Hello everyone.
First off, I have to commend every poster in this thread.
Every picture and recipe, is great in their own right. Great work everyone, they all look Delicious!
Most of you could probably open pizza places, and make a living. Again, great work!
A little background on me first.
I grew up in Detroit, within walking distance of Shield's, and about a miles walk to the original Buddy's, on 7 and Conant.
My Mother tells me, that my first taste of Buddy's, was when I was 1 month old. I guess you could say I was weened on Buddy's pizza.
Every pizza I have, until this day, I compare to Buddy's pizza.
I Have been around the world, several times. I have even had pizza in Italy, the birth place of pizza I guess, but it does not compare to that sweet, not too thick, not to flat, square piece of heaven, that is Buddy's pizza, from Detroit.
Most all pizza I have had, has been good, but some should not even be called pizza.
In my early years, I was a professional cook, pizza maker, and head dishwasher, at many restaurants in Detroit, and beyond. I have made many, many attempts, at reproducing the original Buddy's pizza. All to no avail, close, but not the same.
Enough about me.
I had an Aunt, who worked at Buddy's, at the original Conant location, in the mid 70's, for a couple of summers. She had mentioned to me, and my family, on more than one occasion, some of the secrets of the Buddy's pizza, but not enough.
I remember that she had mentioned that there was cheese, in the dough. Not just in the crust, but in the actual preparation of the dough. "When the dough was made, a dry powdery cheese was added". Now I take that to mean that there was an addition of something dry, like Parmesan, being added to the dough, as it was mixed. Now do not take this as gospel, it is just what was I told. I was a kid, I was told lots of things.
But I do, until this day, add Parmesan to my dough. It's good, and I do notice a difference in taste, when I do not add it.
Reading through the thread, there are some things that I know for a fact, that are true.
All Buddy's pizzas are made in seasoned, dark metal pans, and they are not washed. (just wiped clean between uses.)
Oil is bushed into the pans, before the dough is placed into the pans. ( I have seen it.)
What I do not know for fact, and I just remember being told.
The cheese is a mix of, brick, cheddar, provolone, and mozzarella. Cubed, (cheese is used as the crust, pressed into the corners and sides, and spread into the pan lightly, as dough is placed into pan)
Oven temps, when they used pizza ovens, were high, 600+ degrees. But they now use conveyor, impinger type ovens.
I can not, to this day, reproduce it.
Luckily, I live only about 3 1/2 hours from the nearest Buddy's pizza. I frequent the store in Auburn Hill's, just off I-75, next to Oakland University.
The taste and texture does change, from location to location. But I assume that is because each location is not identical, like say a domino's or a pizza hut, where each location is an exact a reproduction of another kitchen.
More to come.
Thanks,
-Deano
