Listen to The Hot Slice Podcast Halloween Edition with Pizza Today

Today is one of the busiest days for pizzerias so the crew at Pizza Today bring you a lighthearted episode where Josh, Jeremy and Denise talk Halloween in pizzerias, favorite Halloween pizzas, interesting Halloween finds.

Here is the infamous Halloween Pizza featuring candy corn: https://pizzatoday.com/recipes/pizzas/halloween-cookie-pizza/

We also talk PizzaCon, happening next week in Philadelphia and the newly announce Pizza Expo Columbus.

More on PizzaCon at https://pizzacon.com.

Learn more about Pizza Expo Columbus at https://pizzatoday.com/topics/industry-news/pizza-today-international-pizza-expo-bring-national-pizza-show-to-columbus-in-2025/

Have a great Halloween!

Thank you to our sponsors

The post 230. Halloween Edition appeared first on Pizza Today.

PizzaCon arrives this month — and it’s sure to thrill!

It’s November, which means PizzaCon is finally here! The one-day event is November 7 at the historic Fillmore venue in Philadelphia. We’ll have the City of Brotherly Love rocking with unbridled pizza enthusiasm as some of the industry’s top suppliers provide educational activation stations designed to help your pizza business thrive.

Beyond sampling some hot new products, PizzaCon also will offer a curated speaker lineup that will make your trip into Philly worthwhile. Here’s a quick peek at the educational opportunities that will be taking place upstairs on the Foundry level during the event.

There will be 5 sessions total led by a bevy of speakers, many of whom own and operate successful restaurants in the Northeast!

Marketing in Today’s Environment (Michael Androw, 11 a.m. – Noon) — Today’s restaurant landscape requires a more targeted marketing approach. Canvasing a neighborhood with door hangars, while occasionally still effective in certain markets, just doesn’t work like it used to. Costs are up and marketing budgets are being squeezed, so it’s important to allocate your precious resources carefully. In this seminar you’ll learn how to identify your specific customer and how to get in front of them and get their attention.

Growing Revenue Through Catering (Tony Cerimele, 1 p.m. – 1:55 p.m.) — In this session you’ll learn about ways to add a catering component to your business. Whether you’re looking to grow via corporate lunches, weddings or other large-scale events, building a plan to increase off-premise sales can take your pizza business to new heights.

Dough Styles (Gregorio Fierro, 2 p.m. – 2:55 p.m.)— A great pizza is dependent on a great dough. It’s the base on which everything is built. And while you can produce a variety of different pizza styles from just one dough formula, when you really immerse yourself in exploring and mastering different styles of dough, that’s when your final product takes flight and has that ‘wow’ factor you’re looking for.

Panel: Building Your Playbook (Jason Gore, Bret Lunsford, Ted Zizlsperger, 3 – 3:55 p.m.) — Whether starting or taking over a business, having a clear plan and operational playbook is essential to your success. The operations team at Sally’s Apizza, with over 60 years of combined experience from brands like Shake Shack, Disney, Buffalo Wild Wings, Outback Steakhouse, and Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, has developed a playbook that ensures unforgettable hospitality, legendary food, brand consistency and profitability. Through a strong yet adaptable company culture, intentional decision making and investing in people, you can build a road map to success for your business.

Menu Development (Melissa Rickman, Eric Von Hansen, Jeff Smokevitch and Siler Chapman, 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.) — You’re guaranteed to enjoy this entertaining and educational session as members of the vaunted World Pizza Champions take the stage to talk about menu development, some of their favorite and most successful recipes and answer your questions about menu development, food costs, building a new menu item, etc.

The post PizzaCon 2024: It’s Go Time! appeared first on Pizza Today.

10 pizza toppings to watch in 2025

As we wrap up 2024, we are already looking forward to a new year filled with new and interesting pizza toppings. Let’s explore hot pizza toppings that will be trending in 2025.

We’ve combed through so much information to provide you with a glimpse of 2025 pizza trends. We have gathered insights from our upcoming Pizzeria Trends Report that will be published in December based on survey results from you, the pizzeria operator. We also evaluated what happened on the Pizza Expo show floor and took to analyzing web and social trends.

At Pizza Today, I’m known for identifying trends as I see them surface. We want to know what you are seeing in your markets. You can reach out to me, dgreer@pizzatoday.com, to provide your expert insights. Now on to the pizza ingredient trends. 

Macro Pizza Trends 2025

First, let’s look at macro-pizza trends. There are bigger overarching themes that will drive pizza inspiration in the next year. Then we’ll get into individual trending pizza toppings. 

1. Back to basics with an upgrade

The No. 1 trend we are seeing on pizza is that pizza is getting back to its roots with classic toppings. But there is a caveat. With back-to-basic pies, there is an upgraded element that can range from a unique cheese blend to a drizzle of a premium olive oil, chili oil or fresh ingredient finish.

2. Pizza Crust Enhancements

Pizza fans understand that it’s all about the crust. Pizza makers are creating more flavorful doughs with the addition of preferments and fats. 

3. International inspiration on Specialty Pizzas

Pizza kitchens are getting creative, and customers are loving it. We see a lot of that inspiration coming from international cuisine, especially Indian, Latin American and Asian foods. 

10 pizza toppings to get attention in 2025

Now we are going to dive into pizza toppings that may hit it big in 2025. Some of these pizza ingredients you’ll notice continue to be hot.

Microgreens. There is nothing like the look and pop of flavor with microgreens, from arugula and basil to beet, endive and Swiss chard. It’s important to note that these are used as finishing ingredients.

Vegan meats and cheeses. Plant-based meats and cheeses continue to thrive as customers seek to find vegan versions of their favorite pepperoni, sausage and mozzarella.

Berries. Don’t think just dessert pizzas here. Cranberries, blueberries, raspberries and other local berries are being paired with meats and creamy cheeses to create savory pies with a hint of sweet.

Green Chilies. These mild, yet spicy peppers are spreading far beyond the Southwest. You’ll find these chilies paired with pepperoni, chorizo, pulled pork, corn and creamy cheeses.

Pickles. Contrary to other sources, the industry says pickles are still very hot. So much so, operators have attempted to pull their pickle pizza off the menu to customer revolts. Pickle pizzas are evolving to new pairings, leaning on smoked and cured meats and unique cheeses.

Alternative Sausages. While customers love traditional Italian sausage and last year’s trending cup and char sausage, they are also gravitating toward sausage variations, like bratwurst, curry, chorizo, chicken sausage and Nduja.

Italian Beef. Chicago’s famous Italian Beef Sandwich has turned pizza in a big way. Don’t forget the au jus for dipping.

Giardiniera. The sweet and often hot pickled peppers go hand-in-hand with Italian Beef. Don’t stop there. Hot or mild Giardiniera are great with pepperoni, sausage, chorizo or a cheese pizza with ricotta dollops.

Lemon. This citrus fruit — either sliced, wedged, juiced or zested — has found its way onto pizza. It’s providing a beautiful contrast to pizza’s often savory and creamy flavors and adds that hit of acidity.

Cheddar Cheese. A good sharp cheddar or white cheddar cheese is being blended with mild mozzarella to create rich cheese pizza. Pizza fans are loving those crispy cheddar crust edges.

Have fun testing new pizza topping combinations in your kitchen. We’ll explore more pizza trends and pizza toppings in our 2025 Pizzeria Trends Report in December.

DENISE GREER  is Executive Editor of Pizza Today.

The post Hot on Pizza in 2025: Popular Pizza Toppings to Trend in 2025 appeared first on Pizza Today.

Arrabbiata Sauce, also known as Angry Sauce, for Pasta, Pizza and Dipping

Arrabbiata sauce has always been an obsession of mine. If pasta is an option on the menu, it’s the first thing I order at an Italian restaurant. Being such a simple sauce, it can tell you a lot about the place and the ingredients they use. Arrabbiata is certainly not the flashiest Italian pasta sauce, nor the most complicated, and I think that’s what I like most about it. It is unassuming — but can come through in a big, big way if executed correctly. 

Like a simple slice of cheese pizza, everyone’s version of Arrabbiata sauce is different. The classic recipe is composed of garlic, dried chili flakes and tomatoes sautéed in olive oil. Little differences such as what kind of tomatoes you use, how you cut and cook the garlic, how spicy the chili flakes are and what type of olive oil you sauté everything in can make a huge difference in the final product. Outside of the traditional ingredients, there are liberties and additions that can change the sauce to make it your own.

When you translate “arrabbiata,” it literally means angry. The sauce, which is known as ‘sugo all’arrabbiata’ in Italy, originates from the Lazio region. It’s rooted in the Italian adjective “arabbiato,” which indicates a personal characteristic that is pushed to excess. The notion came from Roman cooks having a very heavy hand in the kitchen with the sauce’s main ingredients: garlic, tomatoes, dried red chili flakes and olive oil. The dish dates back to the 1950s when spicy cuisine was trending in Rome. While ‘arabbiato’ can be applied to any dish, spicy marinara is probably the most well-known.

Let’s talk tomatoes. While the dried red chilies are arguably the most dominate ingredient in Arrabbiata sauce, tomatoes comprise the bulk of the volume. With a sauce as simple as this one, you can really taste all the components. As a result, the sweeter and more robust the tomatoes are, the less outside sugar and salt you need to add. The sweetness of the tomatoes also balances out the heat from the chilies. 

The heat of the sauce is derived from dried red chili flakes. While you want the sauce to deliver this promised punch, you don’t want it so hot it’s inedible. To achieve a spicy but balanced sauce, start small and then go big. The hotness of the peppers becomes more evident after simmering in the sauce for a bit. Add a small amount and let it cook into the tomatoes for 20 minutes (because you can always add more). Another thing to keep in mind is that all red pepper flakes are not created equal. I don’t think I realized just how extreme of a difference there can be between brands until we switched ours. A teaspoon of one type of red pepper flakes does not equal the same amount of another. This is where taste testing really comes into play.

Another source of heat in the sauce comes from the garlic. Different varieties of garlic are spicier than others. While garlic might seem like a no brainer, the type you use along with how you slice and cook it can drastically change the overall taste of the sauce. Mincing the garlic will taste much different than creating thin slices on a mandolin or even slow cooking whole cloves in oil.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, a good quality olive oil is always the way to go. Especially in simple dishes. The taste of the oil comes through and affects the taste of the entire sauce. Since you are using the oil to sauté the other ingredients and not as a finishing oil, you don’t need to use extra virgin.

Once you get the basics down, there are also a few non-traditional ingredients I like to add to my arrabbiata sauce. The first is wine. People who understand the advantage of putting wine in sauces tend to do so religiously. Wine enhances the dish by releasing the flavor molecules in the food you are sautéing it with. As the alcohol reduces, it concentrates its natural flavors with the other ingredients in the sauce.

Another great addition is butter. Aside from using great ingredients, butter is really the secret weapon in taking pasta sauces to the next level. It’s the very last thing you slip into the sauce to make everything cohesive and pop. Then there are finishing cheeses, such as Parmigiana Reggiano and Pecorino Romano. They don’t have to have a heavy presence in the sauce, but add a nice dimension to the finished dish.

Even if you don’t serve pasta at your shop, there are plenty of other places to add Arrabbiata sauce onto your menu. The obvious being on a pizza, but it really pairs with most anything that needs a spice upgrade. You can cook meatballs in arrabbiata sauce and serve them as a side or as a pizza topping. You can use it as a dipping sauce for garlic bread, knots or house-made rolls. A fun one is to spoon it onto a Sicilian or other pan pizza with alternating Alfredo sauce stripes. You can turn a traditional eggplant or chicken parm into a hot one. If you don’t have a pasta station you can do baked ziti or lasagna with an Arrabbiata sauce.

As you can see, Arrabbiata might appear to be a pretty straightforward sauce with basic ingredients, but how you utilize and cook those very components can make for a very unique dish.

Get the Arrabbiata Sauce Recipe.

The post The Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce Adds Heat and Flavor to the Menu appeared first on Pizza Today.

Making Fresh Pasta

Some of the best meals I’ve ever had have involved pizza, but have also involved pasta of some kind. There’s a restaurant in Rome that will forever be imprinted in my mind because sometimes the pasta will come to the table on a beautiful plate and sometimes it will be served directly from the pan it was cooked in. Why dirty another dish? As Americans, we all know dried pasta. While dried pasta is great, versatile and relatively cheap, fresh pasta is in a category unto its own.

Learning to make fresh pasta is its own art form and countless cookbooks have been written in its honor. With more shapes than you can imagine, there is a science to fresh pasta as well as a honed technique that can take years to master. Learning how to roll the perfect sfoglia (sheet) and pairing it with its perfect sauce as well as learning the details of each cut and shape can seem daunting. But just like pizza, pasta is a perfect vehicle for flavor, whether it’s sticking to traditional carbonara or Bolognese or completely switching it up and doing something outside the box. Pasta is beloved by all and is a lot easier to incorporate into a concept than you think.

There are two kinds of fresh pasta to consider.

The first is the kind that is either rolled out with a rolling pin or flattened out using a sheeter.  Most associate ravioli and other filled shapes with this. The hand crank machine is the smaller one and normally what you would have at home. They make larger commercial versions that are electric and can sheet out large quantities rather fast. The second kind of fresh pasta is one that is extruded out of a machine. For both kinds, specific equipment is necessary. But like any great nonna at home, using what you have always works just fine.

For those who are opting to go the hand rolled and hand filled route, a little more technique is required. If using a rolling pin or mattarello, learning the proper thickness of each shape as well as how to keep the dough uniform in thickness can take time. Just like any skill, it takes repetition and a lot of attention to detail. But before you get to rolling, you need to begin with the dough. Like pizza dough, hydration and flour choice is key. The type of flour can vary, but most commonly it will be a “00” and a low protein or a semolina/semola flour. Pasta has just as much nuance as any other flour-based product, but for those going the super simple route “00” flour and water works just fine. For those wanting a richer and more golden color to the dough will want to add eggs, either in their entirety or just the yolks. Traditionally, pasta dough with eggs was reserved for special occasions and the upper wealthy class.

If you’d like to try just flour and water first before adding in eggs, I would start with a 50-percent hydration and practice your kneading skills. Pasta dough will need to be kneaded for a bit to develop some strength and texture. But just like pizza dough, it can be overworked. A rest period is always advised between kneading and rolling.

If you’re ready to add in eggs or even a vegetable puree of some kind I’ve seen the hydration level go up to 55 to 60 percent — but you don’t really want a super wet dough. There are a lot of cookbooks out there that can teach you the finer points of rolling out a fresh sheet of pasta, but not every operation has the time or enough staff to hand shape each order of ravioli. For those restaurants that specialize in hand formed pasta, the work is worth it as you can tell by the texture on the tooth when you bite into it that it was made by hand and not by a machine.

One of my all-time favorite noodle shapes is bucatini.

I love long noodles similar to a spaghetti. But the fact that it is hollow in the middle gives it a completely different texture. Other shapes I love are conchiglie (shells) and fusilli, and flat noodles like mafaldine. There are so many fun shapes out there that lend to a different eating experience, but shapes like these are better as extruded pastas.

An extruder is a machine that has a hopper where you add flour and water and it will mix it for you and then push the dough out through a die. The good ones are made from bronze, and as the dough is pushed out through the die, the noodle takes its shape. The important thing about bronze cut dies is it helps with the texture of the noodle. Some of this comes from the hydration and proper mix time, but you don’t want a super slick noodle regardless of the shape. What you are looking for is a little bit of texture, so the sauce has something to stick to. If you’ve ever bought dried pasta from the store and your sauce has a hard time sticking even though you haven’t added any oil, this is why. Bronze dies can be more expensive, but the quality of the product speaks for itself.

Now let’s talk equipment and cost.

Is it really worth it to invest in the equipment and knowledge needed to make great fresh pasta? Extruders can vary in size and cost depending on your needs, but on a menu most people are charging the same as a regular entrée or pizza which pays for itself in time just as your mixer.

The equipment needed to make filled shapes like ravioli and agnolotti is minimal, and even a fork and pizza wheel will do most of what you need. But the time it takes to learn technique and consistency is the hard part. One of the things I love most about fresh pasta is the cook time. Smaller shapes can cook in as few as two minutes, whereas thicker shapes can cook in about five with the texture coming out al dente and it is still cooking in less time than a dried pasta. This quick cook time means you can churn out pasta dishes in less than 10 minutes, turning tables much faster.

Ultimately, fresh pasta can be a great addition to any menu and can be as simple or as complicated as you would like it to be.

Laura Meyer is the owner of Pizzeria da Laura in Berkeley, CA.

The post What You Need to Know About Making Pasta in Your Restaurant appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizzerias can benefit from updating menus, logos and décor

Even a timeless classic needs an update once in a while. From legacy brands that have been around for decades to newer concepts trying to keep up with changing consumer tastes, pizzerias can benefit from refreshing their brands. A refresh could include designing a new logo, removing slow sellers from the menu, modernizing the dining room and other updates.

When Hannah O’Hara and Dean Rein purchased Lisa’s Pizza in Milwaukee in January of this year, they wanted to make some changes, but not alienate longtime customers. “We wanted to make it our own, but stay true to its history,” O’Hara says. “We did not change too much too fast. People get really upset really easily.”

Before becoming pizzeria owners, Rein worked as an industrial engineer and O’Hara specialized in quality assurance. Her area of expertise is root cause analysis and corrective actions, which means figuring out what is causing something to happen and how to fix it. “We came into it with the mindset of wanting to continuously improve, which is big in the manufacturing space,” O’Hara says.

The new owners closed the pizzeria for eight days for an intensive cleaning, then reopened with a streamlined menu. Gone was the fish fry, a menu item that saw about one order per month. Unpopular pizza toppings such as ground beef and shrimp were replaced with trendy offerings such as hot honey. Also new were vegetarian-friendly items such as pesto, and a gluten-free cauliflower crust.

The dishes that stayed on the menu were standardized and the recipes uploaded onto a Google Drive. The previous owners had not written down the recipes and relied on their memory of handfuls of ingredients. Documenting recipes make it easy for kitchen crews to access the information, and help the Lisa’s Pizza brand maintain product consistency.

The new owners also added accessible seating by getting a city permit and adding outdoor tables. New exterior paint also increased the curb appeal, as did new bright red signage. The restaurant did not have a logo before, so the team developed a whimsical logo featuring Lisa, the pizzeria’s mysterious namesake. “Some people think the logo is too sexy,” O’Hara says. “But I don’t mind.”

Lisa’s Pizza now has a social media presence, which helps the brand engage with the community and compete with chains and other operators in the area. “A lot of people have been grateful for us buying the place,” O’Hara says. “They thought Lisa’s Pizza would come to an end, or someone would buy it and completely trash it. We kept it alive and gave the brand a refresh.”

Research first

For pizzeria owners doing a brand refresh, one challenge is to figure out which logo, décor and menu items to keep, and which to change. One way to do this is by asking customers how they perceive the brand, because their answers sometimes don’t match what the pizzeria owner might think.

“We’re very focused on the research and sociological effects of branding and how people interact with a brand,” says Jon Hartman, creative director at Wunder Werkz, a Denver, Colorado and Reykjavik, Iceland-based branding company that worked on a brand refresh for Mici Italian, a family-owned chain in Denver.

The first step in the brand refresh was to conduct research. Wunder Werkz interviewed Mici customers on what they valued in the brand. They found that people valued their experience in the restaurants more than the visuals of the brand.

“The minute you create a restaurant, you create something that exists in the public,” Hartman says. “Other people feel ownership of their experience within the restaurant. People take their kids there, they went on first dates there, they have memories.”

Mici Italian was also working on franchising the concept, so Wunder Werkz came up with a new logo that works well in different aspect ratios. That way, the logo remains consistent in different sized signage at stores that are freestanding, inline and other types of real estate.

Wunder Werkz also updated the interiors of Mici Italian restaurants, including the red and green palette, lighting, wood and higher end materials. “It was important to have something solidified and professional as they went more into franchise mode,” Hartman says. “It was widely positively received. The future franchisees understood there is a strong brand story to tell.”

Hartman says it’s important to avoid preconceived notions of what a brand should look like, or to simply redesign stores to look sleek and modern. “The secret to success is to come in with an open mind,” he says. “Process where you can go as opposed to saying we need to do this specific thing.”

Refresh versus rebrand

A brand refresh is different from a rebrand. There have been some high-profile rebranding efforts by large chains announcing menu overhauls, new logos and other major changes. Rebranding is more robust than a brand refresh.

“If it’s a rebranding, we are starting over again, and everything is up for grabs,” says Danny Bendas, managing partner with Synergy Restaurant Consultants in Newport Beach, California. “A refresh can include trying to promote different sales channels, change in dining layout, change in marketing, update the décor.”

Bendas notes that some restaurant companies have refreshed their brands recently to reflect their move to more takeout and delivery, while others have focused more on a return to basics, going back to being the pizzeria they once were. While customer feedback is important, the operator must also make sure the new components are easy to execute. If the refresh includes new menu items, these must be dishes that the kitchen staff can prepare with their current equipment and staff levels. Don’t add catering or a full beverage menu, Bendas says, without considering back of house.

“Bring your brand up to today’s standards without harming what people know you as,” Bendas says. “Don’t lose sight of who you are, and what got you to the party.”

NORA CALEY is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Restaurant Branding Refresh appeared first on Pizza Today.

Inaugural Pizza Expo Columbus: A New Midwest Event Debuts October 26-27, 2025, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center

New York, NY (October 30, 2024) — The team behind the world’s leading pizza industry trade show, International Pizza Expo, and the respected Pizza Today magazine, a subsidiary of Emerald Holding, Inc., today announced the launch of Pizza Expo Columbus. This new event, tailored for Midwest pizza industry professionals, will debut on October 26-27, 2025, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH.

Pizza Expo Columbus will build upon the 40-year legacy of the International Pizza Expo, bringing top industry opportunities to the heart of the Midwest pizza community. The event promises to be a must-attend gathering for those passionate about the art and business of pizza.

Bill Oakley, Show Director of International Pizza Expo, emphasized the significance of this launch: “Pizza Expo Columbus will offer pizzeria operators and owners in the region unparalleled opportunities for networking, learning, and discovering innovation. We’ve designed this show as an expansion of the 41^st edition of International Pizza Expo to serve the needs of operators in the Midwest region.”

The trade show will serve as a pivotal platform for pizzeria operators, suppliers, and industry experts to explore the latest trends, technologies, and techniques shaping the future of pizza. Attendees can expect:

• Hands-on workshops and demonstrations led by industry experts
• Keynote speeches from pizza industry leaders
• World-class competitions showcasing culinary talent
• A diverse array of exhibitors presenting cutting-edge products and services

“Columbus is the beating heart of Midwest Pizza and is a melting pot of all the American styles, flavors, and techniques,” said John Gutekanst, Owner of Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio. “Pizza Expo Columbus is going to be a volcano of independent pizzeria showmanship, creativity, and insightful engagement with experts in equipment, food products, and new pizza technologies. I’m not going to miss it!”

A diverse array of exhibitors will be ready to showcase cutting-edge products, state-of-the-art equipment, and services tailored to meet the unique needs of pizzeria operators.

Oakley concluded, “We believe Pizza Expo Columbus will become the national epicenter for pizza professionals looking to elevate their craft and grow their businesses. It’s an invaluable opportunity for all operators, seasoned or new, to gain knowledge, form lasting relationships, and drive their businesses forward.”

For more information about exhibiting or attending Pizza Expo Columbus, please contact: Bill Oakley, Show Director, on boakley@pizzatoday.com

About International Pizza Expo & Conference: The annual International Pizza Expo remains unchallenged as the industry’s largest event. Thousands of pizzeria professionals convene in Las Vegas, Nevada each year for 3 days dedicated to all things pizza. Suppliers from across the globe, networking and educational sessions led by top industry professionals, and international competitions round out this unrivaled event. Visit https://pizzaexpo.pizzatoday.com/ for more information.

About Pizza Today: Since the early 1980s, Pizza Today has been the pizzeria industry’s most trusted and valuable educational business resource for more than four decades. The international award-winning content focuses on insider tips, operational advice, recipes and information integral to helping today’s pizzeria owner operate more efficiently and profitably. For more information, please visit https://pizzatoday.com

About Emerald: Emerald’s talented and experienced team grows our customers’ businesses 365 days a year through connections, content, and commerce. We expand connections that drive new business opportunities, product discovery, and relationships with over 140 annual events, matchmaking, and lead-gen services. We create content to ensure that our customers are on the cutting edge of their industries and are continually developing their skills. And we power commerce through efficient year-round buying and selling. We do all this by seamlessly integrating in-person and digital platforms and channels. Emerald is immersed in the industries we serve and committed to supporting the communities in which we operate. As true partners, we create experiences that inspire, amaze, and deliver breakthrough results. For more information, please visit www.emeraldx.com.

The post Pizza Today, International Pizza Expo Bring National Pizza Show to Columbus in 2025 appeared first on Pizza Today.

“Reaching 50 stores is an incredible accomplishment for the entire Stoner’s team and a true testament to our dedicated franchisees,” said John Stetson, CEO and Owner of Stoner’s Pizza Joint. “We are proud of the brand we have built and look forward to continue our expansion to 100 units and beyond!”

“We are excited to be opening the doors to the brand’s 50th location. The Stoner’s team has provided a high level of support which has given us confidence to continue growing with the brand,” said Tobbie May, Owner of the San Marcos store.

The 50th location is located at 748 North LBJ Drive, Suite 102, San Marcos, TX 78666, just steps away from Texas State University. To celebrate this milestone, Stoner’s Pizza Joint’s newest location will offer $4.20 small 1-topping pizza all day during its grand opening on Thursday, October 24th. They will also donate 50 pizzas to local first responders in honor of National First Responders Day on Monday, October 28th.

Stoner’s Pizza is a delivery and takeout-focused concept featuring fresh, high-quality food prepared in-house daily with minimal production time, including proprietary pizza dough, sauce, and cheese blend recipes. Menu items include a variety of specialty pizzas, calzones, strombolis, hickory-smoked chicken wings made daily in-house, freshly prepared salads, and warm baked desserts.

Stoner’s currently operates 50 restaurants system-wide, spanning seven states, with an additional 15 units in development.

About Stoner’s Pizza:

Founded in 2013, Stoner’s Pizza is a flavor-first, community-first, rapidly growing fast-casual pizza brand with 50 locations in the Southeast US, Texas, and Colorado. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL, Stoner’s Pizza is committed to the freshest ingredients, unique flavors, and a commitment to unparalleled customer service.

For more information, visit https://www.stonerspizzajoint.com, email the brand at info@stonerspizzajoint.com, or connect via Facebook and Instagram.

To learn more about ownership opportunities with Stoner’s Pizza, visit www.stonerspizzajointfranchise.com or contact the Stoner’s Pizza Franchise Development team at franchise@stonerspizzajoint.com.

SOURCE Stoner’s Pizza Joint

The post Stoner’s Pizza Opens 50th Location Nationwide appeared first on Pizza Today.

Listen to Robert Garvey, co-founder of Robert’s Pizza & Dough Co. in Chicago, Illinois, on The Hot Slice Podcast with Pizza Today

This week, Denise and Josh chat with Robert Garvey, co-founder of Robert’s Pizza & Dough Co. in Chicago, Illinois. Robert had just returned from Italy, where his pizzerias was honored as a Top 50 of “The Best 100 Pizzerias in the World” by 50 Top Pizza. Robert’s additionally received the special award for “Performance of the Year 2024 – Robo Award”. 

We also talk about Robert’s picturesque location on the Ogden Slip on Lake Michigan, with an amazing patio.  

Robert is a New York native, entrepreneur, marine engineer, business owner, journalist, playwright, teacher and certified Pizzaioli from the Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli. He also shares how his love of dropping into a New York slice shop planted a seed to open Robert’s. We get into Robert’s Pizza & Dough Company’s origin start and the 25-year-old wild yeast starter.  

More on Robert’s Pizza & Dough Company: 

Founded by Robert Garvey and Dana Hokin Robert’s Pizza & Dough Company serves handcrafted thin-crust, artisan pies with fresh and unique ingredients. The secret is in the crust: a Garvey family recipe affectionately dubbed ‘Za Dough’ that took 20 years to perfect. Located on the Ogden Slip in Streeterville, Robert’s Pizza is a cul-de-sac on the river tucked away from the bustle of the city with an expansive patio featuring beautiful views of the Chicago River & Skyline. Robert’s Pizza is recognized as one of the Top 50 Pizzas in the USA by TOP50Italy and is regularly hailed as one of the top Pizzas in Chicago by revered critics like Steve Dolinsky and respected food publications including Eater Chicago and USA Today’s 10Best. Robert’s Pizza & Dough Company is located at 465 N. McClurg or 411 E Illinois Street in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood. For more information, visit: www.robertspizzacompany.com or find us on Facebook & Instagram @robertspizzaco. 

Show Notes: 

Friday, October 11 is National Sausage Pizza Day. Celebrate accordingly.  

It’s NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! Start planning now! We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit.  

Register for PizzaCon, the fun new event is November 7 in Philadelphia. Registration is live, so secure your spot to attend today! Learn more about PizzaCon. 

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House-made Sausage Recipes and Sausage Pizza Combinations

In honor of National Sausage Pizza Day, lets dive into making sausage in house. Sausage is one of the most popular pizza toppings. Separate yourself from competitors by making sausage in-house. Customers will perk up when your servers describe house-made sausage with fresh herbs and spices. Create distinct flavored sausage to fit your menu needs by including fennel, garlic or heating it up with crushed red pepper.

Try this Italian sausage recipe.

To start:

Ingredients
2 pounds ground pork (70/30 lean to fat ratio)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons ground fennel seeds
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh garlic

For more of this delicious recipe and other house-made sausage tips, click here.

Or, try these house-made sausage recipes:
Midwestern-Style Sausage
Southwest-Style Sausage
Tuscan-Style Sausage
Oriental Style Sausage
Sweet Italian Style Sausage
Greek Loukanika Sausage

Now, what to do with all of that sausage, try these recipes:
Sausage Rustica Pizza
Spinach and Sausage Pie
Winning Sausage & Peppers Pizza
Arrabbiata Calabrian Chili and Cup and Char Sausage Pizza

The post Make sausage in house (with recipes) appeared first on Pizza Today.

Try these 31 pizza recipes for October’s National Pizza Month

October is National Pizza Month, an observance created by Pizza Today 40 years ago. For those four decades, Pizza Today has provided pizzerias with ideas and recipes for delicious pizzas. So, we’re going through our archives and bringing you some of the best pizza recipes. Find more pizza recipes.

Here are 31 pizza recipes to honor National Pizza Month

We picked 31 pizza recipes that span the creativity of pizza making from classic ingredients, trendy toppings to unique creations. You’ll find pizza recipes everyone will love. This recipes cane be used by beginners and master pizza makers alike. In no particular order, here are our 31 pizza recipes for National Pizza Month.

1. White Hot Pizza — Kick off the list is this month’s On Deck recipe “White Hot”, Chris Decker created simple, yet flavorful combination. He says, “The way this mixture of cheese blends together, the crunch of the almond with the slight spice of the finishing oil all rounded out with a little lemon zest is all you need to enjoy this one.”
   

   Photo by Chris Decker

2. Berry Belly Pizza — This pizza hits all the flavor notes. For the On Deck recipe, Chris Decker says ” I love the way pork and fruit play with each other. Add those flavors to a crispy crust along with creamy, whole milk mozzarella, fatty delicious pork belly, a sweet/hot mixture of some fresh in season berries and some greens and this one is a balanced attack for your taste buds.”
   

   Photo by Chris Decker

3. Golden Lantern Pizza — This vibrant pizza Chris Decker says is a tribute to California and Cal-Mex pizza. He says, “We use smoked mozzarella as a base, chipotle marinated chicken, pineapple pickled peppers, citrus pickled onions, cilantro, and of course the king of all California, the avocado.”
   

   Photo by Chris Decker

4. A Winning Sausage and Pepper Pizza — Even this classic combination can have a little extra oomph. John Gutekanst says, “This pizza starts with the Pain a’ l’ Ancienne method for the dough. This cold and long fermented dough was first introduced to me by Master Baker Peter Reinhart in his book The Bread Baker’s Apprentice. The cold prohibits the yeast from activating and affords the enzymes a chance to break down complex carbohydrates into sugars. This creates a rich flavor and killer caramelization. The sauce is a house made chunky tomato sauce using the best sweet California pear tomatoes to be had. The cheese blend is designed to play with the fatty sausage and is a 50/50 blend of mozzarella and provolone with a touch of sour Asiago. The sweet fennel sausage is house made with no nitrates and has a spicy component; it is placed on raw to draw out the natural juices to cover the pie and meld flavors while the green peppers are cooking.”
   

   Photo by John Gutekanst

5. Chicken “Cordon Blacon” — John Gutekanst created this play on the famous entree. He says, “This pizza is a knockout blast of all the lusciousness in a traditional Cordon Bleu dish. The difference is that bacon is used instead of ham, and they all bake on a pizza. If you use non-crunchy chicken, you can always toss the panko breadcrumbs on the pie after the oven bake.”
   

   Photo by John Gutekanst

6. Sunday Gravy Pizza — The sauce or “Sunday Gravy” makes this pizza standout and the ricotta and micro arugula turn it into a stunner. Chris Decker shares the sauce and pizza recipe.
   

   Photo by Chris Decker

7. The Grandma Pizza — Grandma style pizza is hot right now. Tony Gemignani provides his recipe for the unique square-cut pizza. Tony describes the Grandma: “They are cooked in a half-black reinforced sheet pan, are heavily oiled and feature sliced mozzarella (sometimes shredded or fresh mozz is used). These pizzas are topped with tomato sauce and cooked in a gas brick oven. You could finish it with Grana Padano, herbs, pecorino, olive oil, Parmigiano and chopped garlic. Sometimes the dry cheese can go on before. This pizza is typically shorter/thinner than your typical Sicilian.”
   

   Photo by Josh Keown

8. Gorgonzola Pear Pizza with Prosciutto di Parma — John Gutekanst loves to add creativity to his pizza menu. He says, “This is an all-time favorite in my pizzeria and exhibits what Italians call the “Agrodolce” or sweet-and-sour flavor profile. Some people cannot handle the strong flavor of gorgonzola, so I temper this with some shredded mozzarella. The Bosc pear is my favorite because it doesn’t get too soft and is baked without turning brown and mealy. The added touch of maple syrup and pecan creates a strong sweet foil for the sour cheese and a crunchy finish.
   

   Photo by Pizza Today

9. Purgatory Pig — This one comes to us from our Pizza Today Editor-in-Chief Jeremy White. He adds the heat of jalapenos and hot honey and BACON to a traditional pepperoni pizza.
   

   Photo by Pizza Today

10. The Bahn Mi Pizza — For this recipe, John Gutekanst says, “This famous sandwich relies heavily upon the crunch of crispy French bread. For this reason, a thin and crispy crust and a sprinkle of Japanese Panko breadcrumbs is a good choice. This pizza is topped with a Hoisin sauce, aged provolone, (a great fit for Asian-style pizza flavors) pulled pork topping and then baked. The beauty of this is the finish of easy pickled carrot and radishes, cilantro and pickled or fresh jalapeño.”
    

    Photo by John Gutekanst

11. Direct Method Sicilian Pepperoni Pizza —  John Gutekanst creates a recipe for the popular Sicilian pizza style. He says, “In my pizzeria, we make both indirect method dough (using pre-ferments and old dough) and direct method doughs for all our focaccia and Sicilian pizzas. We also use a multitude of grains that accentuate different tastes and textures to the thick breading. This recipe uses just the basic ingredients at 72-percent hydration to form a great pizza crust and incorporates time, temperature and patience. You may want to keep it retarded under refrigeration for another day for a more dynamic crust and added digestibility.”
    

    Sicilian Pizza by John Gutekanst, Avalanche Pizza, Athens, Ohio

12. Peaches and Cream Pizza — This beautiful pizza is by Tony Gemignani. He says, “Stone fruit season is here, and that reminds me of an event I did long ago. About 25 years ago I was asked to compete in the Franciscan Estates Pizza Battle in Napa, California. I teamed up with Chef Courtney Townsend, and we competed against three other restaurants — most notably A16 and Bistro Don Giovanni. Each team was grouped with 15 sommeliers from around the world. They assisted us in making two styles of pizza. The sommeliers paired a wine to each pizza. We had to make 15 of each pizza, and boy was it a challenge! One pizza was a duck confit and the other was a pizza called Peaches & Cream. It has always been one of my favorite pizzas. And here is a recipe that is very similar to what we made. By the way, we took home a win that day (which we were very honored to receive)!”
    

    Photo by Tony Gemignani

13. Detroit Pizza — It wasn’t until a decade ago that Detroit style could be found outside of the Motor City. Now it’s all over the U.S. Try this unique pizza.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

14. The Pepperoni Star — This one was created by our Pizza Today Executive Editor Denise Greer. This stuffed crust pizza adds artistry to pizza by folding and filling the ends with cheese.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

15. Kale & Chorizo Pizza — Created by Tony Gemignani is a unique twist on a chorizo pizza using mozzarella slices and a lemon wedge to finish the pizza.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

16. The Royale with Cheese — This is John Gutekanst upstyle of a cheese pizza. He describes its name inspiration. “This is one of the most prolific pizzas in my menu mix,” he says. “It started as a riff on John Travolta’s line in the movie Pulp Fiction as he described what the Big Mac is called in France and it also highlighted a great local band named The Royales. This pizza’s genius is in its ginormous flavor and its simplicity.”
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

17. Pulled Pork & Sweet Corn Pizza — Tony Gemignani combines two American favorites: pulled pork and corn. Add cilantro, salt and queso fresco or cotija cheese and a squeeze of the orange makes your pizza really pop.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

18. Mortadella and Pistachio Pizza — Pizza Today Executive Editor Denise Greer drew inspiration from the classic Italian mortadella pizza for this one.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

19. Chicken Parm Pizza — What’s not to love about turning the classic Italian Chicken Parmesan into a pizza. Tony Gemignani created a hit with this one.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

20. Poached Egg and Wild Mushroom Pizza — Pizza Today Executive Editor Denise Greer came up with beauty that makes a great breakfast or brunch pizza.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

21. Prosciutto Arugula Pizza — Tony Gemignani wanted to create a pizza that provided that missing ingredient, so this recipe provides options to really make it sizzle. He says, “I feel that every pizza should have three to four flavor profiles (sweet, salty, savory, acidic).”
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

22. Micro Arugula and Portobello Pizza — Pizza Today Executive Editor Denise Greer wanted to spotlight microgreens as finishing ingredients. This pizza balances tanginess, acidity and creaminess.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

23. Angry Meatball and Ricotta Pizza — This spicy take on a meatball pizza was created by Pizza Today Editor-in-Chief Jeremy White.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

24. Pancetta Pizza Giardiniera
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

25. Chicken Béchamel Pizza — Pizza Today Editor-in-Chief Jeremy White created this creamy white pizza. He says, “This sauce can also be used to great effect in pasta dishes. Béchamel may not be as popular as Alfredo when it comes to this application, but your customers will not be disappointed. This recipe is a personal favorite of mine.”
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

26. Upside Down Pizza — Tony Gemignani created one of our favorite pizza recipes that we recreated in the Pizza Today test kitchen. Tony says, “One of my all-time favorite pizzas is an upside-down pizza. An upside-down pizza is a Sicilian pan pizza. Depending on where you are from it could also be called a Sicilian tomato pie with cheese. These Sicilian pizzas resemble a bakery pie as they are cooked in an oiled pan with sliced mozzarella added first and then topped with a robust sauce, olive oil and grated Romano or Parmesan.”
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

27. Black & Blue Dessert Pizza — Created by Pizza Today Editor-in-Chief Jeremy White, the Black & Blue Dessert Pizza recipe is a sweet dessert pizza that features tart berries, including blackberries and blueberries.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

28. Pineapple Upside-Down Pizza — John Gutekanst creates a unique pizza using the king of fruit, pineapple. He says, “This pizza is one of my favorites and is surprisingly easy to make. The slices of pineapple are more expensive than tidbits; But without any meats, this pizza can easily be made for a food cost of less than 30 percent. Many modifications can also be made with an additional toss of pine nuts or walnuts for a nice textural foil.”
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

29. Nashville Hot Chicken Pizza — Hot Chicken is still all rage. Make it or use a local hot chicken spot to create a fun and popular pizza. Don’t forget the pickles.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

30. Country Ham Pizza with Blue Cheese and Dried Cherries — This recipe is Courtesy of Richard Sible, executive chef at Garage Bar in Louisville, KY. Country ham makes a great topping that is different than its traditional ham cousin. This one is brilliantly paired with seasonal produce.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

31. Halloween Cookie Pizza — Can’t have October pizza recipes without a Halloween tribute. This sweet cookie pizza has marshmallows, Oreos, Candy Corn and hot fudge.
    

    Photo by Josh Keown

     

Need a pizza dough recipe first?

You want to make pizza but don’t know where to start with pizza dough. Check out Pizza Dough Recipes for Top Trending Pizza Styles. Explore dough styles and find out how to make Detroit, New York, Grandma, Sicilian, Chicago Thin and Deep Dish pizzas with tips and advices from the pizza industry’s top pizza masters and dough experts.

More Fun with National Pizza Month

See how we are helping pizzerias and pizza enthusiasts celebrate National Pizza Month in our National Pizza Month Toolkit.

Check out interesting pizza-related fun facts about pizza, pizza history, pizza topping, pizza world records for your next pizza trivia game or pizza quiz in 36 Pizza Fun Facts.

Pizza Today is home to the official National Pizza Month Logo and fun social media graphics available to you for free. Find out more in Free National Pizza Month Images & Ideas.

The post 31 Pizza Recipes to Celebrate National Pizza Month in October appeared first on Pizza Today.

COSTA MESA, Calif. (October 1, 2024) – California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), the iconic restaurant brand renowned for bold, innovative flavors with a California point of view, is rewarding guests who celebrate the true potential of pizza during National Pizza Month. The brand announced its BOGO for the Bold offer, designed to encourage all pizza fans to experience its newest innovations instead of defaulting to their usual pizzas. For the entire month of October, anyone who orders the brand-new Burnt Ends BBQ Pizza or returning fan-favorite Bacon & Brussels Pizza in a participating restaurant or online will receive a FREE Take & Bake Pizza from one of the five best-selling flavors to enjoy later at home*.

CPK’s limited-time pizzas to celebrate National Pizza Month include a future legend and a throwback favorite, both showcasing their leadership and legacy of creating unexpected pizza recipes that become instant classics or cult favorites. The all-new Burnt Ends BBQ Pizza, perfectly combines the flavors of a backyard BBQ with tangy and fresh accents, while the return of the Bacon & Brussels Pizza reimagines a popular side dish as a main event pizza with its world-class bacon and perfectly roasted seasonal brussels sprouts.

• Burnt Ends BBQ Pizza: Tender smoked brisket burnt ends, smothered in CPK’s signature BBQ sauce, then piled high with smoked Gouda and Mozzarella cheeses. Topped off with tangy pickled red onions and fresh cilantro for a burst of flavor in every bite.
• Bacon & Brussels Pizza: Creamy goat cheese, roasted Brussels sprouts, and savory Nueske’s applewood smoked bacon. Topped with caramelized onions, Romano and Parmesan cheeses, and a dash of black pepper.

“As the OG and longtime ambassador of bold, creative pizzas, CPK is thrilled to celebrate National Pizza Month like no other restaurant can,” shared Chef Paul Pszybylski, VP of Culinary Innovation. “We’re celebrating all the pizza lovers who are tired of the same old same old, by offering them not only two new pizzas to enjoy when they visit, but a bonus favorite pizza to bake at home later. Both limited-time recipes lean into the smoky and cozy flavors of fall and may even become the next great legend of our menu!”

CPK’s Take & Bake Pizzas are prepared to order and sold fresh, not frozen, and include all of the fresh garnishes to expertly and easily finish the pizzas at home. Included in the BOGO for the Bold offer are the following best-selling Take & Bake Pizzas: Traditional Cheese, Pepperoni, BBQ Chicken, MUPESA (Mushroom, Pepperoni, Sausage – because, IYKYK) and Hawaiian.   Guests should use code: BOGO at checkout to receive their FREE Take & Bake Pizza.

For more information, visit www.cpk.com and follow @cpk or @calpizzakitchen on social media.

*Terms, conditions and limits apply.

About California Pizza Kitchen

In 1985, California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) opened its first restaurant in Beverly Hills and introduced diners to gourmet California inspired pizza. With a passion for combining fresh, seasonal ingredients with flavor inspirations from around the world, today CPK is a global brand serving creative California cuisine in over 160 restaurants across 10 countries and U.S. territories. From its innovative, hearth-baked pizzas such as The Original BBQ Chicken, Thai Chicken, and California Club, to inventive salads, and unique pasta dishes that combine the old world with the new, CPK does everything with an imaginative California-inspired twist that guests love.

The post California Pizza Kitchen Is Sending Home Free Pizzas to Guests Who Try Their Newest Creations to Celebrate National Pizza Month appeared first on Pizza Today.

Conditioners and improvers can help calm tough pizza dough

Have you ever worked a busy night, and your job is to stretch everything, but it seems like you’re in for the worst upper body workout of your life as opposed to making pizza?

One of the worst feelings is going through a busy service and your dough just doesn’t seem to want to cooperate like it normally does. Dough — that you’ve meticulously worked on that’s meant to be soft and easy to stretch — has now become your worst enemy. Dough snaps back continuously and is super hard, making it that much more difficult to get good results. Enter the dough conditioners and improvers. I’ve always grown up in an environment that promotes less additives are best, but sometimes you just need to fix it.

With today’s diet culture bleeding into the larger food culture, we’ve been taught additives are the enemy even though we do not quite understand them fully. In my definition, dough conditioners are an additive that we add to our dough to help improve upon certain key characteristics like texture, stretchability and softness that go beyond the main ingredients of flour, water, salt and yeast. When I first began, the main dough conditioner I ever heard about was called PZ-44. Over the years, I have learned that dough conditioners take many forms, and they can be as natural as fruit or as complex as man-made lab invented ingredients.

First things first, what is PZ-44 and other conditioners like it?

PZ-44, and similar conditioners are meant to soften and relax dough, reducing snapback as well as reducing mixing times. These are known as PZ-44 and Reddi Sponge.  PZ-44 is made from whey proteins and L-Cysteine, and Reddi Sponge is made from whey proteins, corn, potassium bromate, L-Cysteine, ascorbic acid and monocalcium phosphate (depending on the type of Reddi Sponge).

Some of these names should sound familiar if you pay attention to flour and what’s really in your ingredients. It’s not as simple as listing wheat on a bag of flour anymore because of the process it undergoes to manufacture it as well as storage and transportation. Some ingredients are added in to help with preservation over the course of long travel periods or help slow down the aging process and some ingredients are added in for nutritional value. During the grinding process of flour, some nutrition is lost by the extraction of bran for more refined flours, so companies will add back in certain nutrients like Niacin and Ascorbic acid, a.k.a. Vitamin C, which are found naturally and can help with gluten structure.

Potassium Bromate is an ingredient that gets a bad wrap and is soon to be outlawed in California. You’ve mostly heard about this one when it comes to New York style pizza. Numerous pizzerias still use bromated flour because it strengthens dough and helps with spring. This ingredient is banned in Europe and other countries, such as Canada, because it has been potentially linked to cancer. L-Cysteine is an amino acid that is normally used to help with extensibility. It helps shorten gluten strands, so dough is more easily manipulated and stretched. This ingredient can be derived from plants like oats and lentils but also from animal-based products. Like gelatin, a lot of vegans and vegetarians will steer clear of this ingredient because it can be found in animal hooves and feathers making it cheaper to produce.

