Re: Evolution of the NY Style Pizza (Split Topic)

[Pete-zza]

One of the evolutions of the NY style involved how the rims of the NY style pizza changed over time and the characteristics of those rims. For example, rims were variously round and somewhat bulbous and maybe even wide but they were also flat and thin and almost nonexistent. For those who are interested in this aspect of the evolution of the NY style pizza, there is a good discussion (and debate) in the thread at:

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=49676.0.

Peter

[norma427]

Found a link that has photos of pizzerias in the past in NYC.  At least the photo from Frank Mastro's model pizzeria is dated 1953.  Still not sure if that is right though.

https://ny.eater.com/2012/5/9/6588599/old-photos-of-new-york-city-pizzerias

Wishfully thinking it would be nice to be able to go into all of those pizzerias to see what the pizzas looked and tasted like.

Norma

[waltertore]

Great pictures!   This one reminds me of the pizzerias I remember with the fold up newsstand in front. 

[jvp123]

Great pictures!   This one reminds me of the pizzerias I remember with the fold up newsstand in front.

I love that picture.  Beautiful vibe.

[Jersey Pie Boy]

   That's so great...like going into a time machine!

[mitchjg]

  That's so great...like going into a time machine!

Here is a time machine thing: When I was in Jr. High, my mom would give me 50 cents for lunch at the Pizza Den in Forest Hills.  That got me 2 slices of Sicilian (15 cents each), a soda (10 cents) and an Italian ices (10 cents)!  That place in the picture looks expensive!!

 

[norma427]

Here is a time machine thing: When I was in Jr. High, my mom would give me 50 cents for lunch at the Pizza Den in Forest Hills.  That got me 2 slices of Sicilian (15 cents each), a soda (10 cents) and an Italian ices (10 cents)!  That place in the picture looks expensive!!

 

Mitch,

They are great time machine memories.  Wow, those prices sure were cheap!   

Norma

[mitchjg]

Mitch,

They are great time machine memories.  Wow, those prices sure were cheap!   

Norma

I think so!  I just went to this website: https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=0.10&year1=196601&year2=201708 where you can calculate cumulative inflation.  $0.15 in 1966 is about $1.16 today.  I am sure NY pizza is way over $1.16 a slice (except for those $1 slice joints I guess) so pizza inflation is excessive relative to the economy.  I think we should demand a refund!

[norma427]

I think so!  I just went to this website: https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=0.10&year1=196601&year2=201708 where you can calculate cumulative inflation.  $0.15 in 1966 is about $1.16 today.  I am sure NY pizza is way over $1.16 a slice (except for those $1 slice joints I guess) so pizza inflation is excessive relative to the economy.  I think we should demand a refund!

Mitch,

Thanks for figuring that out.  Maybe a refund.   

Norma

[norma427]

Walter posted this video over at the NY crust characteristics thread.  There were pizzas with puffy crusts back in the 50's.

Thanks Walter!



Norma

[norma427]

Not sure if I posted any of this article before.  Was browsing though some things on the computer and found the article (part of the article in photos). 

The article date October 3, 1957 credits Frank Mastro for inventing the first gas deck oven for pizzas and tells a lot more.  I don't have a link to the article but guess it still could be found if someone would start a 7-Day Free Trial at. 

https://www.newspapers.com/search/#lnd=1&ymd=1957-10-03&t=4465&p_place=CT

https://www.newspapers.com/image/236589769/?terms=

Norma

[waltertore]

That is a very educational article.  Thanks Norma.  It adds another artifact to the story of pizza.  Walter

[norma427]

Had the pleasure of meeting Chef Santo Bruno at the Pizza and Pasta Northeast Event in Atlantic City yesterday.

Norma

[norma427]

Mr. Bruno told me that Frank Mastro was the first person to invent the gas deck oven to make NY style pizzas.  Mr. Bruno has sold gas deck ovens from Baker's Pride, Garland, Marsal, Bari and Blodgett.  Mr Bruno said he would like to talk to Madeline to do an article about the Mastro's.  I told Mr. Bruno that I tried to contact Madeline in the last month but she didn't respond.  It would be a shame if one of the last links to how the Mastro's invented the first gas deck oven wouldn't get another article by Mr Bruno.  Mr. Bruno worked side by side with Madeline brother-in-law to get so many of the gas deck ovens and later versions by Blodgett sold for NY style pizzas.  Although Mr. Bruno works for Marsal now he recalls so much just like Madeline.

http://www.pmq.com/March-2015/Brunos-Way-Chef-Santo-Bruno-tells-you-what-he-thinks-about-pretty-much-everything/ 




 

Norma

[vangelo]

Hi,

I'm Vangelo / Vinnie Mastro and am quoted in the post below.  I am also the 5 yr old boy eating pizza at the Mastro Pizza Pavilion in the 64 NY Worlds Fair.   

RE:  The secret white powder....  Unfortunately, I do not know what it is but I do know how it came to be.  My father (Vincent S. Mastro), asked my uncle on my mother's side (Lino Linteris) to develop the powder for him.  It just so happened that my uncle was a very successful food scientist (he is responsible for many common grocery store products such as Mrs Buttersworth's Syrup and Promise Margarine to name a few).  I do not know how long it took my uncle Lino to develop the powder but eventually he did.  My father was planning on franchising Pizza and was going to distribute all of the ingredients and supplies including dough.  That meant he had to figure out how to freeze dough without impacting quality.  A year or so before my Uncle Lino passed away I spoke to him about the powder.  He was in his mid-nineties at the time and said, ohhh, I remember doing that for your dad.  He was such a good man.  He then proceeded to tell me all sorts of stories but had no interest in remembering what the powder was. 

In the link that was provided yesterday vangelo (Vinnie) posted this. 

My cousin worked the summers of '63 and '64 in the NY distribution facility making tons of Pizza dough balls that were frozen and sent to the Pizza Plaza stores. He worked there with one of my dad's business partner's, (Louie Lamonica?). He remembers that my Grandmother would bring in Baggies of some "secret ingredient" they would add to each 100-pound batch of dough.

Since Lamonica's has been making frozen pizza dough from 1962 it makes me wonder if the dough used at the World's Fair was Lamonica's dough with an some kind of secret ingredient added. 

Lamonica's website.

http://www.lamonicaspizzadough.com/www.lamonicaspizzadough.com/Home.html

If anyone is interested, these are some photos of pizzas and cups that were copied off the worldsfaircommunity thread, and a few photos of the Mastro Pizzeria at the World's Fair.  The last photos were of Frank Masto's model pizzeria in 1953. 

Norma

Edit:  I forgot to post the one photo.

[HarryHaller73]

The Honeymooners was filmed in midtown NYC in the mid 50's.  Rare footage of a NY pizza of the era.  I would say, it hasn't changed much besides sauce/cheese ratios.

 

[Jersey Pie Boy]

What a great clip! So the observation I'd that now it's more cheese than sauce, is that right? So today's pizzas would be even more banned by Alice!

[quietdesperation]

Harry, I posted that a while ago but this is a better place for it. My kids have never seen the clip but they know when they ask me to share I’m going to ask “do you want an itsy bitsy piece or teensy weensy piece?” 😊

[jkb]

Alice is a sweetie.

[invertedisdead]

What a great clip! So the observation I'd that now it's more cheese than sauce, is that right? So today's pizzas would be even more banned by Alice!

If that's fresh mozz on that pie I actually think there could be quite a lot on there for the blobs to be so white. I mean, the clip is grainy, but considering a deck oven bake time and how fresh mozz tends to melt into the sauce, makes me wonder!