfpQ9Nmbw Other than Pavarotti’s moving rendition and the story behind the song (see Wikipedia here), Surriento (Sorrento, Campania, Italy) is one of my favorite places on earth, and one that …

Fixing the Woolee! Brooklyn & Old Forge, PA Tour

In my previous post, I mentioned about "fixing my woolee” by trying pizzas in Old Forge, PA and Brooklyn. We visited both in early September 2021 (another post to catch up). When I told others friends about Old Forge and Brooklyn, I received understanding looks about Brooklyn pizza but quizzical expressions such as, “Old Forge, …

Got the Woolee!

In the couple of years of my making pizza and bread, I’ve watched countless YouTube videos. Many are by NYC pizziolas or take place in NYC Pizzerias. Also, I've made about 250 and purchased about 50 from various Pizzerias during this time. But, as I watched, made, and ate more, I started to get a …

Grill Top Pizza Oven – #2

On 4/8, I used my grill top pizza oven for the 1st time. If you recall from my posting at that time, I used Publix dough since I couldn't make my own.  Although it was a very good pizza, it was not the elusive "GREAT".   I felt that I could do much better with my …

It’s Been Awhile, You Stroontz!

Neapolitan Word of the Day Stroontz (Strunze) - From  Urban Dictionary - Italian slang for shit head, dummy, stupid.  Used in a sentence, "you are a big strunze." I'm a stroontz! Unfortunately, I can routinely act like a stroontz.  I don't mean to, but sometimes, just being me is unavoidably "strootz-ish"! If you have any doubts, just ask my …

GPS Spring 22 – Sarasota, FL Pizza – Bite Size Reviews

This is the first of a few "catch up" posts on pizzas that we've eaten during my writing hiatus. More will follow. We're just finishing our 3rd winter in Sarasota. My GPS (the Great Pizza Search) has continued around our southern home. And although I'd not been posting, I dictate notes while eating for future …

Piz – A Pizza by Any Other Name…

Piz (pronounced PEETS) is short for a specific pizza that my mother, aunts, and grandmas made around Easter. Piz is one of two different piz (come on…) that we'd have around that time: One piz was savory with eggs, moozadell, parmagian, rigott, pepperoni, preciute with pastry crust on bottom, top, and sides. I'm totally unsure …

Exhaustive (nearly) Pizza Oven Study and 1st Use

OK, it's time to write something again. I've been really dialing in oven baked pizza (I will provide an article with pics of my progress soon). In the back of my mind, I've wanted to get an outdoor pizza oven like from Ooni or a Gozney Roccbox (gotta' love the name Rocc since it's a …

Coonjawed, Ralph, Praying, and GPA #5 – Past e’ Fazoo Part 3!

It’s been a couple of weeks not riding my bike. I injured something in my back on a ride (GPS #36 - link here). I had tightness in my back in the past but never to this extent. I was fearful of needing surgery, but our son (the doctor...I love saying that!) says it's muscular. …

Santa Catharina, More Upstate History, GPS #36!

In this post, I will start with Santa Catharina and end with Great Pizza Search #36.At the lowest point of my life, I met Santa Catharina. The luckiest day of my life, she asked me to dance! As they (who’s they?) say, “the rest is history.”Other guys say that they have a saint for a …

70’s V4 Part 2 and GPS #30 – #32!

My last few posts reviewed my bike tour to a couple of Upstate NY Pizza Meccas. Before the tour, I had several undocumented Great Pizza Searches. So, I’ll catch up in this post.But before that, while riding lately, I’ve been thinking about other “70’s V4” songs. if you remember, I defined a “70’s V4” song …

In Search of Great Pizza

I love pizza, and because of that I'm on a new quest, a Search for Great Pizza! The Great Pizza Search (GPS). Before retirement, my quest was bike camping (which I've still not done!), and then it was buying a camper (we’re on our 3rd in 4 years)! Then when I first retired, it was …

Red State, Blue State, AP State?

Quick note: GPS (Great Pizza Search) Table has been updated. Now 51 purchased pizzas rated! - see it here. I will soon upload a table of all my homemade doughs for reference and recipes for others. In the USA, there's a load of crap that goes on with respect to Red State and Blue State. …