Deactivated Yeast, a.k.a. Nutritional Yeast, is a great replacement for L-Cysteine as it contains glutathione — which also cuts down gluten strands, breaking down proteins in dough. The only drawback to this ingredient is it is quicker to change the flavor of dough with the more you use.

The more natural approach to conditioning or improving dough would be to go the fruit route.

Fruits like kiwi, pineapple and papaya, whose juices contain enzymes that help cut gluten strands down, make dough easier to stretch and handle. The tricky part about using fruit is that the concentration within will vary drastically from season to season and it is harder to maintain consistency from batch to batch.

Something that you are probably already using that helps condition and relax dough is fat. A lot of pizza makers use olive oil or animal fat like butter or lard. Fats coat gluten strands which makes them stretchier, but also reduces the length of these strands as fats and most things do not mix well and instead create barriers. A less common ingredient these days that functions very similarly is eggs.

One thing that I found surprising as a dough conditioner was meat tenderizer. Modernist Cuisine mentions trying meat tenderizers in a powdered form that work quite well at softening dough. Since meat tenderizers are derived from natural ingredients like those found in fruit juices — but have been purified and processed— they are more consistent and in a measurable form that helps making dough simpler and more reliable.

Dough conditioners were invented at a time when flour was of poor quality.

During times of war and climate change wheat is increasingly hard to grow, especially with supply and demand ever evolving. Dough conditioners and improvers were created to make it easier on the baker — be them professional or at home to make quality products. Nowadays it is easier than ever to gain access to great quality flour, which may not need a conditioner or improver to create dough that is easy to work with and consistent. Knowing how to read an ingredient label and understand the purpose of each item just adds to your repertoire and ability to make great dough in times of surplus and in times of instability.

There are many ways to make dough that is manageable and easy to work with and conditioners and improvers are nothing to scoff at. Just understand restraint is key and to start small when trying them out.

Laura Meyer is the owner of Pizzeria da Laura in Berkeley, CA.

>> Explore answers to more common pizza dough questions in Troubleshooting your Pizza Dough: What’s wrong with my pizza dough? <<

The post Relaxing Tough Pizza Dough: Using Dough Conditioners and Improvers appeared first on Pizza Today.

 

“The McDonald’s McRib is McBack to McTantalize your McTastebuds”

New York Times

Marketing your restaurant is more than have a special or a coupon on some of your pizzas. It is about creating excitement around your menu items. No one has done that better than McDonalds. In the pizza business we have seen some McRib-like trends with pickle pizzas and pizzas with hot Cheetos on them. These specials or limited time offerings can create that desired effect to get someone to try your product. But how do they get them to keep coming back for it over and over?

There is one sure fire way to get the result of having a customer come back over and over. It is to create a product that is so good that the customer craves it. This goes beyond a gimmick pizza; I am talking about adding new pizza styles to your current menu. With social media, customers are more aware of the different styles of pizza from across the country. Tik Tok trends can put a pizza style on the map and on the minds of hungry customers nationwide.

Being first to market in your area can be crucial when adding a new style to your pizzeria. Educating the customer through your marketing, which should include social media, will help strengthen your product launch. One of our styles that we launched a few years back truly demonstrated this. We launched a grandma-style pizza. Many customers understood pan pizza or even Sicilian pizza but not a grandma-style pizza. We created a whole campaign around not just promoting but educating our consumers on what they were about to order. When other pizzerias in our area later adopted grandma pizzas, ours was the gold standard for judging how good a grandma pizza was.

Learning the different styles through research is a good approach. There is no substitute for finding the pizzeria where the style originated or where it became a cult following. Trying that pizza and others that they have influenced is a smart way to find out how you want to make your product and what spins you want to put on it. Making a pizza style yours gives you a unique calling card. This can be seen with many different Detroit pizzas across the country. Cheese crowns specifically have added flare to the pizzerias that have mastered this technique.

Getting attuned with pizzeria trends on Tik Tok is not the only way to find that hot new style. Watching the competitions at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas will give many insights. A few years back I remember seeing a Chicago Tavern pizza in the Non-Traditional category, a very authentic good-looking pie. The score was not one the competitor could hang his apron on. Fast forward to The Real California Cheese Competition this year in Napa Valley and that style with the competitor’s own flare on it won one of the top prizes! Seeing that has us ready to launch a Tavern-style pizza at all our locations. In the next installment we will talk about the marketing campaign of our new pizza style. (No, there will not be Hot Cheetos on it!)

Nick Bogacz is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh.  Instagram: @caliente_pizza

The post Building Blocks: Adding New Pizza Styles to Your Pizzeria appeared first on Pizza Today.

Media, Marketing and Social Media Ideas for National Pizza Month

Other foods get a day. Pizza gets an entire month! Rightfully so, it is America’s favorite food. October is National Pizza Month. It’s a tradition Pizza Today’s founder started in 1984 and has been going strong ever since. The month was even officially dedicated National Pizza Month by U.S. Congress in 1987.

Our goal for National Pizza Month (NPM) is to help you leverage the holiday to increase your business. We created a Pizzeria Operator Toolkit that provides you with the tools, resources and ideas to promote National Pizza Month in your shop. You’ll find the official NPM logo, social graphics, customizable graphics, a customizable press release, a customizable social media calendar, ways to celebrate, pizza fun facts for games, and an opportunity for you to share your National Pizza Month story. Go to the toolkit at PizzaToday.com/NationalPizzaMonth.

Media Loves National Pizza Month

One area you can find highly successful is gaining media attention during National Pizza Month. It’s an is opportunity to showcase your pizza to your community. Media loves National Pizza Month so be sure to share what you are doing with all your local media outlets.

I combed through past National Pizza Month Coverage and found some common themes. Here are a 5 ways that you may be able to capitalize on:

1. Deals, Deals, Deals! — Offering specials and discounts for National Pizza Month can grab the attention of local media. Often, we see media outlets run stories at the beginning of October sharing with the audience the best places to find National Pizza Month deals. If you have a special or discount going this month, be sure to send the details to the correct person at the media outlet.
2. Local Celebration Roundups — News media receive several press releases and alerts on the same subject. When it comes to NPM, they often create a feature highlighting how each pizzeria is celebrating. You’ll notice community outreach initiatives, pizza giveaways, interviews and more.
3. Pizzeria Listicles — Listicles are very popular in print and online media resources. We see a lot of lists on where to find the best pizza in the area. The focus here is eye-catching photos of pizza and details on the pizzeria. Send them why your pizza should rank high. Include jaw-dropping photos of your pizza and any accolades you’ve received locally, regionally and nationally.
4. New Menu/Product Release — October is a great month to roll out a new menu or new pizza. Share them with your local media, maybe even a tasting event.
5. On-Air Appearances — Media outlets have found National Pizza Month a great opportunity to bring pizzeria owners and pizza chefs live in studio to talk pizza, do a food demo or highlight what the business is doing for National Pizza Month. Reach out and pitch yourself and your business to get an on-air spot.

Yes, you can submit stories through the media outlets general story submission areas through their website or e-mail. Another approach is to reach out to the food and restaurant writers. You’ll notice the writer’s details at the bottom of most stories with e-mail or their social handles. You can try pitching them directly.

You can also host a Press Night. Invite local food writers, bloggers, etc. in for a free dinner during which you hit key talking points that differentiates your pizzeria … i.e. expand on whatever it is that makes you special and unique in your city, whether that be locally sourced ingredients, gluten-free, organic, beer in your dough, etc.

13 ways to celebrate National Pizza Month

Try one or a few of these low-cost or no cost NPM marketing ideas

1. Eating challenge. Get entrants to compete for t-shirts or other swag. Do a wall of fame.
2. Random Pizza Giveaway. Collect customer info and randomly give away a year (or month or week) of free pizza to a customer who orders during National Pizza Month.
3. Pizza History Night. Sell a dinner for $X per person. During the event, tell your patrons the history of pizza and include history games.
4. Run a customer recipe promotion. Invite your patrons to create your next big hit! Have customers submit recipes for topping combinations, etc. Winner gets the pizza named after them on your menu or free pizza for a year or a $200 gift card, etc.
5. Offer a National Pizza Month one-of-kind offer to your loyalty club members. Think swag, secret menu item, etc.
6. Host a Guest Chef Takeover Night, where a local or regional chef creates a menu with pre-sale dinner event tickets at $X per person.
7. Create games for each day of October with a drawing where winner receives free item or offer. (Think small games, like guess the number of pepperonis on a pizza; guess the ingredient; answer questions related to your pizzeria; in-store scavenger hunt; photo with a specific item social contest, etc.)
8. Crown an Ultimate Pizza Fan. Invite customers to submit on social media why they should be the winner.
9. Ask customers to send you video submissions. Have them state why they LOVE your pizza. Push these videos out to social media platforms — free marketing!
10. Challenge a pizzeria owner in another city to a duel. Whoever sells the most cheese pies in October gets to pick a charity and the “loser” donates $500 to said charity.
11. Let an employee take over your social media account each week of the Month of October to share your pizzeria’s story.
12. Take key team members on a pizza tour of your nearest large metropolitan market and share the experience with your pizzeria’s social followers.
13. Create a video to share with your pizzeria’s social followers on who you are and why you founded the pizzeria. Go further and create another video going behind-the-scenes to show how you make the pizza.

Find more marketing ideas and resources for National Pizza Month in our Pizzeria Operator Toolkit at PizzaToday.com/NationalPizzaMonth.

Get Social with National Pizza Month

YAY! 31 Days of Pizza! We’ve made it easy for you to create social content for EVERY DAY IN OCTOBER in the Toolkit. We’ve created a customizable Sample Social Media Calendar. Take an idea or two or use it as inspiration to create your own calendar.

I want to draw your attention to some designated days within National Pizza Month that your will want tie in. Here are a few to make sure you acknowledge:

National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This is a great opportunity to showcase that disability employment is a pillar of your restaurant. Find a unique way to highlight that.

International Pizza and a Beer Day, Wednesday, October 9. Post your best pizza and beer photo or video short. Make them drool and offer a pint and pizza special. “Grab a beer and a slice, throw in a breadstick.”

National Sausage Pizza Day, Friday, October 11. Showcase your best sausage pizza. Or if you make sausage in house, show the process. Your’ customers with appreciate your scratch made approach.

National Mushroom Day, Tuesday, October 15. Mushroom is a top-five pizza topping. Highlight your best mushroom pizza. Get down to the mushrooms types you use and how you prepare them.

World Pizza Maker Day, Friday, October 25. Show your pizza makers doing what they do best. Share their passion and techniques. Thank them for being the best.

National Make a Difference Day, Monday, October 28. Showcase a giving or volunteer program your
pizzeria and crew are passionate about.

Halloween, Thursday, October 31. It’s one of the biggest days in the pizza business. Post a fun Halloween photos and posts.

Our social media calendar has content ideas for every day in October. Check out the customizable calendar in our National Pizza Month Toolkit. 

Let’s have the biggest, best pizza month ever!

The post It’s National Pizza Month (October), Let’s Go! appeared first on Pizza Today.

We take a look at sandwich options for your winter and fall menu

As the weather begins to turn cooler, customers inevitably yearn for heavier foods, even at lunch. Since sandwiches are often ordered at lunch and not so much during the dinner daypart in pizzerias, now is a great time to begin planning a sandwich lineup you can deploy as limited time offerings or weekly specials to get you through the upcoming cold months.

We’ll start with Chicken Parmesan because it’s a classic staple that utilizes ingredients you are likely to have on hand. Most love this dish, so let’s turn it into a delicious sub.

Chicken Parmesan Sub

Get the Chicken Parmesan Sub recipe.

Next up is a cheesesteak, in honor of the upcoming visit to Philadelphia for PizzaCon next month. I’m sure many of you will trek to some of the City of Brotherly Love’s iconic cheesesteak shops while there. I know I will. A juicy cheesesteak is easily one of my favorite sandwiches. However, let’s put a twist on this one and use chicken instead of beef.

Chicken Cheesesteak Sandwich

Get the Chicken Cheesesteak Sandwich recipe.

Sliders remain all the rage, and appetizer sales continue to be popular. This Caprese Meatball Slider is not only guaranteed to fly off the shelves, but it is versatile. Use it on your appetizer menu or serve 3 together for a weekly sandwich deal. The choice is yours, but you won’t go wrong either way.

Caprese Meatball Sliders

Get the Caprese Meatball Sliders recipe.

Jeremy White  is Editor-in-Chief of Pizza Today.

The post Sandwiches to Jumpstart Lunch appeared first on Pizza Today.

Autumn vegetables turned pizza toppings

I’m not going to wax poetic about how autumn feels. Yes, those crisp winds are starting to sting, and the rustle of the leaves make my heart sing…Blah blah blah. My priority is that the pizza business is starting to rebound from that hot summer slump and fall is the time for a nice revenue bump! This is the time of bounty and excitement where the culinary rubber hits the pizza road separating me from my staid competitors.

The abundance of local vegetables and fruit are all around and just waiting to be fabricated to adorn a great autumn pie. Local farmers, farmer’s markets and local vegetable purveyors now provide some of the freshest pizza and pasta components for you to play with. Let’s dive into the many categories of foods, traditional recipes and pizza toppings that can make this autumn a humdinger.

Late season tomatoes

These may be gnarly looking, but these last hangers-on of late fall have a reputation for thick skins, strong umami and intensified sugars. The late cherry tomatoes taste like candy (halved, sliced horizontally between two plastic ricotta lids and just strewn on a pie). Larger varieties like Mortgage Lifter, Big Rainbow, Ponderosa Pink, Amana Orange and Cherokee Purples shine in this late season. I’ve fallen in love with making spicy tomato skins to finish pizzas off with. After oven-drying tomatoes to intensify their flavor, peel the skins off and sprinkle Piment d’Espelette (French Basque chili powder) or fine Korean pepper flakes on the skins and dehydrate until crisp and flavorful.

Squash

These heavy varieties look daunting, but the price-per-ounce yield is phenomenal. Don’t be intimidated by the size of these bad boys. If choosing Butternuts, Honeynuts and other long squashes, make sure they have long or thick necks because that’s where the usable flesh is — and you won’t have to deal with the seeds. My new favorite is the Tromboncino, an Italian heirloom squash that is creamy and can be eaten sliced raw, roasted with lemon or
maple, and even pickled. The huge North Georgia Candy Roaster sweetens as it is stored for up to six months. Squashes have historically paired well with other winter vegetables like the Lombardian Gnocchi di Zucca e Patate, or pumpkin and potato gnocchi. Winter squashes are a perfect match for Prosciutto di Parma, country ham, apples, coriander, cream, garlic, nutmeg, onions, Parmigiano, Pecorino, Fontina and Gruyere.

Cabbages 

Savoy, Napa, Oxheart, and red cabbage can all be boiled, braised, grilled, brined, marinated or steamed. This flexibility lends itself to be manipulated in many sexy ways on pizza. The crunch is a great foil for melting cheeses and salty pork toppings and can be fantastic when used with fruit like apples and sour cheeses. Chicken, ginger, bacon, caraway, mustard, vinegar, garlic, and Taleggio, feta, Cheddar, Swiss and Teleme cheeses are great pairings with cabbage. Many modern chefs in Italy have taken to making a defining cabbage edge with flair. Like chef Gianluca Gorini in Emilia Romana with his Passatelli, a pasta with grated Parmigiano, eggs, breadcrumbs and very little flour. His Passatelli Romagnoli, Brodo di Verza, Semi di Zucca is a Savoy cabbage broth (using the outer leaves that usually get thrown away) with pumpkin seeds and (ahem) soy sauce.

Potatoes

Potatoes are another vegetable that has a broad range of manipulation and fabrication in any pizza menu mix. Sliced on a robo coupe into salted water (to ward of oxidation) then squeezed out just before topping on a pizza is fantastic. Potato mash is a convenient and delicious way to build a pizza. Colorful potatoes and small fingerling potatoes are popular to either slice or smash on a cutting board before transferring to a pizza for a dramatic effect. Like cabbage and squash, potatoes can be cooked in the South American Rescoldo style in a pile of glowing hot charcoal. Great pairings are garlic, shallots, tarragon, chorizo, thyme, bacon, cream, Gruyere, Comte’, Gouda, Manchego, Raclette and Fontina.

Peppers 

My favorite fall vegetables are the sweet Italian and the long Toro peppers grown by farmers near me. I like to roast them over hot coals. But in a pinch, I turn to torching them on a gas burning range which does the trick. After roasting, just put it into a bag or covered pot to steam for easy skinning. Stuffing peppers is another of my favorites with spicy sausage or ground duck. Spicy peppers are really getting popular and are extremely easy to grind into your proprietary marinara for spicy pizza specials. I like to make what I call “Spicy Crueltons”— take the hottest of the hots and grind up with extra virgin olive oil, and raw garlic and toss with house-cut croutons, then bake the bread until crisp and finish with Parmigiano and herbs. There is a great salad served at Christmas in Naples, Italy called Burdiglione, which provides rinforzo (reinforcement) when they eat lean, fish-based dishes. It contains quick-pickled sweet peppers, cauliflower, and carrots, with capers, olives, anchovies, parsley and a vinegarette.

Eggplant 

Once upon a time, you could only hope to find the large black “Nadia” eggplant around. Now, there is a plethora of small, long and medium to large eggplants around that have their own flavor niche and cooking techniques. The long Japanese eggplants are great peeled, sliced down the length and poached in lemony miso, or dashi to look like an octopus on a pizza. The small Thai eggplant with their denser flesh is great grilled. The Italians along the Amalfi Coast have even been making desserts like the Mulingnana C’A’ Ciucculata, which is fried eggplant slices coated in chocolate. 

Nuts 

These easily foragable nuggets from the forest include both the English and black walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, (or filberts) ground nuts, as well as acorns, chestnuts and pistachios. I feel that nuts are the best finishing item on pizzas behind herbs to make a great pie stand out because of the texture and crunch. Any nuts that are coated in something sweet like honey, maple syrup or agave with some sort of spice like cayenne really stand out. The Ravioli Del Plin Con Ripieno Alla Nocciola e Crema Al Riccaverano, or Pinched Ravioli with Hazelnuts and Cheese is a standout in the mountain town of Magliano Alfieri in the Piedmont Region of Italy. It combines hazelnuts and mascarpone filling in pasta with a soft, ripened Robiola cream sauce.

JOHN GUTEKANST owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio.

The post Fall Guy: Menu Ideas with Easily Accessible Autumn Produce! appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizza is the most popular food in the world, and hundreds of millions of pizzas are consumed in the US every year. There is no shortage of great pizza restaurants, but they need support to stay competitive and improve their business. Baker’s Quality® offers business solutions through its products and support.

Crusts Made for Your Business

Introducing premade and parbaked pizza crusts into your business offers several benefits. First and foremost is time savings. These crusts significantly reduce the prep time required to make a pizza, often involving minimal proofing or thawing. This efficiency allows smaller operations to produce larger quantities, easing employee workload.

Premade pizza crusts also help save money in various ways. Bulk purchasing options lower ingredient costs, and the longer shelf life of these crusts reduces purchasing frequency. Additionally, the minimal preparation and easy management translate to lower wage costs in areas like training, expertise, and hours.

Beyond operational advantages, premade crusts are available in several varieties. One of the industries most popular crusts at the moment is the tavern crust because of it’s versatility in recipes and it’s texture and flavor. While crispy crusts like tavern crusts are in right now, self-rising, raised edge, flatbread, and thick crusts are still popular options with customers and businesses.

While some may doubt the quality of premade pizza crusts, they are crafted with high-quality ingredients to ensure excellent results for restaurants.

Dough for Any Product

Premade dough balls offer many of the same benefits as premade crusts but with greater versatility. They provide significant time savings and lower production costs for a restaurant while also allowing for a wider range of menu items beyond just pizza.

Areas of a menu that can be enhanced with dough balls include:

• Appetizers
• Sides
• Main courses
• Desserts

Although premade dough balls require slightly more prep time than premade pizza crusts, they still save considerable time compared to making dough from scratch. Additionally, premade dough producers supply optimal instructions to help you create the best products for your customers.

Bread Made Easy

Restaurants can utilize various styles of premade bread, with sandwich bread being one of the primary options. Premade sandwich bread, though simple in concept, offers versatility in preparation. Typically available in sheets or flats, these bread pieces can be baked to achieve either a crispy and flaky texture or a softer, pita-like consistency. This flexibility allows restaurants to create unique sandwiches tailored to their specific style. Additionally, the bread can be cut into different sizes, which is suitable for sub-like sandwiches or small slider sandwiches.

One of the main benefits of using premade sandwich flats is their convenience. They come in large quantities and take up minimal space in a kitchen, making them ideal for smaller establishments with limited storage capacity. For larger kitchens, having a substantial stock of sandwich flats on hand reduces the need for frequent orders, saving on costs.

Another popular form of premade bread is breadsticks. These are a crowd favorite and a perfect addition to any restaurant menu. However, they are often underutilized in terms of creativity. Premade breadsticks come in sheets of precut dough, allowing restaurants to add a variety of toppings beyond just cheese. This flexibility enables the creation of unique and appealing breadstick options, much like creating different flavor combinations for pizzas.

All Around Savings

Introducing one or all of these types of premade products can significantly improve the efficiency of a kitchen and enhance a business’s offerings. These products can speed up the preparation time for menu items, reducing stress on employees and lowering operational costs. With premade items, you benefit from a longer shelf life, allowing restaurants to order less frequently and take advantage of bulk purchasing options. Beyond the operational advantages, these products also foster creativity, enabling restaurants to focus on what truly matters: the food.

Find Your Next Pizza Crust Partner

Discover the tradition of excellence that defines Baker’s Quality®. Quality has been baked into our name since 1997, and our dedication to superior customer experience starts with providing small-batch, custom pizza crusts supported by outstanding customer service. We only use the finest, freshest ingredients in our products, ensuring superior taste and quality with every bite. Join us in creating food to be proud of.

The post Pizza Dough and Crusts Made for Business Success appeared first on Pizza Today.

Now is the perfect time to launch those autumn pizza menus. Pizza chains Domino’s, Grimaldi’s Pizzeria and Peter Piper Pizza recently released their fall menus specials and deals. Here’s what we see looking at the three pizza companies’ new fall menus.

Buffalo Chicken is red hot on fall menus

Domino’s, Grimaldi’s Pizzeria and Peter Piper Pizza all bring their version of Buffalo chicken on the menu.

Domino’s rolls out a Spicy Buffalo 5-Cheese Mac & Cheese with a drizzle of hot Buffalo sauce beginning on September 23.

One of the five new limited time items that Grimaldi’s Pizzeria launched September 10 is a Buffalo Chicken Pizza. It features Fire-braised chicken breast, Sweet Baby Ray’s^® Hot Sauce, mozzarella, Gorgonzola crumbles and celery.

Peter Piper Pizza rolled out its limited-time Buffalo Ranch Chicken Pizza on September 9. It’s a white pizza with chicken, red onion, crushed red pepper flakes and Buffalo ranch sauce on a cheddar cheese crust, topped with mozzarella and cheddar cheese. The pizza company also suggests adding side of its Jalapeno Ranch Dressing.

Cozy comfort food dominates fall menus

As weather turns cool, people look to sweaters, hoodies, blankets and comfort foods. Domino’s has answered that demand with a new menu item that will warm up customers this fall.

Mac & Cheese is an American favorite and a go-to comfort. In a release, Kate Trumbull, Domino’s senior vice president – chief brand officer said, “There is nothing like the comfort of Domino’s Mac & Cheese on a crisp fall day, so grab a cozy blanket, curl up, and savor every warm bite of cheesy deliciousness.”

LTOs satisfy the customer’s sweet tooth

Halloween kicks off a holiday season filled with sweet treats. Pizza companies are leaning in on its dessert and sweet offerings this fall.

Peter Piper Pizza rolled out a bit of nostalgia with it limited-time Fruit Loops ICEE. In a release, Peter Piper Pizza Chief Marketing Officer said, “Heading into the fall and the holiday season, guests are looking for value, so we wanted to offer great deals alongside crave-worthy food. Our goal is to create an experience that brings families together for fun and great meals.” This one is bringing back childhood memories in every sip.

There are fall flavors that often radiate across the country. Caramel apple and pumpkin are two of them. What better way for a pizzeria to incorporate those flavors than cheesecake? Grimaldi’s Pizzeria has included a Pumpkin Cheesecake and a Caramel Apple Cheesecake on its Fall Favorites menu. The Pumpkin Cheesecake has a cinnamon sugar cookie crust and is topped with whipped cream and garnished with caramel sauce. The caramel and diced green apple cheesecake also features a cinnamon sugar cookie crust and is garnished with caramel and whipped cream.

Fall menus put an emphasis on deals

As we get closer to the holiday season, customers are looking for savings. Pizza chains are answering that call with family packages and deals.

With Domino’s new Mac and Cheese offering, the pizza company has launched a few incentives to try the new dishes:

• Mix & Match Deal: order any two or more menu items (including Mac & Cheese) for $6.99 each.
• Domino’s Rewards members may redeem 60 points for a free order of Mac & Cheese.

Peter Piper Pizza has created an extensive promotions program this fall, including Peter a new $10 coupon book, which offers $50 in savings on food, drinks and games with buy one, get one free all-you-can-eat lunch buffet; free order of breadsticks, free 32-ounce fountain drink, half off 60 minutes of game play with the purchase of 60 minutes and more. Additionally, Peter Piper Pizza is re-introducing its popular “throwback” pricing where guests can enjoy two large 1-topping pizzas for $19.99 with the purchase of any gameplay package.

Need Fall Menu Ideas

Browse through Menu Development and Recipes for fall menu ideas and pairings.

Let us know what’s on your limited-time fall menu. Tag Pizza Today on social.

The post Pizza Chains Domino’s, Grimaldi’s Pizzeria and Peter Piper Pizza launch new Fall Menus appeared first on Pizza Today.

Celebrate National Cheese Pizza Day September 5

National Cheese Pizza Day on September 5 calls to attention the quintessential holy trinity of pizza, the cheese pizza. It is the classic combination of cheese, red pizza sauce and crust. A cheese slice is what we use to measure pizzas from different pizzerias. It’s the basis to which all other pizzas are judged. The cheese pizza is a staple deserving of its own holiday. Pizzerias around the country demonstrate just how innovative and creative a cheese pizza can be on National Cheese Pizza Day.

People love cheese pizza so much that Extra Cheese is a Top 5 Pizza Topping. See what other toppings round out the Top 5 and even Top 10. 

Let’s crush on delicious cheese pizzas from pizzerias in the U.S.

Here are just a sampling of cheese pizzas that we, at Pizza Today, have had the amazing opportunity to try in America:

Williamsburg Pizza, Brooklyn, New York

Williamsburg Pizza, Brooklyn, New York. Photo by Josh Keown

Modern Apizza, New Haven, Connecticut

Modern Apizza, New Haven, Connecticut. Photo by Josh Keown

Scottie’s Pizza Parlor, Portland, Oregon

Scottie’s Pizza Parlor, Portland, Oregon. Photo by Josh Keown

Greenville Avenue Pizza Company, Dallas, Texas

Greenville Avenue Pizza Company, Dallas, Texas. Photo by Josh Keown

Razza, Jersey City, New Jersey

Razza, Jersey City, New Jersey. Photo by Josh Keown

Scarr’s Pizza, New York, New York

Scarr’s Pizza, New York, New York. Photo by Josh Keown

Pizza Jerk, Portland, Oregon

Pizza Jerk, Portland, Oregon. Photo by Josh Keown

Cheese Pizza Recipes to Honor National Cheese Pizza Day

Pizza Today has thousands of recipes in our online recipe collect. We’ve scoured the collection to bring you the best cheese pizza recipe for you to try.

First up is a cheese Grandma Pie. There is something about the Grandma pizza style that draws attention to that glorious whole-milk mozzarella. Here is a grandma pie recipe by World Pizza Champion and Pizza Restaurateur Tony Gemignani. Go to the recipe below.

Grandma Pie Recipe

Next, John Gutekanst wanted to great an elevated spin on a traditional cheese pizza. The Royale with Cheese uses a cheese blend of Feta, Asiago, Parmigiano, Gorgonzola and Provolone. Go to the recipe below.

Royale with Cheese Pizza Recipe

One of the best cheese pizzas we ever made in the Pizza Today Test Kitchen was an Upside Down Sicilian Pizza. This pizza changes up the placement of the mozzarella to be applied first then the sauce. This pizza was also created by the goat of the pizza industry Tony Geminani. It is dynamite. Get the recipe below.

Upside Down Pizza Recipe

Here are a few other spins on cheese pizza to give a try. (Don’t hate on the beer cheese and nacho cheese!)

Four-Cheese Stuffed Crust Pizza

Beer Cheese Pizza

Nacho Cheese Pizza

The Best Cheese Pizza in the World

Andy Huynh, Cowabunga+, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, wins the World’s Best Cheese Slice Division at International Pizza Challenge 2024.

We felt so strongly about the role of the cheese pizza that we debuted a Division for The World’s Best Cheese Slice in the International Pizza Challenge at the 2024 International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas.

The Cheese Slice competition has strict criteria. In IPC’s newest division, competitors provided the dough, traditional red tomato sauce (only), cheese/cheese blend and spices. NO par-baking. Once the pizza enters the oven ONLY a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil (infused or not), grated cheese & dry spices after baking are acceptable; NO other drizzles, toppings, cheeses, or work on the pizza is allowed once the pizza enters the oven. This division is open to all crust styles.

Find more International Pizza Challenge 2024 winners.

Share Your National Cheese Pizza Day With Us

We want to see what you are doing for National Cheese Pizza Day. Tag Pizza Today on your favorite social media channels!

The post September 5 is National Cheese Pizza Day appeared first on Pizza Today.

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Soup and Salad on the Menu: A Soup and Salad Sensation

Variety is the spice of life. While some can eat pizza every day, others need to mix it up. When you look at increasing lunch business and repeat customers, soups and salads can be just the type of attractive menu items to entice diners to choose your restaurant.

Adding soup and salad options also allows you to attract guests seeking something lighter and healthy. Depending on your menu choices, soups and salads can appeal to individuals wanting low-carb, low-sodium, Keto, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian and other restricted diets.

A great benefit to offering soups and salads is that they can yield higher margins. They also make for great grab-and-go (Be sure to read my grab-and-go story on page 34), catering, carryout or delivery. As you plan those new soup and salads, be sure to factor in single and bulk packaging to make additional revenue for those new items. 

Think combo. Develop soups and salads that pair well with each other. Market the pairing on menus and in promotions. Don’t forget to train your staff to upsell these items together, separately or as part of a complete meal bundle. With our prep ahead meal culture, plant the seed that soup and salad also make a great next-day lunch if they want to go ahead and put in that order.

Building your Soup and Salad Menu

When you build your soup and salad menu, here are a few considerations as you dive in:

• Go with your strengths. If your menu leans heavy to classic Italian dishes, your soups and salads should be too. If outrageous toppings are your thing, the same creativity should apply to a soup and salad menu.
• Look at your pizza makeline. Cross-utilizing ingredients can help with costing out that new menu.
• Run a report of previous soup/salad successes. Look at past menus for stars. You don’t have to bring that exact item back. You can use it to draw inspiration and apply a spin on the hit item.
• What’s local, regional or in season? Look to your own community for inspiration. What do people in your area go crazy for? Are there local businesses you should partner with for ingredients?   

What’s trending with Soups and Salads?

• Beans are all the rage right now. Bean salads and bean soups, consumers are gravitating towards beans for protein and variety.
• International soups and stews. The National Restaurant Association’s What’s Hot Culinary Forecast called it as we entered 2024. Soups with an international flare are hitting big with consumers.
• Superfoods are still top of mind. Creating and marketing super food ingredients can pique the interest of curious diners.

Soups and Salad Italian Inspiration

Many pizzeria operators look to Italy for menu inspiration. Soup and salad ideas are abundant. Here are some items to pair:

First, salads:

• Caprese Salad. Classic and simple, plate caprese beautifully and it will be a star.
• Antipasto salad. Take an antipasto platter and create a salad and add Romaine and a nice lemon vinaigrette dressing.
• Panzanella. This Tuscan salad featured Italian bread, chopped vegetables, chickpeas and balsamic style dressing.
• Insalata di carciofi e bottarga. A Sardinia specialty, this salad features bottarga, which is fish roe. An easy substitute here is anchovy filet. It is combined with radicchio, artichoke, salt and lemon juice.

Next, soups:

• Stracciatella. This is an Italian egg drop soup featuring chicken broth, egg, spinach and Parmesan.
• Ribollita. A great winter option, this is a Tuscan white bean soup made with day-old bread, kale, cabbage or other hearty vegetables. 
• Zuppa Toscana. The creamy soup features bacon, Italian sausage, potatoes, crushed red pepper flakes and cream.
• Acquacotta. Another Tuscan soup, this one features cannellini beans, escarole, fennel and day-old bread.

A Great Cold Weather Pairing

Now let’s get down to recipes. I am pairing a Cheddar Broccoli Soup with Cavoletti Salad. It’s a great fall and winter soup and salad combo. The creaminess of soup balances against the tartness of the salad. Combining the two also provides a filling meal.

Cheddar Broccoli Soup

Get the Cheddar Broccoli Soup recipe.

Cavoletti Salad

Get the Cavoletti Salad recipe. 

DENISE GREER  is Executive Editor of Pizza Today.

The post Build a Soup and Salad Menu to Drive Return Visits appeared first on Pizza Today.

Apples on the Fall Menu: Apple of My Eye

If you read my article in the June issue, then you know about my love affair with peaches. Without question, a ripe summer peach is my favorite fruit — and you can make an absolute banger of a pizza with them!

While pineapple stirs all the tired controversy (yes, they belong on pizza) and gets the attention as the top fruit used in our industry, the humble and delicious apple will do far more than keep the doctor away if you give it a chance. Apples make for a wonderful addition to your fall menu!

Use them in salads, on dessert pizzas or on sandwiches. Apples naturally pair well with pork, so don’t limit yourself to a caramel apple dessert pie (though those are amazingly tasty, no doubt).

Here are some recipes to get your wheels turning and spur some creativity in your kitchen. As always, use these as a base for inspiration and expand to meet your needs.

We’ll start with this beauty the one and only Tony Gemignani developed.

Holiday Apple Jack’s Pizza

Get the Holiday Apple Jack’s Pizza recipe.

This next recipe is for a salad  that is one of my favorites. It’s different than what your competition offers, so don’t sleep on it.

Summer Salad with Sausage

Get the Summer Salad with Sausage recipe.

For those who serve a more complete dine-in menu that features entrees, here’s your next weekly special.

Grilled Pork with Rosemary and Apples

Here’s the Grilled Pork with Rosemary and Apples recipe.

Obviously, if you’re bringing in apples you’ve got to have that sweet dessert finish. Here it is!

Caramel Apple Crisp Pizza

Get the Caramel Apple Crisp Pizza recipe.

Jeremy White  is Editor-in-Chief of Pizza Today.

The post Fall Apple Pizzas: Bring the crunch — and sweetness — to your menu this autumn appeared first on Pizza Today.

Read the September 2024 Issue of Pizza Today Magazine

It’s the Customer Retention Issue. Loyalty over royalty! Learn how to propel your loyalty program for repeat business. Explore how to create a vibe with few customer touchpoints. Explore kids menus and operational adjustments to win over families. Get tips on transitioning new customers into regulars. Find ideas and tips on creating a profitable grab-and-go menu. Explore recipes and menu ideas featuring the humble apple. Discover ways to pair soup and salad combos to increase lunch sales.

You can check out the full Digital Edition — Pizza Today September 2024.

The post September 2024 appeared first on Pizza Today.

Adam Oldenburg completes his first year as CEO of Toppers Pizza. Photo provided by Toppers Pizza.

WHITEWATER, Wis. (July, 2024) – As Adam Oldenburg completes his first year as CEO of Toppers Pizza, the brand has seen significant achievements and a visionary shift towards empowering franchisees. Oldenburg, who took the helm last May following the 30-year leadership tenure of founder Scott Gittrich, has led Toppers through an exhilarating phase of growth and transformation.

ABOUT TOPPERS PIZZA

The post Toppers Pizza CEO Adam Oldenburg Celebrates First Year at the Helm with Major Growth and Franchisee Success appeared first on Pizza Today.

How to celebrate National Pizza Month

Pizza Today has you covered this October

National Pizza Month Pizzeria Tool Kit provides everything you need to celebrate all month long

Let’s collectively have the biggest pizza month ever and celebrate America’s favorite food. Pizza Today created National Pizza Month 40 years ago and we’re here to help you celebrate. There’s no better time to celebrate PIZZA that right now. We’ve pulled together resources to help you mark the occasion and promote your National Pizza Month campaigns in your store, in the community, virtually and on social networks. October can be anything you make it. The tools and tips below are provided to assist you with your unique efforts to promote your pizzeria’s National Pizza Month celebrations. We also have the official National Pizza Month logo and graphics for pizza fans, pizza enthusiast and local and national media to share.

Blast the National Pizza Month hashtag on everything. Use the hashtag on social media posts, in store and on external marketing and promotional signage.

#nationalpizzamonth

Go further and add a unique hashtag specific to your brand to track its shares. Don’t forget to tag @pizzatoday so we can follow your NPM campaign.

Learn more about how to use this tool kit to create your National Pizza Month campaign.

What is National Pizza Month?

National Pizza Month is a monthlong celebration of pizza, America’s favorite food. At the heart of National Pizza Month are the pizzerias and the people showcasing their pizzas. Pizza lovers across the country indulge in their favorite slices, try new toppings, and explore different pizzerias. Many pizzerias and restaurants offer special deals, promotions and events to mark the occasion.

Pizza Today’s founder Gerry Durnell created the National Pizza Month observance in 1984 to mark the debut of the first issue of Pizza Today magazine. The U.S. Congress officially designated October as National Pizza Month in 1987.

Each year, Pizza Today provides pizzeria operators, enthusiasts and media with media assets to help America celebration National Pizza Month. Pizza Today has been the pizzeria industry’s most trusted and valuable educational business resource for more than four decades. The international award-winning content focuses on insider tips, operational advice, recipes and information integral to helping today’s pizzeria owner operate more efficiently and profitably.

Have fun with National Pizza Month. We are sharing interesting pizza-related fun facts about pizza, pizza history, pizza topping, pizza world records for your next pizza trivia game or pizza quiz in 36 Pizza Fun Facts.

Ways to Celebrate National Pizza Month

Here are three low-cost National Pizza Month marketing ideas:

1. Crown an Ultimate Pizza Fan by inviting customers to submit on social media why they should be the winner.
2. Host a Press Event Month Kick Off (Invite local media, food writers, bloggers, etc. in for a free meal). Use your time with the media wisely to showcase your National Pizza Month plan and what makes your pizzeria standout. Give them a unique experience like a pizza-making class or dough making or tossing demo. Be memorable.
3. Run a customer recipe promotion. Invite your patrons to create your next big hit! Have customers submit recipes for topping combinations, etc. Winner gets the pizza named after them on your menu or free pizza for a year or a $500 gift card, etc.

Get more low-cost to no-cost marketing ideas for your pizzeria make the most of National Pizza Month. Get the full list.

Get Social with National Pizza Month

31 Days of Pizza! We’ve made it easy for you to create social content for EVERY DAY IN OCTOBER. We’ve created a customizable Sample Social Media Calendar. Take an idea or two from here or use it as inspiration to create your own calendar.

National Pizza Month Sample Social Calendar Template — EXCEL FILE

National Pizza Month Sample Social Calendar Template — PDF

Download Marketing Assets for Your Pizzeria

√ — National Pizza Month Logo In Color

This the OFFICIAL LOGO of National Pizza Month. Use it on your marketing materials and social media posts. Click to enlarge each image and drag it to your desktop or save to your mobile device. If you require a different format, contact dgreer@pizzatoday.com.

Download National Pizza Month Logo — JPG 

National Pizza Month Declaration Social Sharing Art/Images

We’ve created images to declare National Pizza Month for social sharing. Click to enlarge each image and drag it to your desktop or save to your mobile device.

National Pizza Month Fillable Social Sharing Images

We’ve included National Pizza Month social media graphics that are designed for you to add your own image in. Get as creative as you want with the image. Be sure to tag Pizza Today so we can see it and share it. Here are a few option. Click to enlarge each image and drag it to your desktop or save to your mobile device.

Customizable Media Release / Media Alerts

We’ve provided you the framework to add in your specific information about your National Pizza Month festivities.

Media Releases are a great way to get your National Pizza Month activities in front of your local media. E-mail it to all local and regional media and well as specialty social/online media two weeks before October events.

Download Media Release.doc (Microsoft Word)

Download Media Release PDF

For special events and unique National Pizza Month programming. Also sent Media Alerts the day before activity. Use this Media Alert as a template:

Download Media Alert (Microsoft Word)

Download Media Alert PDF

Media loves National Pizza Month. We’ve outlined 5 Ways to Get Media Coverage During National Pizza Month with a look at National Pizza Month media coverage from last year as examples.

Don’t forget you can pitch your National Pizza Month event directly to reporters or even partner with traditional or digital media in your area. Take a look at this how-to on getting media coverage.

National Pizza Month Video

Share this National Pizza Month video with your community and local media.

National Pizza Month Key Messages

October is National Pizza Month. We celebrate America’s favorite food and the people who make it. Pizza is comfort, family and community.

Pizza making is an art, a craft. From New York, Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, California and Italy, each style is a piece of a region’s culture and history.

This is our time to share the love and dedication that our nation’s pizzerias give to our communities.

Pizza people are the hardest working, most passionate and giving people in their communities. Let’s honor their contributions.

Join us in saying thank you by visiting your local pizzeria during National Pizza Month. And let’s continue that spirit all year long.

Pizza Fun Facts

We’ve pulled together interesting pizza-related Fun facts about pizza, pizza history, pizza topping, pizza world records for your next pizza trivia game or pizza quiz. Go to 36 Pizza Fun Facts.

Share your National Pizza Month Story

We want to share your National Pizza Month stories on PizzaToday.com and on social all month long. Fill out the National Pizza Month Story Submission Form.

The post National Pizza Month October — Pizzeria Tool Kit appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizza Today shares facts about pizza and pizza trivia to impress your pizza fans

National Pizza Month is in October. Study up on pizza, America’s favorite food. How much do you know about pizza? Let’s dive into pizza fun facts. Use these to build a pizza trivia game, quiz with prizes or share on social or in store.

We’ve pulled together interesting pizza-related Fun facts about pizza, pizza history, pizza topping, pizza world records for your next pizza trivia game or pizza quiz.

36 Interesting Pizza-related Fun facts

Here are fun facts about pizza, pizza history, pizza topping, pizza world records and more.

1. There are over 73,000 pizzerias in the U.S. as of 2023. IBISWorld
2. California has the most pizzerias followed by New York and Texas. IBISWorld
3. New York is the No. 1 pizza style offered in the U.S.
4. The Top 5 pizza styles in America are New York, Traditional American, Sicilian, Deep Dish and Neapolitan.
5. Detroit-style pizza is the biggest pizza style trend in the U.S. currently.
6. The most popular pizza topping in America is Pepperoni.
7. The Top 5 Pizza Toppings in America are Pepperoni, Sausage, Mushroom, Extra Cheese and Bacon.
8. In 1905, at 32½ Spring Street, Lombardi’s became the first officially licensed pizzeria in the United States.
9. Chicago-style deep-dish pizza was invented in 1941.
10. According to American Heritage, the number of American pizza parlors grew from 500 in 1934 to 20,000 in 1956.
11. The first Pizza Hut, in fact, was opened in 1958 by Frank and Dean Carney in Wichita, Kansas.
12. 1959 Little Caesars opened in Garden City, Michigan.
13. Domino’s, was born shortly thereafter when brothers Tom and James Monaghan borrowed $500 to purchase DomiNick’s Pizza in Ypsilanti, Michigan, in 1960.
14. Chef Ed LUdou and Wolfgang Puck gave birth to California style artisan pizza in 1980.
15. International Pizza Expo, the largest gathering of pizza professionals launched in Las Vegas, Nevada.
16. National Pizza Month was created in October to mark the first issue of Pizza Today magazine in 1984.
17. The U.S. Congress officially designated October as National Pizza Month in 1987.
18. In 1889, Don Raffaele Esposito created the Margherita Pizza, which is adorned with nothing but tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil, in honor of Margherita Teresa Giovanni, who was the Italian Queen at the time.
19. The word pizza originated in Gaeta, Italy in 997 AD according to food historian Giuseppe Nocca in La Repubblica.
20. Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba in Naples, Italy is widely believed to be the world’s first pizzeria, opened in 1830.
21. Americans eat three billion pizzas per year.
22. The average American eats 180 slices of pizza a year
23. The average American consumes 11 pounds of mozzarella a year, more than any other cheese. It is attributed to the demand for pizza.
24. The biggest pizza sales days are Super Bowl Sunday, Halloween, the day before Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
25. The traditional pizza box was invented in 1964 by a New York-based pizza shop.
26. In 2001, a pizza was delivered to the International Space Station, making it the first pizza to be eaten in space.
27. The largest pizza party with 3,357 participants, and was achieved by World Pizza Champions (USA) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, on January 21, 2023.
28. The Longest Pizza in the World measures 6,3333 feet and 3.60 inches. Roughly 17,700 pounds of dough, 5,000 pounds of tomato sauce and 3,900 pounds of mozzarella cheese were used to make the pizza that took 54 hours by a team of over 100 people. The Guinness World Record was set by Pizzaovens.com, Venice Bakery, Orlando Foods, At-Pac, Sysco, TFX Non Stick, Capstone Scaffold Services, Scaffold Works, SoCal Gas, Tony Gemignani, Giulio Adriani, John Arena and Italforni in Fontana, California, USA, in 2017.
29. The Largest Pizza Commercially Available measures 8 feet by 2 feet and 8 inches from Moontower Pizza Bar in Burleson, Texas. When the record was set in 2018, the pizza retailed for $299.95 plus tax.
30. The Largest Pizza Delivery was 30,000 pizzas delivered to United States Armed Forces, in Kandahar Airfield, Bagram Airbase and Camp Bastion, in Afghanistan, on July 4, 2012. The delivery was organized by Pizzas 4 Patriots.
31. The Highest Pizza Toss is 21 feet and 5 inches set by Joe Carlucci in 2006.
32. The Largest Pizza Base Spun in One Minute at 28.35 inches is also held by Joe Carlucci set in 2017.
33. The Largest Pizza Base Spun in Three Minutes is 33.2 inches wide and was set by Tony Gemignani in 2006.
34. The Most Pizza Boxes Folded in One Minute is 18 and set by Randy DeGregorio in 2020.
35. The Largest Collection of Pizza Boxes was set in 2013 with 595 different boxes by Scott Wiener.
36. The most varieties of cheese on a pizza is 1,001, by Fabien Montellanico, Sophie Hatat Richart-Luna, Florian OnAir and Benoît Bruel, at Déliss’ Pizza in Lyon, France, on October 8, 2023.

