Indispensable Accoutrements

[TXCraig1]

Here are the items I try to always have at the ready with a reserve so I (hopefully) never run out. I’m curious what other people have on their list of indispensable accoutrements – not the toppings per se, but the other little things that take your pies to the next level.

• Tutto Calabria Hot Long Calabrin chilies
• Aleppo pepper (from the Spice Hut)
• Texas Olive Ranch Meyer lemon olive oil
• La Tourangelle white truffle oil
• San Damiano extra virgin olive oil
• Vermont Smoke and Cure Smoked Pepperoni
• Unfiltered local wildflower honey from my friend’s back yard
• The latest is the basil Napoletano I grew from seed.

[jeff v]

Also Tutto Calabria and local honey
24 mo parm reggiano
Lemons
Bourbon
Wine
Mengazzoli red wine vinegar
About 4-5 different salts
Coke Zero 

[dylandylan]

Its rare that a pizza session goes by without me reaching for the parsley.  Either Italian flat leaf for whole leaves or triple curled in an aglio olio sauce.  Easy to grow in abundance too.

Also fond of capers.  Loreto is my brand of choice for the minute.

[AimlessRyan]

A scale and a stone.

That's about it. There are some things I'd always like to have, like All Trumps if I'm making NY style pizza at someone else's house without taking any of my gear. I can wing it pretty well without the availability of certain tools or ingredients, or even to a degree without the scale and stone, but the scale and stone can be the difference between a successful and unsuccessful wing-it.

TXCraig, this list makes me think you should consider changing your handle to CACraig.

[pizzablogger]

Most of what has already been said:

Lemons
Homegrown Neapolitan Basil (3 years in a row I harvest seeds in Sept for next year).
Tutto Calabria Hot Long Calabrian Chilies (a new addition and maybe the best on the list!)
Cherrywood Smoked Mozzarella (Maplebrook Farms, VT)
Aleppo Chiles
36-Month Old Parmigiano-Reggiano
Newly imported olive oil from the Dimitri olive oil stand at the Baltimore Farmers Market. It's Greek (don't tell).
Garlic infused olive oil for white pizzas (home made)
Mike's Hot Honey
Fennel Pollen (Zingermans)
Trapani Sea Salt (course grind for post bake)
Smoked Sea Salt from Neapol smokery in Baltimore
Smoked Garlic from Neapol smokery in Baltimore
Pistachios
Sardanelli Filetti Di Tonno (Calabrian jarred yellowfin tuna, in oil)
Preserved Artichokes (Masseria Maida)

[TXCraig1]

Kelly,

Does your homemade garlic infused olive oil develop off flavors after a while? If so, how long?

[pizzablogger]

Kelly,

Does your homemade garlic infused olive oil develop off flavors after a while? If so, how long?

It does get a little funny after about 24 hours or so.

I generally make it in the morning when I wake up on a day I plan to make pizzas in the evening. For the market, I make it on Saturday evening for service on Sunday morning. I generally dump out whatever small amount is leftover after using for pizzas and put the squeeze bottle in the dishwasher.

[pizzablogger]

Craig, I should have mentioned that the garlic oil seems to generate off flavors sooner if the garlic gets browned too much when simmering it briefly with the oil. Now I'm very careful not to have the garlic brown at all and the flavor stays fresh for the 6-10 hour period it will be used during. --K

[juniorballoon]

I'll agree with Ryan (dude, you don't seem so Aimless ) Stone is very important. If I had a WFO it would probably be further down my list.

Love all the ingredients listed so far and use many of them. My addition is Cherry tomatoes, slow roasted with garlic and oregano for red sauce.

Craig, I love your tagline. In golf we used to say "Drive for show, putt for dough" and that does not refer to pizza.

jb

[TXCraig1]

Craig, I love your tagline. In golf we used to say "Drive for show, putt for dough" and that does not refer to pizza.

I adapted it from that. 

[AimlessRyan]

I'll agree with Ryan (dude, you don't seem so Aimless

Oh yeah? Well, one time I was at a truck stop in Atlanta, trying to get to Nashville. A team of truckers (trainer, trainee, and dog) offered me a ride to Salem, Oregon, and I took it.

How's that for aimless?