Author Topic: Watch the Di Fara Documentary 'The Best Thing I Ever Done' (Read 8776 times)

norma427 · « **on:** October 22, 2010, 11:47:47 PM »

I don’t know what others think, but this Documentary Video on Di Fara shows how much he has loved his job for 45 years. That is a long time to be making pizza. Dom Di Fara shows his passion in this video featured on slice.

http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2010/10/video-di-fara-history-documentary-dom-demarco-family-the-best-thing-i-ever-done-margaretemily-mackenzie.html

Norma

Jackie Tran · « **Reply #1 on:** October 23, 2010, 12:41:12 AM »

Thanks for the post Norma. Very cool video. Dom Demarco is a really neat man. He takes his time to make each and every pizza carefully. Seems like he always has even before the notoriety. I have a lot of respect for the man making his pizza 7 days a week (minus the holidays) for 45 years, and the pizza looks good too.

I don't care how dirty the place is, I would eat there anyday.

Chau

norma427 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 23, 2010, 08:19:32 AM »

Chau,

I didn’t know that much about how Dom Demarco had started his business or how he became so successful, until I watched that Documentary video. For him to be able to raise all those children without his wife working, is really something in my opinion. Dom even taught his children the value of working at a young age and even if they didn’t appreciate it then, it shows they now have respect for him for showing them the value of working.

I also really enjoyed that video. Dom said he isn’t going to stop making pizzas until his hands can’t do it anymore. That is really love for his craft. I enjoyed watching him make his dough, too.

Glad you liked the video.

Norma

PaulsPizza · « **Reply #3 on:** October 23, 2010, 08:42:56 AM »

Thanks for that Norma, nice video.
It made me laugh when Dom pulls a red hot pizza out of the oven with his bare hands! do you do that at the Market? Lol

Paul

norma427 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 23, 2010, 08:55:33 AM »

Quote from: PaulsPizza on October 23, 2010, 08:42:56 AM

Thanks for that Norma, nice video.
It made me laugh when Dom pulls a red hot pizza out of the oven with his bare hands! do you do that at the Market? Lol

Paul

Paul,

No, I never could pull the red hot pizza out with my hands.

I don't know how Dom can do that. This video made me realize what a special person Dom is.

Norma

scott r · « **Reply #5 on:** October 24, 2010, 10:46:30 AM »

that was amazing! we are so lucky to have him.

Pizza Rustica · « **Reply #6 on:** October 26, 2010, 08:49:48 PM »

They don't make them like Dom any more. What a special video, really showing the person behind the pizza.

PaulsPizza · « **Reply #7 on:** December 01, 2010, 04:54:31 PM »

Dom says something like 'you know it's a good dough when it has little holes' has anyone got these holes? if so...how? yeast%? mix time?

Paul

BrickStoneOven · « **Reply #8 on:** December 01, 2010, 05:43:30 PM »

If you do a bulk rise before you ball the dough get a very sharp knife(I find serrated works best) and make a slash in the dough. You will see a bunch of air pockets like in the picture. I'm sure someone else will elaborate how you get the air pockets...I'm not to great with words.

PaulsPizza · « **Reply #9 on:** December 01, 2010, 05:45:28 PM »

ahhhh, thank you. I don't bulk rise but thanks for pointing that out.

Paul

PaulsPizza · « **Reply #10 on:** December 01, 2010, 05:58:57 PM »

That picture confuses me though. Can't make it out..

BrickStoneOven · « **Reply #11 on:** December 01, 2010, 06:00:34 PM »

You don't really need to do a bulk rise even if you do like a 1 or 2 hour rest after you are done kneading, before you ball you should still be able to see the pockets I just posted that picture to show an example after a bulk rise. I took the dough out the container and cut it from the top. The picture is if you were looking down at it, I pushed it to the side a little so I could take the picture.