More Pizza Fun

If you like these pizza fun facts, check out:

Guide to the 2024 National “Best Pizzas” Lists

10 Can’t Miss Pizza Holidays

2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report

Best Pizza Recipes 

Troubleshooting Your Pizza Dough — A Guide to Making Pizza Better

The post 36 Pizza Fun Facts appeared first on Pizza Today.

Tavern Style Pizza makes its way onto the menus of the largest pizza companies

This summer, Pizza Hut rolled out its tavern-style pizza, marking several of the largest pizza companies to offer the style. We’ve noticed the rise of tavern style pizza for the last several years. Also known as Chicago Thin, tavern pizza continues its growth across America. In the 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report, American pizzeria owners indicated that Tavern was among the Top 5 Emerging Pizza Styles. Let’s first look at what’s happening with tavern pizza at Pizza Hut, Domino’s and Little Caesars.

Pizza Hut unveiled its Chicago Tavern Style Pizza this Year

In June, Pizza Hut announced its latest style drop: Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza. According to a release, Pizza Hut’s take on the tavern-style pizza offers a trendsetting, modern experience that delivers a deliciously crispy bite with its thin-crust and innovative, contemporary flavors available in four recipes: Pesto Margherita, The Ultimate, Spicy Chicken Sausage, and Double Pepperoni. Read the full release. 

Domino’s, a Tavern Veteran with its Crunchy Thin

Domino’s rolled out its Crunch Thin in 1993, back when the style was only known in Chicago and the Midwest region. It’s received a fresh look after a viral article.

In Praise of… Domino’s?

In an op ed piece by John Kessler, he did a side-by-side comparison of Domino’s Crunchy Thin Crust and other beloved tavern style pies. His take is interesting and worth a read. Go to Kessler’s article.

Little Caesars Also an Early Adopter of Tavern Style

Back in 2018, Little Caesars rolled out its Thin Crust Pepperoni with a $6 promotion making the HOT-N-READY Brand the second of the largest pizza chains to offer a tavern style pizza. It’s marketed as a crispy, flaky, thin crust pizza. You can read a release on that launch now.

What is Tavern Style Pizza?

Tavern pizza is known by many names: Chicago thin, cracker thin, party cut, just to name a few. The hallmark of a tavern style pizza is a light, cracker thin crust that is cut into squares. The origin of Tavern dates back to the 1930s in Chicago’s bars that essentially created a pizza style that was easier eat with beer.

How do I make Tavern Style Pizza?

Making a good party cut pizza like tavern style comes down to the dough. The late Dough Doctor Tom Lehmann always said, “This cracker-like pizza is less about the toppings and more about the dough.” When it comes to Chicago Thin, “any good, patent grade bread flour with 10.5- to 11.5-percent protein content should work well.” There are also a couple specifics he discusses. “A planetary type mixer will work best for mixing this dough. You will need to use a dough sheeter/roller to form the dough into skins. You could roll the dough by hand.” The Dough Doctor provided his dough formula for Chicago Thin with step-by-step instructions. Follow Tom Lehmann’s Chicago Thin Crust Pizza Dough recipe.

Dough expert Laura Meyer offers advice for those looking for a super crispy Chicago Thin Crust Pizza in her article Tavern Style Pizza is Sweeping the Nation. “Par baking the dough is another way to add crispiness to a thin-crust pie. As much as I love crispy thin-crust pizzas, they lose that crunch very quickly as the pizza cools down. Maintaining that crispiness is one of the hardest traits to keep. Utilizing cornmeal and a par bake or double bake method helps ensure your pizza stays crispy for a longer period of time.”

Check out more on Tavern Pizza and other Pizza Style Dough Recipes.

The post Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Little Caesars All Offer Tavern Style Pizza appeared first on Pizza Today.

Answer America’s Cheese Obsession on your Apps Menu

People are obsessed — absolutely obsessed — with cheese! Make sure your appetizer menu answers America’s cheesy cravings.

There is a reason you see so many cheese-based appetizers on restaurant menus. They are proven winners. You’ll find nachos, chips and queso, jalapeno poppers, pretzels and beer cheese, cheesy spinach and artichoke dip and fried mac and cheese balls on pizzeria menus across the country. There are two classic cheesy delights that have become synonymous with pizzerias: cheesy garlic bread (stix) and mozzarella sticks. I’ve included basic recipes that you should play with to find your own unique spin. Try changing up the herbs or cheeses you use, add some heat or intensify the garlic. Create the next big thing.

Two Classic Cheesy Appetizers for Pizzerias

Fried Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

Mozzarella sticks are a classic appetizer to pair with pizza. They have been a popular offering since the 1970s. Sure you can source them. But they are also easy to make in house. Try this Fried Mozzarella Cheese Sticks Recipe!

Cheesy Garlic Bread from Pizza Dough

Garlic bread is another fan favorite app. When you make it cheesy garlic bread, you’ve created an instant hit. Being able to use your regular pizza dough enables to to easily add this one to the menu. Play around with this Cheesy Garlic Bread from Pizza Dough Recipe!

Take cheesy garlic bread to the next level by creating cheesy garlic bombs. Pinch golf ball-sized dough ball and place a cube of mozzarella in the center reshaping the ball. Bake. Toss in a mixture of butter, roasted garlic, Parmesan, and dried basil and parsley. Just changing from bread to ball may help you stand out from competitors.

Now let’s go a bit unconventional with cheesy apps

Your menu is an opportunity to showcase your team’s culinary creativity and expertise. Building appetizers based on cheese opens a myriad of possibilities with more than 1,800 types of cheeses in the world. You can go simple with a caprese salad featuring your fresh mozzarella. Burrata is an appetizer by itself. Or offer marinated mozzarella or baked goat cheese or ricotta. There are a number of ways to highlight cheese to start meals.

Whipped Ricotta

A favorite option is whipped ricotta. This is one simple appetizer that adds an upscale flare and a menu price to match. You can change it up to incorporate various flavors. A great advantage to whipped ricotta is its versatility. You can finish pizza with whipped ricotta or incorporate it into desserts. Get the Spicy Whipped Ricotta Recipe.

Cheesy Appetizer Trend Spotter

We need to thank Wisconsin for a very specific cheese product that is popping up on menus across the country. The cheese curd. Long known as a rite of passage as you enter the state, squeaky cheese curds have gained popularity.

The mild cheddar-like pieces are made from curdled milk in the cheese-making process. They are creamy and known to squeak when you bite into them. You can serve them as is or replace mozzarella in your appetizer applications, like fried mozzarella. Fried cheese curds or garlic cheese curd bombs can pique customers’ curiosity.

Flip the Script on Buffalo Chicken Dip

Buffalo chicken dip is a hot appetizer in more ways than one. This is a fun spin on traditional buffalo chicken dip. It offers upselling add-on options. Make it a Buffalo cheese dip and serve it with chicken tenders or nuggets. If you include the chicken in the fondue, you can serve it with crisp fresh veggies, crostini or chips. Get the Buffalo Chicken Fondue Recipe.

The post Cheesy Appetizer Ideas: A Cheesy Start appeared first on Pizza Today.

B2B Pizza Leader invites Pizzeria Operators to be counted in annual industry survey

Pizza Today, the pizzeria industry’s most trusted and valuable educational B2B resource for more than four decades, has embarked on its third annual Pizzeria Operator Survey with a subsequent 2025 Pizza Industry Trends Report to be released in December. The comprehensive deep-dive study provides pizzeria professionals with trends and insights on menus and toppings, employee strategies, marketing, sales and growth, supplier trends, projections, industry concerns and technology.

Pizzeria operators — from independents and chains to food trucks/catering pizza operations — are now invited to participate in the third annual Pizzeria Operator Survey. Survey period ends Tuesday, September 3.

“In our third year of the Pizzeria Operator Survey, we have refined our questions down to drive qualitative data on what’s really happened in the pizzeria industry right now,” says Executive Editor Denise Greer. “We encourage all pizzeria operators to be counted in this study.”

Upon launching the Report, Pizza Today set out to create a comprehensive deep-dive analysis of the pizzeria industry for the pizzeria industry with valuable insights that operators can use to gauge their standing in the market, infuse new ideas and help their bottom line.

“While massive changes rarely take place in a one-year timeframe barring a watershed event, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the subtle movements in our data help provide us with a roadmap to show where the United States pizza industry is heading,” says Editor In Chief Jeremy White. “Running the numbers comparatively helps guide our future content to ensure it continues to be the most relevant and helpful information pizzeria owners can rely on to sustain their businesses. It also provides our readers with the most accurate snapshot of where things stand today so that they can better understand exactly how they are faring in the current landscape as compared to their peers across the nation.”

A few key findings from the 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report include:

• Style variety matters. The trend of offering different styles of pizza is not slowing. Customers are now expecting it.
• Plant-based and Vegan demand remains. Operators continue ramping up their efforts to provide these options to consumers.
• Automation. Operators are seeking ways to streamline operations to battle the lack of labor and to meet consumer expectations.
• Independents are leading the charge in menu creativity. They are rolling out new pizza styles and pizza topping combinations that are being noticed by major chains.
• Detroit continues its rise. Detroit-style pizza is the biggest pizza style trend in the U.S. currently.
• The Top 5 Pizza Styles in America are: New York, Traditional American, Sicilian, Deep Dish and Neapolitan.
• The Top 5 Pizza Toppings in America are: Pepperoni, Sausage, Mushroom, Extra Cheese and Bacon.

Read the full 2024 Pizzeria Industry Trends Report or request a download version.

Be counted in this year’s analysis by completing the 2024 Pizzeria Operator Survey. The entirety should take about 7-10 minutes. If you have questions about the survey, contact Denise Greer at dgreer@pizzatoday.com.

Complete your 2024 Pizzeria Operator Survey today.

Special thanks to our sponsors: Hillshire Farm, Smithfield and PizzaCloud.

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About Pizza Today: Founded in 1984, Pizza Today has been the pizzeria industry’s most trusted and valuable educational business resource for more than four decades. The international award-winning content focuses on insider tips, operational advice, recipes and information integral to helping today’s pizzeria owner operate more efficiently and profitably. For more information, please visit https://pizzatoday.com.

About International Pizza Expo & Conference: The annual International Pizza Expo remains unchallenged as the industry’s largest event. Thousands of pizzeria professionals convene in Las Vegas, Nevada each year for 3 days dedicated to all things pizza. Suppliers from across the globe, networking and educational sessions led by top industry professionals, and national competitions round out this unrivaled event. Visit https://pizzaexpo.pizzatoday.com/ for more information.

About Emerald: Emerald’s talented and experienced team grows our customers’ businesses 365 days a year through connections, content, and commerce. We expand connections that drive new business opportunities, product discovery, and relationships with over 140 annual events, matchmaking, and lead-gen services. We create content to ensure that our customers are on the cutting edge of their industries and are continually developing their skills. And we power commerce through efficient year-round buying and selling. We do all this by seamlessly integrating in-person and digital platforms and channels. Emerald is immersed in the industries we serve and committed to supporting the communities in which we operate. As true partners, we create experiences that inspire, amaze, and deliver breakthrough results. For more information, please visit: www.emeraldx.com

The post Pizza Today launches 2024 Pizzeria Operator Survey appeared first on Pizza Today.

Read the August 2024 Issue of Pizza Today Magazine

See who is our 2024 Pizzeria of the Year and what makes it stand out. Learn how to calculate added revenue steams. Find out how to correct overproofed pizza dough. Explore pizza sauce differentiations and pizza styles. Get cheese-based recipes and ideas including a trend spotter cheese. Find inspiration on pizza combinations and see how your pizza can get featured.

You can check out the full Digital Edition — Pizza Today August 2024.

The post August 2024 appeared first on Pizza Today.

Grilled Pizza with Peaches, Burrata, Serrano Peppers, Basil and Balsamic

That is what summer is all about. Your grill is probably on 24/7 in the summertime, so why not make some grilled pizza? Super easy and delicious. For this recipe I have gathered some summer favorites like in-season peaches and cool, creamy burrata. I combined them with some basil, some mint and a pop of heat with thinly sliced Serrano peppers. I have added some speck as well. However, if you want to keep it light, that can easily be omitted.

For the Peaches

Chris Decker, Founding Pizzaiolo & Partner Truly Pizza

Thinly cut two peaches and squeeze a half of lemon over them. Add to a bowl and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar on them. Whatever you have is fine, white or brown. They will both work beautifully. Toss to combine. In a preheated pan on the stove, add two tablespoons butter and melt to almost brown. Carefully add peach mixture and sauté until soft (3-4 minutes). Set aside to cool.

For the Grilled Dough

Pre-heat your grill and get even heat throughout. Add olive oil to a plate and put your dough in oil and begin to stretch. Turn dough over and continue to stretch on the oil-lined plate. You can pick up the dough and lightly stretch to desired size now. Then be careful as you lay the dough on the grill and cook for 1-2 minutes (until charring begins). Quarter turn your dough and cook for another minute. Then, carefully using tongs, flip dough over and cook the other side. Once the dough is cooked and beautifully charred, set aside to cool.

Toppings

You can cut your grilled pizza now and top it. First, I sprinkled a little smoked salt onto the grilled dough, spooned on some burrata, carefully placed the grilled peaches and speck and thinly sliced Serrano peppers. Then I scattered some basil and torn mint before drizzling some 12-year balsamic over the top. Delicious!

Chris Decker is Founding Pizzaiolo & Partner at Truly Pizza, in Dana Point, California. @everythingbutanchovies on Instagram.

The post On Deck: Grillin’ and Chillin’ — Peach and Burrata Grilled Pizza appeared first on Pizza Today.

When is a pizza dough overproofed and how do you fix it

When you knead to rise above over-proofed dough.

t has happened to all of us. You’re working in your busy pizzeria, the line in the lobby snakes to the door, all your ovens are full, increasing the internal temperature of your kitchen to 103 degrees. The dough that you brought out an hour ago has been proofing in the boxes for way too long and you promise yourself to get right to it, but that hour turns into 90 minutes in the frenzy.

Once the rush is over, you cautiously look in the dough box and you see dough balls that are flat, wrinkled and spent. You know there are two avenues to take; either throw the dough away or correct this over-proofed dough. You must first find out how old the dough is because this over proofed dough you’re looking at could be on its last rise. Or you could have a dough ball that has just become proofed too much and has a second rise in it.

Role of Yeast in Overproofed Dough: Feeding Frenzy

We all make a living using dough recipes that rely upon time and temperature. Time affords a period for these small natural and human-made yeast enzymes and bacteria to interact with natural sugars to create a rise in our dough. This is also regulated by the temperature at which this dough is subjected. When everything in your dough schedule goes swimmingly, you can pat yourself on the back, stand back and gaze upon the finished pizza product with pride. When you over-proof your dough, there is that sinking feeling that all that time making, resting, balling, storing and proofing your dough is wasted. There are certain ways you can tell how far along your proofing has gotten.

One way is to use your finger. Note: these examples are for dough that is not cold. Refrigerated dough may act differently.

• If the dough ball bounces back right away when pressed with your finger, it is not ready for prime time and needs to proof longer.
• If the ball is poked and the dent answers back in a slow, even fashion, it is ready to bake.
• If the dough ball has puffed up tremendously and your finger dent stays in the dough with no bounce back, the dough is borderline over-proofed.
• If the dough looks completely deflated like a wrinkly beach ball and deflates when poked with your finger, it is over-proofed.
  

Dough Management: Dough Nuts

As a pizza manager, your dough schedule is calculated to use the limitations of your refrigeration space, oven type and knowledge of your dough personnel. Your physical plant reflects and intermingles with the way you want your pizzas to look, taste and feel like. Dough is the platform that holds and melds with all the other flavors on your proprietary pizza and therefore is the spine of your operation. To gain more control over the way your dough is mixed and aged, you can set up a plan to make sure everyone in your pizzeria is on board. This can be a dough schedule printed and attached to a clipboard near the mixer and proofing tables. It should contain times, temperatures, mixing speeds, weights and proofing times for each batch. In a perfect world, this detailed dough production works well, but some of us with high volume pizzerias opt for a simpler dough production with small date and time stickers on the dough. These also have the names spelt, thin crust, regular, Detroit, Roman, sourdough, etc. on them. This also frees the dough people to keep a flow of dough rolling and if they have questions, they can match the type of dough to signs and recipes kept near the dough station.

What to do with an overproofed pizza dough? The Proof is in the Pudding

When you are staring at an over-proofed dough ball, you must not despair because there is a way to rehabilitate an over-proofed dough ball besides making mediocre focaccia or breadsticks out of it.

This is a secret that many great pizzaioli and bakers hold tight to their chests, ‘The Re-knead.’  It is used extensively in the airy, Roman style Pizza in Teglia, as well as high-hydration sourdough bakers. The re-knead is a dough resurrection that stretches already mixed and relaxed dough. This procedure strengthens the gluten matrix and introduces new feeding opportunities to the yeast. Most re-kneads are part of a calculated dough schedule which takes highly hydrated, cold fermented dough, brings it to room temperature for a short period of time, and re-forms a new, stronger dough ball. This technique can also be used for dough that has become over-proofed. It gives you a chance to use that secondary rise that a rehabbed gluten matrix and new yeast activity affords you.

To begin the re-knead, make sure there is no oil or hard crust on your dough ball. Take the over proofed dough ball by two opposing horizontal edges with the bottom of the dough ball toward you. Pull your hands away from one another stretching the dough until taut. Then close the dough like a book. Turn the dough ball 90 degrees and use this stretch/fold method again. Now start tucking the dough under the dough ball with your fingers and tighten the dough ball using a table if necessary. This dough ball can be sent back to the refrigerator to relax for later use or covered at room temperature to use in 20 to 30 minutes.

John Gutekanst owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio.

>> Explore answers to more common pizza dough questions in Troubleshooting your Pizza Dough: What’s wrong with my pizza dough? <<

The post Overproofed Pizza Dough: Deflate Gate appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Pizza Sauce Differentiation

My first job in the pizza business was when I was 12 years old. My family had just moved back from Italy and was going through rough times. As the eldest of five I wanted to help out and do my part.

In 1998, my father opened his first pizzeria, which was 45 minutes away from home. He would leave in the mornings and not come home till night. My mother had four other children to tend to and was not able to drive me there when I got out of school. This was pre-Uber, pre-cell phone and pre-debit card era. On weekends, my father would take me with him on Saturdays and on Sundays, drop me off in the morning and pick me up at night.

But I didn’t feel like I was doing enough so I went out to all the businesses that were walking distance from home and sought employment for weeknights. I know what you are thinking. Present day it would be crazy to imagine a 12-year-old kid walking in a store asking for work. But I assure you, where I’m from, 25 years ago this was common in my blue collar Italian American neighborhood. All of my closest friends in the 7th grade had jobs. Angelo swept up hair at Albert’s Barbershop, Antonio was a dishwasher at Danny’s Deli, Francesco (Known as Cicc) was a detailer at Jimmy’s Body Shop and Nikki cut potatoes at Auggies Hot Dog Stand.

It didn’t take me long to get hired as a busboy at Teodori’s Ristorante and Pizzeria.

The owner, Lefty, was a widow and used to come have dinner every night. He quickly took a liking to me and would sometimes ask me to join him. He loved asking me questions about Italy. He was born there, but came over when he was five and had never been back. He also starting trusting me, so I would do stuff like mow his lawn and shovel the snow. At the restaurant, too, I quickly gained more responsibilities like helping with prep, working the salad line, and even working the pizza oven when we were understaffed and busy.

Lefty was a very successful businessman, not only respected in our community but also the surrounding areas. He was exceptionally competitive. When he was not at his restaurant, he frequented his competitors’ establishments, sampling their food and trying to gather information about their recipes and products from the staff.

There was a period he was not happy with his pizza sauce, and he would make me go with him to scour through competitors’ dumpsters to see what tomato products they were using. I would take out trash bags and see which different type of canned tomato products they were using, then count how many of each different product so Lefty and I could try to figure out what ratio of each they were using. This actually helped me a few years later when I helped my family further develop their recipe.

Last year I had the honor of studying with three of the top Pizza instructors in the World:

Enzo Coccia, Massimiliano Savia and Tony Gemignani. Enzo is regarded the top Neapolitan Pizza Instructor, Massimiliano the top Roman Pizza Instructor, and Tony the top American Style Instructor. Regarding their respective pizza sauces, Enzo’s Neapolitan has to be a San Marzano DOP tomato, hand crushed (not milled) and he only adds sea salt. Massimo’s Roman does not have to be a San Marzano (Roman Pizza does not have a strict code like Neapolitan) but must be an Italian tomato, hand crushed, with the addition of extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and fresh basil. Tony’s New York-style sauce is three parts California ground tomato, one part premium California Pizza sauce, with sea salt, fresh basil and dried oregano.

Both Enzo and Massimo are firm believers in hand crushing their tomatoes. Enzo says that it’s something most pizzerias in Naples do not do anymore, but to honor and carry on the tradition of authentic Neapolitan pizza, he will always do it in his restaurants.

Massimo believes that if you take out the hand crushing, you are taking out the craftsmenship and artistic traits of the pizza as a whole, and your masterpiece will not be complete.

Tony was very hard pressed about never adding water or sugar to your sauce. He suggests if you want more sweetness, use more puree or pizza sauce. If you want to loosen your sauce up, he suggests more ground tomato.

Where I’m from in Chicago, we tend to like more earthy, deep and robust flavors.

Think of our Italian Beef Sandwiches, our Chicken Vesuvio and Deep Dish Pizza. Most Chicago pizza sauces, whether tavern or deep dish, feature a good amount of thick tomato puree and a lot more seasoning than you see in styles mentioned above.

Tomato purees and pizza sauces that you find on the commercial market are tomatoes that have been milled or grounded, then cooked to reduce water content and intensify the tomato flavor. This also gives your pizza sauce less of a fresh tomato flavor and more umami and depth. Another reason is that our dough is built very
different.

Tony’s New York and Enzo’s Neopolitan are both in mid 60-percent hydration, while Massimo’s Roman can be in the 80s percentage range. And because of the higher hydration, different types of flour are also used. Ceresota Flour is the most used in our market, and the hydration is typically in the 50-percent range, and always a fat added (oil, butter or lard). The results are a dryer, stiffer dough that can hold more.

My Chicago style sauce that I use on Taverns and Deep Dish is a two part California puree, one part California ground tomato. And here is the biggest difference: we add Romano cheese, dried basil, oregano, salt, pepper, granulated garlic and EVOO. We also like to blend this and refrigerate at least 24 hours so that the flavors combine and really seep in.

My first lessons in pizza sauce came from jumping through dumpsters counting empty cans. My most recent lessons in pizza sauce came from three of the top pizzaioli in the world. Reflecting on this incredible journey I sometimes feel like I’m in a dream. Twenty Five years flies by my dear pizza friends. Dream more, learn more, do more, become more.

Pasquale DiDiana is owner/operator of Bacci Pizzerias in Chicago, Illinois and a frequent speaker at International Pizza Expo.

The post Lessons in Pizza Sauce appeared first on Pizza Today.

A classic Mortadella Pizza is experiencing a newfound popularity

I’ve never tasted Bologna, a.k.a. “Baloney”. As a child of vegetarians, I was spared that American childhood staple. Today, I am no traditionalist. I may be guilty, in the eyes of some Italians, of pushing innovation and interpretation into the territory of bastardization, but I have never tried Bologna and I don’t intend to. I’m open to breaking rules, but naming an American hyper-processed lunch meat after a city that many consider the culinary capital of one of the most food obsessed countries in the world is a pretty egregious move. Sorry Italy, there is no excuse for that behavior. So please, everyone, let’s sever any connections between Baloney and Mortadella, and hopefully it will fade away into obscurity.

We can make amends by celebrating the true meat treat of the ancient and great city of Bologna: Mortadella! This delicious salumi, or something like it, has been made in Italy since at least the time of the Romans — and the current form has a documented history going back to the 14th century. Lean pork meat is pulverized into a smooth paste, spiced with salt, myrtle berries, and sometimes studded with black pepper or more recently pistachio, and cubes of fat are folded in … then the whole thing goes into a natural casing. Smaller ones use pig bungs (look it up), and behemoths weighing as much as 200 pounds are packed into beef casings. The secret to its aroma and flavor comes from the cooking process; it’s cooked very low and slow at 180 F for 20 hours or more. The final product is sweet, smooth, and mildly spiced with a firm texture that creates a delicious bite even when sliced paper thin. Imported mortadella can be found at Italian delis or from importers of Italian products here in the United States. Of course, the United States is not alone in its love of this lunch meat.

It’s well known that Argentina and Brazil have huge Italian diaspora communities and their pizzeria scenes are massive, historical, and very popular. Buenos Aires and São Paulo love mortadella as much as they love pizza. In São Paulo there is a famous mortadella sandwich; a massive pile of thinly sliced mortadella is grilled on a plancha, then topped with Queijo Prato (literally translated as plate cheese and similar to Swiss), then the giant pile of mortadella and cheese is placed on a Portuguese roll and served as a knock-you-out, need-a nap-after, sandwich.

Anthony Bourdain loved it so much when he visited São Paulo that he put it in his book, Appetites: A Cookbook. In Buenos Aires bakeries, you can find something called Sándwich de miga; white bread with the crust taken off, filled simply with a slice of meat or cheese, mortadella being a popular choice, and possibly mayonnaise or mustard. Sándwich de miga is very similar to the tramezzino found in Turin and Venice. It’s a very out of place looking sandwich for Italy with its angular pale white squares of bread filled with salumi and mayonnaise. A sort of cognitive dissonance occurs when viewing these in the land of the amber hued crusty panini. But mortadella is not content to be contained in sandwiches alone —pizza is where it really shines!

The first time I remember mortadella being the star of a pizza was when Alan Richman named the mortadella pizza at Great Lake in Chicago the “No. 1 Pizza in America” in his 2009 GQ article. I had been watching Great Lake pizza from afar and sadly I never got to go before it closed, but from the photos, I was amazed at the look of the charred pizza hidden under a thin layer of mortadella lazily draped on top. Since then, I have tried many versions of mortadella pizza all over the world. At Atte Pizzeria in Buenos Aires I added my take on the most classic mortadella pizza to the menu. On a 12-inch Neapolitan dough, pistachio pesto (pistachio, garlic, Parmigiano, olive oil and a little salt which is blitzed to an almost smooth puree) is drizzled on the base, on top of that are chunks of fior di latte mozzarella and some funky taleggio cheese. The pizza is cooked in the wood fired oven. When the charred blistery crusted pizza comes out, we put little piles of very thinly sliced domestic mortadella on the pizza, and finish with finely grated Parmigiano and a sprinkling of crushed pistachio. The vibrant green pesto and lush pink mortadella bundles make this pizza as beautiful as it is delicious.

So, how should you incorporate mortadella into pizza? If you have a slicer, slice it super thin and drape it on after it comes out of the oven. You can lay it flat right onto the cooked pizza or stack it high by folding and twisting it to make small piles. You can create a mortazza, a viral sandwich at the moment, by taking a pizza dough flattened into a circle, covering it with only a thin layer of olive oil, folding it in half and baking it. When it comes out, unfold the dough and stuff it with thinly sliced mortadella. If you don’t have a slicer, cutting it into small cubes or sticks helps preserve the integrity and makes sure it doesn’t burn. Cooking mortadella in the oven is perfectly acceptable, despite what some people say. You could channel Argentina and put cubes on a pizza with mozzarella, then sprinkle some oregano and drizzle spicy chimichurri on it when it comes out of the oven. I’m a huge fan of muffulettas, so recently I made a muffuletta pizza. I start with mozzarella, provolone, chopped black and green olives, sliced red onions, and strips of mortadella. When it comes out of the oven, I sprinkle on some finely chopped giardiniera, Parmigiano and sesame seeds.

The brutal honest truth is that mortadella doesn’t need us, it doesn’t need pizza, and it doesn’t even need bread! It is perfect on its own, sliced wafer thin and lifted with bare fingers into open mouths. I salute all the mortadella purists out there, but feel free to innovate. I have included a recipe featuring this superior lunch meat that is versatile and global, and you can find Mortadella Muffuletta Pizza recipe.

Anthony Falco is an international pizza consultant.

The post Mortadella Pizza with Anthony Falco appeared first on Pizza Today.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., July 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Stoner’s Pizza Joint, a quick-service pizza franchise, announced today that it has signed 4 new franchisees. Two franchisees will be in Texas and two in Florida. The Texas franchisees anticipate opening locations in Killeen, San Marco, and San Antonio. The Florida franchisees will be opening locations in Bradenton, Fleming Island, Orange Park, and Jacksonville Beach. The 9 new locations are all expected to open in the next 12 months beginning in August 2024.

“We are thrilled to add 4 new franchisees to the Stoner’s family in our growing Texas and Florida markets,” said CEO and Owner, John Stetson. “We are getting interest from all over the country and look forward to adding new states and partners this year!”

Stoner’s Pizza Joint is a delivery and takeout focused concept featuring fresh, high-quality food prepared in-house daily with minimal production time, including proprietary recipes for the pizza dough, sauce, and cheese blend. Menu items include a variety of specialty pizzas, calzones, strombolis, hickory-smoked chicken wings made daily in-house, freshly prepared salads, and freshly baked desserts.

Stoner’s currently has 40 locations open in 6 states. The company has 15 locations in near term development and anticipates reaching 100 locations in the next 18 months.

About Stoner’s Pizza Joint
Founded in 2013, Stoner’s Pizza Joint launched its franchising program in late 2018 along with fresh new branding and a business model that has proven resilient to massive changes sweeping the food industry. For more information, visit https://www.stonerspizzajoint.com, or email us at info@stonerspizzajoint.com.

Stoner’s Pizza Joint is currently seeking qualified franchisees to help the brand grow nationwide in college town markets, with a focus on the Southeast region. Prospective franchisees should have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The ideal candidate is a proven, multi-unit operator in the restaurant industry and has a strong knowledge of their market. Stoner’s Pizza Joint’s Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) reveals an estimated initial investment range of $90,000 to $206,000 for the first location, including a franchise fee of $25,000.

To learn more about ownership opportunities with Stoner’s Pizza Joint, contact the Stoner’s Pizza Joint Franchise Development team, at scott@stonerspizzajoint.com.

The post Stoner’s Pizza Joint Announces 4 New Franchisees in 2 States appeared first on Pizza Today.

Getting the fundamentals down inside your pizzeria

“You can practice shooting eight hours a day. But if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way. Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise.” 
— Michael Jordan

In the last couple articles, I talked about how sports translate into the restaurant world and, more specifically, the pizza industry and your pizzeria. That’s why this Michael Jordan quote rings true. The one thing that might not ring true is we never have practice … For us, it is always game time. The way we do something is the way we do everything. Consistency breeds success, and getting the fundamentals down inside your pizzeria is most important.

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh

I have talked a lot about training your staff correctly from the moment they join your team. One other key point to mention is that they are always watching you. Everything you do becomes the standard. You can have as many signs as you want on the walls and talk until you are blue in the face, but your actions have the most consequences. You need to be the one who sets the standard and the one who holds others accountable. I have seen many good operators in my time, ones who have very successful pizzerias. What separates the good ones from the great ones? The little, mundane everyday tasks.

As many of you know I started in the pizza industry as a driver, and I am very proud of that. The beginning of my career I drove for the big chain pizzerias. When I finally got my first delivery job for an independent operator it was a lot different (to say the least). Mainly at that time the technology of the big guys was the biggest advantage the independents didn’t have. Still this particular independent was very busy. I quickly found the reason for their success: There was a manager working named Paul, and Paul was all of 20 years old. As I was working the oven, every pizza needed a parchment paper under the pizza.  Every time I cut a pizza I forgot the paper. I had never done that before. Paul was furious and reminded me every single time. He even threatened that he would send me home if I did it again. I also observed that a customer would never call back about the toppings being wrong or about a salad missing the dressing. Paul made sure that every single detail was followed to the letter.

I ended up loving to work for Paul because my tips were great because the food was always right. Fast forward 20 years and Paul is a great friend, and he has had his own pizzeria going on 14 years and he has become very successful. His operations are great, and they have stood the test of time. In fact, he recently expanded into a full-service model, and he is doing amazing. Speaking of expansion, that’s what we will delve into in the next installment of Building Blocks.

Nick Bogacz is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh.  Instagram: @caliente_pizza

The post Building Blocks: Back to Basics appeared first on Pizza Today.

Optimize your Online Ordering Menu

When everything is on the line, every detail matters. This diligent approach is typical for recipes and
occasionally the ambiance, but for whatever reason the online menu gets a backseat. Meanwhile, this is how most customers initially interact with our businesses. Yet the modifications, or lack thereof, can be confusing/problematic, causing customers to go elsewhere. Here is how you avoid that, and better yet maximize their behavior.

Everything’s moving at a breakneck pace. I get it. There’s no master guide on how to set up online ordering other than attempting to mimic other successful owners, the typical way this goes down. You send off your menu to the POS company that builds your menu and you assume they know what’s best. That is categorically untrue, they know how to load the menu you provide. They don’t know how to maximize the sales potential of your items and they are not incentivized to do so. You are, so you have to do the heavy lifting here.

It’s crucial to consider how the menu will be structured for modifications and add-ons to maximize the customer’s experience.

The Power of Customization

Customers love options. Whether they can choose a ton of extra pizza toppings on just one half of the pie, swap out one type of pasta for another, or add extra cheese, customization is key. It makes customers feel in control of what they are about to drop dough on. More importantly, it can significantly boost your sales.

Extra toppings, substitutions, and special requests all add up to a higher ticket average. But if these options aren’t clearly displayed, customers may leave disappointed (or, worse, leave the website with three things in the checkout that never get purchased).

Avoiding Assumptions and Frustrations

One of restaurant owners’ biggest mistakes is assuming customers will understand how to modify their orders. If your customer can’t easily find the option to make a half-size pizza or have their hand held to the special requests section, they either abandon their order or settle for something they don’t really want.

By clearly listing all available options and modifications on your menu, you make it easy for customers to get exactly what they want without the hassle. This reduces errors, increases customer satisfaction, and ultimately drives repeat business.

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

Forced modifiers are your best friend. It’s a perfectly scripted server but on autopilot.

An effective online menu enhances the customer experience and streamlines your operations. When customers can make all their choices and modifications upfront, it reduces the back-and-forth with staff and minimizes errors in the kitchen.

If your menu doesn’t offer the flexibility and customization that customers seek, there is someone else out there who does. You can differentiate your restaurant from the competition and build a loyal customer base by going in on every option and pre-loading the scenarios into your POS. Additionally, if you don’t know what to do, go to other websites. Check out similar menus and mimic their ordering. If an issue comes up frequently, like a sauce on the side, build that option into the forced modifiers.

When someone uses the special request note section, you can safely assume 50 other people have had that same issue or request but never said anything. If the request happens three or more times, not making a change is pure laziness on your part. Don’t put the responsibility of maximizing an order experience on the customer — that’s our responsibility. By providing clear and easy-to-use options, especially online, you can enhance the customer experience, increase sales and stand out as a dependable experience. Don’t underestimate the power of a well-structured menu, because it’s no longer just a best practice, it’s a mandate.

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: Maximizing Online Menus appeared first on Pizza Today.

Story of Chicken Wings History — No Thing But a Chicken Wing

Once upon a time, chicken wings were inexpensive due to the nature of supply and demand in American restaurants. According to legend, this part of the chicken was “undesirable” — and when restaurants did use wings it was mostly to create stock for soup.

Can you believe people used to discard them? Talk about fowl!

Then a light bulb went off in Buffalo, New York. The “aha” moment reportedly was had by Teresa Bellissimo, co-owner of an establishment called the Anchor Bar. Rumor has it she needed to come up with some late-night food quickly on the spot and had plenty of wings sitting around in the kitchen because, you know, no one cared for them in 1964. She deep-fried them, tossed them in a spicy cayenne pepper sauce and the rest is history.

If you believe that version of history. There are several other claims as well. At the end of the day, in your pizzeria in 2024, does it matter who created the Buffalo wing? Not really. What does matter, however, is that they remain wildly popular as an appetizer or entrée. And if you were in business before and during COVID, then you know a thing or two about the price fluctuations and supply chain issues the pandemic brought to an item that once was no more than an afterthought.

(For what it’s worth, in 1977 the City of Buffalo recognized Bellissimo and the Anchor Bar for putting Buffalo wings on the map nationally).

What happened over the next 60 years with wings?

An impressive explosion of popularity. They’ve become a de facto official food of parties and sporting events, right along with pizza. Can you imagine a Super Bowl viewing without both pizza and wings?

Using my family of four as not-so-scientific proof on the micro level, Friday night is “Pizza and Wings Night” in the White House. We call our favorite local indie pizzeria (actually, we order online if you’re keeping track at home) and our order rarely changes: wings, breadsticks and two large pizzas (the toppings do vary based on mood). The pizzeria can count on that order from me like clockwork every Friday around 6:45 p.m. for a 7:30 p.m. pickup.

Obviously, I’m not the only consumer infatuated with wings. In fact, Americans consume nearly 1.5 billion pounds of wings during the Super Bowl weekend alone, according to the National Chicken Council.

That’s just one weekend of the year!

According to Datassential, 76 percent of all restaurants in the United States offer chicken wings on their menu. And the National Chicken Council says 37 percent of Americans say wings, not pizza, is their favorite game-day food.

With demand surging and supply getting cramped during the pandemic, restaurateurs and diners alike felt the sting. From 2011 to 2021, wholesale wing prices spiked from $1.50 per pound to over $3 per pound. That’s according to the National Chicken Council, which also says demand for the product hasn’t just risen domestically, but globally.

Thankfully, the shortage is over. On February 10, 2023, the Buffalo News published a piece where the headline said it all: “The Great Chicken Wing Shortage has ended. The Great Chicken Wing price spike has not.”

Rising prices are here to stay, which is why operators must constantly evaluate costs and price their menus accordingly. What should not change, however, is your dedication to having wings on the menu — because consumers want them in a big way.

Wings are a dual-threat menu item — they can be a starter or the main course.

And there are many ways to prepare and serve them. Don’t have a fryer? No problem! Baked, grilled, smoked … you get the point. Serve them with a dry rub, a classic Buffalo sauce or with a BBQ sauce to keep it simple. Don’t limit your creativity, however. Over the years a wide array of flavors and sauces ranging from Thai Peanut to Garlic Parmesan to Raspberry Habanero have become popular. Much like an open pizza skin waiting to be dressed, think of the humble wing as a blank canvas and do with it as you wish.

2 of the Best Chicken Wing Recipes

If you need a little inspiration to get started, here are two of my favorites.

Bluegrass Bourbon Wings

Get the Bluegrass Bourbon Wings Recipe.

Raspberry Habanero Wings

Get the Raspberry Habanero Wings recipe.

JEREMY WHITE is Editor-In-Chief at Pizza Today.

The post Chicken Wings Remain One of the Hottest Appetizers in your Portfolio appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Look at Summer Tomato Varieties, Prep and Recipes

Harvesting fruitful tomato rewards from a seedy past

In 1521, Hernan Cortez looked upon the smoldering destruction of Tenochtitlan. His 1400 Spanish troops reinforced by 200,000 native tribes had finally succeeded in conquering these fierce Aztec enemies who had also been decimated by months of a smallpox epidemic. Before the battle, conquistador Bernal Diaz noted that he warned that the Aztec warriors “… wished to kill us and eat our flesh and had already prepared the pots with salt, peppers, and xitomatl,” the Aztec term for tomatoes. Nearby, the Franciscan Friar Bernardo di Sahagun noted that as the sacking of the city continued into the market, he remembered seeing an amazing number of tomatoes there. “Some xitomatl were small like cherries, others elongated, round or large with colors ranging from the deepest red to yellow.”  The Aztecs, he noted later, used tomatoes in juices and sauces, or mixed with chilies, avocados, beans, squash and even bird excrement. Cortez and his conquistadors were not captured or eaten but they did bring to Spain new foods like potatoes, turkey, squash and beans, as well as the fruit and seed of the tomato.

Summer Tomato Varieties — Pulp Friction

Hernan Cortez, despite his genocidal tendencies, never knew the breadth of the positive culinary impact his actions brought to the world. Yet even today many chefs and pizza makers do not realize the impact that tomatoes have on their business and for their customers. In some pizzerias, tomatoes are on every pizza and still these pizza makers’ only relationship to the tomato seems to be their use of a #1 can opener to crack open a #10 can of tomato sauce. Others try to save by buying the cheapest sauces and topping pizzas with waxy, unflavored, corporate Romas even in the summer. We all must know that customers today are more knowledgeable than ever and that fresh, local and in-season means flavor. Here are three tomato categories that can be found from mid-summer to fall to wow your customers with.

Heirloom tomatoes:

These are tomatoes that have been handed down from generation to generation and, as a rule, date back more than 50 years. Heirloom doesn’t mean they have better flavor. Mr. Stipey, on the other hand, is a tasty large yellow with red stripes and is sweet and juicy. Cherokee Purple is packed with umami and a deep, smokey and complex flavor. German Pinks are huge and meaty and, if sliced thin atop a pizza, the outcome is dramatic. Black Krims are from Russia with wonderfully dark, smokey flavor.

Cherry Tomatoes:

These come on in abundance in mid-summer and are closer to their wild ancestors than any other. Cherries pack all the intense sweet flavor from a large tomato and compact it into a tomato the size of large marble. Many people consider the Sungold the best tasting variety with its great balance of acidity and sweetness. The Yellow Pear tomato is one of the oldest varieties and only an inch long, but its tapered top has a pleasant look, and a mild sweetness. The Italian Piennolo del Vesuvio is an amazing variety with low water content and thick skin perfect for hanging. This aging transforms this tomatoes’ sweet and tart flesh into a greater concentrated flavor bomb.

Toybox Tomatoes:

These range up to 3 inches. Perfect for stuffing or wedge cutting. I love the Green Zebra for its mildly acidic citrus flavor, but the larger Evergreen has more firm flesh and is sweeter. The Black Zebra has a complex flavor and a high flesh to seed ratio with cool greenish skin but deep red interior. The most popular toybox in France these days is the Cosmonaut Volkov, an unbelievably delicious toybox perfect for topping pizzas with.

There are many other tomatoes in the Plum tomato family like the San Marzano, Olivade, and Roma families. The Beefsteak family has the massive pink. Mortgage Lifter, Brandywine, and Yellow Brandywine, the deeply ribbed Costoluto Genovese is known for its concentrated flavor perfect for sauces.

How to Prepare your Summer Tomatoes — Gimme Some Skin

Preparing in-season tomatoes in your pizzeria produces epic flavors and is a shocking presentation when you know how to match your platform, cheeses and toppings with this lovely fruit. Here are many ways to make fresh tomatoes in your restaurant.

Slicing:

Because tomatoes are very juicy, you will sometimes need to tilt your cutting board with a wet, folded kitchen towel on a large sheet pan after you have sliced them. This will enable the juices to escape and thus ensure that the top of any pizza will not be too watery. Sprinkling a small amount of salt on the fruit will leach more tomato water out also.

Skinning:

Some tomatoes have very thick skins that can burn on pizzas or curl into a leathery annoyance. It is easy to cut an X in the bottom of tomatoes and plunge them into boiling water for just five seconds or less for smaller ones, then plunge them into an ice bath. Most skins come right off this way. Once the skin is off, it is fair game for smoking, coring and making tomato concasse (the French term for small dice).

Oven Drying:

A wonderful way to increase the intensity of flavor is to quarter tomatoes and toss with extra-virgin olive oil and dried herbs. Do not use salt because it will draw too much juice out. Place on parchment in a 200 F to 250 F oven for up to two hours depending upon the type of tomato and how you wish to use them. Sometimes the tomatoes can become too leathery to use on any pizza, so a half-drying bake is preferable.

A Summer Tomato Pizza Recipe — Big Red Triple Tomato Pizza with Pancetta and Brie

I have always loved tomatoes and cured pork, the fresh sweet acidity is a great foil to the salty, crisp and oily pancetta. The cream sauce and just enough mozzarella for a good pull lies under the pancetta. The fig leaf and lemon in the tomato honey imparts a bright vanilla and coconut nuance which embraces the brie slice perfectly and the tomato crisps add an exciting finale to each bite. This pizza is all in the prep. Once that is done, it is incredibly fast to make. Just make sure the pizza cools or the brie will melt into butter.

Get the Big Red Triple Tomato Pizza with Pancetta and Brie Recipe.

JOHN GUTEKANST owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio.

The post Killer Summer Tomatoes — Varieties and Ways to Make Them appeared first on Pizza Today.

PLANO, Texas, June 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today Pizza Hut® announces its latest modern menu innovation, Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza, alongside a toppings transformation, marking the biggest toppings menu overhaul in over a decade. Pizza Hut is the first global pizza chain to offer a Tavern Pizza, in addition to being the first global QSR pizza brand to offer Chicken Sausage, Pesto Swirl and Spicy Sauce as permanent topping offerings. With Rachel Antalek, Pizza Hut’s new Chief Food Innovation Officer, at the helm, the brand is ushering in a fresh era at Pizza Hut with the addition of this new thin-crust style and pizza toppings, which all debut on menus nationwide today. *

The origins of the tavern-style pizza¹ date back to Chicago in the 1930’s and became a staple within taverns with bartenders serving up the thin-crust pizza style cut into squares, often for free, in an enticing effort to keep patrons staying longer. In recent years, the style has grown in popularity as a favorite amongst pizza enthusiasts of all generations who gravitate towards its square-cut, crispy thin-crust style that makes it a shareable and snackable pizza offering. What’s more, the cracker-thin crust is then loaded from edge to edge with delicious toppings, so a burst of abundant flavor is enjoyed in every single bite of the pizza. Pizza Hut’s take on the tavern-style pizza offers a trendsetting, modern experience that delivers a deliciously crispy bite with its thin-crust and innovative, contemporary flavors available in four recipes: Pesto Margherita, The Ultimate, Spicy Chicken Sausage, and Double Pepperoni.

“These menu additions represent a bold step forward as part of our culinary mission to bring our guests modern innovation that embraces what we know our customers are loving and looking for in a pizza. Tavern is not just a pizza; it is a culinary trend that reflects the excitement of today’s pizza scene,” says Rachel Antalek, Chief Food Innovation Officer at Pizza Hut. “We perfected these recipes to truly pay homage to Chicago and the hundred-year-old style in a modern way while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in a pizza with fresh new toppings and flavors.”

As part of this launch, the brand unveils its biggest toppings transformation in over a decade with 8 new bold, fresh toppings and sauces joining menus nationwide as permanent additions. These 8 additions include Spicy Marinara Sauce, Pesto Sauce Swirl, Chicken Sausage, Fresh Diced Garlic, Grape Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions, Fire Roasted Peppers and Crispy Cupped Pepperoni. Customers can enjoy these new additions found on the four new Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza recipes or select them as toppings on custom Pizza Hut pizza orders. **

• Pesto Margherita Tavern Pizza: A combo of sweet marinara, grape tomatoes, garlic and basil pesto topped to the edge and served square-cut on Thin ‘N Crispy crust & sprinkled with parmesan-oregano seasoning.
• The Ultimate Tavern Pizza: A square-cut Thin ‘N Crispy crust topped to the edge with sausage, pepperoni, fire roasted peppers, onions, grape tomatoes & parmesan-oregano seasoning.
• Spicy Chicken Sausage Tavern Pizza: A square-cut Thin ‘N Crispy crust topped to the edge with spicy marinara, chicken sausage, fire roasted peppers, caramelized onions & parmesan-oregano seasoning.
• Double Pepperoni Tavern Pizza: A combo of sweet marinara, classic pepperoni & crispy cupped pepperoni topped to the edge and comes square-cut on Thin ‘N Crispy crust & sprinkled with parmesan-oregano seasoning.

