really good oregano, and my love affair with marco

[scott r]

Here are some shots of the best oregano I have been able to find.  I had been buying fresh lately, but this stuff seems to taste better even though it has been dried. This is probably because it is actually from Italy. I never like the taste of dry basil, but with oregano it somehow works for me.  This stuff blows away penzy's, whole foods, and even the McCormick organic which had been my favorite dry up until now.  It cost me $4.00 for a big bag that seems like it will last forever.  You only need a little bit.  They also had a very similar package of Greek oregano for a dollar less.  I picked this up at Salumeria Italiana in Boston where they will do mail order.  It is not on their website,  but just give them a call if you wan to try it.  Their La Regina tomatoes are amazing, also they carry Grande fresh mozzarella, a really amazing buffalo mozzarella, ultra high end oils, a number of different brands of sea salt, and tons of other great pizza goodies.  For a limited time they even have five pound bags of Caputo Pizzeria flour.

Lately I have been making very simple tomato or just tomato and buffalo mozzarella pies.  The oregano (and a sale on shrimp) got me excited and I made a fancy pie tonight with some really good olive oil, fresh minced garlic, a touch of buffalo Mozzarella, pecorino romano encrusted shrimp, and some perfectly ripe diced cherry tomatoes.  It guess it would be shrimp scampi pizza.

http://www.salumeriaitaliana.com
1 800 400 5916

[scott r]

here are some pictures of the crust using Marco's amazing recipe at roughly 64% hydration with no oil, the electrolux, and no hand kneading.  This dough was actually 48 hours old.  I was doing an experiment with popping the dough into the fridge after the first bulk rise, then pulling it out the next day to do another five hours of rise.   I wish I had some pictures form the previous day where the dough was not refrigerated.  The non refrigerated 24 hour rise pies had even bigger puffier rims more similar to Ciro's void pictures.  The 48 hour refrigerated dough also was not quite as light or airy as the previous days pies.  It seems like any time I try to cut corners with the rising process and stray from Marco's recipe  the product suffers.   Lately I have been getting those super raised bubble thingy's that you see in all the pictures of the pies from De Michele.  Unfortunately my overall pie color is not as rich as what they get.  I think I might have to get a wood burning oven for that!

[scott r]

Even this pie, which was not as good as the 24 hour dough is really light.  I can't wait to compare these pies to the real thing in Naples.

[scott r]

Have I mentioned that just as my love for Marco grows stronger and stronger each day, so does my love for the electrolux.

[scott r]

I also almost forgot to mention that when I was at Di Fara's in Brooklyn there were no herb plants growing in the windows like I always hear about.  Maybe he only does this in the summer.  Anyhow, he had a box of oregano sitting out and I am pretty sure it was this same stuff I have pictured above.  It was certainly still on the branch and it was dried just like this.

[piroshok]

Jeez! I was about to post something similar as I have been trying few bags of La Parmesana
Argentinian oregano made by FRUGLACE S.A It is simply marvellous such a suave perfume (profuno) nothing overpowering but really smooth. May be found in USA through Latin and Italian suppliers.
In Australia Milano traders (Sydney) imports it and distributes it to retailers.