Norma,
I found the podcast to be quite interesting. There was not much added to what we already know about the Buddy's dough but the podcast did confirm that there is no oil or sugar in the dough and that the cheese is a brick cheese. Interestingly, in the Eat Our World article you referenced it is mentioned that Buddy's does not use mozzarella cheese but rather a “'secret blend' that includes Wisconsin brick cheese". That statement does not square with anything I have read or heard about the cheese used at Buddy's, including in the podcast (at 29:56). However, as the podcast mentions, Buddy's does have a cheese blend that they refer to as the Motor City blend. That blend includes Fontinella, Asiago, Parmesan and brick cheese. It is part of the Motor City Pizza Collection: http://www.buddyspizza.com/downloads/MotorCityPizzaCollection.pdf. I did not see anything in the Buddy's menu that suggests that that blend is an option for the regular and specialty pizzas on its menu.
I am not surprised that the Buddy's pizzas can have varying crust thicknesses. I believe that it is harder to control a dough that uses a lot of yeast and a fast fermentation at a room temperature that can vary throughout the year. Even with coolers I think it can be hard to control the dough and its expansion throughout the day. And maybe some workers do not punch down the dough the same way or to the same degree every time. With all of these variations, I would imagine they translate to finished crusts with varying thicknesses.
I am not also surprised that some of the Buddy's pizzas have more cheese "crustiness". My recollection is that a former Buddy's worker (Reply 318 at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,3783.msg136795.html#msg136795) said that he preferred that his Buddy's pizzas be baked a few minutes longer than usual, which he did by putting the pizza back onto the conveyor line. I suspect that some guests at Buddy's ask for a more well-done pizza also. Remember, also, that your home oven, and even your deck oven at work, does not bake the same as a conveyor oven.
BTW, from the photo at Reply 304 at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,3783.msg131753.html#msg131753, it looks like Buddy's uses two strips of sauce on its 4-square pizzas, just as you have been doing.
Peter
Peter,
I am glad that you found the podcast interesting. I thought you might have heard it before. I think there is another podcast with Robert Jacobs (made before the one I posted), but couldn’t find it on Discover Good Foods. When I was searching on the web it did show up, but maybe I am not good at searching at Discover Good Foods. I thought it was interesting to hear Robert Jacobs talk about Buddy’s even though we know most of what he talked about.
I sure don’t know if the Motor City Cheese Blend could be added on Buddy’s regular pizzas, but this article tells more about the 5 new pizzas with the Motor City Cheese blend.
http://thehungrydudes.com/the-great-lakes-pizza-collection-at-buddys-pizza/ That cheese blend sure sounds good to me. I have also noticed after looking at many pictures of Buddy’s pizzas that they look sunken in the middle. I am not sure if the “sunken look” is from the way the edges are pinch up in the steel pan, or if the toppings contribute to the “sunken look”. I did notice yesterday that my Buddy’s attempt did have that “sunken look” though, after it had cooled a little.
In this article and video it tells how to make Buddy’s Lake Huron Pizza.
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/19042572/how-to-make-buddys-lake-huron-pizza The 10 oz. part of the lean dough used for the Buddy’s Lake Huron Pizza is close to what I used yesterday. It also tells in Step 2 to place the dough ball in the square pan and press evenly until it covers the complete bottom of the pan completely, making sure that the sides are slightly pushed up around the perimeter and in Step 3: Spread shredded or ground cheese on the dough. Proof the cheesed pizza at room temperature for 1-2 hours, depending on preference. That pizza sounds very good to me.
It is good to know that it doesn’t surprise you that Buddy’s pizzas can have varying crust thicknesses. I can understand it is harder to control a dough that uses a lot of yeast and a fast fermentation at room temperature that can vary throughout the year. I had my own problems with what I did yesterday and guess I didn’t fully understand what to do.
I recall the Buddy’s worker at Reply 318 that posted that he preferred that his Buddy’s pizza be baked a few minutes longer. I sure have no idea how conveyor ovens bake, but do know that my home oven and deck oven bake differently. I even had a problem with the first attempt at a Buddy’s pizza in my home oven that the edges weren’t as dark as I would have liked.
I found it interesting in the Eat Your World article that it said that the Detroit style pizza has doughy insides, besides what else that is said. I wonder if the dough insides part is somewhat like a gumline.
What: Detroit is one of many American cities claiming its own style of pizza: square and Sicilian-esque, cheesy and splashed with tomato sauce on top, with a thick, crispy exterior crust and doughy insides—a rather addicting contrast of textures.
At least I am applying the sauce right on my recent Buddy’s attempts at home.
Norma