The 4 new Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza recipes or a create your own 1-topping Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza can be ordered at participating Pizza Hut restaurants nationwide starting at $12.00* for a large pizza. For more information and to find your closest Pizza Hut location, visit www.pizzahut.com.

* Pricing, Participation, & Availability Varies. Additional charge for extra toppings and cheese. Priced higher in some locations, including California.

** New recipes not available on Big New Yorker or Gluten Free Crusts.

About Pizza Hut^®
Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), was founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas and since then has earned a reputation as a trailblazer in innovation with the creation of icons like Original® Pan and Original® Stuffed Crust pizzas. In 1994, Pizza Hut pizza was the very first online food order. Today, Pizza Hut continues leading the way in the digital and technology space with over half of transactions worldwide coming from digital orders. Pizza Hut is committed to providing an easy pizza experience – from order to delivery – and has Hut Rewards®, the Pizza Hut loyalty program that offers points for every dollar spent on food any way you order. Hut Rewards is open to U.S. residents 18+. See applicable terms at https://hutrewards.pizzahut.com/terms/.  A global leader in the pizza category, Pizza Hut operates more than 19,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. Through its enormous presence, Pizza Hut works to unlock opportunity for its team members and communities around the world.

For more information, visit www.pizzahut.com. You can remain up to date on what’s happening at Pizza Hut by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and subscribing to our YouTube channel.

¹ Historians.org: https:/www.historians.org/research-and-publications/perspectives-on-history/november-2018/deeper-than-deep-dish-the-case-for-chicago-as-americas-pizza-capital

The post Pizza Hut® Unveils New Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza and Toppings Transformation with Biggest Toppings Menu Overhaul in Over a Decade appeared first on Pizza Today.

Quick Service Italian Restaurant Franchise to Launch Locations in Four States

WEST PALM BEACH, FL (June 13, 2024) – Cannoli Kitchen Pizza™, the growing pizzeria brand known for fresh Italian favorites made with authentic recipes, announces its first eight franchise developments which includes several locations throughout Florida in Boca Raton, Coral Springs, Coconut Creek, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando, as well as locations in Alabama, Michigan and Georgia.

“Cannoli Kitchen Pizza has been serving families in Florida for 28 years, and we are eager to bring this concept to other states in the U.S. as we are confident new guests will make visiting our restaurants a weekly family tradition,” said Austin Titus, President of Cannoli Kitchen Pizza. “As we scale the brand, we will remain committed to sourcing the freshest ingredients to create a craveable and efficient dining experience. It’s rare to cultivate a restaurant brand with a mom-and-pop vibe that’s consistent across multiple locations, but that’s exactly what we are doing with this pizza franchise.”

Cannoli Kitchen Pizza operates four locations in South Florida – Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Deerfield Beach – and plans to seal 30 new franchise deals and open five locations by the close of this year. During the expansion, the pizza franchise remains focused on maintaining its reputation for serving guests authentic Italian dishes at reasonable prices from friendly and knowledgeable staff.

“We’re executing a growth strategy designed to expand the brand and encourage anyone who is interested in owning a pizza franchise to reach out and set up a discovery day with our team to learn more about the perks of franchise ownership,” added Titus. “We’re here to help aspiring entrepreneurs achieve their dreams of restaurant ownership with a brand that people take great pride in being a part of – a brand that has a family-feel and is backed by a powerful support team with years of experience.”

The pizzeria originated in Boca Raton in 1996 and grew to six locations before it became a franchise concept in the fall of 2023. Today, Cannoli Kitchen Pizza is a part of United Franchise Group™ (UFG), a family of affiliated brands and consultants whose members have access to a global network and nearly four decades of experience in the franchising industry and is among the concepts included in UFG’s food division, Big Flavor Brands™.

About Cannoli Kitchen Pizza

Cannoli Kitchen Pizza® is a local’s favorite, Italian restaurant franchise that defines quick-service Italian-style. Known for using premium ingredients, freshly made cannoli, and providing quick friendly service, Cannoli Kitchen Pizza is transforming Italian take-out and delivery to a super-fast-fresh experience.  For nearly 30 years, Cannoli Kitchen Pizza has been creating fine classics like baked pasta, calzones, salads, garlic rolls, and pizza by the pie or by the slice; this is the place where Grandma’s lost recipes can finally be found! Named for its most famous crave-worthy dessert, Cannoli Kitchen Pizza handcrafts unforgettable, delectable cannoli and delivers every day of the week. For information about Cannoli Kitchen Pizza locations, menu, and catering visit www.cannolikitchen.com and for franchising opportunities, visit www.cannolikitchenfranchise.com.

About Big Flavor Brands

Big Flavor Brands™ specializes in franchises dedicated to creative eating, offering a zesty menu of fast-growing, award-winning food brands with a proven track record of success. From fast-casual restaurants with authentic third-generation recipes like The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill®, to specialty concepts like the grazing innovator and charcuterie board caterer Graze Craze®, and the super-fast, fresh Italian experience of Cannoli Kitchen Pizza®, Big Flavor Brands dominate their niches with quality, value, and tasty fare for every occasion. Big Flavor Brands represents the food division of United Franchise Group™ which is comprised of innovative concepts pushing the boundaries with an unwavering commitment to quality, variety, and the pursuit of joyful eating.

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Pizza Margherita Day honors Queen Margherita designation on June 11, 1889

June 11 is the anniversary of the naming of the Pizza Margherita. in a letter from the Italian “Department of the Mouth” on behalf of Queen Margherita on June 11, 1889, presented the pie that bears her name. That’s right, the margherita pizza is well over 135 years old.

As our Editor In Chief Jeremy White told the story, it goes… “In 1889, when King Umberto I made a visit to Naples. At his side was Queen Margherita, who immediately wanted to try this food she had heard so much about. The story goes that, of course, the queen wasn’t going to a humble pizzeria, so the pizza was brought to the palazzo where the royal couple was staying (probably the first record of a pizza delivery). The pizza was delivered by Raffaele Esposito, owner of the famous pizzeria Pietro il Pizzaiolo. Esposito went with his wife, Donna Rosa, who was, in fact, the pizza maker. They brought enough ingredients to make three kinds of pizza, and after sampling all three, Queen Margherita selected as her favorite the pizza made with tomatoes, fresh bufala mozzarella and fresh basil.” Learn more about this quintessential pizza classic in Pizza Margherita.

 

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What is a Pizza Margherita?

If ever there was a pizza that is considered timeless, it is a Pizza Margherita. A traditional Neapolitan margherita pizza’s toppings consist of crushed fresh or canned San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and olive oil. It is perfection in its simplicity. While many associate a margherita pizza with Neapolitan pizza, as we’ve traveled the country with Pizza Today, we’ve witness margherita pizza on the pizza menu of every popular pizza style in America from Detroit and Grandma to standard American and Tavern.

Click here to get a great Pizza Margherita recipe.

To explore more pizza recipes from PizzaToday.com, click here.

The post Happy Pizza Margherita Day — June 11 appeared first on Pizza Today.

Many chefs light up when they talk about fresh summer produce. The bountiful growing season yields so many wonderful ingredients that allow them to execute high-level dishes at peak performance. I mean, look no further than the glorious tomato — one of the most important ingredients in your entire arsenal as a pizza kitchen. Take a freshly grown heirloom tomato and slice it right next to a hothouse tomato your customers can purchase at the grocery store. Compare the color, the texture, the flavor. They are two completely different items that barely resemble one another, correct? One is sweet, juicy, vibrant … the other is a poor imposter that we grudgingly make do with much of the year to put slices of tomato on sandwiches or in salads.

Point being, now is the time gardens and farmer’s markets are lighting up with an array of colors, textures and tastes that you can incorporate on your menu to make it pop. You now have access to the freshest of the fresh. Now is the time to fire up some limited time offerings that will wow your customers and give your kitchen staff a break from the monotony by allowing them the freedom to create something fun with this new palette available to them.

In his “On Deck” column this month, contributor Chris Decker glows when he writes about the fresh vegetables coming to market right now. He creates a visually stunning pizza (check the photo in On Deck) that features fresh spinach, summer squash, zucchini and three types of edible flowers. You won’t find a prettier pizza on Instagram!

Speaking of Instagram, be sure to follow Pizza Today on our favorite social media outlet. You can find us there by searching for @pizzatoday. In his column this month, after detailing how he made the summer harvest pizza, Decker asks you to get the freshest produce available to you locally, make your own summer creation and post the result to Instgram. When you do, tag us (@PizzaToday) as well as Chris (@everythingbutanchovies) and use the hashtag #ondeck.

Chris is excited to see what you come up with using his pizza as inspiration. We are, too!

‘Tis the season. Make the most of it.

Best,

Jeremy White

Editor In Chief

jwhite@pizzatoday.com

The post Commentary: Summer’s Bounty appeared first on Pizza Today.

Salad Pizza: Crunch & Color

Pizza and salad are one of those pairings that just make a lot of sense. The lightness of greens cutting through the greasy goodness of pizza creates a complete meal. So why not just make salad pizza? Done, right? I’m all in on this idea.

If you’ve ever been curious about trying out the crunchy pizza life, summer is the perfect time to start. With an abundance of fresh greens, fruits, vegetables and herbs to choose from, you can let your creativity run wild. There’s really two ways to go about making a salad pizza. The first is that the salad can be the star of the show, with the crust, minimal cheese and other toppings acting as a base to hold and transport it. This can be a fun presentation, piling the greens up high and spiking the salad with beautiful ingredients. Pick a base cheese that complements the salad and then let the mound of greens and vinaigrette do the work.

The other option is minimal salad to complement the pizza itself. I do this a lot without thinking about it: finishing a pizza with arugula tossed in extra virgin olive oil; a “hot salad” of wilted kale or spinach under the melted cheese; or fresh tomatoes tossed with herbs and smothered in stracciatella. The main thing is to not get hung up on greens being essential as there are so many more ways and ingredients that a salad can be composed of.

There are a few key components of a salad pizza to really make it special. Like any good pizza, it’s important to have a variety of flavors and profiles to balance it and make it pop. Think sweet, salty, sour, bitter, crunchy, chewy, creamy and soft. Luckily there are so many fruits and vegetables during these hot summer months to choose from. A lot of produce is fantastic in its raw form during its growing season but it’s also fun to use different cooking methods, like roasting, marinating, sautéing and frying to change the flavor and texture. Each method produces a wildly different taste and texture to add to a salad pizza.

The different components of a salad pizza are:

• The base. What style pizza dough are you using? Will it be thick and pillowy? Thin and crispy? Light and airy? The type of base will determine how heavy the toppings can be and whether your customers will eat it with a knife and fork or simply folded around the salad.

• The cheese or sauce.

I tend to like a light layer of cheese baked onto my crust for a salad pizza, but you could also add in a marinara or pesto to meld with the salad. Things to think about are if you want this component to really stick out or simply act as a vehicle for the salad to sit on. You can use a bold cheese that complements the other flavors or a mellow one to blend in.

• The greens.

So many to choose from! The basics are always great, like arugula, spinach, kale or butter lettuce. If you want to go outside the traditional box there are options, such as stinging nettles, dandelion or beet greens, frisée or ridicchio and purslane. You also can exclude the greens completely and make another vegetable the main ingredient.

• The jewels.

These are the fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds and herbs that round out the salad and give it lots of texture and, of course, flavor. The addition of fresh herbs can go a long way. Chives are one of my favorites for turning an ordinary salad into a flavor bomb. You can also do fresh oregano or basil.

• Finishers.

If your pizza doesn’t have a super strong cheese or sauce on its base, it’s nice to finish it with a memorable cheese or really nice extra virgin or infused olive oil. A bold vinaigrette is also in this category and can carry the entire pizza. This will be the first thing to hit your taste buds so go for quality over quantity.

The fun part of putting salad on pizza is that there are no boundaries. You can take something as basic as Caesar salad and spin it into a decadent pie using spicy fried chicken pieces, house Caesar dressing and finishing with smashed sourdough croutons. Sound too complex? A classic cheese slice can be made into something new by throwing on a simple arugula, fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt salad. It cuts through the grease and adds a nice bite.

As much as I would like to joke that salad on pizza is not true pizza, the fact that it draws attention to vegetables as the star of the dish makes me want to love it. I’m all for a pepperoni slice every day, but I don’t think everyone gives veggies enough credit as pizza toppings apart from on a supreme pizza. Yes, olives, mushrooms and bell peppers are great. But have you tried fresh roasted chilies and Brussels sprouts? They are next level.

If you don’t use a ton of greens on your pizzas already, salad pizza is also a great way to start cross utilizing different ingredients. In my shop, I use spinach in a salad as well as on multiple pies. The same goes for kale and arugula. Kale is great both baked onto the pizza or put on post oven, just remember to massage those greens if it isn’t being cooked on.

A few salad pizza combinations to get you excited and your creative juices flowing:

• Kale Caesar with Italian white anchovies and Parmesan crisps.
• Watermelon radish, walnuts, strawberries and arugula with a poppy seed vinaigrette.
• Tomato salad with fresh oregano, garlic and burrata.
• Summer squash marinated in gremolata with stracciatella and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Salad pizza is a great item to try out on any summer menu. It’s the perfect way to showcase the abundance of produce, get creative and nudge everyone to eat their greens. Just remember to keep it balanced, include some herbs and finish it on a high note.

Summer Squash Salad Pizza

For this pizza, I marinated raw squash in gremolata to give it a burst of flavor. Don’t be afraid to add a few more fresh herbs or an extra clove or two of garlic to really draw attention. This part of the dish should be in your face bold with the stracciatella to smooth everything out and the pumpkin seeds to add a little extra crunch.

Get the Summer Squash Salad Pizza recipe.

Audrey Kelly owns Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage in Boulder, Colorado.

The post Fresh salad toppings bring vibrance and bite to summer pizzas appeared first on Pizza Today.

Fast-growing pizza concept reveals Castillo Family as new owners and operating partners of Charlotte, North Carolina location

ABOUT TOPPERS PIZZA

The post Toppers Pizza Announces Partnership with Charlotte-based Family as Part of Commitment to Open Nine New Locations Statewide appeared first on Pizza Today.

Read the June 2024 Issue of Pizza Today Magazine

Let’s dive into added revenue sources for pizzerias. Get tips on boosting catering revenue and see why pizzerias are adding pizza-making classes. Find out how to cope when you lose a key employee. Get salad pizza and garden fresh summer pizza recipes.

You can check out the full Digital Edition — Pizza Today June 2024.

The post June 2024 appeared first on Pizza Today.

PLANO, Texas, May 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Starting today, Pizza Hut is entering the burger business with a better way to burger. Introducing the new Cheeseburger Melt, a parmesan-crusted thin crust Melt folded and loaded with beef, applewood-smoked bacon, onions, mozzarella, and cheddar, served with Burger Sauce on the side. The savory, cheesy, crunchy menu item ditches the bun (say goodbye to soggy bun burger deliveries) and brings together a medley of flavors for those craving a cheeseburger all wrapped into a crispy thin crust. With this handheld, Pizza Hut has cracked the code for what a cheeseburger should be: portable, crunchy, and oozing with cheese.

For the launch of the new Cheeseburger Melt, Pizza Hut is encouraging burger enthusiasts to cheat on their usual burger chain to prove their new favorite cheeseburger is now from a pizza place instead and even Better With PEPSI^®. Starting today, Pizza Hut is deploying delivery drivers to make appearances at certain fast-food burger chain drive-thrus, complete with a QR code displayed on their back windows to scan for a better burger. Those that see the cars in the drive-thrus and scan the QR code asking if they want a better burger will be entered to redeem a coupon for a FREE Cheeseburger Melt and refreshing PEPSI^® while supplies last. The offer is available in a few markets where the largest fast-food burger chains are headquartered: Chicago, IL and Miami, FL*.

“As a brand known for exceptional pizzas, venturing into the burger business is an exciting first for us,” said Lindsay Morgan, Chief Marketing Officer at Pizza Hut. “We thought we’d kick off our burger journey with something bold. That’s why we’re making waves in burger chain drive-thrus, serving up our delicious new Cheeseburger Melt for all you burger lovers out there.”

Perfect for any lunch or dinner meal occasion, each order of Melts features two slices of Pizza Hut’s signature Thin N’ Crispy^® crust loaded with an abundance of toppings and cheese, folded over, baked to melty perfection and complemented with a dipping sauce that pairs perfectly with the individual-sized meal and a PEPSI^®. In addition to cheeseburger, Pizza Hut Melts^® are available in four other recipes: Pepperoni Lover’s^® served with marinara dipping sauce, Buffalo Chicken served with buffalo dipping sauce and ranch dipping sauce, Chicken Bacon Parmesan served with ranch dipping sauce and Meat Lover’s^® served with marinara dipping sauce.

“For the first time ever, we packed everything you know and love about a cheeseburger into our craveable Thin N’ Crispy^® crust to develop the new Cheeseburger Melt,” said Rachel Antalek, Chief Food Innovation Officer at Pizza Hut. “Unlike a traditional cheeseburger, the Cheeseburger Melt dips perfectly into what we would argue is the world’s best burger dipping sauce. We challenge you to find a better burger and sauce experience.”

The Cheeseburger Melt is also part of the new My Hut Box™ Offer** that allows guests to choose between Melts or a 2-topping Personal Pan Pizza^®, plus a side of fries or 4 boneless wings and a 20oz drink. Melts dipping sauce included. Order a My Hut Box now starting at $6.99 at participating Pizza Hut restaurants nationwide. Click here to find the closest Pizza Hut location.

*INCENTIVES AVAILABLE FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. QUANTITIES ARE LIMITED. Open to legal US residents physically residing in the 50 US/DC who are 18+ years of age. Ends at 11:59:59 pm CT on 5/20/24, or when all available Incentives are depleted (whichever comes first). A minimum of 7,350 Incentives are available. Limit one (1) Incentive per person. Other restrictions apply. For full Terms, visit thecheeseburger.com/terms.

**My Hut Box and Cheeseburger Melts are offered for a limited time only at select participating locations. My Hut Box Pricing varies based on selection. Pizza entrée includes up to 2 pizza toppings and wings side includes selection of 4 Boneless Honey BBQ or Buffalo Medium wings only. Additional charge for wing sauce. Melts come with 1 dipping sauce, no substitutions. Beverage extra. Exclusions apply.

About Pizza Hut^®

Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), was founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas and since then has earned a reputation as a trailblazer in innovation with the creation of icons like Original® Pan and Original® Stuffed Crust pizzas. In 1994, Pizza Hut pizza was the very first online food order. Today, Pizza Hut continues leading the way in the digital and technology space with over half of transactions worldwide coming from digital orders. Pizza Hut is committed to providing an easy pizza experience – from order to delivery – and has Hut Rewards®, the Pizza Hut loyalty program that offers points for every dollar spent on food any way you order. Hut Rewards is open to U.S. residents 18+. See applicable terms at https://hutrewards.pizzahut.com/terms/. A global leader in the pizza category, Pizza Hut operates more than 19,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. Through its enormous presence, Pizza Hut works to unlock opportunity for its team members and communities around the world.

For more information, visit www.pizzahut.com. You can remain up to date on what’s happening at Pizza Hut by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and subscribing to our YouTube channel.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $91 billion in net revenue in 2023, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

PEPSI, PEPSI-COLA and the Pepsi Globe are registered trademarks of PepsiCo, Inc.

The post Pizza Hut Enters the Burger Business with New Cheeseburger Melt appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Quick Q&A with Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow, co-founders at Flour + Water, San Francisco, California

Concept:

THOMAS: For Flour + Water Pizzeria, we pulled inspiration from the pizzerias we all grew up frequenting. We wanted to play off that nostalgia with fun menu items like mozzarella sticks and Hawaiian pizza, while still putting a heavy emphasis on technique and recipes that showcase our team’s culinary approach and obsession with pizza. While we take our dough seriously, the experience is meant to be like a pizza party every night. It’s one of the best foods to enjoy with a group, so we created a space that’s inviting and relaxed.

Pizza Style & Dough:

RYAN: Our dough is a four-day process that uses a pre-ferment, known as a poolish, to kick start fermentation. We use a combination of two different types of flour from Central Milling and rely on a slow, cold fermentation until a final proof on day four when the dough’s ready to use. Our pizzas are 13-inch rounds that get fired in an electric deck oven set to 600 F. The dough recipe and oven temperature settings allow us to get the characteristics that we love in pizza. We look for variation in the char of the outside crust, while maintaining structure on the base of each pie.

You moved into a new flagship location. How has that enabled your business to grow?

THOMAS: We spent a long time searching for the perfect space for our operation and couldn’t be happier with where we landed in North Beach, a San Francisco neighborhood known for its long lineage of Italian restaurants. Being able to take the time and build out the Pizzeria to our exact specifications has proven to be worth it. We have an entirely separate operation dedicated to to-go orders and delivery so that our dining room isn’t interrupted by that action. Our Dough Room is the heart of the space, and was built to accomodate a larger team while maximizing dough production to fuel our to-go program and the expansion of the Flour + Water Pizza Shop concept. Every night we’re also able to transition the Dough Room into a semi-private dining room for seated and standing pizza parties; it’s also a space where we can host private pizza classes during the week.

Tell us more about the neighborhood pizzeria model you are working to expand?

THOMAS: We’ve mapped out a hub and spoke model for the Pizzeria. Our 4,000 square-foot flagship space in North Beach will soon be the commissary for satellite ‘Pizza Shop’ locations, meaning we can focus on finding smaller spaces where we don’t have to produce the dough on-site, but can still serve new neighborhoods and, ultimately, new cities. The look and feel of the flagship will carry over, but the emphasis will be less on dine-in and more on bringing our pizza to areas where it wasn’t able to be picked up or delivered before.

You also have a commercial pasta line. What has it taken for you to get your pasta in hundreds of grocery stores?

RYAN: The learning curve from operating restaurants to diving into the world of consumer packaged goods is no joke! We’ve been planning this project for years, thinking of ways in which we can extend the reach of our hospitality knowing that not everyone will be able to visit our restaurants. It’s awesome to see Flour + Water Foods on shelves at not only our local retailers in the Bay Area, but at grocery stores throughout the Pacific Northwest and, soon, Southern California. We’re also shipping our pasta for online orders, so even those outside the West Coast have been able to experience a taste of what we do at our restaurants. While we’re still a little fish in the big pond of this space, it’s been awesome to receive feedback about the quality and superior texture. We’re applying the same techniques we use in our restaurants, so consumers can feel confident that what they are buying truly is ‘chef-tested.’

Tell us more about how Flour + Water supports the regenerative farming movement?

RYAN: Our restaurants were founding members of Zero Foodprint, a nonprofit mobilizing the food world around agricultural climate solutions, and our dried pasta line is their first partner in the packaged goods world. From an operational standpoint, we care tremendously about sourcing from farms with sustainable and regenerative practices– we believe that healthy soil means higher-quality produce, which in turn creates food that not only tastes better, but is better for the planet, too.

The post Conversation: Thomas McNaughton, Ryan Pollnow, Flour + Water, San Francisco, California appeared first on Pizza Today.

Food Prep and Kitchen Signage

“Sign, sign, everywhere a sign. Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind. Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?” – Five Man Electrical Band

It is hard enough for things to be done the way you want them done when you are in the restaurant, but it’s even harder to get things done to your satisfaction when you are not in the pizzeria. In addition to getting things done the way you want, the same can be said for culture. There may be a culture in your pizzeria when you are there and a completely different culture when you are not there. One of the ways I like to streamline both of these things is through branded signage on the walls at our pizzerias.

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh

This may sound like a simple idea, but what you are really doing is spelling out to your team what the expectations are, and what is accepted and what is not. Picking up from last month’s Building Blocks, the first thing Caliente puts on our walls at all our pizzerias is how to make the food. In the beginning, this was a huge undertaking, but a very fulfilling one. We made charts and graphs of how the food was supposed to be constructed and documented the process step-by-step through pictures. Then, we measured spots on the walls and the makelines to hang all the signage. We made it so that every single menu item was hanging on the walls. We also have used the method of putting the same pictures into a book and creating a build guide for each section of our menu.

Once we broke down how to make everything on our menu, we did the same with the recipes and prep items. This involves hanging signs on all the processes of prepping your items. Once those two big facets of your operations are finished, you can start to focus on other procedures. For example, we have a sign that illustrates the acceptable and unacceptable uniform standards.

Now remember, these may all sound like simple ideas, but the purpose behind them is to set the standards for when you are there. And, more importantly, for when you are not there. I know that another hot topic in any pizzeria is the cleaning of the facility. Having the correct signage showing what is the standard and how to clean is paramount.

Lastly, as mentioned, culture building is very important. Having a positive and upbeat work culture is a key to success. Picture your favorite sports team (and, in particular, their locker room). Think of the signage they have hanging that is motivational and speaks to the team atmosphere and how to win.  There are many similarities between the sports world and your pizzeria. That is how I fell in love with the pizza business in the first place. I was always a sports fan, and I played sports growing up.  How you win in sports and how you win in your pizzeria are on the same wavelength, and that’s what we will discuss in next month’s Building Blocks.

The post Building Blocks: Here’s Your Sign appeared first on Pizza Today.

New Cocktails for your Bar Menu — Drink Up

While some will say beer is king when it comes to pizza night, the fact of the matter is that cocktails are top-of-mind for many social drinkers. If you have a full bar, offering only beer and wine could be detrimental to the bottom line.

Premium cocktails are not only hugely popular, but they demand a higher price point that makes those pours worthwhile to the operator. In 2022, the Adeo Group found that while 35 percent of those over the age of 55 are likely to order a premium drink, in the 21-34 age group that number is nearly
20 percentage points higher (54 percent).

And, just like pizza, your cocktail menu is highly customizable. While there will always be a place for traditional favorites like the Martini or Old Fashioned, today’s mixologists continue to innovate and get creative with flavor combinations, garnishes, etc. Just like when you open a disc of dough for a base, once you choose your base alcohol the canvas is open to interpretation.

Spicy cocktails are on trend at the moment. As are drinks mixed with teas, espresso, fresh citrus juices and sours. One of the most popular cocktails in 2024 in Portland, Oregon, for example, is a twist on a classic. It’s an Amaretto Sour made with bourbon, fresh citrus (lemon juice in this case) and an egg white.

While the bourbon market continues to grow, sweet vermouth, gin, dark rums and others are being used in some of 2024’s most trending cocktails. Take a quick glimpse of seasonal bar menus around the country and you’ll find that merely offering a margarita with your beer and wine list isn’t enough to attract a crowd of drinkers looking to spend money.

Interesting Cocktail Ideas

Some interesting cocktails we turned up include:

• a Fall specialty drink featuring vodka, amaretto, apple puree, apple cider and champagne.
• vodka with pumpkin puree, espresso and almond milk.
• a spiked cider with apple cider, spiced rum, peach schnapps and fireball.
• rum with lime juice, Benedictine, honey, simple syrup and blackberries.
• cognac with lemon, honey, ginger, bitters, eggwhite, raspberries, gin, lavender syrup, lime juice and fresh mint.

As summer approaches, refreshing cocktails featuring cucumber, watermelon, peach, mint and other cooling flavors will peak in popularity. And, as previously mentioned, spicy cocktails are having a moment in the sun. As are dill pickle drinks! Let’s put them both together for a spicy dill pickle cocktail.

Jalapeno Dilly

Get the Jalapeno Dilly recipe.

Jeremy White is the Editor in Chief for Pizza Today.

The post Diners are in Love with Cocktails — Your Bottom Line Will Love Them, Too appeared first on Pizza Today.

Slice House to Leverage All New Marketing Technology Stack to Support Explosive Growth

SAN FRANCISCO (April 25, 2024) – Slice House by Tony Gemignani, the highly successful fast-casual pizza franchise by world renowned pizzaiolo Tony Gemignani, officially introduced its national franchise program in July 2022 and quickly saw rapid growth, signing 124 multi-unit deals across the San Francisco Bay Area, Southern California, Texas, Utah, Colorado, and Tennessee. As the brand continues to grow, with an anticipated 75 more units to be signed into development by the end of 2024, Slice House is simultaneously building a best-in-class martech stack.

Below is an overview of the cutting-edge technology and digital initiatives that are being rolled out across the Slice House brand in the coming months:

• Updated Brand Identity | To meet the needs of the digital-first world, the Slice House logo has been modernized to support readability, scalability, and overall impact, without compromising brand recognition. The iconic pizza slicer, while still integral to the logo, has been simplified and the font has a more contemporary look and feel with a brighter, tomato red hue.
• New Website | In partnership with BRINK, a digital agency renowned for integrating strategy, data-driven experiences and enterprise technology for brands that put customers at the center of their world, the brand will roll out an all-new websitethat will significantly improve the overall user experience in addition to providing an interface for online ordering and a new Slice House rewards program.
• Digital Marketing | Paytronix, the cloud-based digital guest engagement platform, will allow Slice House to optimize its digital experience. Through its new guest engagement program, Slice will develop a brand new online ordering platform which will be complimented by a user-friendly mobile app, best-in-class customer loyalty program, and highly personalized email marketing campaigns.
• Review Management | SOCi, the CoMarketing Cloud for multi-location enterprises, will streamline digital marketing efforts for the brand to increase online visibility as it continues to scale. In addition to managing local landing pages, this platform will allow Slice House to manage its presence across online listings and review channels, from Google to Yelp, for each location to efficiently update business information and quickly respond to reviews by utilizing generative AI.

Named #1 Emerging Brand in Pizza Marketplace’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers 2023, Slice House has since built upon its nationwide program to offer franchisees even greater support and value, including a partnership with global leader in real estate services JLL, and welcoming David Denton as Fractional Chief Technology Officer along with Chief Marketing Officer Renae Scott, who joined in November 2023.

“We are thrilled to be working with best-in-class restaurant marketing and technology partners to support our brand partners as we continue the brand’s growth trajectory,” states Renae Scott, Chief Marketing Officer of Slice House.

Slice House is actively seeking qualified brand partners to develop new territories across the country.  For more information on franchise opportunities, please visit slicehousefranchise.com.

ABOUT SLICE HOUSE BY TONY GEMIGNANI

Slice House by Tony Gemignani, founded by the globally acclaimed 13-time world pizza champion, offers an unparalleled pizza experience, blending artisan craftsmanship with fast-casual dining. Originating from San Francisco’s iconic North Beach neighborhood, Slice House has expanded with over 124 units open or under development, providing a diverse menu from signature New York to California style pizzas, including health-conscious options, complemented by a hand-picked selection of local craft brews and natural wines. Recognized as the #1 Emerging Brand in Pizza Marketplace’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers, Slice House’s nationwide franchise program extends Tony’s legendary expertise and authentic original recipes to entrepreneurs, embodying a legacy of excellence with a versatile business model suited for a range of dining and delivery services.

The post Slice House by Tony Gemignani Brand Evolves as the Franchise Program Continues to Expand appeared first on Pizza Today.

Balancing Act: Flavorful Pizza Topping Combinations

“We can form a single united body, while the enemy must spit up into fractions. Hence there will be a whole pitted against the separate parts of the whole, which means we shall be many to the enemy’s few.”  Sun Tzu, The Art of War, 5th Century B.C.

Making pizza is art. Each pizza is a song that starts with techniques to turn time, temperature, water, bacteria and grain into gasses, which, in turn, creates a textural wonder that is enjoyed with the allegro of toppings that play fast, quick and bright across the palate. The sensory memory that sets this pizza apart is a song that people seek out again and again, be it folded in your hand, on a piece of foil, cardboard box or porcelain plate. Pizza transforms inspiration, imagination and insight into a symphony of human creativity. Combining toppings is essential to building these perfect tastes, but to create these masterpieces, you just need to know how.

Usually, when someone asks me about pizza toppings, my pizza mind automatically goes to my makeline menu mix. I see that shiny monster and lift the lids to see the same-old 12 toppings. If you’re like me, you can’t help it — these are the backbone of my pizzeria, the most favorite pizza toppings that my customers order over and over. Our customers’ memories are all about that great experience they had before with these toppings, but these flavor memories can also be replicated in the present tense using creative and well-thought-out combinations. We all must agree that customers are becoming increasingly adventurous with their pizzas. This means that we need to be ahead of the culinary curve and know how to pair toppings in new and innovative ways.

Taste Treatment Plant

There are several ways to think about topping combinations that make for terrific pizzas. One is the flavor history of cooking and pizza, followed by the quality of toppings on hand, and lastly how these toppings interact with others and the platform that they are presented on. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before engineering a new pizza.

Taste: Is it Sweet, Salty, Bitter, Acidy/Sour or Umami/Savory?

Texture: Is it Dry, Crunchy, Soft, Gooey, Wet or Chewy?

Aroma: Is it Sweet, Smokey, Vegetal, Pungent or Wheaty?

Color: Does it have eye appeal?

Pairing: Is there a feeling of completeness? Do all the topping players embrace each other by complimenting or balancing each other?

When thinking about pairing toppings on pizza, think about the last time you’ve experienced a new combination. That taste starts with color stimulating your eye in an introduction to the whole experience followed by aroma, which consists of 80-90 percent of the flavor experience. The textural crunch of a brilliant cornicione, or crust, releases the salty wheatiness that stimulates your appetite, while the sweet umami of the cheese satisfies your need for pleasure. Perhaps the sourness, acidity or spiciness of an ancillary topping adds sparkle and brightness to the finish. You marvel as every bite combines the five elements in a symphony of taste.

Pizza Topping Pairing Blender

Many pizza makers swear by adding only 2-3 toppings to a pizza. But depending upon whether you’re adding flavor vs. enhancing flavor, this may not be enough to bring the flavors to the pinnacle of taste. Your choice of heightening flavors can take two avenues: Adding flavor or enhancing flavor.

Here are a few examples of adding flavor to a three-topping pizza to make it shine:

• Gorgonzola + Pear + Walnut (add spinach)
• Mozzarella + Basil + Tomato (add Prosciutto di Parma)
• Gruyere + Ham + Hazelnuts (add fig jam)

Here is an example of enhancing flavor to a three-topping pizza to make it shine:

• Manchego + Quince Paste + Almonds (enhance by roasting almonds)
• Caciocavallo + Ham + Red Peppers (enhance by pickling the red peppers)
• Provolone + Tomato sauce + Roasted Red Onion (Enhance by roasting onions with Calabrian chilies)

Extra Texture

The creation of pizza is in a unique position to project flavors because it has a very flavorful platform to consider while planning a flavor path. Much like pasta, you need to consider not only the texture, flavor and overall mouthfeel of the pizza but the way it is cooked. Is it caramelized, pillowy and charred, or crispy, thin and golden?

These examples provide just a peek into how pizzas may be enhanced by pizza toppings. There are many historical topping variations to look for that have been used in the past that work well on the pizza platform. They are:

• Gorgonzola, Fig Jam, Walnuts
• Artichoke, Roasted Leek, Parmigiano, Cream
• Mozzarella, Ricotta, Mortadella, Pistachio
• Anchovy, Garlic, Romano, Parsley
• Zucchini, Egg, Parmigiano
• Clam, Chili, Parsley, Romano
• Eggplant, Roasted Red Pepper, Onion
• Tomato, Garlic, Oregano
• Shrimp, Andouille Sausage, Red Onions
• Peaches, Bresaola, Burrata, Pecan
• Steak, Blue Cheese, Watercress
• Fennel, Sausage, Radicchio, Chili flakes

Pork Belly Pizza with Roasted Leeks, Pickled Lemon and Hazelnut

This pizza is amazing because of the wonderful pairing of leeks and pork which transforms like a mushroom cloud of flavor. The Gruyere adds a sour note to the melting mozzarella and the sweet lemon hit is followed by the textural crunch of the hazelnuts.

Get the Pork Belly Pizza with Roasted Leeks, Pickled Lemon and Hazelnut recipe.

John Gutekanst owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio.

The post Topping combinations that turn pizza into a winning symphony of flavor appeared first on Pizza Today.

Learn how to make the year’s biggest pizza styles: Detroit, New York, Grandma, Sicilian, Chicago Thin

We’re predict which pizza style will be the year’s trending pizza style. During our recent pizzeria operator survey, we asked which pizza styles pizzeria owners looked to add in the next year. We included those pizza style findings in our 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report. You can see more of this year’s biggest trends in the report.

Let’s dive a little deeper into the five most popular trending pizza styles and get into the pizza dough formula and pizza dough recipes so you can test a new pizza style in your restaurant.

Top 5 Trending Pizza Styles Dough Recipes

Detroit Style Pizza is proving it has staying power as the hot pizza style to add. A mover and shaker is New York-style pizza making its debut in the Top 5 Pizza Styles to add. Pushed out of the Top 5 by a paper-thin margin is Roman style. Here are the Top 5 Pizza Style trending this year:

1. Detroit
2. Grandma
3. Sicilian
4. New York
5. Chicago Thin

Now let’s explore each dough style and find out how to make Detroit, New York, Grandma, Sicilian and Chicago Thin pizzas with tips and advices from the pizza industry’s top pizza masters and dough experts.

Pepperoni Detroit-style Pizza, Via 313, Austin, TX

Detroit Style Pizza Dough Recipe

Detroit-style pizza is the top pizza style on the rise two years in a row. Detroit pizza came on the national scene a decade ago and growing to mainstream status within the past few years. The square pizza is distinctively unique down to how its dough is proofed, the baking process down to ingredients used and how to apply toppings.

Detroit-style pizza features a medium-thick crust that’s light and airy on the inside, yet crispy on the outside, a signature of authenticity that’s achieved by a high moisture content (between a 68- and 72-percent hydration level) and the proofing process. Preparing your Detroit-style pizza dough takes care and attention to detail. Other identifying characteristics include: Pizzas is baked in square steel pans. Cheese is spread evenly across the entire pizza, edge to edge. Brick cheese is commonly used. Sauce goes on the top. Check out a complete Guide to Detroit Style Pizza.

Now to the Detroit Style Pizza Dough Recipe. We have three recipes for you to try from some of the biggest names in the pizza business. They are:

Smoke’s Detroit-Style Pizza Dough Recipe. Jeff Smokevitch is a World Pizza Champion who brought Detroit Style Pizza to Colorado — first to Telluride at Brown Dog Pizza, then to Denver and beyond with Blue Pan Pizza. Follow this Detroit pizza recipe. Jeff Smokevitch leads a demonstration at Pizza Expo to teach how to make a Detroit-style pizza. You can also watch him as he created a Detroit pizza in his home kitchen.

Detroit-Style Pizza Dough by John Arena. Co-owner of Metro Pizza in Las Vegas, John Arena is a go-to pizza dough expert. He shares his Detroit pizza recipe that includes a Poolish for Detroit-Style Pizza Dough. His recipe walks you through the dough process, dough fermentation and room temperature proof.

Tony’s Trending Recipe: Detroit Pizza. Tony Gemignani is a world-famous pizza master and restaurateur with over 30 restaurants, most notably Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco. His recipe pays tribute to Shawn Randazzo.

Grandpa Pie, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, San Franciso, California

Grandma Pizza Dough Recipe

Grandma Pizza (aka Grandma Pie) is New York’s famous other pizza style. In a 2015 Respecting the Craft Column, Tony Gemignani made this prediction about the grandma pie that has come to fruition: “this unique style will soon gain momentum in the Midwest and on the West Coast.” What made the style gain momentum? He went on to say, “They are cooked in a half-black reinforced sheet pan, are heavily oiled and feature sliced mozzarella (sometimes shredded or fresh mozz). These pizzas are topped with tomato sauce and cooked in a gas brick oven. You could finish it with Grana Padano, herbs, pecorino, olive oil, Parmigiano and chopped garlic. Sometimes the dry cheese can go on before. This pizza is typically shorter/thinner than your typical Sicilian. It’s great for delivery, dine in and by the slice. Typically, this pizza is slightly fried more than a Sicilian because of the excess oil and thinness.

“Some of these pizzas have a very simple tomato sauce comprised of puréed or hand crushed tomatoes. Others have a super-sweet sauce or are a bit over-spiced. For example, you could use sugar, onions, onion powder, oregano and other dry or fresh herbs in the sauce. I’ve seen it several ways. Italian families always remember their grandma or mother making pizzas at home. It was always pushed out in some well-oiled pan, and they would add ingredients like anchovies, olive, crushed tomato, onions or cheese. The name literally originated from our collective grandma. It was simple, memorable and fun.”

Now, let’s get into the Grandma Pie pizza dough recipe. Tony Gemignani shares a recipe can be made from your pizza dough. Try the Grandma Pizza Dough Recipe.

Sicilian Pizza by John Gutekanst, Avalanche Pizza, Athens, Ohio

Sicilian Pizza Dough Recipe

To get to know this pizza style, let’s turn to our dough expert Laura Meyer in her Knead to Know: Sicilian Style Pizza. “Nowadays when you see Sicilian-style pizza on a menu, it generally means a thick-crust pizza made in a rectangular pan cut into square slices. Besides that, the range of toppings and application of toppings varies just as much as any other style of pizza. In addition, like other styles the line between bread and Sicilian “pizza” has blurred tremendously with techniques associated with other styles blended into it. But Sicilian pizza traces its inception back to sfincione.”

The dough is where the differentiation shines for Audrey Kelly, owner of Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage in Boulder, Colorado in an article exploring the difference between Grandma and Sicilian pizzas. “They are risen for hours and then par baked. The bottom should always be crispy, providing a nice crunch to contrast the pillowy, light middle. They are rectangular in shape as opposed to the traditional square shape of a grandma. All of our pizza is naturally leavened, AKA sourdough. The Sicilian is where you can truly taste the beauty of this method. The long rise and fermentation really accentuate the flavor and strengthens the texture. I think of Sicilians as a cloud that carries a light amount of toppings. Some people might think that since the Sicilian is thicker in structure it can hold up to more toppings.

Dough Expert Laura Meyer, owner of Pizzeria da Laura in Berkeley, California, expands further. “Sicilians land between focaccia and the Roman pan style in that focaccia is very closely related to the Sicilian in its original form. Roman techniques and flours have begun to creep into the Sicilian style turning it into a sort of hybrid. Roman can take upwards of three days and have a high hydration leading to a very thin, crispy crust with a very large and airy open crumb structure. Since a lot of toppings are put on after the cooking process in Roman pans, it makes sense to have a large, open crumb structure as it does. The Sicilian style is meant to carry a heavier, wetter ingredient load so having a spongier texture that can hold everything without deflating it is ideal. Using long and controlled fermentation times, like Chris and John do, give the Sicilian a lightness to the interior. Hydrations into the 70s and above are more common with Roman styles and breads although can be found with some Sicilians. When it comes to higher hydrations, cook temps and whether doughs are topped and baked from raw or par baked then topped and cooked lends to very different finished products. The debate over par bakes or cooked form raw extends into Sicilians. For those looking for a slight crisp and a very soft interior, cooking from raw will give you that texture albeit a longer cook time. Par baking is going to give you a soft interior but the double bake is going to cook out more of the moisture giving you a firmer outer crust.”

Check out a basic Sicilian Style Pizza Dough Recipe to test in your kitchen.

New York Style Pizza, Joe’s Pizza, West Village, New York City

New York Style Pizza Dough Recipe

New York Style Pizza is the No 1. most popular pizza in America. The first licensed pizzeria to open in the U.S. was Lombari’s, which opened in New York City in 1905. Dough uses flour, water, yeast, salt, olive oil. Typically, it requires a two- to three-day cold ferment. The crust is crispy, yet light and foldable. Crust should be about 1/8-inch thick through the middle with a raised edge. Slices should be cut into triangles. The signature way to eat a New York pizza slice is to fold it in half from crust edge to edge. Toppings are dispersed evenly and not too heavy to weigh down the pliable slice.

International Pizza Consultant Anthony Falco contributed a Knead to Know Column all about NY pizza. In the article, he says, “a NY-style pizza is big, it’s thin but not paper thin, crispy but still flexible enough to fold without cracking, and the toppings should be a cohesive amalgamation and applied with restraint and simplicity. It shouldn’t be too fancy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use quality ingredients. It should always be cooked directly on the stones of the oven floor, be that gas, wood, electric or coal.” Falco also provided his New York Pizza dough recipe. Try Anthony Falco’s New York Style Pizza recipe.

In John Arena’s Knead to Know column, he conducted a Q&A with 2017’s NY-style Caputo Cup winner Dr. Derek Sanchez, who owns MiaMarcos in San Antonio, Texas. Derek provided a New York Pizza Dough formula using Baker’s Percentage. Check out Derek Sanchez’s New York Style Pizza dough formula.

For a traditional, basic New York style recipe, try this New York Style pizza dough recipe.

Chicago Thin Crust Pizza, Eno’s Pizza Tavern, Dallas, Texas

Chicago Thin Style Pizza Dough Recipe

Notice all the super thin crust pizza that many are referring to as Tavern style lately? The original tavern style is from Chicago, a city also known for its Deep Dish. Chicago Thin Crust Style Pizza is far from its thick sibling. It has recently experienced an explosion in popularity. It’s something that the late Dough Doctor Tom Lehmann saw coming in the early 2010s. He said, when it comes to Chicago Thin, “any good, patent grade bread flour with 10.5- to 11.5-percent protein content should work well.” There are also a couple specifics he discusses. “A planetary type mixer will work best for mixing this dough. You will need to use a dough sheeter/roller to form the dough into skins. You could roll the dough by hand, but you will soon find this to be a lot of work. Hot and cold presses are just not suited to this production method.”
The Dough Doctor provided his dough formula for Chicago Thin with step-by-step instructions. Follow Tom Lehmann’s Chicago Thin Crust Pizza Dough recipe.

Dough expert Laura Meyer offers advice for those looking for a super crispy Chicago Thin Crust Pizza in her article Tavern Style Pizza is Sweeping the Nation. “Par baking the dough is another way to add crispiness to a thin-crust pie. As much as I love crispy thin-crust pizzas, they lose that crunch very quickly as the pizza cools down. Maintaining that crispiness is one of the hardest traits to keep. Utilizing cornmeal and a par bake or double bake method helps ensure your pizza stays crispy for a longer period of time. How would you do this?

Coat your dough ball in cornmeal and roll it out with a rolling pin or use a sheeter. Once you’ve reached your desired size or thickness, dock it, place it on a peel and slide it into the oven. Without any sauce, cheese or toppings, par bake it just for two minutes or just until it’s no longer raw and the bottom is just beginning to show some spots of color. Remove it from the oven and stack them until ready to use. When an order comes in, top it as you normally would and then finish the bake until it’s crispy and the toppings are cooked.”

Want to go even crispier, Tony Gemignani says in a Respecting the Craft column, “You can actually achieve a crispier crust by cooking in a well-seasoned pan. And doing so also is great for texture and flavor. Different types of oils can be used if you settle on this method. Play around with olive oil, cottonseed oil, canola or fats such as Crisco, butter or lard.”

Let’s not forget a Chicago Deep Dish Dough Recipe

Often thought of as the Windy City’s only pizza style. Deep Dish, joins Chicago Thin and Stuffed Pizzas as region’s pizza styles. Particularly popular in the Midwest, this style of pizza speaks for itself. It’s a close cousin to the Chicago-stuffed pie — the obvious difference being that all the toppings are placed on top and there is only one layer of dough. This unique pie stands out with a crisp, biscuit-like crust that comes up the sides of a three-inch pan. It’s thick with cheese and other ingredients, and then topped with a chunky tomato sauce and baked for 30 to 45 minutes.

