Author Topic: Old Forge, Pa: Pizza capital of the world (Read 96470 times)

Trutrent · « **Reply #60 on:** April 10, 2009, 01:12:18 AM »

Way back when this post was started there was a debate over the cheese or cheese blend that went into this style pizza. While i have no exacting evidence to support this I do believe they are using a local favorite cheese called 'Cooper' cheese. It has a pretty distinct flavour maybe like a ripened american cheese. The locals swear by this cheese, its used on sandwiches ,subs, pizza etc...
Tho Im not a fanatic about this style as some others claim to be, i can appreciate the regional style.

If there's anyone who confirm this I'd love to hear from you.

~T

i

NepaBill · « **Reply #61 on:** April 10, 2009, 12:27:48 PM »

I live within 15 minutes of O.F. While I'm sure there are many "take to the grave" variations of cheese mixtures used in O.F pizza.. What I do find very common in Old Forge and surrounding local markets are two cheeses.. Clearfield brand American cheese and Brick cheese. I forget the brand of brick that is common, If anyone is interested I can find the name. Keep in mind O.F. pizza has been around for a long time. So what cheeses would have been available at that time and affordable. The whole Wilkes-Barre / Scranton area was a poor coal mining area. The only imported cheeses were probably Parm/Romano/Locatelli.. They probably saved that for their pasta.

Brick Cheese (http://www.landolakes.com/Products/ViewProduct.cfm?ProductID=41944)
Brick Cheese (http://www.widmerscheese.com/index.php?p=page&page_id=the_story_of_wisconsin_brick_cheese)

Clearfield cheese (http://www.schreiberfoods.com/schreiberweb/staticcontent/general/BrandsFoodservice.aspx)

Trutrent · « **Reply #62 on:** April 11, 2009, 08:53:26 AM »

heres a link to the cooper cheese that i refered to.
I'm still not sure if this is the predominate cheese or not.

Well this site wont let me hyper link. I'm too new i guess, but here's the site
cubacheese.com

musicboy · « **Reply #63 on:** May 03, 2009, 08:27:52 AM »

Old forge pizza is rectangular. You order it in trays, red or white depending on if you want sauce.

ShempsDismay · « **Reply #64 on:** May 22, 2009, 07:24:08 AM »

I grew up eating this stuff. People either LOVE it (locals esp) or leave it. I love it myself.
For past posters, you cannot compare this pizza to NY/Chicago/etc style pizzas. They are too different.
I know you NYers love to rave about your pizza, and with good reason. Some places in NY are really incredible but some are pretty bad IMHO (from experience). Just as a side note: NEPA DOES have some pretty decent NY style pizza as well. And I love NY style pizza. But this is about OF pizza.....

PizzaBrewer, we get it, you don't like the cheese. (american, american, american...) Please move on to the next topic.

But you cannot call OF pizza terrible and compare it to NY pizza--like comparing a granny smith apple (green, bitter)to a red delicious apple (red, sweet). They are both apples but that's about it. If you dont like the pizza, that's OK. Many people don't. I've had people outside of the area say that they really don't know what the fuss is about.

I love it and every time I get to visit NEPA, that's the first place out to eat!!!

Seems most places seem to use a brick cheese like they make in Wisconsin (kind've like American) or a Cooper type cheese combined with Mozzarella. I'm sure all the places tweak their cheese mixtures, but all of the cheeses stick to your teeth. American type cheese on a pizza sounds kinda rough, but as others have said, don't knock it until you've tried it. The dough always seemed to me to be those rectangular pizza shells you can buy at local supermarkets. Not saying that's what is used, they may bake their own. The crust is not as thick as Sicilian but not as thin as NY style pizza.

My favorite places:

1) Revello's----best red in OF and good gnocchi and meatballs. Hands down.
2) A & G's-- best white pizza (in OF or anywhere else), really good red. Better food (other than pizza) than Revello's. Make that great food!!
3) Colarruso's--not technically in OF, but nearby Avoca. Red is almost as good as Revello's. More of that sticky cheese than the others.
4) Alfredo's--also not in OF, but in Southside Scranton. Good red.
5) Salerno's and Ghigarelli's tie for my 4 and 5 spots.

Also, as others have already stated, Victory Pig pizza in no way is an OF type pizza. People swear by it (not me personally) but they are not the same. Their pizza is loaded with onions and fried.

Chet · « **Reply #65 on:** May 23, 2009, 09:44:11 AM »

Alfredo's.................I have heard so much rave about this place. uhuh! like ya say it's a matter of taste. Worst than Revello's So far Senape's in Hazelton their Romano is one good pizza. most pizza in Old Forge is average. nothing special, my opinion only. now Colloruso's Gnocci HMMM GOOD.......

Chet

quadrinichris · « **Reply #66 on:** November 25, 2009, 10:07:49 PM »

that is only a success because all the other pizza is inedible.

- ciao

ron

[/quote]

hey ron ... for your information ... some people in Northeast PA ... wouldn't even consider Old Forge pizza the best in the Valley ... there are MANY MANY good pizza places offering a wide variety of good pizza ... did u ever eat anywhere around that area ... or are u just bashing that area ... u dont know how edible everything is ...

