AH-BEETZ

[tdeane]

 Post some pictures of your crust when you have time.
Thanks,
Norma

This was my dinner tonight.

[norma427]

Terry,
Your crust looks simply amazing! 
Thanks for sharing the pictures.
Norma

[Trinity]

trin drool!

[ninapizza23]

Tdeane,
congratulations on making your own fior di latte. I make it from curd which I buy for $2.25 lb. Other than making any amount that you want have you found any advantage in price or otherwise to make it from scratch? My only problem is that I have to buy curd in boxes of 42lbs. Thanks

[tdeane]

Tdeane,
congratulations on making your own fior di latte. I make it from curd which I buy for $2.25 lb. Other than making any amount that you want have you found any advantage in price or otherwise to make it from scratch? My only problem is that I have to buy curd in boxes of 42lbs. Thanks

Well the biggest advantage is freshness but it is cheaper as well. Even making it from milk I can't make it as cheap as you do from curd. That is a great price, $2.25 a pound.

[ninapizza23]

Tdeane,
thanks for your response. So, considering the price of a gallon of milk and other ingredients, how much does it cost you per pound? Do you use vegetable rennet , citric acid and what else? I  know it is not that easy to make it from pasteurized and homogenized milk, is that true?

[tdeane]

Tdeane,
thanks for your response. So, considering the price of a gallon of milk and other ingredients, how much does it cost you per pound? Do you use vegetable rennet , citric acid and what else? I  know it is not that easy to make it from pasteurized and homogenized milk, is that true?

It's not hard to make it from pasteurized milk that isn't homogenized. I am lucky that the owner of the dairy likes my pizza so he trades pizza for milk. I'm not sure what it costs us. Also. I don't use vegetable rennet(I use regular rennet) but I do use citric acid, spring water and sea salt.

[ninapizza23]

Tdeane,
thanks again for your reply. It's not easy to find milk here that is not homogenized, the regular milk cost almost $4.00 a gallon to get a yield of less than a pound.  The most expensive curd and the best is $2.25 lb and I save some time. A friend of mine makes 3 tons of fresh mozzarella a week from curd in one store alone! Have you ever tried to make fresh ricotta?           

[jkb]

I  know it is not that easy to make it from pasteurized and homogenized milk, is that true?

Hi, first time poster here.

That's not really true for the quick mozzarella being discussed here.  You're better off if the milk isn't ultrapasturized but, in my experience, the jury is still out on whether there's any advantage to using non homogenized milk.  A 1/4 teaspoon of mild calf lipase added along with the citric acid will really improve the flavor.  The quick fresh mozzarella I make with supermarket milk is always as good as any that I have ever bought.  However, if you're like me and hate it when stuff is easy, making it the traditional way with a thermophillic starter really takes it to a whole other level.

[Aldo]

Hey, Terry, question for you:

I regularly check back here (beautiful recent crust pictures, by the way ... once again!) and have been a fan/reader of your post for a long time now.  I too dream of a pizzeria, and have marveled at how you've turned your passion into a GREAT place.  I'm too far to visit it, but the pictures and website and you all seem to be really really cool!  Seriously, VERY well done, and I cannot wish you enough good and best wishes in the many years of success ahead!

Now, to my question.  On another pizza blog I came across another guy's story of what kind of things he considered before he opened his place: http://thinktank.pmq.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8445.  Well, in particular, beside the dough, he talked about the other kind of dough and some of the issues you need to think out in preparing to open a place.

So, my question: did you approach opening your place with the same methodical dollar by dollar planning that the guy (at http://thinktank.pmq.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8445) did?  I appreciate what yo can share.  Frankly, I think many of us here are lovers of pizza at home, AND ALSO dreamers of having a place one day as fine as your restaurant.

Thanks,as usual for all your great thoughtfulness and time!

Just one of your fans,
A

PS: I will definitely have to try making mozzarella at home with your recipe -- thank you so much for that, I think about it a lot!

[tdeane]

Hey, Terry, question for you:

I regularly check back here (beautiful recent crust pictures, by the way ... once again!) and have been a fan/reader of your post for a long time now.  I too dream of a pizzeria, and have marveled at how you've turned your passion into a GREAT place.  I'm too far to visit it, but the pictures and website and you all seem to be really really cool!  Seriously, VERY well done, and I cannot wish you enough good and best wishes in the many years of success ahead!

Now, to my question.  On another pizza blog I came across another guy's story of what kind of things he considered before he opened his place: http://thinktank.pmq.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8445.  Well, in particular, beside the dough, he talked about the other kind of dough and some of the issues you need to think out in preparing to open a place.