Here’s a Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Dough Recipe.

This should get you started testing a new trending pizza style. Have fun and let us know what you learn in your test kitchen.

The post Pizza Dough Recipes for Top Trending Pizza Styles appeared first on Pizza Today.

“Customers are always in search of something new and intriguing on a restaurant’s menu that has a familiar twist,” says David Halt, Red Gold’s Senior Director of Business Development. “Our new Supreme Pizza Soup was created to do just that.”

The recipe includes Red Gold’s Tuttorosso® brand Fresh Pizza Sauce and Red Gold Crushed Ground Tomatoes with Italian sausage and diced pepperoni. Using other common ingredients in a restaurant’s kitchen, the Supreme Pizza Soup is easy to prepare, with the recipe serving 30 guests. Access the recipe at RedGoldFoodservice.com.

“To promote this fantastic recipe, operators can save up to $100 on Tuttorosso Fresh Pizza Sauce with a special rebate that is good through June 30, 2024.

About Red Gold

Four generations of the Reichart family have been producing premium quality tomato products since 1942.  When the US entered WWII, the government asked citizens to step up and help the war effort and the call was answered.  Since then, Red Gold has become the largest privately-owned tomato processor in the nation with three state-of-the-art facilities in Elwood, Geneva, and Orestes, Indiana.  The company also boasts a million square foot distribution center in Alexandria and operates the subsidiary RG Transport trucking fleet in Elwood. Red Gold partners with local family farms across Indiana, southern Michigan, and Northwest Ohio to sustainably produce premium quality canned tomatoes, ketchup, sauces, salsas, and juices for foodservice, private brands, export, co-pack and club channels of distribution. The Red Gold family of consumer brands includes Red Gold®, Redpack®, Tuttorosso®, and Sacramento®.  Exceptional quality and operational excellence are the shared values that contributed to the employee-created mission statement: “To produce the freshest, best tasting tomato products in the world.”

Visit www.RedGoldFoods.com to learn more about Red Gold.

The post New Supreme Pizza Soup Recipe Is An Irresistible Menu Addition appeared first on Pizza Today.

Read the April 2024 Issue of Pizza Today Magazine

It’s our Desserts Issue. Get dessert recipes and ideas. Find tips and advice on marketing desserts and outsourcing your desserts. Explore pizzas featuring spring produce. Discover how pizzerias are backing a cause on their menu.

You can check out the full Digital Edition — Pizza Today April 2024.

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Spring is a time of renewal. Let’s give your menu a spring spruce up. After sparse winter offerings, spring ushers in new and exciting produce to try on your menu. There are so many new vegetation “popping up” from the ground. Why not turn the spring bounty into pizza specials?

John Gutekanst not only loves bringing spring produce to the menu, he even forages for spring’s wild flavors. Check out his article: Spring’s Bounty is Ripe for Your Pizza Menu.

We have more ideas for you, too. Bring spring to your menu with some of these offerings:

1. Asparagus ushers in the spring season. Think asparagus is just for roast and serving as a side with meat protein? Think again. Let asparagus shine with a pizza beautifully featuring spears with lemon, smoked pancetta, Asiago and mozzarella. Get the recipe from World Pizza Champion and Restaurateur Tony Gemignani: Tony’s Trending Recipe: Asparagus Pizza. Or, try it shaved for more even distribution. Try this Shaved Asparagus and Egg Pizza. For more Asparagus ideas, read Asparagus: Bring the Spring.
2. Go to Greens. Spring is the perfect time to finish you pizzas with greens. The early spring enables cold-loving greens like arugula, green garlic, spinach, romaine, ramps, rhubarb, cilantro and sprouts to pop either in farmed fields or on their own in the wild. The warmer weather of late spring brings on the stiffer and hardier garlic scapes, kale, chard, radicchio, endive and nasturtium. Try this Ramp and Walnut Pesto recipe.
3. Room for Shrooms. Spring is a great time to incorporate wild mushroom. It’s the season where foragers look for beloved Morels and Oyster mushrooms. Check out this mushroom guide.
4. Add leeks before the season closes. Leeks work well with sausage and potatoes and great as a ravioli stuffing. Try the Leek-a-Choke Ravioli.
5. Say “Yes” to Pineapple. Spring is primetime for this controversial pizza topping. You can go with the classic Hawaiian and BBQ pizzas. Or you can go creative with pies like the Pineapple Upside-Down Pizza or Jamaican Jerk Chicken Pizza.

We can’t wait to see how you celebrate spring! Let us know ways you are bringing spring to your menus by tagging @PizzaToday on your social.

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“Consistency is what transforms the average into excellence” – Tony Robbins

Whether you have one pizzeria or 10, two of the biggest keys to success in the pizza industry are duplication and consistency. Often times, you will hear operators say that opening a second store is the kiss of death. In my own journey, I found that when Caliente opened our second location, since it was close to my home, I could be there a lot of the time. I was also able to balance the time I spent there and at our first location. This made it easier for me to oversee and ensure consistent operations at both restaurants. At that time, we had no written materials saying how to make our food, and no written recipes. When I opened our third location, it was 45 minutes from my house. I could not easily get to all three locations, and if I hadn’t developed written materials at that time to guide consistency and streamlining at all three restaurants, it would have been the kiss of death.

Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh

I quickly realized that all three pizzerias had to function relatively the same and that the end result of how the food looked and tasted had to be the same. When you have employees who have been personally trained by you, they will likely end up doing most things in the way you have shown them. It’s when you start to grow your team and more
employees begin learning from employees under you that a breakdown starts. Even when you are personally training, having a reference point like recipes and build guides is essential to success.

So, where do you start when creating build guides and recipes? I believe that you start at the beginning, which means starting with recipes first. I’m not simply referring to the toppings that go on a specialty pizza, but how you make your sauce, and how you make your dough. Anything that you hand-create and hand-mix needs a recipe.

I started the old-fashioned way. Any time I make a batch of something, I write down on a notepad the process or steps along with all the ingredients used to make the batch. Do this with every prep item you have in your pizzeria. Even having a process for the simplest things, like how to slice a green pepper, is important. At Caliente, we slice our green peppers whole. So, you can imagine my dismay when, one day, I walked in and saw diced green peppers on the makeline. There was no process at the time on how to cut them. That had to be corrected.

Following the same routine, every time you make a menu item you will need to write down exactly what goes on it. So, for example, if you are doing a “Supreme” pizza, you would write it down like this:

14-inch dough ball
6 ounces of pizza sauce
32 pepperonis
4 ounces of sausage
4 ounces of mushrooms
3 ounces of green peppers
3 ounces of onions
2 ounces of black olives

Using pictures that illustrate the amounts is also a best practice. Once you gather all your intel, you will want to create a manual and wall charts for your staff to use. I believe in making and using signage inside your pizzeria to create the culture and processes you need to become successful. We will cover signage in the next article of building blocks.

Nick Bogacz is the founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Pittsburgh.  Instagram: @caliente_pizza

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Sweet Sensation: Scratch-made Dessert Ideas

Desserts are a tough sell. Diners have filled themselves up on your main attraction, pizza. That is why it’s so important to put the idea of having dessert into their minds before they even begin filling up. There should be mouth-water images of your desserts strategically placed in your restaurant throughout their dining experience. Find out more about marketing desserts.

The desserts themselves shouldn’t be (pardon the pun) cookie cutter. People love making desserts at home so ask yourself this as you evaluate and taste your desserts: does what I’m offering beat anything a customer would make at home? The answer should be yes on every single dessert. The great thing about desserts is they don’t have to be overcomplicated. Some of the best-selling desserts are the simplest. Let’s explore some desserts customers can’t resist eating in the restaurant or taking home for later.

Cookies

This is an easy add onto the dessert menu. Cookies may be made ahead of time and can serve as a great grab-and-go item or packaged promotion. The big questions are which cookie to go with. Similar to pepperoni on pizza, chocolate chip is widely the most popular cookie in the U.S. in study after study. Next, peanut butter, double chocolate chip, shortbread and oatmeal cookies are also popular. A local pizzeria here in Louisville serves corn cookies and they are amazing. They are a cross between sweet cornbread and a peanut butter cookie. You could also go red velvet, sugar, M&M, Snickerdoodle (my favorite), macarons or lemon cookies.

If you are offering cookies, chocolate chip is a no brain. How traditional or unique you make yours is up to you. Here’s a basic recipe below to work from.

Get a classic Chocolate Chips Cookie recipe.

Cake Truffles, Balls or Pops

Cake bites are big with the kids and easy on your kitchen crew. These bite-sized desserts are made of cake mixed with a bit of frosting and dipped in chocolate or white chocolate. You can go wild with type of cake, frosting and dipping flavors. The key with cake balls or pops is the presentation. They should look irresistible. Show them off wherever you can in your restaurant and offer them as a grab-and-go item.

Panna Cotta

This classic Italian custard has experienced a resurgence. It may be because of all the ways you can customize and serve it. Unlike gelatin molds of the 1980s, panna cotta is decadently sleek and presents beautifully. It’s creamy and unique. You can get creative with how you serve it. Top it with fresh fruit like strawberries, raspberries or peaches. You can even pour a fruit-based reduction sauce over the top. Prep is a cinch as it is made ahead in individual portions and ready to serve. 

Get a traditional Panna Cotta recipe. 

Tiramisu

It’s a classic and we will continue to talk about this Italian coffee-flavored dessert. It’s a go-to dessert because people are not likely to make it at home often but if they see it on a menu, they want it. Tiramisu is made ahead in round or sheet pans. It presents beautifully.

Here is a classic Tiramisu recipe to get you started.

The post Create a Dessert Menu that Customers Can’t Resist appeared first on Pizza Today.

Spring Fling: Add spring flavors to your pizza menu

It was another muddy spring but here I was again, lurking into my favorite “Ramp Holler”, (local vernacular for “hollow.”) This little valley was my favorite foraging spot for the first wild food of spring — ramps. This location always produced early and heavy because of the lack of humans, a good water source, and the protection from the cold by the steep ridges above. With each step I felt like being in a slow-motion color machine turning from dark winter brown to splotchy light green then to the most intense viridian green. The ramp “Flags,” or wide leaves fluttered in the breeze all the way up from valley floor to the steep ridges making them move like a green ocean. As I bent over to harvest my first handful of ramp flags, I started thinking about how I would present them on pizza with all the other spring favorites that will soon be popping this new year.

Spruce Springsteen

From mushrooms to spruce tips, the bounty of spring has always added a positive addition to my menu mix. Both wild and cultivated spring foods can be showcased on pizzas and can turn a seemingly “normal” slice of pizza into a game changer. There are so many places to find spring foods. Farmers markets, vegetable auctions, farm visits and even local grocery stores are good locations to find foods in April and May. Here are some wild and farmed spring greats:

Evergreens

The depth of flavor gained by baby pinecones, spruce tips, cedar buds, and even wintergreen is pure magic. I like creating a balsamic-like glaze by reducing the buds with water and sugar. This pairs wonderfully on burrata, gorgonzola and with pine nuts, hazelnuts, Prosciutto di Parma, onions, ricotta, roasted garlic and bacon. Spruce tip Panna Cotta from Italy, or Posset, the British custard, are both cream forward and easy to make. Italian Mugolio and Varenye from the Caucusus both rely upon sugar to draw out the piney goodness of young buds and cones and make thick-sweet sauces that rival and even eclipse Balsamic glaze in flavor.

Spring Violet

by far the best edible flower for garnish you can put on a pizza. There are over a hundred different types of violets, but the common blue violet is the most harvested. Although they are all edible, some are more palatable than others. These are easy to spot and harvest. The greens can also be used in salads, soups and stewed.

Kale

Over wintered kale starts popping even before many other spring foods. This is perfect sauteed or shocked in hot then cold water before topping on pizza with garlic, olive oil, sausage, pork, potatoes, chorizo, onions, lemon, bell peppers, thyme, cheddar and Parmigiano.

Dandelion

An often-forgotten spring food here in the U.S. has been used for centuries in Europe. I was taught by a professional wild forager in the Dolomite Mountains of Italy to dig the small, spring dandelion up and trim the “hip” of the plant, cutting off the roots and the stems leaving a meaty round core like a small artichoke with a sweet, honey flavor with a nutty finish. In the middle of this core is one or two dandelion buds or “capers.” Both can be sauteed, roasted or pickled easily and are perfect to pair with Prosciutto di Parma or Speck, spinach, pork, chicken and mushrooms.

Garlic Scapes

These tender stems shoot from the spring garlic bulb after ramp season. They grow curly and end in an uncloaked flower head. The scape needs to be cut off to ensure the plant doesn’t expend its energy and ruin the underground bulb. I’ve found that using only young scapes that are foot-long are the best because they get tough and stringy the older they grow. Milder than garlic bulbs, scapes can be sauteed, pickled, roasted and pureed into pestos. I like to make Sicilian-style salmoriglio, salsa verde or garlic ricotta. Scapes are perfect for pork, chicken or anchovy themed pizzas.

Ramps

Ramps are the first things to pop up in spring. Try to avoid buying from disreputable dealers who send unsavory people out to clean out the whole forest of ramps. I never use the bulbs unless thinning out patches to grow more. Using the tops either sauteed or just raw before the pizza bake makes for a sublime taste and silky chew. Great with artichokes, asparagus, speck, anchovy, goat cheese, Gruyere, Bel Paese, Ricotta, Parmigiano, potatoes, morels, lentils and ham.

Asparagus

This comes in middle-spring and can be thin or fat depending upon the weather. Most store-bought asparagus is old and sold by the pound with a woody end and even mushy tops. Snap the bottom to find the perfect tender spot. Roasted or sauteed asparagus is wonderful and even raw (if local) on a pizzas or in calzones and makes traditional barriers on pizza like the famous “Quattro Stagione.” The perfect asparagus pairing is with whole grain mustard, pistachio, ricotta, parmigiano, bacon, anchovy, lemon, orange, pestos and in risotto.

Strawberry

This is the great finale of spring, coming at the tail end of this season. Local strawberries, unlike the hollow, hurried and sprayed junk found at the stores, are smaller and sweeter. Perfect for the agro dolce or sweet and sour pizzas like gorgonzola, strawberry and hazelnut pizzas. During the glut of strawberries, I turn to making sweet, pickled strawberries with just a touch of vinegar. These red wonders really shine with rhubarb, olive oil, mascarpone, almonds, spicy capicola, lemon, basil, mango, balsamic, mint and orange.

Morel Mushrooms

These are the spring king of mushrooms. They pop up, (or not) almost every year in the same locations. Morels are especially rare because they are hard, almost impossible to grow because of their symbiosis with forest trees. If you are lucky enough to find these hollow, triangular shaped wonders, you can cut them in half vertically or stuff with chicken mousse, asparagus, garlic, ramps and bacon. I recommend putting the morels on pizza halfway through the bake, so they don’t disintegrate. Fontina, Parmigiano and chevre are great morel cheeses. Lemon, olive oil, black pepper, caraway, fava beans, serrano ham, shallots and country ham are perfect pairings for morels.

Other spring foods that are abundant either in the forest or at farmers markets are Watercress, Wild Violet, Chickweed, Lambs Quarters, Fiddlehead fern, Turnips and Radishes.

John Gutekanst owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio.

The post Spring’s Bounty is Ripe for Your Pizza Menu appeared first on Pizza Today.

Getting customers to order dessert after a filling pizza can be challenging

People might not always save room for dessert, but it’s possible to get them to order one anyway. Pizzeria owners say certain marketing cues can boost dessert sales, even after the customer eats some delicious, filling pizza. It helps to have attractive visuals, and to make the ordering process easy.

For some, it’s a wonder that people even want dessert. “Sometimes we sit and we laugh at our menu,” says Steven Dilley, owner of Bufalina, Bufalina Due, and Palm Pizza in Austin, Texas. “We pull fresh mozzarella and fresh bread, and people order that and then pizza, which is essentially more of that, and we hope they order dessert.”

Dilley says his approach is to have a signature item, which is Vanilla Ice Cream with Sherry. That dessert evolved from Bufalina’s investment in an ice cream machine, the restaurant’s decision to use expensive real vanilla, and a wine vendor’s visit one day after a sales call at another eatery. “He ordered ice cream and poured sherry on it that he had brought,” Dilley says. “We all tried it, and it’s been on the menu ever since.”

Also on the menu is Olive Oil Cake. The cake was one of the original desserts when Bufalina opened in 2013. The restaurant took the cake off the menu in 2016, then reintroduced a new version when the chef produced a different iteration. The cake is not only delicious on its own, Dilley says, but serves as a canvas for seasonal fruits such as summer berries and peaches or autumn apples. The changes are often inspired by produce available from a local farm, and the eatery announces the various offerings on social media.

Just as the seasonal fruits change, so does the availability of the cake itself. Bufalina takes the cake off the menu occasionally, and then brings it back, letting people know through Instagram that the popular dessert has returned.

Visual cues

Social media can play a role in generating excitement about desserts. “They are included in our social media presence,” says Samantha Monterosso, brand manager for Dough Counter in Denver. “Obviously people love to see pizza on your social page, and they want to see extras too.”

While high-quality food photos can help increase online orders of desserts, at the restaurant it helps to have an appetizing display. “Dessert is an order with your eyes,” Monterosso says. “Remember when you went out for a nicer dinner in the 80s or 90s and they brought out the dessert tray? You were getting excited for cheesecake before your appetizer got to your table.”

Dough Counter, from the family that owns the two-location Marco’s Coal-Fired in Denver, opened in September 2023. The cake slice display case is one of the first things customers see when they enter the space. The case shows slices of Bumpy Cake, an iconic Michigan layer cake that features a fudge frosting poured over ribbons of vanilla buttercream, creating bumps. There are also Celebration Cake Slices, and for a limited time, Triple Chocolate Mousse slices.

The appearance of buttercream, sprinkles, and chocolate evoke nostalgia, a big driver of dessert sales. While Dough Counter occasionally offers decorated cakes such as for Halloween, the pizzeria typically sticks with the three different layer cakes. That simplifies operations, and helps the eatery establish its brand. “We’re not going to do the honey lavender lemon zest,” Monterosso says. “Others have French bakery in their lane. We are Bumpy Cake lane, Celebration Cake lane.”

Another driver of post-pizza dessert sales, perhaps counterintuitively, is that the slices are oversized. “For pizzerias, something sharable is nice,” Monterosso says. “We market it as to share, or have some tomorrow, that sort of thing.” Dessert sales are higher during weekends when customers are in treat mode.

Online ordering

About 65 to 70 percent of the pizzeria’s orders are takeout or delivery, so it’s important to have the right packaging for the large cake slices. “We have many guests whose only interaction with Dough Counter is online and they never come in,” Monterosso says. “Little things like giving them the right size container matter.”

Customers tend to order dessert more often when they order online, says Antonio Gambino, co-founder of Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks, with six locations in Minnesota. “Specifically the cookies, they can just click and boom, it’s in their bag,” he says. “They have more time to look at it.”

When people order at the counter, they might feel rushed by the prospect of other customers waiting to order, so they skip dessert. That might change, as Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks recently installed two ordering kiosks at one of the stores. Not only is it easier to order by tapping on a screen, but the system is set up to ask the customer if they want to add cookies or ice cream to the order. Although the location still has an area to order at the counter from a human, the technology relieves the staff from having to do a verbal upsell, and frees them up to perform other tasks.

Other selling points

Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks offers two desserts, cookies and ice cream. Both are sourced from local vendors, a detail that helps sales. “People love to support local businesses,” Gambino says. “We don’t brand it as our cookie or ice cream. We brand it as theirs.” The cookies are from Sweet Troo Vi, a vegan bakery that is based in the Twin Cities and sources ingredients locally. The ice cream is from Minnesota Dairy Lab, and is available in flavors such as Heath Bar, Cookies & Cream and Vanilla.

The cookies are also on display at the stores, which helps boost impulse sales. People grab a cookie and add it to their purchases as they stand at the counter, and eat it after their meal or later in the day, as a snack at the office or at home. Because of their portability, cookies outsell ice cream, but both are popular among families. “If they have kids, they say, ‘All right, you ate your dinner, you can have a cookie and/or ice cream,” Gambino says.

NORA CALEY is a freelance writer who covers small business, finance and lifestyle topics.

The post Marketing Desserts appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Q&A with Blair Pietrini, Pietrini Pizza Napoletana, Los Alamitos, California

Concept:

Our concept is an elevated casual dining experience. We welcome all kinds of visitors and types of gatherings. We are the perfect spot for a weekly date night or for a night out with the family! We’ve become a hotspot for tourists and we love meeting new people and getting to hear their stories. Our restaurant is an extension of our family, and our love for bringing people together. We are dedicated to our community and to building and cultivating relationships within it.

Pizza & Dough:

At this point in time we offer two styles of pizza using a variety of Caputo flours. We make New York style pies that are baked in a deck oven, and Neapolitan style pies that are cooked in our custom made wood-fired oven that my husband had imported from Naples, Italy. Our dough is always evolving as we continue to learn and grow day by day. Right now we are using direct fermentation for our Neapolitan dough and cold proofing for about 48 hours. We are using a high protein flour and a  pre-ferment for our New York dough and cold proofing for at least
48 hours as well.

Reopening after your husband Gene’s passing, what is important as you continue to grow Pietrini?

After my husband Gene’s passing, the most important thing for me in reopening the restaurant  was  simply to  honor him by carrying on his legacy through endeavoring to  keep his “pizza dream” alive. He was so intensely passionate about making pizza, gathering people together to enjoy it, and doing everything possible to ensure that everyone felt incredibly welcome and satisfied during their visit. Continuing forward, we are dedicated to providing exceptional food using the finest ingredients, along with a huge helping of hospitality and kindness. Staying true to our family’s core values is extremely important to us.

How are you able to sustain the balance for your family and the business?

After experiencing such a devastating loss, we made the decision to limit our hours of operation to just five days a week and evenings only. I realize this flies in the face of conventional restaurant wisdom, but for us, family comes first and this is what we felt we needed to do in order for it to be sustainable for us during this time. When we are able to have sufficient staffing that is successfully cross trained, we will consider expanding our hours, but until then, this is the choice we are making to help maintain a healthier work/life balance for ourselves. I have heard too many stories of people whose restaurants ended up owning them rather than them owning their restaurant. After everything we have been through, that just isn’t a sacrifice I am willing to make.

Even before opening Pietrini you have been a strong community advocate. What has been the most fulfilling way you have given back to your community at Pietrini?

It has been an incredible blessing to be able to work in the same community that I grew up in. I have had the privilege of running a non profit organization that included a food pantry along with an emergency assistance program in our city for over 25 years. Upon my husband’s unexpected passing  ( just 10 months after opening PPN), it became clear that I needed to shift my focus and give our new restaurant my undivided attention. I later came to the realization that there were still ways in which we could continue to help people through the restaurant itself. There have been several ways whereby we have been able to give back to our community thus far, such as hosting chamber of commerce meetings, local police events and participating in various community campaigns and sponsoring local education programs and sports teams. We were able to host a Toy Drive that benefitted children in need along with sending over $2K (which we raised through our “Lifting up Lahaina” – Aloha pizza sales campaign ) to the Maui Food Bank to assist them in feeding people displaced by the Maui Wildfires.  Undoubtedly, however, I feel that the most fulfilling way we have been able to give back to our community has been to provide employment opportunities for those in need of a second chance, and those who simply need someone to believe in them.

What’s next for Pietrini? 

As for the future, our focus is on sustaining the growth we are currently experiencing, through expanding both our staff and our menu. We are looking to include some pasta dishes and other menu items to offset the volume of Neapolitan pizzas on any given night. Adding an additional oven and reworking our kitchen work space is also a must moving forward. A thriving business is a wonderful thing, but at Pietrini Pizza Napoletana,  it is extremely important to do so with a “family first” mindset, which will allow us (and our team members) to have a life outside of the restaurant.

The post Conversation with Blair Pietrini, Pietrini Pizza Napoletana, Los Alamitos, California appeared first on Pizza Today.

Crust Encounters of the Third Kind

There was a time on the Italian peninsula where gruel-eaters ruled. The ancient Etruscans of Italy ate a thick porridge of spelt and hot water called Puls. Then three things happened to evolve this gruel. The first was that the Puls was increasingly cooked on the stones beneath the ashes of fireplaces. This unsalted ash cake was called Panis Focacius and was the ancestor of modern focaccia. Secondly, by 170 B.C. Greek bakers, who were brought to Rome as slaves, taught the Romans how to make a flatbread topped with “relishes” of herbs, onions, garlic and vegetables and had raised edges for better handling. And finally, unlike the Panis Focacius, this dough was cooked immediately after being formed and was called Picea, meaning “Black ashes on the floor of the fireplace.” Many generations of pizza-making have passed and the Picea is now known as “Pizza,” with crusts ranging from the soft mottled high-heat crust to the deep, dark golden crusts using refrigerated maturation.

Baby Steps

No matter what style, great pizza crusts are made by their creators with purpose, not by accident. There are several starting points, but the first step is to open your mind to all the different possibilities of baking pizza, then research and match your desired crust to your pizzeria’s capabilities. (The annual Pizza Expo in Las Vegas is essential in this endeavor.) The next thing to remember is that time and temperature are the most vital components in the perfect crust. Here are other factors involved in a great crust.

• The type of flour you’re using
• The hydration of the dough
• The mixing of the dough
• The fermentation of your dough
• The type of oven that you are baking with

Steam Clean

Crust formation is the result of loss of moisture in the baking process. As the pizza heats, water from the dough turns to steam and carbon dioxide, alcohol and other gases which escape into the air or are captured in the gluten net depending upon its strength. The longer the pizza bakes, the more moisture the crust will lose. This factor combined with the temperature of the oven and the hydration of your dough will determine the type of crust you will create.

Browning

Browning of the crust occurs when sugars, starches and proteins undergo changes. The sugars provide for caramelization and, what is called the Maillard reaction caused when the combined sugars and proteins, are put under high heat. Maillard is the browning of surfaces, be it meat or bread dough or pizza crust. There are several other factors that can ensure a colorful vivacious crust as opposed to a dull, flaccid crust. Fermentation and the use of pre-ferments are very important.

Blistering

Blistering is a thin, shiny, glass-like crust that sometimes looks like craters of the moon. Some pizza makers pride themselves on their blistered corniciones, (crust.) Blistering forms when Co2 escapes the surface of cold dough that is being held in refrigeration. The longer you retard your white flour dough under refrigeration, the more blistering you’ll have. (Whole wheat doughs blister much less.) The other factor in any blistering is the amount of steam in the baking chamber. This moisture may come from the pizza dough itself and depends upon the size of the oven. Too little or too much steam will inhibit the blistering process. I’ve known pizza makers who brush water on their ultra-aged crust before they bake to create blistering. When the dough is fully proofed, use minimal flour on the crust and gently wipe off the dusting of flour that remains because blistering isn’t cool looking if it’s covered with flour.

Spinal Tap

Pre-ferments added to a batch of pizza dough create the backbone of your pizza crust. These support elements have been used for many years and rely upon either lactic, (poolish) or acetic, (biga) fermentation to produce better flavor and the perfect crust. Modern bakers and pizzaioli have interspersed these additions to their doughs to produce a better product and increase production time as well as to enhance the color, taste and digestibility of pizza crust. (Note: as with all baking and pizza making, all measurements can vary and recipes for the perfect crust have been argued for centuries.)

Poolish: This is the batter-like pre-ferment made with equal amounts of flour and water and a small amount of commercial yeast to create lactic fermentation. This can be mixed from a few hours and up to a full day before adding it to a batch of dough.

Using an overnight poolish will create a pizza with better browning qualities producing a thin, crisp crust, greater extensibility, and a lighter texture with a sweet, milky, yeasty flavor. The bonus of poolish use is that it doesn’t take as long as stiffer pre-ferments and mixes easier into the batch of pizza dough as
opposed to the less hydrated pre-ferments.

Biga: This less hydrated pre-ferment is preferred by Italian pizza and bread bakers and is usually made with 1 percent cake yeast or .5 powdered yeast, water, and flour. It is mixed to a hydration level from 50 to 60 percent then set aside to let rise from 6 to 24 hours. Bigas made from a natural starter, called Biga Naturale, uses less yeast and a hydration level for up to 75 percent. The reward for this long wait to mature is a more complex flavor including a chewier crust, fragrant interior with sour notes, and larger alveoli (cells).

Pate’ Fermentee: This is a very old procedure and basically is old dough that has been fermenting and it is added to a new batch of dough. When I visited Paris, I found that this pre-ferment is a favorite of Parisian baguette makers, and they usually use up to 20-25 percent of their batch of dough for a quick and easy fortification. It can be used very easily by cutting up small chunks and adding it to your pizza dough as it mixes.

Direct Method Manipulation:

I am truly a big fan of the cold mix and long cold holding involved with the Pain a l’Acienne method made popular by my friend Peter Reinhart in his book Bread Bakers Apprentice. Cold water and cold holding halt the yeast activity letting the enzymes in the dough break down the complex carbohydrates into simple sugars. When the dough is finally proofed, the yeast starts to eat the sugars but leaves a sugar reserve which, when baked leads to a rich, buttery, wheat flavor, soft interior, and great crunchy caramel crust.

John Gutekanst owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio.

The post Knead to Know: Achieving a Great Pizza Crust Color appeared first on Pizza Today.

The story of how our Pizza Sauce came to fruition

The Global Tomato Market generates $181.74 Billion in revenue yearly. To put that in perspective, that is larger than the GDP of Ukraine and Morocco, and not far off from Greece, Peru and Portugal. According to a study published from the USDA in 2019, “Americans on average consume 30lbs of tomatoes per year. Sixty percent of that comes from canned tomatoes, as Pizza Sauce contributes to the high consumption of the vegetable.” Here is the story of how our Pizza Sauce came to fruition.

Tomatoes are a central and iconic element to Italian Cuisine, yet they are actually a “newer” ingredient that didn’t come along until the late 1600s. It’s hard to believe that some of the most famous Italians ever, Julius Caesar, Leonardo Da Vinci, Marco Polo, Michelangelo and even Christopher Columbus never had a dish of Spaghetti Pomodoro. George Washington, Ben Franklin, Sam Adams… our Founding Fathers did not know what pizza was.

Hundreds of years ago, long before Europeans had set foot in the New World, tomatoes grew wild in the Andes of Western South America. The natives began cultivating them, eventually bringing the plant northward through Central America and into Mexico. When the Spanish arrived in the early 16th century, they found the inhabitants growing a food crop called “tomatl” in the native language.

Seeds were brought back by the Spaniards, but tomatoes were not an easy product to introduce to fellow Europeans: they did not look or taste like any known plant, they had a strange consistency and texture and they were very acidic when green. Once ripe they were soft and they disintegrated in the lengthy cooking which was common at the time. But the climate and soil of the Mediterranean were ideal for their growing, and since they did not compete with local crops it was used as a supplementary one that did not interfere with the traditional ones.

For many years, tomatoes were feared,

partly due to their resemblance to the venomous nightshade plant and partly because of a false story that quickly circulated about a group of upper-class Europeans who died after eating them. While the group did experience fatalities after consuming tomatoes, further investigation revealed that the high acidity of the tomatoes leached lead from the pewter dinnerware, causing lead poisoning. The story circulated for years, raising suspicions across the continent.

It wasn’t until 1692 that we see the first-ever recipe featuring tomatoes appearing in “Lo Scalco alla Moderna” by Antonio Latini. Antonio, an orphan at the age of 5, grew up homeless in the streets but was eventually taken into a kitchen. He worked his way up to become the Steward for the Viceroy of Spain and Naples. His published recipe was for a sauce containing cooked tomatoes, intended as an accompaniment for cooked meat or fish. In 1790, Roman Chef Francesco Leonardi published the highly regarded cookbook “L’Apicio Moderno”, where he wrote the first recipe and proclaimed he had ”invented” pasta al pomodo (pasta with tomato sauce).

Early traces of pizza go back to ancient times with the Egyptians, Romans and Greeks, but pizza as we know today emerged in the 18th century, in the Southern Italian port city of Naples. From 1700 to 1750 the city’s population doubled from 200,000 to 400,000. There was a big need to feed a bustling metropolis with people always on the go. Street vendors would purchase disc-shaped flatbreads from bakeries and keep them warm in small tinned copper stoves that they balanced on their heads. Ingredients were simple like lard, garlic, salt, basil and in some instances caciocavallo cheese and fresh tomato.

Many believe that pizza sauce was invented by Raffaele Esposito in 1889 because he was credited with the invention of the “Pizza Margherita”. According to the legend, Queen Margherita summoned Raffaele to the Royal Palace to prepare the popular dish among the locals in Naples. Out of the three pizzas he prepared for her Majesty, her favorite was the tomato, basil, mozzarella pizza, of which he named in her honor. However, while we can attribute the naming of the pizza to Raffaele, we know with certainty that he was not the creator of that pizza, nor the first pizzaiolo to use tomato sauce.

In the second half of the 1700s, references to fresh tomatoes as pizza toppings began to emerge in essays and books, reflecting a growing trust among Neapolitans in tomatoes, due to their abundance, low cost, and ease of cultivation. The evolution continued in 1792 when Giuseppe Sorrentino obtained a business license to bake focaccias and pizzas, marking the establishment the first recorded pizzeria in Naples. This shift sparked a wave of entrepreneurs opening pizzerias, breaking away from the reliance of bakeries. Over the subsequent 50 years, Pizzaioli likely engaged in experimentation, incorporating tomatoes and tomato sauce onto pizzas as we recognize them today.

The first factual mention of pizzas with tomato sauce,

specifically describing what we now know as “la marinara” and “La Margherita” comes from Francesco de Boureard in his 1866 book “Usi e costume di Napoli” (Customs and traditions of Naples). We’ve established pizzaioli were making sauces with tomatoes, let’s remember that tomatoes were still seasonal during this period, available only part of the year.

Francesco Cirio, a Northern Italian, started working at his father’s fruit and vegetable stand in Turin at 14. Inspired by French confectioner and chef Nicholas Appert, Cirio established a canning factory in 1856, at the young age of 20, pioneering the Appertization method for preserving food with heat initially focusing on peas. With the high demand of tomatoes in Southern Italy, Francesco founded the countries first tomato factory in 1875, near Naples in San Giovanni Teduccio and Castellamare di Stabia. These towns were near the Vulcanic Angro Sarnese region, where the popular San Marzano tomato continues to grow till this day. The year-round availability marked the exponential growth of tomato popularity in Italy, and then also in Europe. We also know it’s safe to say in 1875 pizzaioli all over Naples were using the peeled tomatoes year-round to make their pizza sauces.

Italian immigrants introduced pizza to New York in the early 1900s.

Initially baked in coal fired (also some wood) bakery ovens, their sauce mirrored traditional methods, made by hand crushing whole peeled canned tomatoes with the addition of salt. The canned tomatoes being used were not the expensive imported Italian ones, but the more economical American grown, which had a different flavor profile than they were accustomed working with. Due to the higher acidity than the San Marzano, I would suspect sugar and olive oil could have begun to find its way to some of the Pizzaiolis recipes, in attempts to achieve the balance of the tomatoes they were accustomed to.

The complete evolution, or revolution depending on how you want to look at it, really began in the 1930s when Frank Mastro invented the gas oven. Adopted by most New York and East Coast pizzerias by the 1940s, these ovens baked at a lower temperature that required much longer cooking times. A sauce with less water content that prevented the pizza from drying out and to help retain its moisture was needed, and so thick tomato sauces, dense purees and slow cooking batches of tomatoes to reduce water content where deployed.

By the 50s pizza had spread rapidly across the country. It was taken up by many enterprising restaurateurs who were often not from an Italian background, and adapted to reflect the tastes and needs of the cultural melting pot that America was becoming. It was no longer an Italian ethnic dish, but a proud food that became symbolic of the local people it was serving. Hence we see the birth of different styles, like the Chicago Deep Dish or the Detroit Pan, and the addition of non-traditional ingredients to their pizza sauce like sugar, oregano, garlic, onion, pepper and rosemary to name a few.

Pizza sauces have not really changed much from the 60s and 70s when we had our biggest boom of pizzeria openings. In talking to many operators around the country, I have noticed places adding their unique signature, like Janet Zapata of Pizza 550 in Loredo, Texas, who adds a little crushed pepper to her sauce to give it a kick, or Tony Garcia from Guy from Italy in Lubbock, Texas, who likes to add a little more sugar than average to kill the acidity and bring an additional level of sweetness.  I do believe we will see a change in the way tomatoes and sauces are packaged in the future. Some manufacturers are offering their products in plastic aseptic bags (think bag in box), that they claim offers a unique set or advantages that help preserve the freshness, flavor and nutritional value of tomatoes. And some dispute that claim. Regardless of how it’s packaged, one thing I know for sure is that we will always love our pizza sauce.

Pasquale DiDiana is owner/operator of Bacci Pizzerias in Chicago, Illinois and a frequent speaker at International Pizza Expo.

The post The Tomato and Pizza Sauce Journey appeared first on Pizza Today.

Ricotta Cheese: Role Player

Ricotta is a whey cheese to which pizzeria operators are no stranger. A menu staple in many pizza shops and Italian restaurants coast to coast, the creamy cheese plays a role in various applications from calzone filling to lasagna enhancer to pizza topper. It often lends texture more than sheer flavor, which contributes to its ability to be used in both savory or sweet dishes.

Though it can be made from virtually any animal milk, in the United States ricotta is predominately made from cow’s milk. The item isn’t going to be the shining star in most dishes, but ricotta’s functionality makes it nonetheless a must-have. Getting right to it, here are some recipes that make excellent use of the cheese. As always, use these as a starting point and experiment until you get it just right for your customer base.

• Angry Meatball and Ricotta Pizza
• Tomato and Ricotta Pizza
• Italian Cake with Ricotta and Chocolate

Interested in trying your hand at making your own fresh ricotta in house? It’s surprisingly simple. Here’s an easy method.

Get the Fresh Ricotta recipe.

Jeremy White is the Editor in Chief for Pizza Today.

The post Ricotta Cheese is a Staple Item for Every Pizzeria appeared first on Pizza Today.

Panini Ideas: Full Court Press

It will come as no surprise that the best panini I’ve ever had was served to me in Italy. My wife and I were walking the streets of Parma when a cold spring rain forced us to take cover in a nearby trattoria. It was lunch time and we ordered paninis. They were mind blowing good!

Up until that point, I had never been the biggest fan of the sandwich. That day changed my opinion quickly. I now seek them out.

They are an easy sell, especially when paired with a salad or soup as a lunch special. If you’ve been considering adding them to your menu, here are some recipes courtesy of Pizza Today contributor and Pizza Expo speaker John Gutekanst to get your experimentation started.

Piri Piri Chicken Panini

Piri Piri refers to the fiery African birds-eye chili pepper which has been used in a garlicky sauce and marinade since the fifteenth century. This sauce is purportedly Portuguese in origin but the people in South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique and Angola have claims on origin and recipes that vary widely. I just love making this sauce for my heat-seeking customers because it is perfect on vegetable and chicken pizza. If the recent trend toward hot chicken sandwiches continues, this panini is bound to be a game changer. You can substitute red Cayenne, Arbol, Manzano or Serrano and adjust the heat from there.

Get the Piri Piri Chicken Panini recipe.

Fajita Steak Gyro Panini

This giant panini crosses all boundaries but cleans up in the taste category! Like the Piri Piri, all the work is in the back-end preparation. This marinade is as spicy as you want it to be and complements the addition of a huge melting blob of sharp cheddar, sautéed onions and bell pepper. The two gyro buns are a perfect platform instead of a too-thin fajita and a too-thick sub bun. I like to cut this into 8 to 10 slices for a fabulous table appetizer.

Get the Fajita Steak Gyro Panini recipe.

Jeremy White is the Editor in Chief for Pizza Today.

The post When it Comes to Sandwiches, the Humble Panini is a Giant appeared first on Pizza Today.

This giant panini crosses all boundaries but cleans up in the taste category! Like the Piri Piri, all the work is in the back-end preparation. This marinade is as spicy as you want it to be and complements the addition of a huge melting blob of sharp cheddar, sautéed onions and bell pepper. The two gyro buns are a perfect platform instead of a too-thin fajita and a too-thick sub bun. I like to cut this into 8 to 10 slices for a fabulous table appetizer.

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Read the March 2024 Issue of Pizza Today Magazine

It’s showtime! The Pizza Expo Show Issue is packed with features to help you get ready for the 40th Anniversary International Pizza Expo. Explore 2024 menu trends and look at flour blends and trends. Get menu ideas and recipes on mortadella, ricotta, red sauce, hot chili oil and panini. See who won the PIE Awards. Discover AI restaurant applications and how to stay sustainable. Find advice and tips on employee retention, refrigeration purchasing, processing fees and limited time offers.

You can check out the full Digital Edition — Pizza Today March 2024.

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Key Menu Takeaways from the 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report

We have spent months pouring over last fall’s Pizzeria Operator Survey results. The extensive 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report is a lot to digest and hits on many facets of pizzeria operations. If you know me, you know I love crunching the data and finding common themes and trends. Pizzeria menus are so important that we devoted some much needed attention in the report to what is happening on pizzeria menus in America.

In the report, we highlight current menu trends, including top pizza styles nationally and by region, Top 20 pizza toppings, hot toppings to watch and pizza toppings on the horizon. We know that offering multiple pizza styles is on trend. Detroit is the top pizza style to add for the second year in a row. Grandma and Sicilian are coming up fast. Pizzerias are branching out from traditional pizza toppings. Meats are still on top as pizza toppings. There are so many more over-arching pizza menu trends in the report. If you haven’t read the 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report yet, check it out.

Now, I’m looking across the data to share insights that I discovered in our survey. I’m going deeper into the data to break down striking menu trends to take notice of.

Here are the 13 Pizzeria Menu Trends from the Pizza Industry Trends Report

1. Seafood lovers are a niche that some pizzerias have earned, when done right. Those with seafood on the pizza menu gravitate towards shrimp, clams, crab meat and yes, anchovies.  
2. Americans are crazy for chicken. It’s the sixth most popular topping. Not only that, but operators are also testing new ways to use chicken in their kitchens. Baked, smoked, fried, barbecued or seared, it’s a great versatile ingredient to take across your menu.
3. Vegan is still very hot. When it comes to plant-based offerings, imitation is best form of flattery. Consumers are looking for those common pizza toppings that are plant-based. Popular vegan items include vegan mozzarella, vegan pepperoni and vegan sausage.
4. Wings might have a high food cost, but they are the second most popular item on the menu behind pizza at most pizzerias in the U.S. Wings can be dressed in many ways. Most popular include classic Buffalo, dry rubbed, BBQ and garlic Parmesan. 
5. Sandwiches are providing a great return. Go classic with sandwiches and watch your lunch daypart get a boost. Top sandwiches from the survey included Italian Beef, meatball, Italian sub and a steak and cheese.
6. More burgers are going on pizzeria menus. If you are adding a burger, be sure you’re going with high-quality beef. Smash burgers and thick gourmet-style burgers are hot right now. You can’t have burgers without fries. Expect to see them on the burger menu and offered on their own on the apps menu.
7. Customers crave more doughy masterpieces to accompany their pizza orders. Cheesy bread, garlic bread or garlic knots are a solid add-on choice for customers. They prove to be an in-demand item across the country.
8. Even amid concise menus, salads are a strong sales item. Today’s customers expect more than iceberg lettuce and carrots. Be as bold with your salad menu as your pizza menu. Create color, use local produce and top with interesting or even house-made dressings.
9. Pasta is a hit with pizzeria diners. The most noteworthy pasta on menus around the country is lasagna. It’s a great option if you are looking for something that can be made ahead of time and heated to order. Second is traditional spaghetti and meatballs.
10. Meatballs were one of the most added items to menus. They are versatile gems — great for the pizza menu, on sandwiches or as a standalone app with marinara and hot chili oil. See Audrey Kelly’s Hot Chili Oil Story.
11. Over 82 percent of operators surveyed indicated that they offer a vegetarian pizza. It’s is one of the easiest offerings to add. Every makeline is equipped to make a vegetarian pizza. We would like to see that number at 100 percent. 
12. Nearly 66 percent of operators surveyed offer a gluten-free crust. While you do not hear about gluten-free in news headlines as much, gluten-free is still top of mind with American consumers with gluten sensitivity or Celiac Disease. 
13. A surprising 39 percent offered a cauliflower crust. While in many cases cauliflower crusts are a good gluten-free option, they are also diabetic friendly, Keto friendly and low carb.

Knowing what is happening on pizzeria menus at a national level can help you evaluate what to add, what to keep and what to remove. Explore more menu trends in Menu Development. Be sure to complete our survey later this year so that what’s happening at your pizzeria can be counted nationally.

DENISE GREER is Executive Editor of Pizza Today.

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The Stinger — Trending Hot Chili Oil

Hot oil is the answer to what all your pizzas have been missing. Looking to add extra flavor to a basic cheese pizza? Hot oil. Looking for a fun condiment to keep on the tables? Hot oil. Does your Italian sub need some zing? Hot oil. As you can see, there are many ways to utilize this awesome ingredient.

The four main ways to use hot oil are:

1. Use it as a finisher for any dish — pizza, salads, sandwiches or appetizers. The versatility of chili oil makes it the perfect complement to so many unexpected dishes.
2. As a marinade. Brush different raw meats and veggies before you cook them with hot oil to create a more dynamic flavor and add an underlying heat to the pie or dish.
3. As a dipping sauce. Forget Ranch or even honey. All you really need is one banging hot oil to make sure every last bite of crust gets eaten up. You can also serve it with a side dish of homemade focaccia or garlic knots.
4. In the pan. Instead of using straight olive or canola oil for sautéing and roasting, cut it in half and sub out hot oil.

Making Hot Oil

There are really two different ways to make hot oil. The first is using a pre-made canola or a neutral tasting olive oil and infusing it with chilies. The second is by adding fresh chilies to the olives during the olive oil extraction where the chilies and olives are then crushed together. This is called the Agrumato Method. This method creates beautifully complex and flavorful oils. The only downside is that you definitely need to have an olive mill to produce it.

As you can see there are a few differences to the two process’ of making hot oil. David Garci-Aguirre, the Master Miller at Corto, has been making Agrumato oils there for a few years now. He said, “It is so important to distinguish agrumato oils (sometimes referred to as co-milled or co-crushed) from other flavored oils because they are so unique. The making of olive oil is a complex process where incredible flavors and aromas are formed. When you add fresh ingredients at this stage you can create new and unique combinations of flavor and aroma that cannot be replicated in the kitchen or after the oil is extracted. Infusions and extracts for example, tend to be very one dimensional in flavor. This is because there is no interaction between the ingredients when the flavors of the oil are being developed. In contrast, agrumato method oils are the product of an intricate interplay between both ingredients.”

Since the two versions of hot oils taste very different, the one you decide on will depend on how you want to use it and whether or not you want to make it yourself. I think a basic, infused hot oil can be a great all-around option to have at your shop. Since it is fairly inexpensive to make, you can use it as sauté oil or give it away as a dipping sauce to customers. With such a unique and aromatic flavor, Agrumato oil on the other hand, is the perfect finisher for pizzas and the flavor really comes through baked into dishes and desserts. Think chili olive oil cake, focaccia finished with a drizzle of chili oil or house-made chili rolls.