CocoCOOL · « **Reply #67 on:** November 30, 2009, 10:38:58 AM »

The only real pizza capital of the world is Naples (Napoli, Campania, Italia)!!! All the other styles are based on this classic, which find their origin in Roman times. All pizza fans should really visit Naples once in their life to now how fantastic a pizza can taste.

marne · « **Reply #68 on:** March 31, 2010, 03:39:21 AM »

Quote from: CocoCOOL on November 30, 2009, 10:38:58 AM

The only real pizza capital of the world is Naples (Napoli, Campania, Italia)!!!

Old Forge isn't known as the "Pizza Capital of the World" because of the pizza style; it's because of the number of pizza places in relation to the size of the town. With a population of less than 9,000 (primarily of Italian heritage), and Main Street spanning a vast mile and a half, you'll find Ghigiarelli's (my personal favorite for both red and white), Arcaro & Genell's, Anthony's, Brutico's, Revello's, Cafe Rinaldi, Augustini's, Salerno's, Maxi's, Sacchetti's, Amadeo's, Mary Lou's, Mancusso's... I know I'm missing a few, but you get the idea.

In an early post someone mentioned the pizza was likely born of available ingredients during its inception decades ago. This is absolutely true. And it's stood the test of time, remaining unchanged simply because it tastes great. Try ordering a tray on a Friday or Saturday night. Average wait time: about 45 minutes. During lent, forget about it. You either need to be at the door as soon as it opens, wait well over an hour if they're not already sold out, or resort to Domino's.

Chet · « **Reply #69 on:** April 01, 2010, 07:33:07 AM »

Hi Marne

You missed the best of them all up there in that area, Maroni's.........

Chet

quadrinichris · « **Reply #70 on:** June 14, 2010, 12:54:16 AM »

anyone who has lived there knows that there are too many good pizza places to choose from ... any kind you want ... not only old forge which is very good ... but some1 said about victory pig ... they are a little more greasier than the places in old forge ... and like i said there are MANY MANY i'm talking prob near thousands ( let's remember these are small towns) of LEGITIMATE pizza places up there just as good as NYC ... Chicago, wherever ... ALSO >>> NEPA (Northeast PA) should also be called "THE CHICKEN WING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD" right up there with Buffalo and whoever ... best sauces u'll ever have ... any1 from that area please help me out ... FROG POND ... CHICKEN COOP ... PIZZA MILL ... i could keep going forever ...

matermark · « **Reply #71 on:** August 14, 2012, 10:11:23 PM »

Quote from: Bones on June 21, 2008, 01:33:11 PM

Anyone here claiming to know how all of the pizza in Old Forge is made is full of baloney. If one or some use American cheese that doesn't mean that all of them do...relax already!!

The 2 Girls from Old Forge have it right (we always said that the prettiest girls came Old Forge, btw) , each place has their unique style and flavor, and where I go to eat depends on what I'm in the mood for! There is no single best pizza place for all of us. I like Ghigarelli's, it feels to me like I'm over someone's house for dinner-big family, conversations carrying across the the place, patrons and staff know each other's names...good pizza to boot!

There posts in this thread of people driving to Scranton, W-B, Kingston, Moscow, etc. to taste OLD FORGE pizza, whatsa matter, you think you're gonna get Old Forge pizza in Wilkes-Barre? You're crazy. Please, if you get some pizza in Dunmore and don't like it, don't state that Old Forge Pizza sucks!!!

The entire region is full of pizza places~~

here's some of them: coalregion.com/TopTen/pizza.htm

My favorite Old Forge pizza as a kid was Salerno's, then for a while Revello's, but today I'd have to say Cafe Rinaldi's for both red and white.

My favorite of all time is no longer there, Gabello's on Main Street in Duryea~~there's a place in D.C. (Dickson City~ ) with the same name, but I don't know if they're connected. I don't see anyone here referring to it.

My current favorite area pizza is Colarusso's, where "The People from Old Forge come for Pizza"!! They have 4 locations, Avoca, Jessup, Clarks Summit, and Scranton...and I think they also have on on 309 not to far from the Blackman St exit.

maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Colarusso&sll=41.33042,-75.800171&sspn=0.308336,0.711365&ie=UTF8&z=11

Now there is Pizza L'Oven, which has a few locations:

maps.google.com/maps?q=Pizza+L'oven&ie=UTF8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ll=41.33042,-75.800171&spn=0.308336,0.711365&z=11

This has been a family favorite for as long as I can remember. I'd stick to the basics though, the extra fancy new styles didn't do it for me.

New members can't post hyperlinks! Copy and paste!

YEAH!!! A Shout out for Gabello's--the first place I ever had White Pizza! My family is from Duryea! I've had pizza from Gabello's, Ghigarelli's, Revello's, Arcaro & Genell, Salerno's, Sizzle-Pi, Victory Pig, Pizza L'oven, and many others in that area.

YES, I know this is an old thread--that's how crazy I am about the pizza in the Wyoming Valley area! And now I live in the home of Buffalo Wings!

