New user from Northern California

[miner_tom]

Hello to the Pizza Making community.

Let me tell you a little bit about why I am here. I spent the first 27 years of my life in the New York, New Jersey area and had access to excellent Pizza whenever I wanted it. Back in 82', I moved to California and have never accepted what passes for Pizza in this part of the country.

I always said that someday I would learn to make a decent Pizza and after 30 years I am now trying. To be truthful, while visiting NYC about a month ago I visited a cousin of mine that owns a Pizza Restaurant. I spent 4 days at his place and tried to pick up as much knowledge as I could. Sadly, when I tried to translate his recipe to my kitchen in California, I had some EPIC kitchen disasters. Most of the disasters are now over but I am still not quite there yet.

I found this wonderful site with lots of scientific information concerning Pizza. I am an engineer by profession, myself, so the scientific approach appeals to me. Lots of information here about each ingredient used and its purpose.

Tom

[scott123]

Tom, welcome to the forum.  You're one of many NY area transplants who have found there way here, looking for a taste of their youth.

You're probably not going to want to hear this, but, your cousin, if he opened his place in the last 15 years, most likely isn't producing a pizza of the caliber of your youth and thus probably isn't providing you with the knowledge you require. Since '82, almost every pizzeria in this area has taken a nose dive in quality and the new places that open just don't get it.

Ingredients are important, but, the most important factor in making great NY pizza is, by far, thermodynamics.  Great NY pizza is defined by it's bake time. Faster heat transfer = greater oven spring/puffiness.

If your cousin is doing the typical 6-9 minute NY area bake, then he's making mediocre pizza.  If you really want the taste of your youth, you should be aspiring for something greater.