If you want to make your own hot oil in house, and I will say I am definitely one of those people who likes to make anything I can in house, there’s a good chance you already have all of the ingredients on hand. Simply said, chili oil can be made from infusing oil with chilies. You can use any chili but a neutral oil is recommended. There are only three basic ingredients: oil, chili flakes or dried chilies and time. You can change up the flavor by the type of chilies you use and whether or not you add additional ingredients.

The main thing to keep in mind is the temperature of the oil. You want to be between 180 F to 350 F. The hotter it is, the darker the oil will be. If it gets too hot (think smoking), it will burn the chilies and result in a bitter flavor. You can test the oil by dropping in a few chili flakes and if it sizzles, it is ready. I like to leave the chili flakes in the oil for a few days to gain maximum flavor, then strain. After that the oil is ready to go. Chili oil also has a pretty long shelf life, two to three months if you store it in a cool, dark place.

To make other types of chili oils you can add other ingredients, such as granulated garlic, shallots, salts or peppercorns. A really popular one is a chili crunch sauce. While this is traditionally used in Asian dishes, it adds a ton of flavor and texture, which can be great on pizza too.

Different oils in general are great flavor boosters for pizza and just like a great extra virgin olive oil, hot oils can be cross utilized throughout your menu. They are a great addition to sandwiches, can add a kick to salad dressings, tossed with wings and used to finish appetizers, such as a mushroom crostini or burrata over roasted vegetables. It’s also easy to make a big batch and have it available for your customers to add to their own slices and pies.

There are multiple dimensions to every pizza and when you want maximum flavor you want to look at every one. I’m a big believer that there doesn’t need to be tons of toppings on a pizza but rather good quality and well thought out ones. Hot oil provides a complex and flavorful option to up your pizza game.

Hot Oil Recipe:

Get a Hot Oil recipe.

Audrey Kelly owns Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage in Boulder, Colorado.

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Blend it like Beckham

“Today’s pizzamakers are fortunate to live in an era wielding not only a diversity of grains, but also the knowledge of nutrition, gluten strength and fermentation to harness their full potential. The Fertile Crescent has come full circle as ancient grains are blended with contemporary expertise to create these beautiful modern pizzas.”
-Serhan Ayhan, Owner, Next Level Pizza, New York

In these modern times, chefs, bakers and innovative pizza makers like Serhan Ayhan are all looking for identity-shaping foods for their businesses. Many pizza makers have shifted their focus to a more artistic strategy that was usually used by chefs in their shiny controlled kitchens. This new artistic perspective about the platform that is pizza combines structural integrity, layering of flavors, new uses of ancient grains, and a combination of grains for their pizza crusts. The new pizza artists are now pushing the limits of manipulation like fine wine makers to achieve the perfect pizza crust. The more knowledge you have of your flour, the more you will be able wrap your pizza head around the perfect crust for your pizzeria. Just remember, any negative characteristics of a certain flour can be altered by other flours to create a superstar pizza crust.

Mixed Blessings

The characteristic of flour depends on the variety, location and growing conditions. Some wheats are considered soft and some are known as hard. Hard wheat has more of the protein’s gliadin and glutenin which form gluten when the flour is moistened. While mixing doughs, there are two distinctions; strong flours — which have a high protein content and are used to make breads, pizza and other yeasted products and weak flours — which are made from soft wheat and are used to make cookies, cakes, and pastries.

Endo What?

The composition of each wheat kernel consists of bran, germ and endosperm. Let’s jump in this geeky swamp for a second.

Bran: This is the hard, outer skin of the kernel and represents 14 percent to 17 percent of the grain. It is darker in color than it appears as small brown flecks, usually named whole wheat. In cases where millers crush white wheat, or screen out the bran, they may appear lighter. Other darker flours like Spelt, Einkorn, Rouge de Bordeaux etc. are darker also. Whole wheats may be altered into more lighter, or “golden” by the miller screening more of the bran out.

Pizza Bakers Note: Because Bran flakes are sharp, they affect the strength of the gluten bubbles and negate a certain level of extensibility you seek to both stretch your dough for a better cornicione, or airy crust. Millers use the distinction extraction that refers to the total amount of bran and germ taken out as a percentage. A lower extraction means that more endosperm is in your flour and less bran and germ. This may help you formulate the rise of your pizza with other factors like heat and hydration.

Germ: This little nugget of life is what creates a new plant if the kernel is sprouting and represents 2-3 percent of the grain. The germ is the vitamin hub of the kernel containing protein, nutrients and vitamins. Germ also contains a lot of fat and therefore can become rancid quickly if held too long.

Pizza Bakers Note: Adding raw wheat germ at 5-7 percent of total flour in your pizza recipe will create a nice nutty flavor and much more nutritious bread without hindering the gluten strength.

Endosperm: This is the starchy, white interior of the kernel after the bran and germ are removed and represents 81-83 percent of the grain. Depending upon the type of kernel, it represents about 67-76 percent starch and between 6-18 percent protein. It contains small amounts of minerals, sugar, fat and moisture. Many consider this as flour once the germ and bran are removed by the millers.

Pizza Bakers Note: Because the ground endosperm represents the bulk of starch and protein, it is most important to know the aspects of each one. Starches are complex carbohydrates and can absorb up to half of their weight in water and a small amount of starch becomes available as food for yeast. About 6-18 percent of white flour is protein depending upon the variety of kernel. Roughly 80 percent of proteins are glutenin and gliadin which, when combined with water create gluten. This creates the scaffolding that supports the gluten net that holds the carbon dioxide which makes an airy pizza crust. Of course, all this depends upon many, many factors. Some high-gluten flours contain added gluten to achieve consistency- some companies call this “reinforced” flour.

A Note on Baker’s Percentage:

This practical shift from ounces and pounds provides an accurate and faster way to measure flour in your pizzeria. By taking the total flour in kilograms and grams and basing the other ingredients individually against the flour, you’ll be able to speedily mix and replicate recipes. For example, when 1000 grams of flour is used with 100 grams of water, the water baker’s percentage is 10 percent. If the salt in this same recipe is 10 grams, then the baker’s percentage of the salt is one percent.

Power of the Flour

Flour is usually categorized as high-gluten flour at 14-percent protein, bread flour at 11-13.5-percent protein, cake and pastry flour which are 8 percent and 9 percent respectively.

European flours typically top out at 11.5-percent protein, lower than typical North American flours. They are graded on ash content. T45 and T55 are flours with low ash for cake and pastry. T65 are high-gluten and higher grades are flours with increasing darkness ending at dark rye designated T170.

Some other flours that are trending in innovative pizza products are as follows:

Spelt: Often considered the ancestor of modern wheat, this grain has become increasingly popular in pizzerias. It has a lower absorption than wheat and a weaker gluten structure, so it usually needs to be ground finer and/or mixed with a high-gluten mix. I’ve used local, Amish-grown spelt at a 60-percent mix to 40 percent high gluten for almost 15 years. The payoff of using spelt is a deep, slightly sweet, molasses flavor and nutty flavor that customers love.

Kamut: This durum wheat is trending with up to 40 percent higher protein than modern wheat. This golden flour has a nuttiness with hints of butter, and it is packed with nutrients. Many flour companies are milling white Kamut flour. Kamut has a reputation as being more easily digested than regular wheat and it has a chewy texture. I like this pizza dough with strong cheeses like goat and Gruyère paired with fatty pork, sweet fruit, and nuts.

Buckwheat: First documented in China 6000 years ago, this grain is rich in zinc, copper and manganese and is an important grain for vegans. Buckwheat adds zero gluten to your pizza crust mix but packs loads of strong nutty flavor. It must be ground finely because it will dilute the structural matrix, less is more.

Kernza*: I’ve used this Perennial Wheat for almost 10 years in my menu-mix. Long known as the next wave of sustainable grains, Kernza has roots that can penetrate the earth up to 10 feet down which will produce grain even in drought conditions. This also means no tilling, no fertilizers or pesticides that are needed to grow this grain. Kernza has 17-percent protein and a sharp bran which means it needs to be screened more by the millers. The reward is a pizza crust that is a brown sugary, almost honey-like flavor of nuts and maple.

Durum: Because of climate change, this is the grain of the future because it grows in hot, arid environments. Durum is a golden flour known as semolina and has different grinds, for pasta and breads. I’ve been getting different blends from Sicily that are stone ground at Molina del Ponte. The Rimacinata flour is a blend of Simeto, Duilio and Appio durum wheats but my favorite for baking a wonderful Focaccia Barese and Pizza in Teglia is 100 percent Tumminia. The sweet nuttiness and cakelike texture of this grain makes an airy, unforgettable crust.

Einkorn: This is one of the oldest wheats that has been cultivated. Its low gluten content may drive a pizza maker nuts which is why I use it with higher gluten flour for a fluffy, velvety texture with a slight chew. The advantage is a deep nutty and almost grassy taste perfect with cream sauces and strong cheeses.

Soy and Rice: These both contain no gluten and are used extensively in non-gluten crusts. These flours are added to the trendy Roman pizza called Pinza*. The soy flour is used as a non-gluten replacement for wheat and the white rice flour gives the pizza a crunchy and soft texture. It is mixed with olive oil to cloak some of proteins that form gluten. Using too much soy flour can lead to an unpleasant beany flavor but toasted soy flour adds a pleasant taste. Too much rice flour adds a sticky and oily finish to the tongue.

John Gutekanst owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio.

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Odie O’Connor, owner of Boxcar Pizza in Portland, Oregon on The Hot Slice Podcast

his week, we chat with Odie O’Connor, owner of Boxcar Pizza in Portland, Oregon. Boxcar is a vegan Detroit style pizza shop. His first venture into the pizza biz was a wood-fired pizza cart. On the show, we got the skinny on Odie’s next pizza project, a New York-style pizzeria in his hometown of San Diego, California, offering New York sourdough pies, as well as Sicilian and Grandma.

That’s five styles. Odie has a passion for pizza dough and learning. We talk about the process and the various styles. He shares how he decided to go into business with each style.

Doing a vegan Detroit pizza is unique. He details what he wanted in a Detroit pizza and why it’s open to all pizza lovers. Yes, we even talked cheese, since it’s a signature of the style.

In a Conversation in Pizza Today Magazine, Odie talked about the R&D of his Detroit. He said “When developing the vegan recipes I always consider taste, smell, allergens, and food cost.  Our meats are typically made from either vital wheat gluten or textured vegetable protein.  Once I decide what the base will be, I begin adding spices and liquids that I think will best represent umami flavors and also bake how I want them to on the pizzas. It really is just research, trial, error and then repeat.” Read his Conversation: https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/conversation-odie-oconnor-boxcar-pizza-portland-oregon/

Check out Boxcar Pizza on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/boxcarpizza/ and his new project https://www.instagram.com/odiespizza/ .

Thank you to our sponsor

The post 192. Five Dough Styles and Going with Odie O’Connor appeared first on Pizza Today.

Fast Casual Franchise by 13-Time World Champion Tony Gemignani Had a Record Day of Pizza Sales, Reinforcing its Success as a Beloved Pizza Restaurant with 29 Locations in Arenas and Stadiums in California and Nevada as a part of its 145 Units Open or in Development Nationally

SAN FRANCISCO (February 14, 2024) – Slice House by Tony Gemignani, the highly successful fast-casual pizza franchise by world renowned pizzaiolo Tony Gemignani, is proud to announce a record day of pizza sales at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, February 11, 2024, for Super Bowl LVIII. Slice House served an incredible 8,200 slices of pizza to football fans in attendance at the big game; the impressive milestone is a testament to customers’ love of Slice House’s authentic pizzas, as well as the franchise’s success within such venues. Slice House’s five locations at Allegiant Stadium are among its 29 locations in arenas and stadiums in California and Nevada, including the San Francisco Giants’ Oracle Park, San Francisco Warriors’ Chase Center, San Francisco 49ers’ Levi’s Stadium, and the newly opened Sphere in Las Vegas – which are a part of its 145 units open or in development nationally.

“As a football fan and pizzaiolo, there is no bigger day than Super Bowl, so it was incredibly exciting for Slice House to have such a strong presence at Allegiant Stadium, serving a record 8,200 slices of pizza on the day of the big game,” said Founder Tony Gemignani. “Food has a way of bringing people together and this was no exception. I was honored to be at Slice House during the Super Bowl to personally serve our authentic pizzas to fans, whether they were San Francisco Bay Area natives who are familiar with our pizzas or customers visiting from other cities who were experiencing Slice House for the first time.”

President George Karpaty continued, “Slice House has a long history being a part of sports and entertainment communities, and we look forward to continuing to expand in arenas and stadiums and beyond as a part of our nationwide franchise program. Super Bowl was a great example of how Slice House provides top-quality pizza and genuine hospitality in fast casual, high traffic environments with a franchise that supports every aspect of the business.” In advance of the big game, Slice House designed and executed a dedicated social media campaign inclusive of organic and paid elements that targeted fans.

Slice House is a convenient way for diners to experience pizza and more by a world-champion, celebrity chef. Originally opened in San Francisco’s historic Italian neighborhood of North Beach in 2010, Slice House by Tony Gemignani has since expanded to include 6 standalone locations as well as 29 locations within arenas and stadiums. In 2023, Slice House by Tony Gemignani, named the #1 Emerging Brand in Pizza Marketplace’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers, launched its nationwide franchise program; to-date, it has achieved 145 franchised units open or under development across five states.

For more information, please visit www.slicehouse.com and follow along on Instagram @SliceHouse and Facebook @SliceHouseFolsom.

ABOUT SLICE HOUSE BY TONY GEMIGNANI

Originally opened in San Francisco’s historic Italian neighborhood of North Beach in 2010, Slice House by Tony Gemignani is where artisan pizza meets fast casual dining.  Slice House is a convenient way for diners to experience the 13-time world champion’s famous New York, Sicilian, Grandma, Detroit, and California style pizzas including gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options, as well as pasta, wings, and salads accompanied by a drink menu featuring local craft breweries and natural wines.  In 2023, Slice House by Tony Gemignani launched its nationwide franchise program and achieved 100 units open or under development across five states. Named the #1 Emerging Brand in Pizza Marketplace’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers 2023, Slice House presents the opportunity to join a seasoned team with over 30 years of experience in the multibillion-dollar pizza industry, offering the credibility of a celebrity chef, access to authentic regional recipes, and a flexible revenue stream from brick-and-mortar locations to stadium kiosks, with fast-casual, sit-down, take-out, or third-party delivery services.

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Download our Pizza Trends Webinar

UPDATED: Pizza Today hosted a free webinar on the 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report, Thursday, February 15, at 2 pm EST. Pizza Today editors Jeremy White and Denise Greer talked shop and dive into the trends, tidbits and other interesting stats uncovered in the 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report.

From ingredients to employee initiatives to purchasing, and everything in between, we get into the nuts and bolts of our most comprehensive report ever. Read the 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report.

Special thanks to our 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report Sponsors:

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Hairy Styles: Classifying Pizza Styles

If you feel like you’ve been experiencing Regional Pizza Style Fatigue lately, you’re not alone. Not long ago, the vast majority of Americans categorized all pizza into just a few broad categories: New York Style, Chicago Style and Other. Thanks to the Food Network, social media and various pizza competitions, we’ve been exposed to a wide array of global variations. Some are legitimate regional specialties while others are mere mirages used for marketing. How do we tell the difference and when is it important to ignore such classification? Let’s find out by diving into the history of regional style nomenclature.

What defines a food as regional in the first place?

The original pizza of Naples was itself a regional distinction. Well into the 17th century, the term pizza was used to describe cookies and cakes. The famous Renaissance chef Bartolomeo Scappi’s 1570 recipe collection, Opera, includes several recipes for biscuits and cinnamon buns that he portrays as different types of pizza. When the savory pizzas we now love appeared in Naples around the mid-18th century, the modifier Napoletana specified the dish based on its point of origin. Geography is certainly the most important element of a regional style’s definition.

There are strong parallels between pizza and BBQ, particularly in the case of provenance. BBQ expert and New York Times best-selling author Meathead Goldwyn explains that “South Carolina [currently] has many different styles of BBQ but the one that’s unique has a mustard-based sauce. Germans brought that in through Charleston.” In the same way, Texas style BBQ is often beef-focused because cattle were more common than pigs by the time the regional designation was made. The connection between place and food is integral to the legitimacy of a regional style.

Differentiation is another important step in determining a regional style’s definition.

Karen Dybis, author of Detroit Style Pizza: A Doughtown History, relied on that concept for clarity in her research for the book. “Detroit style pizza is not round, isn’t baked in a standard pan, does not only use mozzarella, and the sauce is not below the cheese.” The fact that Detroit’s deep square pizza isn’t identical to any other city’s indigenous style is what defines its identity.

This explains why Chicago’s deep-dish pizza has long defined its hometown despite being far less popular locally than thin, square-cut pizzas. By the early 1980s, it was seen as the antithesis of New York City’s thin slices. Chicago Pizza Tours founder Jon Porter points out the contrast between the Chicago deep-dish and NYC slice dining experience. “There weren’t many places that did [deep-dish] pizza. You had to go downtown, find a parking spot, and wait 40 minutes for your pizza. It was a special occasion restaurant, unlike the everyday corner slice shop experience in New York.”

Although the distinct characteristics that form a regional style are integral to its definition, the public is more concerned with what’s on the plate rather than a set of required recipes. According to Italian food expert, award-winning author, and TV host Katie Parla points out that Romans accept variation among their city’s Pizza Tonda restaurants. “They’re not all adhering to a specific [recipe], but the final product has the crispy and chewy texture that the local population requires.” We see plenty of variation in the pizza of Naples, but they all serve a similar size, texture and experience. The same goes for the pizza of New Haven, Connecticut. The city’s pizza is often associated with coal-fired brick ovens, but only a small number of its
pizzerias use them.

New Haven pizza expert, and author of Pizza In New Haven, Colin Caplan credits longevity for his hometown’s signature style. “Pizzerias in the New Haven area have been making it the same way for around a century. Our pizzas are thin, crispy, and charred – that’s what the people of New Haven have come to expect,” says Caplan. “I get [upset] when the pizza’s not charred.” Charred pizza isn’t unique to New Haven, but it has become an expectation across the past century.

What legitimizes a regional pizza style?

A legitimate regional style requires critical mass both in terms of the number of pizzerias serving it and the number of consumers recognizing it. A new pizzeria in Tuscaloosa that claims to have created Tuscaloosa style pizza last year is not making a legitimate regional style. Nor is a pizza that bases its identity on a topping combination. For instance, Hawaiian pizza has never claimed to be a style of pizza from Hawaii. It’s merely a topping combination loosely referential to the island state. Windsor, Ontario has several pizzerias that claim to make Windsor style pizza, but the only common thread among them is the use of shredded pepperoni, canned mushrooms and a local mozzarella. That’s a topping combination, not a regional style. We tend to identify artisan pizzas made with local produce as California style, but pizzerias across the country have managed to do the same without being anywhere close to the Golden State.

This begs the question: at what point does one pizzeria’s specialty transform into a regional style? Dybis thinks it’s all due to recognition from beyond the region. Despite being around since the 1940s, Detroiters didn’t recognize their own deep, square pizzas as a regional style until just over a decade ago. Some of the earliest
instances of the phrase “Detroit Style pizza” come from articles written in the 1980s in places like Lincoln, Nebraska, reporting on the new pizzeria in town that’s making “unique thick square pizza with the sauce on top.” Once enough pizzerias started serving the thick squares in Colorado, California, Texas and New York City it suddenly became a recognized regional style.

Pizzerias today often desire to be associated with a particular style. It definitely makes marketing easier, especially when a style is different from the mainstream options. Pizza schools and certification courses are making it easier than ever to gain credibility and acceptance. There are programs for Neapolitan, Roman, New York, New Haven and even Detroit style. For pizza makers interested in learning new methods or newcomers looking for a place to start, categorization can be extremely helpful.

With all the content bouncing around social media, it’s now easier than ever to draw inspiration from multiple styles, resulting in cross-pollination that blurs the lines separating regional classifications. Meathead Goldwyn believes that strict taxonomy is becoming less advantageous. “I think those walls have tumbled down. There used to be regional styles, but we’re in a global economy now.”

Humans love to categorize. It gives us a sense of order that helps establish expectations. As helpful as it can be for those entering the pizza business or customers encountering an unfamiliar slice, it can get in the way of creativity. Meathead puts it best. “I think we really need to worry less about these definitions and just make beautiful food.”

Regional Pizza Style Requirements:

1. Origin: All regional pizza styles are tied to a specific birthplace.
2. Differentiation: Must be unlike other styles in the area and unique from styles in other areas.
3. Longevity: Requires decades of existence.
4. Critical Mass: Both in terms of the number of pizzerias making the style and the population’s acceptance.
5. Recognition: The strongest regional styles are referenced from beyond the region.

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org  Instagram: @scottspizzatours

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Bell Peppers on Pizza: Ring the Bell

It’s time to ring the bell. Bell peppers, of course. Bell peppers ranked as the No. 8 most popular pizza topping in America, according to our pizzeria operator survey published in our 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report. In some areas of the U.S., bell peppers break into the Top 5 Pizza Toppings.

Most pizzeria toppings list include these peppers that are in the Grossum Group of the Capsicum annuum. Let’s dive into a few more fun facts about bell peppers. They are in the nightshade family Solanaceae and they are native to the Americas. Bell peppers are loaded with Vitamin C. Red, yellow and orange bell peppers are all variations of the green bell pepper at various stages of ripeness and are typically sweeter than the green. Did you know that Paprika is made from bell peppers? If you haven’t played with dusting a bell pepper pizza with paprika or even smoked paprika, here is your invitation to try it.

Raw vs Cooked Bell Peppers

How you prep your peppers is up to you. Whether you use them raw or cooked may impact how you cut them. Generally, peppers are diced, sliced or cut into rings. Thickness varies.

Avoid large chunks or cuts when you are applying bell peppers raw onto a pizza. They will not have time to fully cook, unless you are going for the crunch of a pepper.

The mild flavor of the bell pepper makes it a good complement for other toppings. It doesn’t overpower other flavors. This is why you see so many supreme, deluxe and the works pizzas include green bell peppers. Peppers are raw in this application.

If you are looking to enhance the flavors of the bell peppers, cooking will bring out the sweetness. Cooking will also evaporate excess water in the pepper. You can saute them but a better method for a pizza kitchen is to roast them in your pizza oven. Simply leave whole and place on a roasting pan. Or quarter the peppers and remove the seed. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and roast until you get a nice char on the skin. When removing peppers from oven, some choose to peel the skin off. But many prefer to keep the skin on.

Take peppers across the menu

Bell Peppers can be used in everything from appetizers and salads to sandwiches and pastas. Get the most of your pepper inventory with dishes that make bell peppers shine. There is one areas I’d like to see more bell peppers appear in and that is sauces.

An easy sauce that will wow customers is a pepper pesto. The spin on a traditional pesto is full of flavor and perfect on a pizza with chicken and spinach. Here’s the recipe:

Get the Roasted Red Pepper Pesto recipe. 

John Gutekanst has shared a sauce from Rome that is dynamite on pizza or on sandwiches. For an upcharge, offer it as a dipping sauce. Here is his recipe.

Get the Roman Roasted Pepper Sauce recipe.

The possibilities in pizza topping combinations that work well with bell peppers is endless. One of the most popular pizza combinations is a sausage and peppers pizza. Let’s create a simple, yet flavor-packed pizza recipe that kicks up the flavors of sausage and complements the bell pepper. Here’s the recipe:

Get the Spicy Sausage and Sweet Pepper Pizza recipe.

DENISE GREER is Executive Editor of Pizza Today.

The post Think differently about how you use bell peppers on pizza appeared first on Pizza Today.

Traditional American Pizza Styles: States of Play

Explaining what an American style pizza is to anyone is like showing them a what an American looks like. The breadth and depth of diversity of pizzas in this country is peppered with differing dough making, toppings and cooking methods. Unlike some other countries, pizzas in the U.S. are not regionally bound to mimic centuries of pizza making in that range or region. To find the spine of pizza making in the United States, we must look to our culinary past, which relies upon the tools and techniques of Europe but then accommodates the wide and productive American landscape and the diverse culinary desires and tastes of this diverse populace.

“At its core, American pizza is one that favors the present over the past and it follows customers, not custom. It’s not even a style, it’s a refusal to adhere to one specific style because it’s always evolving.”

— Scott Wiener, Founder, Scotts Pizza Tours, and Slice Out Hunger

Phat of the Land

The United States has always been known as the “land of milk and honey.” Our shared history of domination, immigration and integration has always relied upon the commoditization of foods. The first pilgrims tilled the fertile soils producing plenty of traditional foodstuffs but did not mimic the native American use of the ebb and flow of the seasons and use of wild foods. The coastal tribes’ practice of putting up food stores of corn and smoked fish and meat for the winter sustained them but the pilgrims’ disdain for native practices lead to starvation in the first years. In fact, at Plymouth alone, half of the pilgrims were dead before the first winter was over.

Stat-chew of Liberty 

The first fact to know about American cuisine is that compared to European countries, we are culinarily, very young. Mass starvation and poverty through wars and upheaval in Europe has necessitated specific techniques, methods and creative twists in food. This innovation seems to be missing in historic American cooking practices. Our largesse of meat, fish and vegetables mirrored the huge fertile landscape of this country. This is reflected in the number of toppings on an American pizza. More cheese, meat and dough tend to satisfy U.S. customers. The arrival of soldiers who served in Italy in the 40s brought a new craving for Italian food and started the ball rolling for the different styling of American Pizza. The past 20 years have seen many chefs practicing traditional European pizza making in the United States and have upped American culinary mojo with pizza schools, demonstrations, media and social media putting this finesse on the fast track. This has also led to more innovative sauces, meats, cheeses and grains.

American Pie

There are many factors that have influenced American style pizzas. Corporations, regions, cheese, flour and meat companies, supply and even individual pizza chefs have had a hand in making some traditional American pizzas popular.  Here are some variations of American pizzas that you may, or may not, not be familiar with. I’ve kept individual names out to protect the innocent.

New England Beach Pizza

This Pizza made only in Southern New Hampshire and Northern Massachusetts is both simple and different. The crust is wafer thin, cooked on seasoned sheet pans and you can get a single slice or a box of 8 or 20 squares. Other toppings are available to pair with a very sweet sauce and just a smattering of aged provolone. Two pizza places dominate this market and are rivals which is why I will not disclose their names.

Milwaukee Pizza

This cracker thin pizza originated at the Caradaro Club and has evolved into several micro-styles depending upon the place you go to. It is sheeted round or oblong, some with a cornmeal dusting and each tavern-style cut is crunchy like crazy. Some pizzas are as thin as two credit cards. In some places, this crisp thinness is achieved by par-baking the crust in deck ovens then turning it over before saucing and cheesing, others go straight on the deck. The sauce is simple, sweet, and placed as just a thin layer of whole milk mozzarella.

Quad-City Pizza

This Mississippi River Valley style is prepared in Davenport and Bettendorf Iowa, Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline Illinois. This pizza is made with malt and hand-stretched to a thin crust with a slight cornicione, or crust. Chili flakes and ground cayenne makes the thin tomato sauce zing with spice. It is usually loaded with fennel sausage. Pizzas are available in 16-inch and 10-inch styles and cut into strips as opposed to slices or squares.

Detroit Pizza

This rectangular pizza baked in a seasoned blue steel pan that was initially said to be used in the automobile business for draining oil or catching grease. This focaccia-like pizza with small cell structure is usually par-baked with Wisconsin brick cheese baked in a “Frico” or bark around the side. Cheese and toppings lie under the sauce which is put on after the final bake. Many different variations now dominate the market.

Colorado Pizza

These small 8-inch round pizzas have a braided crust with added honey in the dough. A major heaping of whole milk mozzarella tops the extra-sweet sauce, and the braided crust ensures that the boatload of toppings doesn’t fall off. Colorado style has been described as like Chicago deep dish but sweeter with a cooking time that is shorter. This pizza is sold by the pound and is accompanied by more honey.

California Pizza

This pizza tends to lack a particular crust, size, style or even bake. The similarities of this pizza lie in the dissimilar nature of them. They all tend to lean on seasonality, international flavor profiles, freshness and artisanal ingredients that Spago, Gjelina, Hail Mary, Tony’s, Tandoori, Mozza, Pot Pizza, California Pizza Kitchen all have made available to Californians.

Altoona Pizza

Originally made at the Altoona Hotel before it was burnt down in 2013. Other pizza shops have taken up the mantle. This is usually a square-cut, sheet pan baked, thick Sicilian style crust with a soft feel. It was originally topped with Velveeta over deli salami and green peppers but now most places place the salami and pepper slice under processed American cheese. Other toppings can be added.

Ohio Valley Pizza

This pizza is made in the northeastern Ohio Valley around Steubenville, Ohio and Wheeling West Virginia. It is best described as a square pie with a bready crust, sweet sauce baked at 550 F and garnished with sauce made of green bell peppers, oregano and olive oil. This pizza is par-baked and taken out before topping with more sauce and a small amount of cheese. After the final baking, the pizza is topped with shredded provolone cheese and cold toppings and cut into squares.

Philly Tomato Pie

This square pizza is usually compared to the Sicilian Sfincione because of its thick, focaccia-like crust. It is also called a “Bakery Pizza” in nearby Rhode Island. Most of this style has just a smattering of Romano after the bake. The thick sauce is just as high as the crust and is cooked for over 40 minutes with sugar, oregano, garlic salt and olive oil.

Midwest Pizza Dough Recipe

Here is a dough recipe which, to me best reflects the middle ground in middle America. I’ve left this recipe at 66% hydration. Strong enough to hold sauce, cheese and toppings and flavorful enough after proofing to enable a digestible crust. Mixing it with cold water (and using less yeast) followed by cold fermentation slows the yeast activity down, giving the starches in the flour time to convert to simple sugars releasing fantastic flavors. This recipe is designed to be used within 6 hours if using warmer water, and up to 3 days using the cold holding method.

Get the Midwest Pizza Dough Recipe.

John Gutekanst owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio.

The post The evolution of Traditional American Pizza appeared first on Pizza Today.

Learn to Flex Your Buying Muscles

It is one of the many challenges for independent pizzerias. You are competing for the customer’s pizza dollar with franchises of large corporations who can purchase the same ingredients for less money. Let’s face it: customers factor the price they are paying into their buying decision. As do you.

What if you could buy your ingredients at the same price as your competitor? This would allow you to sell your pizza at the same price, eliminating price as the decision factor in your customer’s buying decision. Now you can sell pizza based on your (much better) recipes and flavors. Wouldn’t that be a game-changer?

Before we get into how to increase your buying power to match that of your large-chain competitor, I would be remiss if I did not address the elephant in the room.

The independent pizzeria owner is oft quoted as saying “The customer will pay more for quality”. I submit to you that these words are ‘fluff’, and not a true point of differentiation that will allow you to compete by charging a higher price. If you do successfully differentiate yourself from your competitor, it will never completely supersede price. So, let’s get to work on how you can increase your buying power.

Here is a blueprint you can use to flex your buying muscles. It involves three new terms you will want to add to your vocabulary:

• Primary Vendor Distribution Agreement (PVDA)
• Group Purchasing Organizations (GPO’s)
• Manufacturer Deviations

Primary Vendor Distribution Agreement

A Primary Vendor Distribution Agreement is a contract signed by you and by your distributor (the company that brings you your food) that sets the exact margin the distributor will charge you above their cost. The contract usually separates these margins into categories, for example Cheese, Meats, Dry Goods, Produce, etc. A contract may read like this:

Cheese = .25 per pound

Meats = 8%

Dry Goods = 10%

Produce = 15%

The contract requires you to purchase most of your food and supplies through that primary vendor, usually at least 80 percent of your total purchases, and specifies the ‘drop size’ meaning the minimum dollars required for them to make a delivery. This means you may receive a delivery once per week or even once every two weeks. Distributors know how much it costs them for every stop, and factor that into the drop size. The idea is to create a win-win where you get good pricing, and they still make a profit. By signing this contract, you eliminate the middleman; there is no longer a commissionable salesperson. This saves the distributor money which they can pass along to you.

Selecting a Primary Vendor and getting a contract signed is Step 1 to flexing your buying muscles.

Group Purchasing Organizations

As an independent, or small chain pizzeria, having a PVDA is not enough. The Distributor does not have the resources to ‘go to bat for you’ with the manufacturers. For this reason, your next step is to become a member of a GPO.

A group purchasing organization is a platform that allows any business to join a group of other buyers who are interested in the same products. The GPO has buying muscle because they represent a lot of small independents, whose total purchasing power can equal, or even beat, a national chain operation. The GPO negotiates pricing and members benefit by paying much less than if they purchased the products on their own. GPO’s are very specific to the type of member. For example, pizzerias benefit by buying together because they all purchase flour, sauce, cheese and toppings. A GPO for fine-dine restaurants would not help a pizzeria. Membership to a GPO is often free. The GPO makes its money by retaining a percentage of the Deviation they get for you. The GPO has already negotiated with many manufacturers to get a ‘Deviation’, that is, a price that is less than their list price. A GPO will manage all your Deviation Programs. Some examples of GPOs that can help pizzerias are Entegra, Source1 and Restaurant Buying Group. However, your Primary Distributor can also find you the right GPO. You would provide them with a Letter of Intent which would empower your Primary Distributor to contact GPOs on your behalf.

Becoming a member of a GPO is Step 2 in flexing your buying muscles.

Manufacturer Deviations

Which brings us to defining ‘manufacturer deviation’. A manufacturer deviation is a discount off the regular price. Manufacturers will give customers who order lots of their products this discount. These ‘deviation agreements’ require some management. They may expire every six months or one year. They require the submittal of Usage Reports on a regular basis. Your GPO will manage these agreements. Here is an example of how the savings work for you. I’ll use a common ingredient for pizza, pepperoni. Let’s say you purchase pepperoni, and the manufacturer case price is $100. Your GPO has negotiated with that pepperoni manufacturer to get their members a $10 deviation. If your GPO charges 1% of your purchases, in this case $90, they will retain .90 per case and you will save $9.10 per case. Combined with the savings you achieve with your PVDA Agreement, here is how that savings looks for one case of pepperoni:

No PVDA & no GPO

Manufacturer = $100

Distribution mark-up of 12% = $12

Price to you = $112

With PVDA & GPO

Manufacturer = $90.90

Distributor mark-up of 8% = $7.27

Price to you = $98.17

A savings of $13.83 for every case of pepperoni!

Working with your GPO to align your products with their manufacturers is Step 3 of flexing your buying muscles.

Cliff Notes:

Step 1: Sign a Primary Vendor Distribution Agreement

Step 2: Become a member of a Group Purchasing Organization

Step 3: Align your products with your GPO’s negotiated manufacturers

Now you are buying like the Big Boys. By eliminating price as a factor in your customer’s buying decision, you may focus on what truly differentiates you from your competitor!

The post How Independent Pizzerias can buy like the Big Pizza Chains appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Q&A with Odie O’Connor, owner of Boxcar Pizza, Portland, Oregon

Concept:

The concept for Boxcar was created in the early summer of 2020. I had temporarily closed my first business, Baby Blue Pizza, due to the pandemic. So with the extra time I had on my hands I began experimenting making vegan Detroit style pizzas. After a lot of trial and error (and a ton of help from Marc of Square Pie Guys) I came up with a dough that I was really proud of.  A second generation pizza spot became available so I decided to take the leap and open up Boxcar in August of 2020.  The goal has always been to make really good pizza that just happens to be vegan. I never wanted the selling point to be that it was vegan.

Pizza Style & Dough:

Our Detroit style pizzas are a 70-percent hydration sourdough that we par-bake every morning.  We use Small’s Family Bread Flour who are located here in the Pacific Northwest. Doing sourdough Detroit style pizza was challenging because the rise is such an important part of the style. I learned that timing the first mix and the feeding of the starter perfectly is vital.  We do an overnight autolyse with the leaven and half the flour and water for the batch (most dough savvy people would say this is not a real autolyse). Allowing the dough to autolyse with the leaven in really develops the flavor, dough strength, and gets a head start on the first rise. When I first opened Boxcar we were not par-baking the doughs, but we couldn’t get the consistency that I was looking for. Since deciding to par bake every morning we can assure that we’re getting the dough at the perfect spot in the fermentation process, and we get a much more springy crust because the initial bake isn’t weighted down with ingredients. Par-baking also makes for a lighter, fluffy inside and a very crispy bottom and edges.

Tell us what went into finding/creating your vegan products? What was your R&D process?

When developing the vegan recipes I always consider taste, smell, allergens, and food cost.  Our meats are typically made from either vital wheat gluten or textured vegetable protein.  Once I decide what the base will be, I begin adding spices and liquids that I think will best represent umami flavors and also bake how I want them to on the pizzas.  It really is just research, trial, error and then repeat.

Detroit Style and Vegan, that is unique. How have you been able to find your market in Portland?

The food scene is Portland is incredible.  There always seems to be a new pop-up, restaurant, or event happening and Portlanders really show up for our community.  It’s definitely risky to open a 100 percent vegan restaurant. Luckily there is a very big vegan community in Portland and we’ve been able to create a returning customer base through friendly customer service, consistency in the pizza, and always looking for ways to improve. We have loyal customers who are vegan and also loyal customers who are omnivores. The selling point has always been this is good pizza, not “you should buy this because it’s vegan”.

What did you learn from your first restaurant that helped you in Boxcar?

I learned a lot from my first pizza business, Baby Blue Pizza. The main points would be: BE CONSISTENT, there are so many good food options out there, one bad experience can turn a customer off for good. HIRE WELL, if you hire someone out of pure necessity and not because you think they would be a great addition to the shop, you will end up firing them 100 percent of the time, and they will add a ton of stress to your life until you do fire them.  CREATE A RELATABLE BRAND. Customers want to know there is a human behind the business, the day of the cookie-cutter, cliche social media post is over-show that you are a human. CARE ABOUT YOUR EMPLOYEES. Take time to learn about who your employees are, and recognize that people work so they can live their lives, never the other way around. No one will ever care about your business as much as you do, and that is fine — it’s the way it’s supposed to be.

The post Conversation: Odie O’Connor, Boxcar Pizza, Portland, Oregon appeared first on Pizza Today.

Serhan Ayhan shares his approach to unconventional pizza toppings

There’s no denying that the classics like pepperoni, mushroom, and sausage are tried and true. But earlier this year, New York Times Cooking called Brooklyn’s Cuts & Slices oxtail pie “New York’s Most Exciting Pizza”, and lines have been out the door. Featuring unique pizzas on your menu can turn heads – and customers into your shop. Here are a few roadmaps for unconventional toppings to get you started.

Bet The Farm

Celery Root Pizza — Photo by Serhan Ayhan

One place where I frequently discover new ingredients is at our local farmer’s market. If you have access to one, challenge yourself and pick out a fruit or vegetable or other ingredient that you have never seen or heard of and start connecting the dots to other ingredients.

An invaluable tool to make these connections is The Flavor Bible by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page. The first time I encountered celery root, I did not have a CLUE what to do with it. Referencing The Flavor Bible for celery root, Gruyère (a nutty cheese) is noted as a flavorful pairing. From there, I flipped to the section for Gruyère pairings, with ham being one recommendation. While we did not have ham, we had a pancetta that complemented the Gruyère with its savory, salty, and slightly smoky flavor. The pancetta, in turn, reminded me of maple bacon, which led to the incorporation of a spicy maple syrup. Before I knew it, a beautiful and unique pizza with complex flavors was born.

Walk Down Memory Lane

Hawaiian Furikake Bar Pie — Photo by Serhan Ayhan

Not every creative pizza needs a farm to table approach. Sometimes foods like a favorite childhood snack can revisit us in the form of a pizza. Think about bites that you or others grew up with that are remembered dearly. Is there a creative and tasteful (pun intended) way to make them work on a pizza?

Earlier this year, I was thinking about how despite its name and ham & pineapple toppings, Hawaiian pizza’s origins are not from the islands. This got me wondering – how could I put a true Hawaiian twist to this pizza? I hit the web to conduct my due diligence on nostalgic Hawaiian snacks and learned about furikake Chex Mix, a popular island treat that incorporates a buttery soy sauce glaze and furikake seasoning into Chex Cereal. I topped the snack onto a Hawaiian pizza on a bar style crust, and sure enough, it was a hit – I even had pineapple haters complimenting! Chex Cereal also shared it on their socials!

Tap into the Collective Consciousness

When I get stuck in a creative rut and the well of ideas run dry, I look to others for inspiration.

One day I was walking in our neighborhood and saw some stunning in-season tangerines, and just knew that I had to think of a way to showcase them on a pizza.

Tangerine Pizza. Photo by Serhan Ayhan

When I got home, I hit the web for recipes using citrus and came across Claire Saffitz’s blood orange olive oil cake and was astonished at how she beautifully incorporated the oranges. It looked wonderful – but I wasn’t making a cake! I went through my cookbooks and found Chris Bianco’s lemon and red onion focaccia. Taking the visual cues from Claire’s cake and the execution cues from Chris’s focaccia, I created something uniquely my own: an alluring round pan pizza with thinly sliced tangerines, red onion, mozzarella, fontina, pecorino Romano, and mint.

These are but a few roadmaps to lead you to your new and creative pizzas. Deconstruct an existing dish. Look to other people and cultures. Step out of your comfort zone and don’t be afraid to try a few new things when figuring out what resonates with your customers.

Serhan Ayhan is the pizza maker of Next Level Pizza in New York, focusing on pizza pop-ups, private events, and consulting.

The post Unconventional Pizza Toppings: Beginner’s Guide appeared first on Pizza Today.

Congratulations to the 2023 Pizza Industry Excellence (PIE) Awards Winners

By Pizza Today Staff

In 2023, Emerald Expositions, the parent company of Pizza Today, launched the Pizza Industry Excellence (PIE) Awards. The PIE Awards were designed to honor pizzeria operators and help celebrate their business accomplishments. Judging recently wrapped up and winners in 24 different categories are announced here.

2023 PIE Awards Winners

• Young Entrepreneur of the Year — Laura Meyer, Pizzeria Da Laura, Berkley, California
• Pizza Chain of the Year — Pizza My Heart, Santa Cruz, California
• Best Advertising Campaign — Mattenga’s Pizzeria, San Antonio, Texas
• Top Employee Initiatives — Caliente Pizza & Draft House, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Most Interesting Menu — Slice Pizza & Brew, Birmingham, Alabama
• Best Seasonal Menu — Crafters Pizza & Draft House, Carmel, Indiana
• Community Involvement Award — Punxsy Pizza, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
• Pizzeria Startup of the Year — Blue Square Pizza, Hopkinton, Massachusetts
• Mobile Pizza Business of the Year — Cut Stone Foods, Kenosha, Wisconsin
• Best Pizzeria Website — Rotolo’s Pizza, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• Sustainability Champion — Catch-A-Fire Pizza, Blue Ash, Ohio
• Pizza Chain Executive of the Year — Nick Bogacz, Caliente Pizza & Draft House
• Best Branding — Caliente Pizza & Draft House, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Best Pizza Box Design — Varuni Napoli, Atlanta, Georgia
• Top Use of Technology — Blue Square Pizza, Hopkinton, Massachusetts
• Best Video Short — Mattenga’s Pizzeria, San Antonio, Texas
• Best Outdoor Dining Space — Parlour Pizza, Jeffersonville, Indiana
• Pizzeria Owner Mentorship Award — Tony Gemignani, Slice House by Tony Gemignani, San Francisco, California
• Pizza Company of the Year by Region:

Northwest – Farrelli’s Pizza, Tacoma, Washington
Southwest — Mattenga’s Pizzeria, San Antonio, Texas
Southeast — Slice Pizza & Brew, Birmingham, Alabama
Midwest — Catch-A-Fire Pizza, Blue Ash, Ohio
Northeast — Emmett’s on Grove, New York, New York

“Congratulations to the winners!” says Pizza Today’s Editor-in-Chief, Jeremy White. “Judging in many of the categories was particularly difficult due to the breadth of quality entries. Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter, and I hope the winners are able to use the PIE Awards in their local media markets to promote their businesses the way winners of the International Pizza Challenge and other Pizza Expo competitions do. Being nationally recognized for your hard work and dedication to your craft is a feather in your cap.”

Speaking of Pizza Expo competitions, now is the time to enter if you are looking to go head-to-head with your peers in Las Vegas. The 40^th Annual Pizza Expo is scheduled for March 19-21, 2024. Register to attend.

Once you are registered to attend the show, visit the Pizza Expo competitions page to view the competition schedule, rules and enter to compete. You can find the competitions page here: https://pizzaexpo.pizzatoday.com/competitions/

Act quickly if you hope to compete because spots are limited and fill up fast. Once they’re gone — they’re gone!

“The competitions at Pizza Expo are the highlight of the show for many,” says White. “Competitors spend many months refining recipes and techniques to impress the judges. Scoring high is no easy task, and once you win you’re in the upper echelon of pizza makers nationwide. Of course, Pizza Expo doesn’t offer only pizza-making competitions. Other opportunities exist in acrobatics, box folding and other categories. Act now if you want to show what you’ve got on the world’s biggest pizza stage!”

The post Announcing the PIE Awards Winners appeared first on Pizza Today.

Bacon breaks into 5 most popular pizza toppings! 

Updated January 2, 2024. Most popular pizza toppings vary by region and even individual pizzeria. There are some universal pizza toppings that are popular across the U.S. Pepperoni is the No. 1 pizza topping in the U.S. but in areas of Illinois, sausage beats out pepperoni for the top spot.

Pizza topping lists are continually changing as Americans’ tastes change. Hot pizza toppings in the 2010s could drop on the list in favor of others. This is true even in the top five pizza toppings. In past years, onion, green peppers and olives have made the Top 5 toppings list. Not this year; meaty toppings reign supreme.

We sought to find a definitive answer so we can track and monitor the changes each year. We went straight to pizzeria operators to find out what are the most popular pizza toppings on their menu as part of our 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report. The extensive operator survey received nearly 750 responses from across the United States. Pizzeria operators used their POS systems to identify the most popular pizza toppings. We analyzed the data to bring you the top pizza toppings in America.

What are the five most popular pizza toppings?

The Top 5 Pizza Toppings in the US are:

1. Pepperoni
2. Sausage
3. Mushroom
4. Extra Cheese
5. Bacon

Now let’s break down each of the Top Five Pizza Toppings.

1. Pepperoni

This has long been America’s favorite pizza topping. What is pepperoni made of? It’s cured sausage made of pork and beef that has been seasoned with spices like paprika, chili pepper, cayenne, black pepper and even fennel and allspice. Pepperoni varies in size from thick or thin flat laid pepperoni and cup and char pepperoni to cubed pepperoni and Old World pepperoni.

Explore more on America’s favorite pizza topping in the Pep Talk: Styles of Pepperoni, America’s No.1 Pizza Topping feature.

2. Sausage

If you are from the Midwest, sausage is often a go-to pizza topping. If you’re in Chicago, sausage is the No. 1 pizza topping in the land. Sausage varies widely in type and style. While there are sausage links like kielbasa and andouille, we tend to think of the pizza topping as ground sausage. It is flavored several ways, from fennel and sage to Italian spiced.

Try a sweet Italian sausage recipe. 

Today, pizzeria operators find unique and flavorful ways to make sausage stand out. Check out our Guide to Making Sausage in House and Pizza Topping Combos.

3. Mushroom

Mushrooms have remained a top pizza topping consistently, and for good reason. Varies are abundant. They can either stand out on a pizza or complement other pizza ingredients. The most common mushrooms used on pizza are white button mushrooms, followed by cremini and portobellos.