NepaBill · « **Reply #72 on:** August 15, 2012, 07:45:20 AM »

I love this topic too.. Hey Matermark.. If you enjoy the styles of Pizza L'Oven, Sizzle-Pi and The Pig.. You might like Ernie G's in Avoca.. I have had their pizza many times.. For a newcomer in this style he is spot on!!

matermark · « **Reply #73 on:** August 15, 2012, 11:39:35 AM »

Thanks Bill! I will make a note of it, I will be back out there JAN/FEB if not sooner. I was there last JAN & brought 3 trays of Sizzle-Pi back... well... by the time I got back it was a little less than 2 trays!

communist · « **Reply #74 on:** August 15, 2012, 05:30:20 PM »

I am a few miles outside of Old Forge, and on a recent stop the pizza at an old stand-by was a let down. Pre-bakes crusts from Augustini's bakery are used frequently. I think it is more hype than reality. "old forge" pizza is hit or miss.

PowerWagonPete · « **Reply #75 on:** August 15, 2012, 06:47:12 PM »

Nardone Brothers' 3 X 5" and 4 X 6" squares are a lot like the Old Forge-style but they use part-skim mozzarella on theirs...

http://nardonebros.com/product.php?item=80CM_3x5_cheese

http://nardonebros.com/product.php?item=4x6_cheese

matermark · « **Reply #76 on:** August 15, 2012, 11:17:01 PM »

Quote from: PowerWagonPete on August 15, 2012, 06:47:12 PM

Nardone Brothers' 3 X 5" and 4 X 6" squares are a lot like the Old Forge-style but they use part-skim mozzarella on theirs...

http://nardonebros.com/product.php?item=80CM_3x5_cheese

http://nardonebros.com/product.php?item=4x6_cheese

I think those are frozen or refrigerated, I'm pretty sure I've had them before, in smaller boxes, sold at AM/PM MiniMarts in Pittston, maybe even the relocated WalMart. Weren't very good to me, but I'm used to Ghigarelli's (OF) & Sizzle-Pi (Kingston.) They were a little better than Agostino's Bakery on OF/Duryea border, whose half-baked cheese looks "almost curdled."

matermark · « **Reply #77 on:** August 18, 2012, 06:05:27 PM »

Ran across this site for those that don't understand....

http://bonviesoldforgepizza.com/oldforgepizza.html

Besides clicking on the links on the left for the story, the order online link at the bottom takes you to a site where you can order everything to make OF pizza, from individual components to a complete kit.

ThatsAmore · « **Reply #78 on:** August 18, 2012, 06:26:56 PM »

Interesting.

Awhile back I mentioned to Norma that my father was born and raised around the Scranton/Carbondale area of PA. He then later in life migrated to Iowa, where he met my mother. They were married in 1951 in Davenport, IA and they went "back east" for their honeymoon.

My mother used to tell a story that this is the first time she ever had pizza and being the domestic type, she learned how to make pizza while they were out in the Scranton area. Upon returning to Iowa, she would make pizza for their friends as they had never heard of it.

My father, Welsh decent, worked for an Italian butcher when he was a young teen in the area, but I forget which town he was living in at the time. Something else I find interesting is that someone in the NP section mentioned that pizza was a peasant food in Italy. Another peasant food in which I have a family recipe for that came into my family is a peasant food that descended with the Welch immigrants out of Wales is Pastys. The Welch mined anthracite coal next to the Italians in this part of PA. Both my real and step paternal grandfathers were engineers on the railroad hauling that coal.

matermark · « **Reply #79 on:** August 18, 2012, 07:50:54 PM »

Quote from: ThatsAmore on August 18, 2012, 06:26:56 PM

Interesting.

Awhile back I mentioned to Norma that my father was born and raised around the Scranton/Carbondale area of PA. He then later in life migrated to Iowa, where he met my mother. They were married in 1951 in Davenport, IA and they went "back east" for their honeymoon.

My mother used to tell a story that this is the first time she ever had pizza and being the domestic type, she learned how to make pizza while they were out in the Scranton area. Upon returning to Iowa, she would make pizza for their friends as they had never heard of it.

My father, Welsh decent, worked for an Italian butcher when he was a young teen in the area, but I forget which town he was living in at the time. Something else I find interesting is that someone in the NP section mentioned that pizza was a peasant food in Italy. Another peasant food in which I have a family recipe for that came into my family is a peasant food that descended with the Welch immigrants out of Wales is Pastys. The Welch mined anthracite coal next to the Italians in this part of PA. Both my real and step paternal grandfathers were engineers on the railroad hauling that coal.

That's interesting too! And some of my relatives may have mined some of that coal! There was even a gravity railroad behind my mom's homestead that they'd load a cart with coal and give it a push and gravity would do the rest, taking the cart further down the road and to the edge of town to another place to be loaded onto trains. An uncle of mine died of Black Lung. I do remember a Pizza special on the Food Network with Jim O'Conner I think, saying it was made in NY City as a cheap quick food for immigrant workers I think.

Funny though, my mom was a great cook (Slavic, not Italian) but when she made pizza for me here in Buffalo as a kid, it was on round frozen 12" crusts from the bulk provision store, and with canned sauce & Kraft Parmesan as the only cheese!