NJ Boardwalk Pizza

[norma427]

Faaantastic Norma...is this the mild ched you are sworn to secre...oh never mind.   

Bob,

I would give the brand of the mild cheddar that I use now, but don't think most members would have access to it in smaller amounts.  I did check on the cheese producers website and they don't send this mild cheddar out either.  The way I figure is if only pizza businesses can purchase the mild cheddar I found what is the use of posting about it.  I would gladly give the brand name if regular members could be able to purchase it.

Norma

[Chicago Bob]

Bob,

I would give the brand of the mild cheddar that I use now, but don't think most members would have access to it in smaller amounts.  I did check on the cheese producers website and they don't send this mild cheddar out either.  The way I figure is if only pizza businesses can purchase the mild cheddar I found what is the use of posting about it.  I would gladly give the brand name if regular members could be able to purchase it.

Norma

I understand exactly Norma; and the way you just explained it makes perfect sense. Thank you. 

[norma427]

I turned my oven down to 515 degrees F yesterday, but forgot my IR gun at home to be able to take the actual temperatures on different parts of the stone.  The reason I turned down the temperature in my oven was because I saw different pizzerias in Trenton, NJ using lower temperatures than I use.  The pizzas still had enough oven spring in my opinion and the edge crusts browned okay and also the bottom crusts.  What surprised me more, was the bake time really was about the same.

This are a few photos of the pizzas yesterday.  I also dressed all the boardwalk style pizzas the same way Joey's in Trenton does yesterday.  That style also seemed to work well.

Norma

[norma427]

Norma

[RockyMountainPie]

Hello Norma, Pete, Steve, and all!

I started reading this thread about 1 year ago and have read the WHOLE thing.  Parts of it, I've read many times, both for the education and for just sheer enjoyment.

I live in Colorado but visited by sister and her family about 4 years ago.  They took me to Ocean City and insisted that I have pizza at (then) Mack and Mancos.  The line that day was about 20 people out the door, but we waited and waited and finally got in.  It was worth the wait!  I just loved the pizza and so decided to search for the recipe online, which led me to this site.

I'd like to thank you, especially, Norma, for all of your experimenting on this thread and for generously sharing your findings.  Many a night, I have gone to sleep with visions of Gangi Supreme Super Heavy Pizza Sauce and Long Horn cheddar dancing in my head.     It's been quite a journey and I agree with an earlier poster who commented that this story should be turned into a film.  Would actually make a great documentary.

I've tried several of the recipes in my home oven and agree with the direction you've taken the pizza.  (Your last couple of pizza's are GORGEOUS and I feel are probably better than what Mack's is producing now, according to the recent photos and your reports.)

My family is enjoying my experimentation on this, so your efforts are making people happy across the country, whether you realize it or not! 

Last weekend I tried your recipe from post  1656 as modified in post 1696.  For those playing at home, for a 14 inch pizza (initial TF of 0.0850) the recipe is:

Flour (100%):    231.7 g  |  8.17 oz | 0.51 lbs
Water (57%):    132.07 g  |  4.66 oz | 0.29 lbs
IDY (.55%):    1.27 g | 0.04 oz | 0 lbs | 0.42 tsp | 0.14 tbsp
Salt (2%):    4.63 g | 0.16 oz | 0.01 lbs | 0.97 tsp | 0.32 tbsp
Vegetable (Soybean) Oil (3%): 6.95 g | 0.25 oz | 0.02 lbs | 1.53 tsp | 0.51 tbsp
Sugar (0.75%): 1.74 g | 0.06 oz | 0 lbs | 0.44 tsp | 0.15 tbsp
Total (163.3%): 378.37 g | 13.35 oz | 0.83 lbs | TF = 0.0867

with a 2% bowl residue.

I liked this a lot, but will try a 2.5% Salt next time.  I remember you posting earlier that the Mack's crust tasted very salty when you re-heated it, but mine didn't.

Here are a few pictures of my latest effort.  For flour I used KABF.  I used the WalMart paste (doctored up like Ev does it) and I used Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese (which I didn't know was "orange" until I opened the package, LOL) along with a mozzarella, about a 50/50 blend.

P.S. I would be willing to get a Pinocchio, Geppetto, and Jiminy cricket if you feel it will help my pizzas to be more like yours.

Best,

Tim

[norma427]

Hello Norma, Pete, Steve, and all!

I started reading this thread about 1 year ago and have read the WHOLE thing.  Parts of it, I've read many times, both for the education and for just sheer enjoyment.

I live in Colorado but visited by sister and her family about 4 years ago.  They took me to Ocean City and insisted that I have pizza at (then) Mack and Mancos.  The line that day was about 20 people out the door, but we waited and waited and finally got in.  It was worth the wait!  I just loved the pizza and so decided to search for the recipe online, which led me to this site.

I'd like to thank you, especially, Norma, for all of your experimenting on this thread and for generously sharing your findings.  Many a night, I have gone to sleep with visions of Gangi Supreme Super Heavy Pizza Sauce and Long Horn cheddar dancing in my head.     It's been quite a journey and I agree with an earlier poster who commented that this story should be turned into a film.  Would actually make a great documentary.

I've tried several of the recipes in my home oven and agree with the direction you've taken the pizza.  (Your last couple of pizza's are GORGEOUS and I feel are probably better than what Mack's is producing now, according to the recent photos and your reports.)

My family is enjoying my experimentation on this, so your efforts are making people happy across the country, whether you realize it or not! 