Get ideas on how to prepare mushrooms and whether they go over or under the cheese on pizza.

4. Extra Cheese

Extra Cheese is often a pizza topping that people don’t think of as a topping. Cheese is part of the holy trinity of pizza — crust, sauce and cheese. But Americans love cheese and lots of it, so pizzerias added an “extra cheese” option long ago that has become one of the most popular toppings.

Learn more about how to price extra cheese in Extra Cheese, a Top Five Pizza Topping — What to Charge.

5. Bacon

This brings us to the newbie on the list. We have watched bacon climb up the toppings list for years. As we analyzed the survey data, it was no surprise to us that bacon broke into the Top 5 Pizza Toppings. After all, bacon is a key ingredient on several popular specialty pizzas across the country. The mantra “everything is better with bacon” stands on pizza as well.

Deep dive into bacon pizza with these two features:

Bacon on Pizza: Crispy Business

You’re Bacon Me Crazy

What are the Top 10 Pizza Toppings in America?

Let’s go further than the Top 5 Pizza Toppings and look at the top 10 most popular pizza toppings in American according to pizzeria operators.

1. Pepperoni
2. Sausage
3. Mushroom
4. Extra Cheese
5. Bacon
6. Chicken
7. Onion
8. Red/Green Bell Pepper
9. Ham
10. Black Olives

Explore more about this year’s pizza topping trends including the Top 20 most popular pizza toppings in our 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report.

Looking for more new topping ideas?

If you are looking for new pizza topping ideas, we have several stories that give you inspiration for pizza toppings to try in your kitchen. Check out these pizza toppings articles:

Hottest of Hot Pizza Topping Trends 2024 — New Pizza toppings to add right now

Unconventional Pizza Toppings: Beginner’s Guide

The post The Top 5 Pizza Toppings are… appeared first on Pizza Today.

Laura Meyer shares the most common pizza dough questions she has received

The more you learn about fermentation the more you understand how little you actually know. Learning to make dough, especially sourdough, is just like raising a child. You create a mix, attempt to get it on a feeding schedule or dough production schedule, control a routine for consistency, and then everything changes and you’re stuck wondering why it’s not behaving the way it did yesterday or the week before. There are so many factors at play when it comes to not just dough making but dough handling and as soon as one element changes, everything changes. So, here are a few questions I always get asked that may be something you are overlooking.

Q: What are some of the common mistakes that are attributed to inconsistencies?

A: Cold dough in a hot oven is a recipe for inconsistency in both doneness and coloration. On busy nights it can be easy to get caught up in the rush and speed at which things are moving resulting in needing to use dough that was pulled directly out of the refrigerator. Everyone does it because when the rush is on it’s hard to stop and think about tiny details. I know space is a key factor here, but staging dough helps my pizzeria avoid the dreaded gum line that most often occurs with cold dough. My crew uses a speed rack that sits outside of the walk-in in our prep area. When we notice, we are starting to pick up speed the crew will pull out half a rack of dough or even an entire rack worth so that as the night wears on we are pulling dough from the rack outside of the fridge instead of dough directly from the fridge. Our prep area isn’t as hot as our pizza area but moving dough from the fridge to a warmer area and then to the warmest area makes sure that the dough comes to temp as we need it. Cold sauce is another contributing factor to gum lines. We make sure to use containers that are large enough so we do not run out of sauce every 10 minutes, but they are small enough that they aren’t sitting out for hours at a time.

Q: How do I get large pockets and big oven spring?

A: I have heard this question quite a bit over the last few years thanks to Instagram and social media. Everyone is looking for giant crumb structure because it gives you the ooh and awe factor, but it has also made a lot of people think that giant crumb structure equals good pizza. Big, open structure does show well cooked dough but it does not always mean great flavor. But how do you achieve it? There’s more than one factor that contributes to an open crumb. Using a preferment, specifically a biga, can help aid in large pockets. Fermentation time coupled with temperature is always going to shape your final product but proper use of your oven is key. All ovens have vents. Most pizza makers set their ovens and never touch them but depending on the style and whether you are using a par bake or not, opening and closing your vents will give you the oven spring you are looking for. As your dough cooks, the water in your dough is going to turn into steam and then want to escape. Closing the vents on your oven will trap the steam in your oven, aiding in oven spring as well as help develop a crispy crust. The key is when to open the vents. If you are par baking you really only need to keep the vents closed for 2-3 minutes and then open the vents to release the steam. Opening the vents is an important step because without this too much moisture is trapped in the oven and the dough does not have a chance to dry out and crisp. If you are making multiple styles of pizza or are just busy, I like to keep the vents halfway open. With the vents partially opened during service it slows down the escape of steam too quickly, ensuring a well baked pizza. One of the last elements that will change the spring of your dough is how you stretch and how much of an allowance you leave for your crust.

Q: Do I need a different dough if I want to make different styles?

A: The short but not simple answer is yes and no. If you are a traditionalist, yes, you need a different dough. If you want nuance and subtlety, yes, you need different doughs. If you are looking to streamline, are limited on space and equipment, or are just in a place that you want to offer variety but are not ready to make big changes, then no, you do not need a different dough. I recommend doing some research and finding the middle ground between styles when it comes to protein levels in flour,
hydration content within recipes, usage of fats and sugar. You’ll want to come up with a recipe that checks all the boxes but is right down the middle. How you manipulate them is the key. Extending fermentation times, using both warm and cold temperatures for fermentation, usage of preferments, proofing times, humidity control, thickness of doughs for pan pizzas, oven temps, and simply changing your hand techniques will all give you different outcomes. The beauty of pizza is in the small details that make it unique to you so the best thing you can do is not get complacent and continue to play and try new things. You never know what you’ll find when you start making mistakes.

Laura Meyer is the owner of Pizzeria da Laura in Berkeley, CA.

>> Explore answers to more common pizza dough questions in Troubleshooting your Pizza Dough: What’s wrong with my pizza dough? <<

The post Knead to Know: Most Common Pizza Dough Questions appeared first on Pizza Today.

Canned Veggie to Pizza Topping Star

Writing this article brought me back to the R&D days of Wholly Stromboli. I had many pie-in-the-sky ideas about which products I would and would not use in my restaurant. Settling for canned roasted red peppers, peeled garlic in a plastic jug, and pickled jalapeño, for convenience’s sake, were options that I initially did not want to consider. Because I prided myself on using only the freshest ingredients and loved the flavor and aroma of a fresh clove of garlic or the taste and texture of fresh roasted red peppers, I was going to figure out the labor and efficiency piece. I am sure you know how that worked out. Of course, I buy whole peeled garlic in a plastic jug, canned roasted red pepper, and as for the jalapeños …  I only switched to fresh sliced jalapeños about a year ago.

My point is if you plan to do any amount of volume in your restaurant, you’re probably going to have to plan on using canned veggies, and while I consider some canned veggies like sliced Spanish olives and pickled jalapeño a commodity, other things like artichoke hearts, fire-roasted green chilies, roasted red peppers and especially tomatoes can vary in taste, texture and quality.

How much to spend should be driven by your price point and your target food cost. For what I consider commodity canned goods, my main focus is the consistency of the product and pricing. However, when we’re talking about canned tomatoes, I pull out all the stops! I only use the best. I want a tomato that is packed fresh from the field, not subjected to excess heat during the canning process, and does not contain any preservatives.

Fire-roasted green chilies are one of my favorite ingredients to use in soups, ‘bolis and pizzas. We are pretty spoiled here in Colorado because we have some of the best fire-roasted Hatch green chilies around. One of my favorite fall traditions is going to pick up a bushel of fresh fire-roasted chilies, but hand peeling and dicing bushels of them is not practical and the labor cost does not make good financial sense for my operation.

When looking for a canned Hatch green chili, I want moderate heat and minimal residual skins, seeds, stems or crowns. There are different levels of quality, and you will find less of that waste material in a higher-quality product. A note about diced Hatch green chilies: they are a potentially hazardous product and must be handled properly according to HACCP guidelines for storage. Therefore, they must be stored below any ready-to-eat foods. When storing them, I prefer to drain off some of the natural juices, only retaining enough to keep them from drying out. I prep them into the containers that we use on the line and use a perforated scoop to portion them for use in recipes.

I prefer artichoke hearts canned in their natural juices instead of a marinade. Not that I don’t like the taste of the marinade, but I use artichokes in a variety of salads, pasta dishes, pizzas and stromboli, and the marinade will overpower the other flavors. I prefer to store these in their juices, enough to cover them. They tend to be in large pieces, so I cut them in half.

I find there is a balance between retaining some of the natural juices of canned vegetables and draining them completely. On one hand, storing them on your makeline with the juices intact will preserve the quality and prevent them from drying out. On the other hand, too much juice will make for a soggy pizza or stromboli and add unwanted flavors to your pasta dishes. My preferred method is to store these ingredients on the line, with enough juice to cover the ingredients. I prefer to use a perforated portion cup or scoop so that the juice can be drained off at the time of use. I don’t find it necessary to rinse most vegetables, however, if I am using beans in a salad, I do prefer to rinse them before use.

Canned vegetables are convenient to use, easy to store, have a long shelf life, and are generally safe because the heat during the canning process kills most bacteria. That being said, it is important to handle canned goods properly to ensure the safety of your guests.

Here are a few tips for safely handling canned goods. Cans should be inspected during the receiving process. Significantly dented cans, especially if the dents are located on a seam whether it be along the lid, bottom or on the side seam should be separated from the rest of your inventory and labeled for return to your distributor. If you drop a can and cause the dent yourself, open the can immediately, place the contents in another container, and put the product into rotation. Ensure that your can opener blade is clean, sharp and in good working condition. Dirty blades can potentially contaminate food products with deadly bacteria, and dull blades can cause injuries. Partially attached lids are dangerous and can cause nasty injuries to your team. Do not store ingredients in opened cans. Place them in an NSF-approved container with a day dot as directed by your local health department guidelines.

While you may not think of canned corn as a typical ingredient in a pizzeria, corn is a creative way to bring some diversity to your menu. Take your basic green salad, add canned corn, grilled chicken, avocado, jalapeño rings and tomato for a fun southwestern salad. Zip up your ranch dressing by adding diced, canned jalapeño or green chilies and Buffalo sauce.

Elote corn or Mexican Street Corn is a dish that is typically made with roasted corn stripped from the Cobb, blended with mayonnaise, crema, Cotija cheese, and a chili lime seasoning. My version of Mexican street corn pizza is a creative spin on the popular dish. I make a white pizza, using cream cheese blended with diced, canned green chilies as the base and mozzarella cheese, drained canned corn tossed in lime juice, cayenne pepper, cumin, granulated garlic and chili powder, add grilled chicken, and jalapeño rings, and bake. Top with the seasoned corn and drizzle with a dressing made from a mixture of crema and mayonnaise and dress with fresh cilantro.

Summed up, canned veggies add efficiency and convenience to our operations, but why not have a little fun with them as well?

MELISSA RICKMAN is co-founder of Wholly Stromboli in Fort Lupton, Colorado, and member of the World Pizza Champions.

The post What do you do with Canned Vegetables? appeared first on Pizza Today.

Magical Pesto

Pesto is one of those magic pizza toppings that can turn the most basic pie into something really special. The classic recipe is comprised of just a few ingredients but there’s no limit to putting your own unique spin on it.

While most people associate pesto with the basil and garlic heavy version, there are quite a few traditional variations depending on what region of Italy you are in. The celebrated, and extremely delicious, pesto that is comprised of pine nuts, basil, garlic, Parmigiana Reggiano, Pecorino and extra virgin olive oil originated in Genoa in the province of Liguria. To truly make this in the Genoese way, a mortar and pestle are required. In Calabria, pesto all Calabrese consists of roasted bell peppers, garlic, black pepper, basil, cheese and olive oil. Sicily’s version is very similar but with the addition of tomatoes. Other countries have their takes on pesto such as in France you have Pistou, which is a combination of basil, parsley, crushed garlic and grated cheese. Spain makes Romesco, which is a red paste of Romesco chili peppers blended with tomatoes, sweet red peppers, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil.

Six Components to Pesto

Regardless of what type you are making, there are six components to any pesto:

Greens and herbs: Basil is the most common, but you can add or sub anything from cilantro to arugula to kale and even throw in some chives or mint. Of course, you can add other vegetables and fruits that aren’t green such as tomatoes and bell peppers.

Cheese: Traditionally aged, hard cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano are used as they have a sharp, salty flavor. But you can also use other cheeses such as Cotija, Manchego or aged Cheddar. If you want to do a vegan version there are a lot of nut cheeses out there or you can forgo the cheese entirely and add in a squeeze of lemon and an extra pinch of salt to balance it out.

Nuts or seeds: There are so many options when it comes to this component. Pine nuts are delicious but they are very pricey so a few other great options are walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and pistachios. You can enhance the flavor by toasting the nuts or seeds before adding them to the pesto.

Oil: I’m a purest when it comes to oil and almost always lean towards a good quality extra virgin olive oil. That’s not to say there aren’t other great oils out there and each has its own use.

Garlic: This is a big one and a very distinct flavor of pesto. That’s not to say you can’t substitute it for another plant in the Allium family. Spring garlic, leeks, green onions and chives will make for an interesting pesto depending on what you pair it with.

Salt and other seasonings: As with every other pizza or dish you make, the correct salt is essential. If you’re using a saltier cheese, you won’t need very much, if any at all, but don’t forget to taste the finished product.

Non-Traditional Pesto Ideas

After you’ve made your ideal pesto it’s time to put it on a pizza. Pesto is one of those toppings that go great with both veggies and meat. You can add it separately onto the pizza or use it as a marinade for other toppings such as chicken, pork, onions, kale or even a white fish or shrimp. Here are a few ideas to get you started

• Sun-dried tomato pesto with artichoke hearts, feta, Kalamata olives and red onion.
• Sunflower seed and lemon basil pesto with roasted fennel, Italian sausage and sweet onion.
• Arugula pesto with anchovies, thinly sliced lemon and breadcrumbs
• Cilantro pumpkin seed pesto with poblano chilies, Cotija, delicate squash and leeks.
• Roasted red pepper pesto with eggplant, zucchini and sweet onions.
• Pistachio pesto with mortadella and burrata.

The application of pesto is an essential part of the pizza — how and when you add it to your pie. If you put it on pre-bake you can either use it as the base of the pizza, use a squeeze bottle or pastry bag to drizzle it on or dollop it on top with a spoon. If you use it as the sauce on the base, I would recommend making the pesto itself thinner by adding more oil or even a bit of water so it’s easier to spread. The other option is to add the pesto post bake, which is my current favorite way. Putting the pesto on after it comes out of the oven is visually more appealing as it keeps its vibrant color. A squeeze bottle is also quicker and for the most part you get a better yield on the product.

Pesto is very versatile. Not only is it fantastic on pizza but it can and should be cross utilized throughout your menu. Don’t hesitate to make it into a side dish, think burrata with pesto and toasted focaccia. It can be thinned out into a dressing mixed with seasonal veggies or used as a pasta sauce option. You can marinate chicken or beef in it for toppings or something as simple as a dipping sauce.

Try this pesto pizza recipe.

Go Fish

This recipe features anchovies, Brussels sprouts, lemon and an arugula pesto.

Get the Go Fish Recipe.

Audrey Kelly owns Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage in Boulder, Colorado.

The post The versatile Pesto sauce can be used as topping, base, marinade, dressing appeared first on Pizza Today.

A look at this year’s pizza trends, pizza industry statistics and analysis

Welcome to our second annual Pizzeria Industry Trends Report presented by Pizza Today. We provide you, pizzeria operators and pizza professional, with a gauge of vital pizzeria insights, issues and trends backed by your most trusted pizza industry source, Pizza Today.  This is also a critical resource for industry partners and others who want to gain insights on current pizza industry trends. We surveyed 748 pizzeria owners from across the country to see what’s happening in America’s pizzerias. We combed through surveys, national reports and key industry indicators to bring you the 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report.

Special thanks to the 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report Sponsors:

Table of Contents — 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report

• 2024 Pizza Industry Key Findings
  • What’s Important to the Independent Pizzeria Operator?
  • Current Independent Pizzeria Market Trends
  • Pizza Concepts & Sales — Keeping it Casual
  • Current Pizza Industry Revenue Streams Changes
• Pizzeria Labor Trends — The Employee Conundrum
• Current Pizzeria Menu Trends
  • 2024 Pizza Style Trends
  • America’s Top 10 Pizza Styles
  • Pizza Styles on the Rise
  • Detroit is Still on Top as Trending Pizza Style
  • 2024 Pizza Toppings Trends
  • Top 10 Pizza Toppings in the U.S.
  • Hot Pizza Toppings to Watch
  • Pizza Cheese Trends — Cheese Please!
  • Specialty/Dietary Pizza Options
  • Pizza Toppings on Their Way Out
  • Regional Pizzeria Trends Breakdown
  • Best-Selling Non-pizza Items
• Pizzeria Marketing Trends 2024
  • 2024 Restaurant Marketing Trends to Watch
  • Where are pizzerias putting their advertising dollars?
  • Pizzeria Social Media Trends 2024
• Pizza Restaurant Technology Trends
• Pizzeria Equipment Buying Trends
• Pizzeria Industry 2024 Outlook: A Look Forward
  • Business Priorities
  • Eyes on Adding Units
  • Renovations on the Horizon
  • 2024 Looks Cautiously Optimistic

2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report Sponsors:

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2024 Pizza Industry Key Findings — Top Pizza Trends

After producing our first State of the Pizza Industry report in 2023, we knew the key this year would be not so much in the data, but in how it has changed (or not) in the last 12 months. The ability to compare makes it easier to identify and analyze trends, which is the primary consideration now that we have two years’ worth of extensive metrics.

Some key findings and takeaways that jumped out the most when filtering through the data delivered in this year’s operator survey came top of mind when we ran the numbers through AI to find out what is most trending. The results:

• Online ordering’s increase is not slowing. Its importance to the industry is paramount.
• Quality remains king. Operators continue to say the quality of the ingredients they use remains the driving factor in their ability to retain customers.
• Style variety matters. The trend of offering different styles of pizza is not slowing. Customers are now expecting it.
• Plant-based and Vegan demand remains. Operators continue ramping up their efforts to provide these options to consumers.
• Labor Woes. The pandemic may be over, but the labor pool has not gotten much deeper from last year, according to pizzeria owners.
• Automation. Operators are seeking ways to streamline operations to battle the lack of labor and to meet consumer expectations.
• Staying Social. Marketing via the various social media channels remains a critical opportunity, and sometimes a challenge, for pizzeria owners.

We uncovered many more trends, so this is just a topline overview of some prominent recurring responses in our survey data. Read on to dive deeper into what we’ve spent the last several months crunching and compiling!

What’s Important to the Independent Pizzeria Operator?

The pizzeria market as a whole is poised to continue its growth over the next few years. North America’s pizza market is set to grow by 6.11% and $51.38 billion, according to Technavio’s Pizza Market by Type and Geography – Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026. How big of an impact does the Independent Pizzeria Market have on those figures? Estimates vary widely from 40% to 60% represent independent pizzerias. Pizza Today classifies independent pizzerias as pizzerias not under a franchise or license agreement with nine or fewer units. The Indie Pizza Market is thriving in the U.S. post-pandemic. But, today’s independent operations are also facing many unprecedented hurdles. Let’s take a deeper look at the independent pizzeria market.

More independent operators completed our survey than the previous year. Of the 748 responses, 606 were independent operators. Amongst independent operation respondents surveyed, 73 percent of the pizzerias were single unit, while the remaining 27 percent operated two to nine units, which is the same unit breakdown as last year.

Current Independent Pizzeria Market Trends

Independents are finding optimism and challenges when we asked them what they see as the biggest pizza industry trends. While AI found the big picture ideas above, analyzing the independent market responses reflect what’s happening in American smaller pizzerias.

Costs and inflation are impacting the small pizzerias. This will require operators to continue to find cost savings and additional revenue sources in the coming year.

Operators are better equipped to tackle food costs. While costs soar, independents have been laser focused on reigning in food costs and it shows. We are seeing an encouraging increase in the number of respondents maintaining a 22% or less food cost and less operations teetering over that pivotal 30% mark.

Emphasize customer satisfaction. It’s more important than ever to find ways to keep customers happy, especially in a digital interface, whether that be your online ordering system or third-party delivery.

Innovation and technology are in reach of single-unit operators. As customers depend on technology for daily interactions, independents are meeting the demand by installing and upgrading systems. But, they are not stopping there, operators are continuing to upgrade their operating systems and equipment for efficiency and effectiveness and to ease labor issues.

Independents are leading the charge in menu creativity. They are rolling out new pizza styles and pizza topping combinations that are being noticed by major chains.

Independents are looking for sustainability and local sourcing. Each year we are seeing indies increasingly doing their part to create more sustainable businesses. A major factor is access to local products and pricing of eco-friendly products being more available to the singe-unit operator.

Casual dining dominates independents. While fast casual and counter service are trending, the bread and butter of the indie market is sit-down casual dining.

Indies need to explore new revenue streams. Offering catering, third-party delivery, merchandise, mobile units and beer and liquor are all up this year.

Look to events for additional revenue. We are seeing some upward momentum in room/facility rentals, fee-based special events and classes and entertainment on premise.

Pizza Concepts & Sales — Keeping it Casual

What’s in a concept? Apparently, everything. 90.31 percent of our survey respondents were independent pizzerias with 9 or fewer stores. When we asked them to define their concept type, 38.3 percent selected casual dining. Another 30.25 percent opted for fast-casual.

Meanwhile, 16.54% say they offer carryout and delivery only. We found that particularly interesting as that was the same number as in last year’s survey. Yet last year, the casual concepts totaled 72.4% compared to 68.55% this year. So, where’s the difference?

A surge in Quick Serve is where the numbers point us as compared to 2022. As consumers continue to lead busier and busier lives, convenience trumps experience.

Current Pizza Industry Revenue Streams Changes

With that in mind, do we see any changes in revenue streams as compared to the prior 12 months? Let’s dive into it.

In 2022, pizzeria owners told us a diversification of their revenue streams were essential to their businesses. Catering, food trucks, alcohol delivery and adding grocery items were the top responses. Fast forward to this year’s data and while those streams remain important, we see that catering, beer and liquor to go and market/grocery items have slightly dipped (less than two percent each), while third-party delivery (38.75% are deploying it) is slightly growing. The biggest growth witnessed in the last year, however, comes as a result of more pizzerias returning to a dine-in focus: 15.5% say room/facility rentals for large groups or parties fueled important revenue in the past year.

Speaking of third-party delivery, where do we as an industry now stand on what has often been a divisive subject?

In 2022, income from third-party delivery was a driver for 37.2 percent of respondents. This year, that number increased very slightly to 38.75%. However, the numbers show third-party sales are becoming a larger part of the overall revenue puzzle. In 2022, 18.5% of our respondents said third-party sales accounted for more than 11% of their total overall sales. This year? That number is up to 22.45% of respondents. So, while roughly the same number of pizzerias are partnering with third-party delivery companies, there is a nearly 4% boost overall in how much third-party is impacting the bottom line.

Can the same be said of online ordering? In a nutshell, yes.

• In 2022, 26.4% said they did not offer online ordering. That number is now down to 23.4%.
• In 2022, 14.6% said that online ordering accounted for 18-27% of their overall sales. This year, 17.66% gave that answer. Online ordering continues to drive significant revenue in the industry, and it appears to still be steadily and consistently growing.

2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report Sponsors:

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Pizzeria Labor Trends — The Employee Conundrum

Labor is not only a significant expense, but a most-oft listed headache amongst pizzeria owners. In last year’s survey we discovered that overall outlook was improving. Did that optimism come to fruition?

Not really.

Statistically speaking, the number of employees pizzerias have in 2023 vs. 2022 remains virtually unchanged. 38.3% have 10 or fewer employees as compared to 37.9% last year. However, labor costs are on the rise: last year 26% of operations carried a labor cost between 29-35%. Now, 28.33% tell us their labor cost falls into that range, while an additional 10.1% of respondents say their labor cost is above 35%.

13.54% of survey respondents say they have increased employee pay by 12 or more percent. Additionally, 19.67 percent of respondents say they have increased employee wages by 7-11%.

2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report Sponsors:

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Current Pizzeria Menu Trends

To stay up to date on the latest pizzeria menu trends, we examined what’s hot on pizzeria menus, what’s being added and what’s being removed. From pizza styles to other menu categories, operators shared what’s trending on menus across America.

First and foremost, our respondents know pizza! Nearly 80% of survey respondents shared that 55% or more of their total sales came from pizza sales and 41% said 80% or more were pizza sales.

Now, let’s dive into some menu category trends, including pizza styles, pizza toppings, and other menu items.

2024 Pizza Style Trends

Offering multiple pizza styles continues to dominate the pizza market with over 68% of our respondents offering more than one pizza style. That is up 4% over last year.

America’s Top 10 Pizza Styles

New York continues to be the No. 1 Pizza Style in America. There has been movement in pizza styles offered at pizzerias in the U.S. Comparing our responses from last year, Neapolitan moved up one spot to No. 5 and Chicago Thin fell two places to No. 6. NEOpolitan entered the Top 10 for the first time tying with Chicago Thick. Here are the Top 10 Pizza Styles in America:

1. New York
2. Traditional American
3. Sicilian
4. Deep Dish
5. Neapolitan
6. Chicago Thin
7. Detroit
8. Grandma
9. California/American Artisan
10. Chicago Thick and NEOpolitan (Tie)

More than 15% of our respondents indicated that they offered a style other than the 25 listed styles. Some common style themes among the respondents that selected other include blending two pizza styles, non-recognized local/regional styles, gluten-free, cauliflower crust and stuffed crusts.

Pizza Styles on the Rise

It’s challenging to predict which pizza style will be the year’s trending pizza style. So, we asked our operators if they intend to add a pizza style in the coming year, what style will they add. The responses were a bit different than last year.

Detroit is Still on Top as Trending Pizza Style

Detroit Style Pizza is proving it has staying power as the hot pizza style to add. A mover and shaker is New York-style pizza making its debut in the Top 5 Pizza Styles to add. Pushed out of the Top 5 by a paper-thin margin is Roman style. Here are the Top 5 Pizza Style trending this year:

1. Detroit
2. Grandma and Deep Dish (Tie)
3. Sicilian
4. New York
5. Chicago Thin

Are you looking to add Detroit-style pizza? We’ve put together a complete guide on Detroit pizza including characteristics of Detroit pizza, its history, tips on making Detroit style pizza, Detroit pizzerias to look at, and Detroit style pizza recipes and tutorials. Check out our Detroit Style Pizza: A Guide to Detroit Pizza.

Want to test one of the five Trending Pizza Styles?

We’ve created a guide with dough recipes and dough formula with tips from some the best pizza masters and dough experts in the U.S., including Tony Gemignani, Laura Meyer, Anthony Falco, Derek Sanchez, Jeff Smokevitch, John Arena and the late Dough Doctor Tom Lehmann. Go to Dough Recipes for Top Trending Pizza Styles and start testing a new pizza style in your kitchen.

2024 Pizza Toppings Trends

Pizza Topping preferences can very region by region. But first let’s see which pizza toppings are the most popular nationally. This year’s 20 most popular pizza toppings offer by pizzerias in America are:

Top 10 Pizza Toppings in the U.S.:

1. Pepperoni
2. Sausage
3. Mushroom
4. Extra Cheese
5. Bacon
6. Chicken
7. Onion
8. Red/Green Bell Pepper
9. Ham
10. Black Olives

Let’s round out the Top 20 Pizza Toppings in America:

11. Meatballs
12. Canadian Bacon
13. Jalapenos
14. Pineapple
15. Beef
16. Basil
17. Banana Peppers
18. Fresh garlic
19. Tomatoes
20. Spinach

Hot Pizza Toppings to Watch

Popular pizza toppings can vary by pizzeria. So, we asked operators what pizza toppings they have introduced in the past 12 months to get a gauge on what’s hot with pizza toppings.

We found toppings that are new to pizzeria menus include:

• Going with a different pepperoni style like cup and char or old world
• Vegan meat and cheese alternatives
• Sweet toppings including hot honey, fig jam and maple syrup.
• Cup and char sausage, as well as Italian sausage
• Caramelized and Pickled Veggies
• Sweet and hot pepper varieties, including jalapeños, cherry peppers, and pasilla peppers
• Mexican-inspired meats like Birria, chorizo and carne asada
• BBQ pork, chicken and brisket

Executive Editor Denise Greer’s 2024 Topping Picks

In addition to our operator survey, Executive Editor Denise Greer monitors topping trends in America. Her picks include mortadella, corn and smoked salmon. See what other toppings made the list.

Pizza Cheese Trends — Cheese Please!

Part of the holy trinity of pizza, cheese is an area of evolution. Operators are constantly looking for ways to make their pizza stand out from competitors and cheese is a big wow factor. The biggest take away from cheeses added is blending cheeses.

Among the new toppings operators look to add, new cheeses are hot. Here are some new cheese additions:

• Ricotta
• Cheddar
• Fresh Mozzarella
• Goat Cheese
• Parmigiano Crema
• Cojita Cheese
• Scamorza
• Vegan Cheese
• Blue Cheese
• Feta

Specialty/Dietary Pizza Options

Offering dietary and specialty pizza options have been critical for diners as parties choose restaurants that can meet the needs of every person in their group. We asked operators of the dietary/specialty pizza options, which they offer in their pizzeria. Here is the breakdown:

• Vegetarian — 82%
• Vegan/Plant-based Alternatives — 30%
• Dairy-free — over 29%
• Gluten-free crust — over 65%
• Cauliflower crust — 39%

Pizza Toppings on Their Way Out

The biggest takeaway from our operator survey on toppings to remove from the list is that the majority are not removing any pizza toppings at all. Of the respondents who indicated they have removed toppings, those items include: beef, black olives, vegan meat and cheese alternatives, artichokes and shrimp.

Pizza Toppings on the Horizon

Pizza makers and operators are constantly testing new pizza combinations. In our survey, we wanted to know what toppings are in research and development. This year, the creativity in pizza kitchens is high. Here are some common themes among operators who are experimenting with pizza toppings at their shop:

Meat is king! They are working with meat toppings out of the norm from pork belly and smoked brisket to prosciutto and cup and char sausage.

Find the right plant-based toppings. Pizzerias are looking for the best plant-based products that work for their vegan and meat- and dairy-free customers.

More shops are incorporating hot honey. Hot pepper-infused honey came on the scene years ago. But hot honey is still being added to menus across the country.

Play with unique and creative toppings. While some may be seasonal, unique pizza toppings are finding their way onto menus, from more exotic mushrooms like shiitake to persimmons, waffles and even octopus. Others include smoked Kalamata olives, sweet drop peppers, curry sauce, lemons and pecans.

Look to International flavors. Mexican, Cuban, Indian and other Asian specialties inspired pizzas are wowing culinary explorers at pizzerias.

New this Year – Regional Pizzeria Trends Breakdown

With so many responses from pizzeria operators, we’re able to look at what’s happening regionally in the Pizza Industry. The regions are broken down as follows:

Regional Key

Northeast Region – including New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont) and the Middle Atlantic (New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania)

Midwest Region — including East North Central (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin) and West North Central (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota)

South Region — including South Atlantic (Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia); East South Central (Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee) and West South Central (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas)

West Region — including Mountain (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming) and Pacific (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington)

Northeastern U.S. Pizza Trends

What Pizza Styles are hot in the Northeast?

The Top 5 Pizza Styles in Pizzerias in the Northeast are:

1. New York Style
2. Sicilian
3. Traditional America
4. Neapolitan
5. Grandma

The national Top 5 Pizza Toppings hold strong in the Northeast at:

1. Pepperoni
2. Sausage
3. Mushroom
4. Extra cheese
5. Bacon

But as we move into the Top 10, meatballs and banana pepper prove to be more popular in the Northeast than nationally.

1. Chicken
2. Onion
3. Red/Green pepper
4. Meatballs
5. Banana Peppers

Here is a quick glance at some toppings that pizzerias in the Northeast are testing: cup and char pepperoni, nduja, apples, vegan toppings and shredded pork.

Midwest U.S. Pizza Trends

What Pizza Styles are hot in the Midwest?

The Top 5 Pizza Styles in Pizzerias in the Midwest are:

1. Traditional America
2. Chicago Thin
3. New York Style
4. Deep Dish
5. Detroit

The national Top 5 pizza toppings didn’t hold as Extra Cheese fell out in favor of onion. The Top 5 Pizza Toppings in the Midwest are:

1. Pepperoni
2. Sausage
3. Mushroom
4. Bacon
5. Onion

Here is a quick glance at some toppings that pizzerias in the Midwest are testing: cup and char sausage, chorizo, mortadella, plant-based alternatives, fried chicken, BBQ meats and pickled vegetables.

Southern U.S. Pizza Trends

What Pizza Styles are hot in the South?

The Top 5 Pizza Styles in Pizzerias in the South are:

1. New York Style
2. Traditional America
3. Sicilian
4. Deep Dish
5. Neapolitan

The national Top 5 Pizza Toppings hold strong in the South at:

1. Pepperoni
2. Sausage
3. Mushroom
4. Extra cheese
5. Bacon

But the rest of the Top 10 stray away from the national list. Beef moves into the Top 10. Here are standings:

1. Onion
2. Chicken
3. Red/Green pepper
4. Beef
5. Ham

Here is a quick glance at some toppings that pizzerias in the South are testing: short ribs, plant-based alternatives, crab and kielbasa.

Western U.S. Pizza Trends

What Pizza Styles are hot in the West?

The West favors California over Deep Dish compared to the national list. The Top 5 Pizza Styles in Pizzerias in the West are:

1. New York Style
2. Traditional America
3. California/American Artisan
4. Sicilian
5. Neapolitan

There is some shakeup in the West’s Top 5 Pizza Toppings with chicken entering the list. The West’s Top 5 are:

1. Pepperoni
2. Sausage
3. Mushroom
4. Chicken
5. Bacon

The rest of the Top 10 stray away from the national list with pineapple and jalapeno moving into the Top 10. Here are standings:

1. Extra cheese
2. Black Olives
3. Onion
4. Jalapenos
5. Pineapple

Here is a quick glance at some toppings that pizzerias in the West are testing: pickled jalapeno, salmon, Hatch green chilies, kale, potato, lemon and figs.

Rounding Out a Pizzeria Menu

While some pizzerias keep their menus tight, sticking with pizza only, many others offer a diverse menu of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, entrees and desserts. What’s working on menus at pizzerias?

Best-Selling Non-pizza Items are:

We asked operators what their top-selling non-pizza items were and there are several common items among pizzerias. They include:

Wings. Wings remain hot on menus whether traditional Buffalo style, dry rub or sauced with unique flavors. One piece of advice, offer some heat options.

Salads. Healthy, cold salads pair well with hot and filling pizza. Salads range from a simple wedge to Caesar and seasonal harvest salads.

Pastas. Offerings tend to favor classic Italian entrees.

Garlic Knots/Breadsticks/Garlic Bread. These low-cost apps are winners and use leftover pizza dough.

13 Pizzeria Menu Trends from the Pizza Industry Trends Report

Executive Editor Denise Greer outlines Pizzeria Menu Trends from the Pizza Industry Trends Report. Explore Pizza and Pizza Toppings Trends, popular entrees, hot appetizers, alternative pizza crusts.

Explore 13 Pizzeria Menu Trends from the Pizza Industry Trends Report.

2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report Sponsors:

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Pizzeria Marketing Trends 2024

Marketing trends in many markets fluctuate depending on what’s hot a particular year. The pizza industry takes a steadier approach to marketing. We do not see huge changes from year to year. But there are several indicators that are showing changes from last year.

First, let’s examine budgets. More pizzerias are devoting at least 1% of their overall budget to marketing at 87%, up 4% over last year. Approximately 42 percent dedicating one to two percent, and 28 percent of our survey respondents budgeting three to four percent.

2024 Restaurant Marketing Trends to Watch

We’ve scoured dozens and dozens of 2024 marketing trend predictions to give you a look at what’s hot and what’s relevant to pizzerias. Check out 10 marketing trends to watch in 2024:

1. Online ordering is more valuable than just order taking. It is a marketing tool to increase check averages and frequency.
2. A strong social presence will dominate campaigns. Restaurants will continue to pour energies and budgets towards social strategies with an emphasis on short-form video, influencer campaigns and social commerce.
3. AI has hit the small-business markets. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are being used to optimize the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
4. Customer data is ever more vital to growth. Use customer data more personally, as well as protect that data.
5. Cause marketing never goes out of style. Hone in on the organizations that are important to you and fit your overall brand.
6. Go hyper local with your social influencer and media campaigns. While everyone loves national exposure, go after local for a high return.
7. Voice Search taps into your search engine optimization (SEO) ranking when users prompt “Hey, Siri”, “Hey Alexa” or “Hey Google” with local pizza questions.
8. Claiming and interacting with Review Sites will be critical to your online presence.
9. Giving customers free WiFi access allows you to capture customer data.
10. Optimize or upgrade those loyalty programs. A good loyalty program will have a huge ROI.

Where are pizzerias putting their advertising dollars?

In our extensive survey, we asked operators where they are devoting their advertising budgets. Here is a look at that breakdown:

Pizzeria Social Media Trends 2024

Over 93 percent of American pizzerias promote their businesses through Facebook, followed by Instagram (71%). X (24%) and TikTok (20%). Facebook and TikTok are up 5% from last year. When asked which social channel provides the best ROI, Facebook led at 67 percent and Instagram followed at 26 percent.

Takeaways from social movers and shakers 20024:

• Facebook still dominates the pizza industry’s social space.
• Instagram and X formerly Twitter have steady usage in the industry.
• Both TikTok and YouTube are on the rise.
• Recently launched Threads has almost zero presence in the industry.

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Pizza Restaurant Technology Trends — Tech Nation

Technology is driving development in pizzerias like never before. We asked pizzeria owners “Which of the following new technology and equipment did you invest in over the past 12 months?” Here were the answers:

• Point of Sale Systems — 35.85%
• Online Ordering Technology — 24.91%
• Contactless Payment — 15.47%
• Phone Systems — 15.09%
• Loyalty Systems — 14.34%
• Ordering Apps — 9.81%
• Tablets for Servers — 7.92%
• Digital Menu Boards — 7.17%
• Text Ordering 4.91%
• Order Kiosks — 2.64%
• Artificial Intelligence Voice or Chat — 2.26%

A whopping 36.23 percent said they did not invest in any new tech equipment in the past year.

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Pizzeria Equipment Buying Trends — Equipment Breakdown

What about general restaurant equipment? We asked our respondents “What equipment do you plan to purchase in the next 12 months?” Here were the results:

• Refrigeration: 46.83%
• Oven: 35.71%
• Prep Tables: 29.37%
• Freezers: 23.8%
• Ice Machines 19.05%
• Fryers: 18.25%
• Mixers: 15.87%
• Dishwashers: 15.08%
• Food Holding/Warming Equipment: 10.32%
• Dividers: 9.52%
• Rounders: 5.56%
• Display Cabinets: 8.79%
• Press or Sheeters: 8.73%
• Cheese Shredders: 8.71%

That’s good news for equipment and supplies manufacturers who are counting on pizzerias to buy in the next year. It should make for a busy Pizza Expo 2024!

2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report Sponsors:

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Pizzeria Industry 2024 Outlook: A Look Forward

As we move into a new year, some of the same concerns will remain paramount in the pizzeria market. In the coming year, operators will need to control costs as much as possible, add/increase revenue sources to offset higher labor and operating costs, raise prices when it makes sense and apply new approaches to find and retain employees.

Optimism is abound when it comes to sales growth, nearly 65 percent of operators surveyed expect their gross annual sales to be up in the next 12 months with 44 percent of respondents expecting sales to be up by 5% or more. With costs food, labor and operating costs continuing to climb, operators are less optimistic about their profit margins with over 53 percent of Independent respondents expecting profit margins to be flat or down.

Business Priorities

We asked operators to select their top three business concerns for the coming year. The top three align with last year’s priorities and include:

1. Grow sales
2. Maintain current business
3. Add employees

There is a big shift in the top six priorities with adding revenue streams moved up in priorities and community involvement entering the top six priorities. They are:

4. Add new revenue stream(s)
5. Sustainability
6. More community involvement

Eyes on Adding Units

As we analyze the independent market, some operators are looking to expand. Over 30% of independent operators surveyed look to add at least one new unit to their business in the coming year.

Renovations on the Horizon

A major cost for pizza operations are renovations. According to our survey, 41% of operations last renovated their business before the pandemic or never. Nearly 34% of independent operators indicated they plan to renovate their business in the next 24 months. The top six areas where they plan to focus their efforts are:

1. Paint
2. Décor
3. New flooring
4. New furnishing
5. Lighting
6. Kitchen/Back of House Configuration

2024 Looks Cautiously Optimistic

When we asked our independent pizzeria operators how they would describe the outlook of the pizzeria industry over the next 12-18 months, we see over a majority were optimistic at 66%.

The 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report has revealed what’s happening in America’s pizzerias. Use our findings to identify areas to grow and improve your pizza business. The report delved into specific trends for independent pizzeria operators, highlighting their focus on cost savings, customer satisfaction, and menu innovation. Additionally, regional variations in pizza styles and toppings are explored, providing insights into the diverse preferences across different parts of the United States. Examine these key findings to explore your menu and strategies in the coming year.

About the Survey

From August 2023 through mid-September 2023, Pizza Today conducted an extensive survey of its readership with over 60 questions, taking participants between eight to 10 minutes to completed. The survey included pizzeria profile questions and was divided into various topics impacting American pizzerias. 748 operators participated in the survey. Of those respondents, 606 were independent pizzeria operators with nine or fewer locations. Respondents represented pizzerias across the United States.

The 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report was produced by Pizza Today with analysis and coordination by Executive Editor Denise Greer and Editor In Chief Jeremy White. Layout, Photography and Art coordination by Senior Art Director Josh Keown.

2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report Sponsors:

The post 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report appeared first on Pizza Today.

The pizzeria market as a whole is poised to continue its growth over the next few years. To see what’s happening in America’s pizzerias, Pizza Today has surveyed 748 pizzeria owners from across the country and compiled the results into the 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report.

This year’s report is a critical resource for industry partners and others who want to gain insights on current pizza industry trends. Findings include the effects of inflation, how restaurants are handling labor challenges, and the emphasis on customer satisfaction. Other topics covered in this year’s report include:

• What’s Important to the Independent Pizzeria Operator?
• Current Pizza Industry Revenue Streams Changes
• The Employee Conundrum
• Current Pizzeria Menu Trends
• America’s Top 10 Pizza Styles and Toppings
• 2024 Trends to Watch

Special thanks to the 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report Sponsors:

The post 2024 Pizza Industry Trends Report Download appeared first on Pizza Today.

Get The Humble Onion Pizza Ideas

Chris Decker, Founding Pizzaiolo & Partner Truly Pizza

When I was thinking of what to make next, I could not take my mind off onions. The most humble of all ingredients… always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Think about all the dishes that an onion is in to elevate that said dish. Think about how, as human beings, we are indeed like an onion where you must peel back our layers to get the real deal. Onions are used all over the world, in all types of cuisine. They are cheap, easy to cook with and readily available. What’s not to love?

I wanted to highlight this ingredient and use it in as many ways as possible. We could start with an onion cream sauce, talk caramelized onion, then sautéed leeks, then oven roasted shallot and cipollini, then scallion, then fried shallot for some crunch.  So many ways to get into this realm!

Here are some onion ideas to try out.

• Caramelized Onion.

Peel and thinly slice 2 large yellow onions and place in a pan with a half stick of butter on a very low setting. Cook for up to two hours, stirring gently until the onions turn a beautiful golden brown. Make sure to keep an eye on them as they can go from beautiful to burnt pretty quickly with too much heat or too much time on the stove.

• Sautéed Leeks.

Trim the white part of the leek away from the thicker green leaves. Thinly slice the white part and add to a pan on low heat with some good quality olive oil. Sauté for 10-15 on med/low heat, stirring as necessary not to burn. When leeks are translucent and soft, turn off heat and lightly season with salt and pepper.

• Oven Roasted Shallot and Cipollini.

Cut the cipollini and shallot into quarters and toss in olive oil, add to a roasting sheet pan and cook in your pizza oven at desired temperature. I put a rack under my pan to prevent them from burning (we cook at 550-600 F).

• Fried Shallot.

Using a Mandolin thinnest setting, slice two or three shallots and toss in seasoned flour. Fry at 350 F until they turn a light brown. Drain on a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.

• Curly Scallion.

Trim the root end of the scallion and lay scallions flat on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice lengthwise 4-5 times to create strips. Add all the strips to a bowl and cover with ice water. Within minutes, the scallion should begin to curl. Remove scallion from ice water and pat dry.

Use these ingredients on pizza or in dishes to elevate your menu!

Chris Decker is Founding Pizzaiolo & Partner at Truly Pizza in Dana Point, California. @everythingbutanchovies

The post On Deck: The Humble Onion appeared first on Pizza Today.

Add the coziness of tomato soup to your specials menu

Nothing says warmth in the winter like a hot bowl of soup. The choices of cozy soups are endless. As a pizzeria, go with your strengths and that is the tomato. Not the fresh tomatoes you feature in the summertime, I’m talking about the amazing canned tomatoes that you have meticulously hand selected to use for your killer pizza sauce. Let’s use those as a base for incredible tomato soups that you can highlight on your winter specials menu.

Why add soup? First, it is an easy, prep ahead option that can store for days. Secondly, think return visits. A delicious tomato soup with your house focaccia or hot ham and cheese sandwich could be just the thing to entice customers to return for a second time in a week. Third, it’s a great option to increase check averages. Train your team to share what goes into each house-made soup.

Before we get to delicious tomato soup recipes, let’s look at how to use the canned tomatoes. Did you know that for soup applications, canned is actually the preferred product to use over its fresh counterpart? Canned has a higher concentrated flavor and a lot less prep time. In an out-of-season application, canned is the better choice over fresh “hot house” tomatoes.

Canned tomatoes come in a few varieties. Test which works best for your soup — whether it’s crushed, diced, petite diced, pureed, whole peeled or stewed. Carefully look at the ingredients in the canned tomatoes. Is it unsalted or salted? Does it contain other ingredients like garlic, herbs or even sugars? All of these can impact your finished soup. Don’t drain your canned tomatoes. Cooks refer to the juice as liquid gold. Want an extra sweet tomato kick, try adding tomato paste. The concentrated paste offers an intensified tomato flavor.

3 Cozy Tomato Soups You Should Try

These recipes are starting points. Play around with ingredients and combinations to create a soup that is uniquely yours. One of my favorite change ups is swapping out some of the canned tomatoes and substituting canned fire-roasted tomatoes. Get creative and come up with a top seller. Here are three tomato based soup recipes:

1. Tomato-Basil Bisque
2. Tomato Soup Escoffier
3. Minestrone

Take liberties with Minestrone. Just like its American counterpart (chili), cooks have created several versions of Minestrone. Try a Minestrone using what’s on your makeline.

DENISE GREER is Executive Editor of Pizza Today.

The post Wintertime Tomato Soups appeared first on Pizza Today.

Spicy-sweet ingredients are the new bombshells of flavor.