PaulsPizza · « **Reply #12 on:** December 01, 2010, 06:08:38 PM »

Thanks BrickStone

pcampbell · « **Reply #13 on:** December 02, 2010, 04:04:31 PM »

nice

ITS GOTTA BE A MILLION AH PIZZAS

thezaman · « **Reply #14 on:** December 10, 2010, 01:05:22 AM »

was able to eat there Wednesday, i was in town to visit my son who came along for a pie. the place is old and looks worn out. this doesn't bother any one waiting for a slice or whole pie. the tables are all miss matched and customers sit wherever they can and enjoy their food. it is a honor system on drinks you help yourself and when you are done you let dom's daughter know what you drank.Dom made every pizza with his daughter and granddaughter assisting in organizing the pizza order and slice toppings. we waited about 45 minutes for out pizza, the standard plain cheese . it is topped with fresh basil grater cheese and evoo . for the quality of ingredients 28.00 was reasonable. the pizza was very good ,and i will defiantly return.
observations, the sauce was nicely spiced and a dark red he may cook it or add something that gives it that dark color. he displays cans of lavalle tomatoes and the sauce has big tomato chunks and you see basil leaves when he spreads it. the dough was very light not your typical slice style dough. when he stretched the dough it opened very easily. it baked for 8 minutes or so.
it was fun to watch, his family treats him so gently he is the master and they respect him for it, it was a great experience. a couple of pics

Jackie Tran · « **Reply #15 on:** December 10, 2010, 01:34:01 AM »

Nice write up Larry. I guess I'm not use to NY prices as $28 for a pie seems spendy to me. But if I am in that part of town, I would definitely like to taste his pizza for sure. What did you think of the crust? Can you describe it? Any flavor to it? Did you note the color of the crumb? Was it white, ultra white, cream color? Did the crumb look airy? How was the texture? details please.

thx,
Chau

norma427 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 10, 2010, 08:09:39 AM »

Larry,

I agree, that was a nice write-up.

He really is a master making pizzas for so many years. It is interesting to hear how you described his dough. Glad you had fun watching and enjoyed Dom’s pizza. Did you have a chance to see Dom’s Sicilian pies? Nice pictures, too.

Norma

thezaman · « **Reply #17 on:** December 10, 2010, 01:34:13 PM »

i have to say the dough wasn't the star of the show, it didn't have a lot of flavor, even a little off in spots. the rim had a open hole structure and the dough cracked when you folded it. this was Wednesday they are closed monday and tuesday so it could be same day dough. i have a picture of a baked not dressed i'll add it.
norma, yes the sicilian was really fun to watch . first the dough is pre-baked with sauce very thin he pulls it from the oven and loads the under crust with oil. topped with mozzarella and buffalo mozzarella , grated cheese any toppings and baked. the crust comes out with oil sizzling around it , Dom puts his fingers in the oil lifts the edge to check doneness ,he dosn't hurry he lets the frying oil sit on his finger tips like it was nothing more than water. that really gets the customers excited.i had a late dinner at keste's to go to so i only ate two cuts. i didn't try the sicilian,but will next time.
note in the picture with him stretching a round ,the yellow legal pad is how they take orders. defiantly old school.

Pete-zza · « **Reply #18 on:** December 10, 2010, 02:54:55 PM »

Quote from: thezaman on December 10, 2010, 01:34:13 PM

i have to say the dough wasn't the star of the show, it didn't have a lot of flavor, even a little off in spots. the rim had a open hole structure and the dough cracked when you folded it. this was Wednesday they are closed monday and tuesday so it could be same day dough. i have a picture of a baked not dressed i'll add it.
norma, yes the sicilian was really fun to watch . first the dough is pre-baked with sauce very thin he pulls it from the oven and loads the under crust with oil. topped with mozzarella and buffalo mozzarella , grated cheese any toppings and baked. the crust comes out with oil sizzling around it , Dom puts his fingers in the oil lifts the edge to check doneness ,he dosn't hurry he lets the frying oil sit on his finger tips like it was nothing more than water. that really gets the customers excited.i had a late dinner at keste's to go to so i only ate two cuts. i didn't try the sicilian,but will next time.
note in the picture with him stretching a round ,the yellow legal pad is how they take orders. defiantly old school.

Larry,

Several years ago I spent some time trying to reverse engineer and clone Dom's dough and pizza. One of the final steps was a visit to DiFara's where I had a nice chat with Dom. I reported on my trip to his place at Reply 122 at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,504.msg11222.html#msg11222. From one of your earlier posts it sounds like he has switched from the Vantia canned San Marzano tomatoes to the La Valle San Marzanos.

Peter

norma427 · « **Reply #19 on:** December 10, 2010, 05:18:06 PM »

Larry,

Thanks for posting more about your visit to Dom’s.

I find how you explained how Dom makes his Sicilian pies interesting. I couldn’t ever imagine having hot oil on my fingers for awhile. His hands must be made of steel. I can see how old school Dom’s place is.

I wondered since you then went to Keste’s, what you thought of Roberto’s pies. I would be interested because you know more than I do about pizzas.

Norma