So, my question: did you approach opening your place with the same methodical dollar by dollar planning that the guy (at http://thinktank.pmq.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8445) did?  I appreciate what yo can share.  Frankly, I think many of us here are lovers of pizza at home, AND ALSO dreamers of having a place one day as fine as your restaurant.

Thanks,as usual for all your great thoughtfulness and time!

Just one of your fans,
A

PS: I will definitely have to try making mozzarella at home with your recipe -- thank you so much for that, I think about it a lot!

Thanks for the kind words! I didn't have to worry too much about the money because I didn't have much. Luckily the place we bought had some decent equipment and all we had to do for reno's was clean(a lot) and paint. My brother in law is a gas fitter so he worked on the oven and got it running nice and hot. Everything else has been done bit by bit. Eventually I hope to have a sit down restaurant where there will be much more to take into consideration.

[tdeane]

This is something I'm working on. A white pie with a thyme and garlic infused bechamel sauce, fior di latte, Asiago, fresh Madagascar green peppercorns, apple wood smoked pancetta(made in house) and sauteed mushrooms. What do you guys think? I loved it but I may try it with some truffle oil next time. How does a little brandy in the sauce sound? I don't know, the chef in me always wants to tweak and improve but i want to stay true to Italian tradition and keep it simple.

[brayshaw]

Terry, that looks and sounds very tasty indeed! i'm not sure about the Brandy though..
Ship both pizzas to England and i'll try them and let you know

Paul

[norma427]

This is something I'm working on. A white pie with a thyme and garlic infused bechamel sauce, fior di latte, Asiago, fresh Madagascar green peppercorns, apple wood smoked pancetta(made in house) and sauteed mushrooms. What do you guys think? I loved it but I may try it with some truffle oil next time. How does a little brandy in the sauce sound? I don't know, the chef in me always wants to tweak and improve but i want to stay true to Italian tradition and keep it simple.

Terry,

Your new pie sounds delicious and quite elegant!  You are very creative.   

Thanks for sharing what you are working on,

Norma

[jeff v]

This is something I'm working on. A white pie with a thyme and garlic infused bechamel sauce, fior di latte, Asiago, fresh Madagascar green peppercorns, apple wood smoked pancetta(made in house) and sauteed mushrooms. What do you guys think? I loved it but I may try it with some truffle oil next time. How does a little brandy in the sauce sound? I don't know, the chef in me always wants to tweak and improve but i want to stay true to Italian tradition and keep it simple.

Definitely on the white truffle oil. Nay on the brandy. Mybe swap out the fior di latte for something w/ a little more punch-robiolla, fontina, or how about a green peppercorn marscapone?

[Pete-zza]

Terry,

Can you update us on what method you are currently using to make your dough? That is, are you using a straight (direct) dough method, a commercially leavened poolish or other type of preferment, or a natural starter? Also, are you still operating at around 65% hydration?

Thanks.

Peter

[tdeane]

Definitely on the white truffle oil. Nay on the brandy. Mybe swap out the fior di latte for something w/ a little more punch-robiolla, fontina, or how about a green peppercorn marscapone?

The asiago has a lot of punch. I think I'll try it with chanterlles next time.

[tdeane]

Terry,

Can you update us on what method you are currently using to make your dough? That is, are you using a straight (direct) dough method, a commercially leavened poolish or other type of preferment, or a natural starter? Also, are you still operating at around 65% hydration?

Thanks.

Peter

I am using a sourdough starter. I was at about 67% hydration but now that I am blending Caputo 00 with my regular flour I have lowered the hydration to 63% and It still feels slightly wetter than my previous un-blended dough.

[WestCountry]

Terry - that pie looks great - love the idea of bechamel with pancetta and mushroom. We love white pizza and that one seems very creative. One out of every two pies I make now is a white pie here at home. Keep it up!

Chris

[Aldo]

Once again, you prove that you truly rock!  You are so kind, so generous, so creative, so inspiring.  Thank you so much for all your thoughts on this blog.  As for the new pizza, it looks pretty neat.  How's that cheese combo?  Is it a good texture?  The cheese toward the middle looks like it might be a little gooey -- how does it taste?  Oh, and I like that truffle oil idea.  Brandy, I'm not sure.  But definitely worth the experimentation.  Frankly, your creativity is a magnificent asset.  That combintion is really interesting.  Wish I could try it -- looks really good!