Last weekend I tried your recipe from post  1656 as modified in post 1696.  For those playing at home, for a 14 inch pizza (initial TF of 0.0850) the recipe is:

Flour (100%):    231.7 g  |  8.17 oz | 0.51 lbs
Water (57%):    132.07 g  |  4.66 oz | 0.29 lbs
IDY (.55%):    1.27 g | 0.04 oz | 0 lbs | 0.42 tsp | 0.14 tbsp
Salt (2%):    4.63 g | 0.16 oz | 0.01 lbs | 0.97 tsp | 0.32 tbsp
Vegetable (Soybean) Oil (3%): 6.95 g | 0.25 oz | 0.02 lbs | 1.53 tsp | 0.51 tbsp
Sugar (0.75%): 1.74 g | 0.06 oz | 0 lbs | 0.44 tsp | 0.15 tbsp
Total (163.3%): 378.37 g | 13.35 oz | 0.83 lbs | TF = 0.0867

with a 2% bowl residue.

I liked this a lot, but will try a 2.5% Salt next time.  I remember you posting earlier that the Mack's crust tasted very salty when you re-heated it, but mine didn't.

Here are a few pictures of my latest effort.  For flour I used KABF.  I used the WalMart paste (doctored up like Ev does it) and I used Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese (which I didn't know was "orange" until I opened the package, LOL) along with a mozzarella, about a 50/50 blend.

P.S. I would be willing to get a Pinocchio, Geppetto, and Jiminy cricket if you feel it will help my pizzas to be more like yours.

Best,

Tim

Tim,

You sure have great perseverance if you read though this thread even one time.    My brother also lives in Colorado. 

I am glad you got to try a Manco & Manco pizza.  Lol, about you going to sleep with visions of Gangi Supreme Super Heavy Pizza Sauce and Long Horn cheddar dancing in your head.  I am also glad your family is enjoying your experimentations.  I would say that Mack's crust is salty sometimes.  As you might have seen in some of my recent posts and other members posts Mack's and Manco & Manco aren't always consistent with their pizzas.  Steve just recently had the same experience that I did when he tried a pizza at Manco & Manco.

Your pizza looks very good. 

I don't think Pinoocchio, Geppetto and Jiminy Cricket really helped, but they were fun to play around with. 

I don't know if you saw, but I have recently had a tomato pie at Joey's in Trenton, NJ.  They are somehow related to Marcuras and they also make tomato pies taste like Mack's pizzas tasted years ago and not like Mack's or Manco & Manco pizzas do now.  Somehow all these families are related and I intend to get to the bottom of how they all started if I can.  If you are interested, this is the thread I recently started.  http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,25251.0.html  Peter gave me a formulation to try later in that thread.

I am not finished in trying to create a Mack's pizza that I recall from many years ago.

Keep posting your experiments and let me know if you think you ever really created a Manco & Manco pizza like you had in Ocean City, NJ.

Norma

[RockyMountainPie]

Norma,

Thanks for the encouragement and link to yet another highly interesting thread.  You're doing a great job in researching this pizza style (someone's gotta do it, right? ).

I think that book that you mentioned earlier, "Slice of Jersey" (http://www.amazon.com/Slice-Jersey-Ultimate-Guide-Garden/dp/1597252611/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top) would probably have a good explanation of the origins of these "Trenton tomato pies" but visiting the actual restaurants and talking to the owners is an even better (and tastier) way to do your research.

I'll keep posting my experiments and will be following along with you as you keep creating these delicious pies.

--Tim

[norma427]

Norma,

Thanks for the encouragement and link to yet another highly interesting thread.  You're doing a great job in researching this pizza style (someone's gotta do it, right? ).

I think that book that you mentioned earlier, "Slice of Jersey" (http://www.amazon.com/Slice-Jersey-Ultimate-Guide-Garden/dp/1597252611/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top) would probably have a good explanation of the origins of these "Trenton tomato pies" but visiting the actual restaurants and talking to the owners is an even better (and tastier) way to do your research.

I'll keep posting my experiments and will be following along with you as you keep creating these delicious pies.

--Tim

Tim,

Lol, yes I guess someone has to do the research on this style of pizza.  At least it has given me opportunities to go to shore points and now Trenton.  I do get discouraged sometimes when my pizzas don't turn out right though.  I also think my continued interest in tomato pies came from Papa Dino's in Lancaster.  Their pizzas aren't what they used to be either, but at one time they were really good in my opinion.  I never knew they were like Tomato Pies either until I joined the forum.  I don't know if you saw my thread about Papa Dino's, but it is under Pizzeria and Restaurant reviews.  I took photos and a video there.  Maybe I will have to talk to the owner at Papa Dino's about tomato pies.  I did try to call Joey's Pizza and talk to the owner, but he hasn't called me back yet.  I also sent an email to Joey's.  I would think that Joey's would know something about how tomato pies started in Trenton. 

I even forgot about that “Slice of Jersey” book.  I know I am getting old, because I can't recall everything on this thread and I am the one that did a lot of posting on this thread.  I might need to purchase the “Slice of Jersey” book, or talk to someone that has read it.   

Great to hear you will keep up with your experiments.  I think when I try to make another tomato pie I will start a new thread just about if I can make a decent tomato pie like Joey's.  This thread is getting so long and I have changed things so many times.

Norma   

[RockyMountainPie]

Norma,

LOL that you forgot you had posted about that book, but I completely understand!  I often have about 12 "tabs" open in my browser when I'm on this forum and it gets confusing to keep track of what I have read and where.

Your Papa Dino's thread was also interesting.  Outstanding detective work as usual!    I thought it was interesting in your video of the pie man, the way he crimped the edges of his dough to make the crust.  I tried that in a pizza tonight and it worked very well to create a nice rim.

I think it's a great idea to start a new thread on Trenton Tomato pies.  I'll look forward to following along on your continuing adventures.

--Tim