One of the most pivotal memories I’ve had with food was when I worked as a waiter at an exclusive French restaurant in Chicago. One day, as service was winding down, my fellow waiters raided the walk-in and were cutting watermelon and cucumbers they retrieved. They squeezed lemon juice in the bowl and finished this weird combination with cayenne pepper and honey. We all jumped in and ate this concoction and from that first bite, I was hooked.  I felt the crispy grassiness and faint saltiness of the cucumber blanketed with the tart lemon, sweet honey and watermelon. It seemed perfect, then the cayenne hit me like a sucker punch to the back of my head. My eyes squinted followed by a trickle of forehead moisture. After a trepidatious second taste, I dove in again, and again, until it was gone. I had no idea what happened to my flavor appetite because I was averse to spicy heat but because of the sweetness, the heat turned into a flavor magnet for my mind. 

Spice Grinder

Sweet and spicy is so alluring because sweet ingredients reduce the sensitivity of heat sensors on the tongue creating a balanced flavor profile. Most complex and delicious pizza flavors result in a combination of tastes and textures. There are seven tastes — sweet, sour, salty, spicy, fat, bitter and umami. All of these can be combined in complimentary tastes and balancing tastes. Here is the difference between the two.

Complimentary tastes: These tastes accentuate one another to create harmony of taste. For example, sweet with fat, spicy and salty or sour with spicy.

Balancing tastes: These tastes oppose each other to create harmony. Some chefs call this a “foil,” or a contrasting flavor that prevents the heavier flavor from taking over a dish. An example of balancing tastes like spice can play down sweetness from becoming too sweet and spiciness can be mellowed out with fat and sweetness.

A perfect example of the combining flavors lies in the delicious ancient Chinese Sweet and Spicy Sesame Sauce. Complimentary flavors like red chilies keep a simple sugar sauce from being too cloying. This is combined with the balancing flavors of salty soy sauce and savory sesame paste.

Sweet Heat

Maple syrup works well on whole wheat pizzas and can be combined with a powdered spice like cayenne. The maple flavor is not too cloying and partners well with Feta, Gorgonzola, and Gruyere, as well as fresh mozzarella and walnuts. Classic examples of these syrup pairings are with blueberries and lemon, mascarpone and pistachio, caramel and pecan. Good protein pairings are pork belly, duck, bacon, ham and even foie gras. Because maple syrup is thick, it takes longer to macerate fresh-cut chilies for full flavor. Habaneros, Thai and Ancho pair well with maple syrup.

Honey is probably one of the most used sweet/spicy vehicles. Because honey is even thicker than maple syrup, it flows slower when presented on a pizza and mingles well with creamy mozzarella, Asiago, Manchego and even over stracciatella. Spicy honey is best used with berries, cream, almonds, oranges, figs, nuts, fontina cheese, mustard, pistachios and hazelnuts. Sometimes, honey will solidify due to the amount of glucose in the plants that the nectar-loving bees collect. This is remedied by immersing the glass jar in hot water.

Agave Nectar: This is a vegan alternative to hot honey but has a more neutral flavor and is thinner. It is sweeter than table sugar and doesn’t have the bitter aftertaste of some syrups which is why it works well with lemon and hot pepper flakes. I like the thickness and lusciousness of the dark agave nectar with sharp cheeses like Gorgonzola, aged Gouda, Monterey Jack, aged cheddars, and Pecorino Romano. Agave goes well with razor thin slices of Thai, Jalapeño, Serrano, and even Fatali peppers. Good with lime, almonds, cashews, salty pork, and charcuterie.

Getting Jalapeno Business

All types of chilies can be added to sweet sauces to macerate (flavor blend) into the hydration of the sauce if the chilies aren’t too large. This will facilitate the spread of flavor and spice instead of too-spicy “speed bumps” that ruin the flavor profile of any pizza. Some chilies’ powders are mixed with other flavors and labeled “chili powder blend,” or “chili seasoning mix.” Most chili powders are named after the name of the chili itself; others are named after the region where they are grown. Here are some chilies that could add power to your sweet condiments and flavor your pizzas.

Espelette pepper: This pepper was introduced into France in the 16th century and was used in medicine and for the conservation of meats. This chili powder has become a cornerstone condiment in the Northern Basque region, replacing black pepper. I love this spice because it is fruity, bright red and has a fresh smokiness without overpowering other pizza items. I use it in my blueberry duck balls with cumin and cherries and it adds a great red powder to the finish on burrata. (I used it on pizza recipe described at the end.)

Aleppo: This powder has moderate heat with fruitiness and the flavor of light cumin. This is a common condiment in the Mediterranean, Turkey, Syria and into Armenia and is named after the Silk Road spice city in Northern Syria. It is used for its perfumy sweetness like sun-dried tomatoes with an added kick of heat.

Ancho: The name of this powder is from dried poblano peppers that have been ground up. The saying is that Ancho is to Poblano what Chipotle is to Jalapeno. Ancho is hotter than regular chili powder but offers less heat and smokiness than chipotle powder. This pepper powder is famous for mole and chili seasoning. Other items shine with honey, barbeque, soups, mole, turkey, shrimp and pork. The great sweet and spicy vehicles for the Ancho powder are purees of mango, apple, pear, persimmon and orange.

Piri Piri: This hot pepper offers a blast of up to 175,000 Scoville units and is made from the dried Malgueta pepper. Originally cultivated by the colonial Portuguese in southern African territories and brought by them to other territories around the world. Piri Piri sauce has been described as “light, fresh, and herbal” by some chefs who can handle the heat. The bottled sauce is famous for its infusion of the chilies with garlic, citrus peel, onion, bay leaf, paprika, oregano and tarragon. Piri Piri is so hot that the infusion of sweetness as well as fatty meats works well. Bacon, ground pork and lamb as well as chicken with skin and braised fatty beef are nice combinations with sweetened Piri Piri.

Grilled Honey Lemon Chicken

This pizza is a wonder to behold because it has the lusciousness of lemony ricotta with the sour Asiago and melting fresh mozzarella. The grilling introduces a charred flavor and texture to the melt and the addition of the spicy lemon honey adds so much depth and pairs well with the basil and crunch of the sweet yellow peppers.

Get the Grilled Honey Lemon Chicken Pizza recipe.

John Gutekanst owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio.

The post Sweet & Spicy Pizzas: Hang Fire! appeared first on Pizza Today.

Butter Crust: When Pizza and Butter go hand in hand, there’s no margarine for error.

Many pizza makers are turning to different ways to enhance their customers’ pizza experience by using fats into and on top of their pizza crusts. Butter is one of the supreme ways to develop and boost the taste of any dough by adding a fatty crunch with a hint of rich sweetness.

Throughout the baking development of mankind, many cultures and civilizations have created and continue to rely upon age-old recipes to use butter in their breads. Almost all these techniques can be used in pizza dough but first let’s take a deep dive into the classifications of dough.

On a roll

Doughs are classified based on:

1. Hydration,
2. The way the dough is leavened with commercial yeast or natural bacteria,
3. The way they are made using direct or indirect methods,
4. The weight of the dough,
5. The richness of the dough.

Enriched doughs are made with fats that are used to tenderize and add sweetness. Eggs, animal fats such as lard, sugar and dairy added at a 20-percent fat-to-flour ratio create pastry, biscuit, croissant and puff pastry … although some pizzas like the traditional Chicago style pizza have 6-8 percent butter added, and other thin crusts have been developed with three percent butter (creating a well-heeled crispness with loads of flavor).

The World is a Butter Place

Butter is known in baking circles as “fat” introduced into or on pizza or breads. Here are some doughs around the world that use butter as a game-changer.

Nan-e gisu or Armenian Sweet Bread and Persian Nan-e shirmal, or Persian sweet saffron bread, both with butter, whole milk and baking soda with sugar and honey is like a brioche and braided for attention.

Persian Nan-e barbari and Nan-e lavash. Barbari is made early in the mornings and is a favorite breakfast flatbread made with oil or butter as well as sugar and salt. Lavash is fatted with unsalted butter and milk and is stretched to bake on a Saj, which looks like an upturned wok.

Spanish Coca is very popular and is a yeasted dough put in a pan coated with butter and Pastel de Carne is a butter crusted meat pie resembling puff pastry.

Moroccan Moufleta which is thin crepe-like dough mixed with butter and the dough balls are rested in oil then stretched paper thin to be cooked in a hot pan.

Yemeni Jachnun is a butter and folded bread which is baked in a pan for 12 hours. It is a hearty bread that is caramelized on the bottom and fluffy in the middle paired with spicy z’hug and tomato.

Israeli Malawach comes from the Yemenite influence in Israel. Like the croissant, it is folded thin with layers of butter creating a very flaky and delicious flatbread. (I’ve developed a great pizza with this technique below.)

Spread the Word about Butter Crust

Butter can be used in all the broad categories of doughs described as stiff, standard and rustic.

Stiff doughs with hydration of 50 to 57 percent. This may be dough for pretzels, bagels and thin crust pizzas. Butter works best with these stiff doughs as a laminate or folded in between stiff dough that is pressed out very thinly. If mixed with thin crust, it pays to keep the percentage of butter used below four percent because the oils will bleed during higher heat baking. (Fixes for this can be use of parchment- see recipe below.)

Standard doughs that are hydrated from 57 to 65 percent are exemplified in European style breads, sandwich doughs and even Neapolitan-style pizza dough. Butter can be slathered on the cornicione, or crust, before, during and after baking and be used as a laminate for a croissant-like dough baked at lower temperatures at or below 450 F.

Rustic doughs are above 65 percent hydration like Pizza in Teglia, Pizza Romana, ciabatta and an array of different pan pizzas and focaccia. Butter can be introduced with these high hydration doughs in the pans, like the Spanish Coca, especially if you use clarified butter to eliminate any steam creating soggy dough in between the pan and crust. I’ve used clarified and flavored butters on crusts at the last five minutes of baking to get a crisp and buttery flavor punch creating an elevated flavored crust.

Compound Interest

Below are some great herbs and flavors that integrate perfectly in butter. In many French restaurants I’ve worked in, these are called compound butters which can easily be mixed with semi-melted butter then rolled up and set in the freezer for later use.

Dried herbs such as thyme, sage, chervil, oregano and rosemary can be paired with spices like chili flakes or cayenne. I’ve found that limiting the flavor profiles to two items eliminates confusing tastes especially when it competes with pizza topping flavors.

Fresh herbs offer a more nuanced flavor to butter but fresh rosemary, sage and basil all stand out on pizza crust. Basil may need to be shocked in hot water followed by an ice bath to set the green chlorophyl for a better look.

Other compound butters become elevated with finely grated citrus rind, sun-dried tomato, smoked garlic, cilantro-lime, honey, chipotle, orange zest, ancho chilies, sumac and thyme, dried dashi, and the traditional parsley and lemon juice and even dried porcini.

A Butter Crust Recipe

Rosemary “Butter Cloud” Pizza with Cremini and Porcini Butter

This pizza is a bombshell. It incorporates butter and rosemary into a laminated dough and an intense mushroom flavored finish after the bake. It is made in the fashion of Yemeni Mulawah which has close procedural ties to the Israeli Malawach described above. This pizza is light like a croissant. The key for a great bake here is patience- the lower temperature of 450F enables the butter to expand the crust into an airy cornicione first before the second stage of cheese and pizza toppings is put on it.

Get the Rosemary “Butter Cloud” Pizza with Cremini and Porcini Butter recipe.

John Gutekanst owns Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio.

The post Butter Crust Pizza Trend: Churn and Burn appeared first on Pizza Today.

Will Roman-style pizza be the 2024 pizza trend?

Back in January 2012 I used this “Man on the Street” column to predict that Roman pizza would be the next big thing. I was wrong. At the time, I was wowed by the stunning square pizzas I saw at Pizza Expo or showcased at a few brave pizzerias across the U.S. It felt like the antithesis of the stereotypical greasy slice, something that would attract the adoration of both the quick lunch crowd and gourmands alike. But as I said, I was wrong. Rome didn’t conquer in 2012, but that’s because we weren’t ready for it. As we slide into 2024 I’m digging up my prediction, dusting it off, and reconsidering the style.

I should clarify which Roman pizza I’m talking about. There are a few styles that have become associated with the city, but I’m only referring to a relatively new version. Pizza Tonda Romana is the kind of pizza you’ll find in a restaurant. It’s thin, round and flat on the edge. It looks like someone deflated a Neapolitan pizza and ironed the edges. This style isn’t seeing a rise in popularity right now. Then there’s Pizza al Metro, a long thin crispy pizza often sold in bakeries or pizza counters. It’s often sold by weight and folded into a piece of wax paper to be eaten while walking. We’re not dealing with this one either. And then there’s a curiosity called Pinsa, with a dough made from a mix of wheat flour, soy flour and rice flour. Not this one either.

The Roman Pizza on trend right now is the thick, puffy version of Pizza Al Taglio (pizza by the cut) made popular by Gabrielle Bonci when he opened Pizzarium in Rome in 2003. Unlike the Roman pizzas that came before, this version has a much higher hydration dough (at least 80 percent) with a long, cold fermentation process, and often gets topped post-bake. It’s impressive because, when done well, it’s much lighter than it looks. The texture is delicately crisp on the outside yet soft and airy on the inside. To the Instagram generation (which didn’t exist when I wrote my first Roman pizza column) it’s a visual stunner both because of its toppings and sprawling interior bubbles.

If it’s so good, why has Roman pizza taken this long to catch on in America? First we should consider that this style comes with a high level of difficulty. Roman requires techniques and ingredients different from what most American pizzerias are using. You’ll need strong flour that can hold a lot of water and a mixer that can achieve a high enough speed to incorporate and knead the ingredients. Most bakers use electric ovens and baking pans specifically made for Roman. Roman is complex enough that several schools and courses have emerged to teach the necessary techniques.

It doesn’t hurt that Roman pizza has been featured on popular TV shows like Bonci’s episode of Chef’s Table and Rob Cervoni’s win on Chopped. There’s even a Roman category at American pizza competitions. But is this really enough to resonate with the American public?

Part of me is still skeptical about Roman’s ability to become as big a trend as Neapolitan or Detroit style. It’s attractive to dough nerds and tinkerers, but might be too complex for the average pizza maker. Most of the attention being paid to it is coming from the pizza industry, not necessarily from the consumer. It’s more expensive than most other styles, especially if topped with high-end ingredients. Several Roman pizzerias have closed since my original prediction. It’s fantastic and I love it, but I’m not as convinced as I was of its broad appeal as I was 12 years ago.

Are we finally ready to accept Roman pizza al taglio into the Pantheon of American pizza? Only time will tell. I’ll probably write about it again in 2036.   

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org  Instagram: @scottspizzatours

The post Man on the Street: Roman-style Pizza — Are We Finally Ready for Roman? appeared first on Pizza Today.

Wine sales may have flattened, but now is a great time to push wine and pizza pairings

In August 2022, National Geographic in the United Kingdom published an article about how vintners in Italy were reclaiming the centuries-old traditions of connecting with the land to produce extraordinary wines. As frequent eruptions from Mt. Vesuvius have lined the fertile grounds of the Amalfi Coast with wine friendly minerals, those who grow grapes for the purpose of winemaking are enthusiastically reconnecting with the past to celebrate the heritage, as well as the future, of wine.

In the United States, as the popularity of craft beer exploded and bourbon-based cocktails came en vogue, wine’s market share dipped. Those in the wine industry are voicing optimism as we head into 2024, however. A report published by Wine Industry Advisor earlier this year indicated the beverage experienced a 2.3 percent increase of on-premise sales in 2022.

On-premise is the sweet spot for wine. As put by the Wine Industry Advisor article: “Wine’s popularity continues to be affiliated with food-led occasions.” As such, the types of wine in demand by American consumers appears to be affected by the types of dining establishments to which the masses flock. Fine dining has suffered since the pandemic. The openings of fine-dining establishments are down, which means traditional red wines that count on these diners have suffered. Table wines lost 4.2 percent of market share in 2022, according to the aforementioned article. Meanwhile, sparkling wine is more popular than ever in the United States. Sales are expected to grow 15 percent in volume by 2026, according to Wine Intelligence.

White wine is poised for strong growth as well. According to Data Intelligence, the global white wine market reached $39.4 billion in 2022. That number is expected to hit $59.1 billion by 2030. The segment enjoys a compound annual growth rate over five percent.

Will overall wine sales continue to decline in a flattened market, or is a resurgence on the horizon? It seems that question has been top of mind for many, and the wine industry is making a push to ensure its products stay in the limelight as diners continue to evolve with their preferences.

Enter Barbera — an Italian wine that many sommeliers cite as the most ideal for pairing with pizza. Its high acidity stands up well to tomato sauce. Its mild, fruity flavor — plus low-tannin quality — is appealing to consumers. So much so that much of northen Italy considers this accessible vino to be an “every day” wine. Yet, while it is hailed for its versatility and ideal for pizza, Berbera’s popularity has been on a long decline.

That may be indicative of the ever-evolving landscape in which we live. As consumers shift their tastes, the wine industry — steeped in tradition and perhaps slower to adapt to change — is learning how to respond to the new normal.

Nonetheless, wine has always been an integral part of the pizza industry. No doubt it has suffered with the heightened emphasis on delivery and carryout post-pandemic, but for dine-in pizza consumers, wine remains a staple of the experience for many. The key is to carry the right wines and market them to customers. Well-done tabletop signage and a push from servers is often all it takes. Mentioning “specials” and/or how wine XYZ “goes so well” with the Margherita or the white pie can drive traffic. Consumers enjoy hearing about pairings, and the storytelling component to wine is a great driver that allows your servers to display a knowledge that customers find entertaining.

In your next server training meeting, consider having one of your wine sales reps conduct an educational pour and pairing session. These are enjoyable and provide a nice break from the typical staff meeting.

Lastly, as we head into the holidays, wine sales tend to peak. Christmas and New Year’s are huge for the wine industry. And that presents an opportunity for pizzeria owners to offer holiday pairings designed to boost check averages. Get to work with your distributors and kitchen crew now to roll out some holiday pairings.

Since white wines are top of mind to many of your diners at the moment, now’s a good time to roll out a “White Christmas” holiday special. Bundle a white pizza of your choice with a bottle or glasses of white wine recommended by your most trusted wine rep at a price that works for you and the customer.

Need a little help with the white pie? Here’s a Pizza Today favorite to get you started.

White Pie with Speck

Get the White Pie with Speck recipe.

Jeremy White is the Editor in Chief for Pizza Today.

The post Wine and Pizza Pairings: Wine O’Clock appeared first on Pizza Today.

Creating a new pizza centers on creativity and balance

Whether you are a full-service pizzeria or a small slice shop, getting creative with your toppings and combinations is a great way to keep your regulars coming back, bring in new customers and shake things up a bit.

When I’m making a new pizza, I usually start with one specific item that I want to center the pie around. After I decide what that is, I go over its flavor profile in my mind and think about what it could be paired with, how different preparations will change the flavor and texture and how it can be optimized. Above all, the most important thing is an overall balance of the topping combinations. If I choose something that is salty, I want to smooth it out with something that adds creaminess or a hint of sweet. All of these principals can and should be applied to all ingredients whether they are meat, vegetables or sauces.

To me, having different textural elements (crunchy, chewy and creamy) on a pizza is a significant aspect of building a great pie. With this in mind, there are two ways to go about creating a fantastic pizza special — using singularly unique ingredients or preparing common ingredients in an interesting way.

The first can be something as simple as using a standout seasonal vegetable: heirloom tomatoes in the summer, delicata squash in the fall, root veggies in the winter or garlic ramps in the springs. On the other hand, you can use ingredients that are unique to where you are: Spam in Hawaii, lobster in Maine, Hatch green chile in New Mexico, or cheese curds in Wisconsin.

My favorite items to add onto pizzas have big flavor. By that I mean that they bring a good amount of heat, salt, acid or more rarely for me, sweetness. If cornered, I would probably say that my absolute favorite pizza topping is roasted jalapeños and there are a fair amount of these gracing my menu at any given time. I love their bold intensity, the slight smoke it gives off and the fact that you can pair it with everything from juicy sweets, like fresh peaches, to tart pickled cauliflower or salty meats.

When I was at Pizza Expo this year, I made pizzas alongside Lee Hunzinger. He had made a pepperoni jam so good it haunted me. I kept thinking about it, dreaming about it. So, of course I needed to make my own version. I decided to center it around the Calabrese salami that we use at my shop. Naturally I added in roasted jalapeños then reduced it with a local Colorado beer to give it a depth of flavor. Once I had what I was looking for, I thought about what would balance out the assertiveness of the jam. To temper the heat from the jalapeños I made a base of whole milk mozzarella and ricotta cheeses. Since there was no fruit in the jam, I finished it with fresh blackberries and added crunch with fresh arugula and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Now onto preparation. Certain pizza toppings are no brainers when it comes to preparation while others require more time and thought. That being said, you can turn the most common ingredient into the highlight of any pizza. Depending on what equipment you have at your shop, there are multiple ways to bring out flavors and textures in produce. Whether you roast, fry, sauté, blanch, pickle, blend or just leave veggies raw will determine how they taste and feel in your mouth and how they work with other toppings.

You can turn an unassuming leek into the star of the show with different cooking techniques. Roasting it creates an almost creamy flavor. Dusting it in flour, frying it and sprinkling on sea salt makes it the perfect crunchy finisher and pickling it will add a hit of crunch and acid. Even spinach has multiple ways that it can be prepared: piled high as the base of the pie and baked into the cheese, added post-oven for a crunchy element or blanched and then pureed with cheese for a creamy sauce.

Meat is also transformed by how you cook it and when you add it to your pizza. Take cured meats. I am usually partial to adding them post bake since the beauty of a cured meat is slicing it thin and letting it melt in your mouth. There are instances where that rule can be broken. If you have the ends of prosciutto to use up feel free to put it on pre-bake and watch it transform into salty meat croutons. Sausage, on the other hand, can taste different just by its form. If you cook it off as a link and then slice it, the taste will be texturally different than pinching it raw from bulk straight onto the pizza. Other meats, like chicken, beef or pork can be marinated, braised, grilled or roasted to add dramatic flavors to your pies.

The main component of a pizza can also be the sauce. It’s actually one of my favorite items to create. One of our most popular pies is an Amatriciana pizza. I created a sauce that was my take on the classic Italian amatriciana pasta sauce, then topped it with bacon, sweet onions and finished it with a chili oil. Not very traditional but it makes an impression and works well as a cohesive pizza. Pestos are another great way to bring out bold flavors and add color. They turn a basic roasted vegetable pizza or standard pepperoni into something spectacular. Where you put the sauce will determine how your customers taste it. If it’s on top, then it will be the first flavor that hits your tongue as opposed to under the cheese where it is a bit more disguised and blends well with the fatty creaminess of your chosen dairy.

As you can see, there are endless combinations of creative pizza toppings. Once you’ve decided on your main ingredient, what you pair it with is just a matter of balancing it out.

Audrey Kelly owns Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage in Boulder, Colorado.

The post Pizza Combinations: The Main Ingredient appeared first on Pizza Today.

Fried Nation: Fried Appetizer Ideas

Nostalgia is hot and so are fried appetizers. Yes, I said fried. Americans love their fried delights. Some diners are looking for an escape from their daily diets, often building cheat meals into their week. Crave-worthy fried foods strike a chord with these hungry patrons, making fried foods big sellers on appetizer menus.

You could go with frying something new and creative. Fried goat cheese balls and even deep-fried garlic butter have hit TikTok. While some may be looking for the “State Fair” gimmicky fried foods, the classics will still continue to be beloved. Let’s highlight five traditional apps to test and enhance in your pizza kitchen.

Before we dive into recipes, let’s talk logistics. If you do not have a fryer and all of your food comes from your pizza oven, you can still offer some of these specialties. But it will require you to experiment to get a crispy breading in an oven as well as a baking process that will not hold up your pizza bake times.

Now let’s look at five fried appetizer staples: 

Fried Mozzarella

Get the Fried Mozzarella recipe.

Fried Caprese Nuggets

Get the Fried Caprese Nuggets recipe.

Pickle Chips

Get the Pickle Chips recipe.

Arancini

Get the Arancini recipe.

Toasted Ravioli

Get the Toasted Ravioli recipe.

The post Hot Fried Appetizers Go Classic appeared first on Pizza Today.

A Q&A with Anita Craig, 2 Dough Girlz Pizzeria Birmingham, Alabama

Concept:

We fuse food, fashion and hip hop together to create a fun approach environment. Taking an artisanal approach, we create food that is flavorful, fresh and clean. We use as many fresh products as possible and limit our use of canned products. Hip hop tells a story, and pizza tells a story; combine them together and you will create a story that will last for years.

Pizza Style & Dough:

Our pizza style is artisan hand-tossed Neapolitan inspired. We use whole wheat, organic dough. Due to limited space, we partnered with a family-owned company out of New England for our dough. We tell everyone the secret ingredient is dirty Boston water.

As a new business, how are you building community in the Woodlawn neighborhood?

We have been in the Woodlawn community for some time now, building our coffee brand Trvl Love Koffee, so when the situation presented itself to open the closing pizzeria we jumped on it to do this I reached out to my sister Jennifer Craig , who along with Steve Debrow came on board to create something special for the community. In addition we give back by employing students from the high school, partnering with other local businesses and being active with the local city council.

How have you been able to create the 80s 90s vibe?

That is all Steve. He definitely brings the feel of days of the past, the family environment, the open-arms feeling with music playing in the background and sports on the TV. I will say we are definitely the pizzeria version of Cheers.

Your pizza menu is innovative. Tell us about your combination focus and flavor fusion.

We have your traditional menu items that you would find in any pizzeria. However, we also bring elements like oxtails, fried chicken, collard greens, shrimp & crawfish to create mouthwatering arts of work.

What is your main focus for the first two years of the business?

The main focus the first two years is to create a brand with staying power. We want people to love the product, the concept and the people behind it. We want to grow into new markets within the first year and start to show our true staying power as your local pizzeria!

The post Conversation: Anita Craig, 2 Dough Girlz Pizzeria Birmingham, Alabama appeared first on Pizza Today.

Trying to build sales, increase traffic, or add occasions from your guests is a never-ending process for pizza operators. It’s about staying relevant in a very established category, without straining operations or straying too far from what you do best and — perhaps most importantly — what’s profitable.

The fall season, and October in particular, is a great time for pizza operators to feature pasta, whether it’s already on the menu or as an innovation or LTO. October is National Pasta Month after all, and the broad appeal of pasta never goes out of style. In fact, according to Datassential, 60% of pizza operators already offer pasta on the menu and 86% of consumers love or like it! Trusted suppliers like Barilla have tools, resources and incentives to help you promote what you have, or get your operation started in pasta.

Click here to get a free 2024 pasta calendar and other resources

So the appeal of pasta is obvious, but what about operations? There’s good news there too. Your existing SKUs for pizza – sauce, veggies, cheese, and proteins – give you everything you need to innovate with pasta. Everything that goes on a pie belongs on pasta!

Innovation and improvements in pasta have also made it easier for operators to add pasta to the menu, even if you can’t boil water! Barilla Frozen® is the trusted, high-quality semolina pasta from Barilla, only it’s pre-cooked and ready to finish on a cook line or in a pizza oven.

“Barilla Frozen performs really well in the impinger or pizza oven,” says Barilla Executive R&D Chef Yury Krasilovsky. “It finishes to a perfect ‘al dente’ right in the sauce, and will hold that texture even in a 30-minute or longer delivery window.”

Barilla Lasagne Chef is oven-ready lasagne sheets sized for half-hotel pans. Prepped ahead and held, it flexes seamlessly for delivery, catering, or on-site dining.

“As an operator, I love Barilla Lasagne Chef because it’s an easy make-ahead in prep, even with less-skilled labor,” says Kevin Felice, Divisional Vice President at 40 North, Villa Restaurant Group. “And it might even taste better reheated, so I don’t worry about what I’m sending home if it’s takeout or a take-and-bake order.”

Ready to get started? Visit www.barillapastamonth.com for free resources, recipes and tips. You can even register for a free 2024 pasta calendar!

Pasta Ideas to Go

• Take a signature pizza concept and reinvent it as a pasta
• Lean into the fall season with seasonal veggies and comfort-food appeal
• Make it spicy with chili peppers or spicy proteins
• Offer your own spin on the #1 pasta dish in America, Mac & Cheese

The post National Pasta Month: The Perfect Time to Build Sales with a Crowd Favorite appeared first on Pizza Today.

Fall Pizza Recipe by Chris Decker

Chris Decker, Managing Partner, Metro Pizza, Las Vegas

I think I speak for most when I say that autumn is the best time of year. The colors of the leaves, football, holidays around corner, and for all the Pumpkin Spice Latte lovers out there, this is your season.  So, I thought about the most “fall” pizza I could share with you. My first bite was like wearing my favorite sweatshirt. You know that feeling….

This, like most of my recipes, has some work involved. But it is worth it when you get a chance to try this. What you’ll need to make 4 10-inch pizzas:

Chris Decker is managing partner at Metro Pizza in Las Vegas, NV.  Instagram: @everythingbutanchovies

The post On Deck: Thinking Fall Pizza appeared first on Pizza Today.

Pizza is clearly my number one food, but my second favorite is ice cream. They’re both simple on the surface but much deeper upon examination. Ice cream brings us back to our youth, just like pizza. It’s not uncommon to see ice cream or gelato in a pizzeria, but not all shops have the real estate to squeeze in the equipment. I’ve noticed an interesting ice cream solution popping up at hip new shops across the country that takes up less space, is easier to serve, and makes it easier to customize unique flavors. It seems like every new pizzeria I walk into has a soft serve machine. At first, I thought it was just a quirk at a few pizzerias, but the sight of soft serve has become common enough for me to think it might be the next big thing.

The soft ice cream of my childhood wasn’t very good. It was grainy and flavorless, plus it melted way too quickly. On the contrary, soft serve I get at pizzerias now is creamy and sturdy, with stiff peaks that don’t disintegrate in the summer heat. It’s more like frozen custard than the stuff you get from a Mister Softee truck in New York City.

Pizzerias that serve soft ice cream all seem to be of the upscale variety, so they’re springing for the better machines and higher quality ingredients. These are the pizzerias that obsess over their fermentation process and nitpick over the settings on their ovens, so it’s only fitting that they’re extending the concept to their dessert options. Rather than buying gallons of somebody else’s hard ice cream, they’re creating their own flavors by adding fresh fruit, concentrates, syrups, nut butters and other natural flavorings to a soft serve base.

Just last week I had a phenomenal swirl of pistachio and cantaloupe at a pizzeria in Brooklyn that creates new flavors every week. I love how they’re able to employ the concept of seasonal rotation with soft serve just as pizzerias do on their pizzas. They must love it because I buy way more soft serve when I know I’m getting a limited-edition flavor that won’t be around next time I swing by.

For the operator, soft serve has plenty of logistical benefits over hard ice cream and gelato. The machine takes up less space than a reach-in freezer, so all you need is some available counterspace. Service is faster because it doesn’t require scooping. Most machines have just two flavor banks, so the customer doesn’t spend 35 minutes tasting and choosing between a million different flavors. There’s very little cleanup and maintenance unless it’s time to swap in a new flavor.

Just like with hard ice cream, toppings are a fantastic way to notch up your soft serve. The first time I experienced high end soft serve at a pizzeria was about 12 years ago at Pizzeria Picco in Larkspur, California. This was the first time I saw extra virgin olive oil and flaky sea salt on ice cream. It was a serious revelation for me because it combined the humble experience of eating ice cream with the upscale panache of fancy unexpected toppings. This past March, Chef Wylie Dufresne opened Stretch Pizza in Manhattan. Chef Dufresne is known for his incredibly creative and playful cooking methods, so it should be no surprise that Stretch’s dessert menu features a banana soft serve with optional peanut butter dip and babka breadcrumbs.

Pizza in general is becoming more mature and thoughtful as pizza makers dig deeper into their process. It’s a joy to see that ice cream is doing the same.

SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org  Instagram: @scottspizzatours

The post Man on the Street: Soft Serve Ice Cream Explosion appeared first on Pizza Today.

Read the October 2023 Issue of Pizza Today Magazine

It’s the Pizza & Pasta Northeast Show Issue. We kick of National Pizza Month at PPNE in Atlantic City. All the details in this issue. Find strategies on dealing with employee theft and recharging your sales when you’re in a slump. Get eggplant and calzone recipes. See why ham is so great on pizza. Lean more about limited time offers and jumpstarting your business by doing.

You can check out the full Digital Edition — Pizza Today October 2023.

The post October 2023 appeared first on Pizza Today.

The Limited Time Offer

Limited time offers or LTOs can be a great way to test the viability of new menu items, move inventory that may be close to its expiration date, or increase sales on a particular day of the week, enter “Doppio Frico Tuesdays” at Wholly Stromboli. When I began to write this story, I was eager to share all that I have learned over the last 15 years about releasing LTO’s and most recently The Doppio Frico — Fort Lupton Deep Dish. I began to think about the idea that if you are the visionary of your company, as I am, you’re probably the one who comes up with the creative ideas.

For us visionaries, LTOs can be a great outlet for our creativity, which keeps us motivated through tough times, feeds our souls and helps drive our vision for the future. While every business needs a visionary, we can tend to see the BIGGER picture and not the minute details required for a successful implementation. It takes a team of implementers to put these ideas into action — people with a more systematic way of thinking. As I reflected on our recent release, I started to think, why don’t I ask the implementers in my organization what it takes to successfully execute an LTO, and here’s what they shared.

Proper planning is key. “Tweaking things” as you go is hard on your team. Resolving questions such as, what is the desired look and feel of the dish, plating and whether it is an in-house only special in advance will ensure your rollout will go smoothly. Make sure that your training materials are rolled out to your team well ahead of the release date. Knowledge is power and this preparedness will spurn excitement with your team vs. stress and anxiety because they don’t know the plan. Lastly, lack of communication is perhaps the biggest pitfall in successful execution. We have to ensure that all team members, including those who work part-time, receive the communication and training needed” says Eric Frey, General Manager, Wholly Stromboli.

Timing is critical! Clashes with holidays, and events (parades, festivals or concerts), could put a damper on your release, not to mention that your team may be requesting these dates off as well, leaving you understaffed. Lastly, give your team enough time to perfect the process. Your team really wants to be able to execute flawlessly and sell your special with confidence! “Give them the training they need to fall in love with your big idea, instead of despising it because they feel incompetent or ill-prepared,” says Rowen Ben-Joseph, Front  of The House Manager.

Determining the goal of the LTO is the first step and most critical. Is your desire to increase sales or move specific products from your shelves? Then we decide if it’s cost-effective. Look at COGS, price point and factor in how much labor you are adding to the overall cost. Knowing where you will put any new ingredients on your makeline, which positions in your kitchen will be involved, and how will they be affected are all keys to a smooth rollout, says Edgar St John, Kitchen Manager.

Accurate recipe costing is critical. Our margins are razor thin and profitability of the LTO is vital. Wasting labor and ingredients on a creative whim that is not profitable isn’t good business. Take the time to write a solid recipe, set your desired margin, cost out your recipe and set your selling price accordingly. Having a great recipe isn’t just about putting great ingredients together in a way that is appealing to your guests, recipes and sub-recipes that list ingredients, tools needed, yields, techniques and the process are key. Include pictures and videos if you can.

Additionally, if you are creating additional SKUs to your inventory, you’ll need time to research, source and test them. And don’t forget yield testing for items that have trim loss, says Eric Rickman, CFO & Co-Founder.

Give adequate time and space for media coverage. You can only get so far on word of mouth. Start your marketing campaign no less than three weeks before your launch date and don’t rely on social and print media alone. Get your team involved! Contests are a great way to get your team motivated to sell and don’t forget the heart of the house. You want your whole team invested. Take photos and post them on social or have a contest for the prettiest “pizza,” says Jordan Montoya, Director of Marketing.

If you are going to use table tents or other print media, invest in high-quality photos, graphics and professional printing. On the planning side, playing devil’s advocate can be an effective way to ward off potential issues before they happen. Ask yourself and your team what could go wrong and then make a plan and a backup to that plan, says Monika Jesser, Graphic Designer.

And finally, my two cents — Staying on brand is key! Think about what will resonate with your current customer base, and also consider the new guests you want to attract and connect with your brand long-term. By way of example, if you pride yourself on using quality ingredients in a cozy, well-appointed atmosphere with a $30 per person average, you wouldn’t want to attract guests who are looking for cheap eats with an under $10 offer. Your new customers could be disappointed that there aren’t any “deals” on your menu once the LTO has ended. While you may have gained new customers, they won’t stick around and may not bring the kind of word of mouth desired.

LTOs can be a fun and advantageous experience. Driving sales, attracting new guests and bringing a little variety to your team day are just a few things that I love about special offerings. When we work as a team to market, train, sell, plan ahead and execute we make it an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Let there be no limits to the success of your limited-time offerings!

MELISSA RICKMAN is co-founder of Wholly Stromboli in Fort Lupton, Colorado, and member of the World Pizza Champions.

The post Make Limited Time Offers Work for You appeared first on Pizza Today.

For years I wasn’t really on the calzone train. Sure, I enjoyed them. But, to be honest, I always thought: “Why not just eat pizza? Same ingredients and I don’t need a fork.” And then one day I asked a friend who had an extensive calzone lineup. “They fly off the shelves as lunch specials,” he confided. “We rotate them. We add them as limited time
offerings during lunch. We bundle them with a side salad and a drink and they sell like crazy.”

He’s located at a busy city intersection with lots of foot traffic. Nearby offices supply him a steady stream of lunch business. It just made so much sense.

It doesn’t hurt that his calzones are light, airy, flavorful and strike just the right balance of being filling but not overly filling.

To that end, if you’d like to add calzones to your lineup let’s begin with a dedicated calzone dough. You’ll
appreciate the difference. Your customers will, too.

Calzone Dough

Get the Calzone Dough recipe.

When determining which fillings to use, there are no rules. Just like your pizza — you are working with a blank canvas. From basic and traditional (mozzarella, pepperoni) to creative, what’s holding you back? This recipe featuring spinach, mushrooms, salami and Gouda is outstanding.

Gouda Calzone

Get the Gouda Calzone recipe.

While we’re branching out here from the typical calzone options, here is a recipe that Tony Gemignani authored for Pizza Today. The radicchio and balsamic play well together.

Radicchio Calzone

Get the Radicchio Calzone recipe.

Jeremy White is the Editor in Chief for Pizza Today.

The post Calzone Crush! 3 Killer Calzone Recipes appeared first on Pizza Today.

When it comes to pizza sales, ham is a top pizza topping contender

Ham doesn’t get the fame and notoriety that other pizza toppings do these days. But don’t discount ham. When it comes to pizza sales, ham is still a top contender. In our State of the Pizzeria Industry Report, we found that ham is a Top 10 pizza topping according to pizzeria operators in every state in the U.S.

Get to the “Bottom” of Ham

Ham is cut from the hind legs and rump of a pig. Simply cooking the fresh pork is still considered ham. But when you preserve the cut, that’s where the magic happens, and America’s most popular hams are born. While you can technically preserve any cut of the pork, only hind legs and butt can be considered ham. Common cuts are the center slice, butt end and ham shank. The shank tends to be fattier than the butt end. Ham can be purchased bone-in or boneless.

Taste varies widely by purveyor. Ham is either dry-cured or brine-cured with salt. Ham can also be smoked and aged.

Let’s look at four of the most common hams for use in a pizzeria.

• City ham. These are wet cured in a brine of saltwater and pre-cooked. City ham is typically found in grocery stores. City hams offer a well-rounded favor and moist texture.
• Country ham. The dry cured ham are salted and smoked. The curing process can take several months. Country hams tend to have a more robust salty flavor and a drier texture.
• Prosciutto. The dry cured Italian ham is thinly sliced. While some favor baking it, prosciutto is at its best as a post-bake item. Prosciutto is sweet, salty and full of flavor.
• Canadian bacon. This one isn’t really ham at all, though it often gets put in the same classification. It is cut from the pork loin, cured and smoked before it is sliced into the rounds its known for.  The lean meat is tender and tastes similar to ham.

Ham is a versatile pizza topping. There are few typical pizza ingredients that do not pair well with the hearty and salty flavor of the ham of your choosing.

One of my favorite combinations is the Capricciosa that features Italian (or substitute your favorite ham), mushrooms, artichokes and olives. You could also go with anchovies, instead of olives, if you have a market for them.

Since we’ve moved into the colder months, ham is perfect on a white pie that features an Alfredo sauce. Pair it with mushrooms and even balsamic caramelized onions or broccoli.

Four words: Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza. This is one of the best sandwich turned pizzas out there. It’s hearty and flavorful. We happen to have a dynamite recipe that was created by a longtime contributor Jeffrey Freehof.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza

Get the Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe.

The best ham and cheese sandwich meets pizza

I love ham and cheese sandwiches. I’m on a never-ending quest to find the right combination of cheese to pair with the saltiness of ham. Alas, a little restaurant I know makes the best ham and cheese I’ve ever had. It’s so great that I order it once a week. So, I’m using that as inspiration for a hot ham and cheese pizza. Since I’m based in Louisville, Kentucky, I’m using country ham but pick your favorite ham. I’m calling it the Oh Hot Ham and Cheese and here’s the recipe:

Oh Hot Ham & Cheese Pizza

Get the Oh Hot Ham & Cheese Pizza recipe.

The famous Hawaiian Pizza

Hawaiian Sunshine Pizza

Hawaiian pizza is one of the most popular pizzas in America. The traditional combination is tomato sauce, ham (or
bacon) and pineapple. We ended the debate of whether pineapple belongs on pizza a long time ago when the Hawaiian pizza was introduced in 1962. Sam Panopolulos is credited with creating the first Hawaiian pizza at his Satellite restaurant in Chattam, Ontario, Canada.

Over the years, several iterations of the classic Hawaiian have been introduced throughout America. Here are a few versions that we’ve seen hit big:

• Ham, pineapple, jalapeno, red sauce and mozzarella
• Chicken, ham, pineapple, BBQ sauce, mozzarella
• Prosciutto, burrata, pineapple, fresh mozzarella, basil, sweet red sauce
• Canadian bacon, pineapple, white cheddar/mozzarella blend, marinara
• Pepperoni, ham, pineapple, roasted poblanos, sweet red sauce and provolone/mozzarella blend
• Ham, bacon, pineapple, mozzarella, sweet bell pepper and red sauce

Here’s yet another take on a Hawaiian Pizza from PizzaToday.com:

Hawaiian Sunshine Pizza

Get the Hawaiian Sunshine Pizza recipe.

The post Ham on Pizza: 3 Delicious Ham Pizza Recipes appeared first on Pizza Today.

Fall Favorite: Eggplant Recipes

Eggplant has always been a favorite of mine. And it should be a favorite of yours, too! It’s a low-cost ingredient that brings both panache and profits to your menu! Throw in that it’s easy to work with, and the question begs: what are you waiting for?

To begin with, when selecting eggplant be sure to opt for ones that are heavy for their size. These provide better texture. You’re also going to want to salt eggplant and let it sit an hour before using it. This will keep your dish from getting too
watery and prevent the eggplant from soaking up too much oil as well.

Perhaps the most classic use of the ingredient is in an eggplant Parmesan dish. This is one of my favorites and provides a great vegetarian option to your customers. Give this eggplant recipe a whirl.

Eggplant Parmesan

Get the Eggplant Parmesan recipe. 

Eggplant Rollatini

Eggplant rollatini is a delicious option as well. You’re going to lightly fry here, and the results are divine when done correctly. Be sure to slice the eggplant thinly.

Get the Eggplant Rollatini recipe.

The post Eggplants: Classic ingredient brings profits to menu appeared first on Pizza Today.

4 Trending Chicken Pizza Recipes

Did you know that chicken is the 6^th most popular pizza topping? When we surveyed the pizzeria industry for the 2023 State of the Pizzeria Industry Report, we asked for their top pizza toppings on their menu. Chicken ranked as a Top 10 Pizza Topping.

Using Chicken in your Restaurant

Before we get to recipe ideas, let’s talk logistics of serving chicken. We assigned Melissa Rickman, owner of Wholly Stromboli in Fort Lupton, Colorado, to provide tips for serving chicken in your restaurant. Here are a few takeaways from her advice:

• Go for quality over price.
• Charge for a premium chicken product.
• Avoid using raw chicken on the makeline. The risk of cross-contamination is too great.
• Don’t be afraid to used marinades and seasoning to make chicken stand out.

Check out the full article: How to source and prepare chicken for your Restaurant.

Now let’s talk breaded chicken pizzas

Breaded chicken is a great option in a pizzeria due to its versatility. Use it in apps, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, pastas and other entrees.

We looked through our archives and this isn’t the first time that breaded chicken hit a hot trend. Gotcha Covered: Breaded chicken makes a great pizza topping, Pizza Today looked at delicious possibilities with breaded chicken.

Need inspiration for your own specialty breaded chicken pies? Consider the following combinations:

• Chicken Parmesan (breaded chicken, tomato sauce and mozzarella).
• Chicken-Bacon-Ranch (cheese, bacon, breaded chicken and tomatoes with buttermilk ranch dressing drizzle).
• Tex-Mex Chicken (either red or green enchilada sauce topped with corn, diced breaded chicken, chilies, cheese, cilantro and drizzled in salsa).
• Barbecue Chicken (barbecue sauce topped with cheese, breaded chicken, bell peppers and onions).

Go to Gotcha Covered: Breaded chicken makes a great pizza topping.

Trending Breaded Chicken Pizza Recipes that Customers Love

There are four tried and tested breaded chicken pizzas that are instant hits on menus. Depending on your customer base and region, one of these may be even more of a smash. Test these four trending breaded chicken pizza recipes in your kitchen.

1. Tony’s Trending Recipe: Chicken Parm Pizza

2. Nashville Hot Chicken Pizza

3. Boneless Buffalo Wing Pizza

4. Chicken “Cordon Blacon

Do you have a creative breaded chicken pizza? Tag us @PizzaToday a photo of it on social.

The post Breaded Chicken as a Pizza Topping is What’s Hot! appeared first on Pizza Today.

Have you ever had a dessert in your life? The answer is no, you never have. You’ve had red velvet cake, buttercream cake, peach cobbler, Deluxe Dutch Molten Volcano Pudding Surprise, or any other super wordy dessert name variation. Still, you’ve never had dessert because dessert is simply the title of what the category is, not the actual item itself. But often in a restaurant, servers come to the table at the end of the meal asking, “Anyone got room for dessert?” If you have a sweet tooth, you might say, “What do you have?” -— essentially having this customer do the work of the server. It’s a much harder hill to climb when you approach selling dessert that way.

Mike Bausch, owner, Andolini’s Pizzeria

Dessert is an easy incremental revenue item that every restaurant should advantageously seek to sell. Because desserts typically have sugar as the primary ingredient, they’re incredibly cheap and highly profitable.

So the goal should not be to merely have a dessert menu but rather to maximize the exposure and likelihood of selling dessert to as many customers as possible. To do this the approach must be procedural, not random.

Here’s how you increase that likelihood. First and foremost, come up with a long-winded name for every one of your desserts. Instead of basic cookies, they should fulfill a name like double-chunk, half-baked smoreos cookies, which is unique and entices the purchaser. The goofier and more unique the better. At the end of a meal, people also think, “I’m full, and I don’t want to spend any more money.” After a customer has eaten is the exact worst time to offer them dessert. If you want to sell desserts at a higher rate, you need servers coming by after they take the meal order before the food arrives. A pop-in to the table with this statement works great, “Hey, I just wanted to tell you about ……..” And then detail each item by name. It would be even better if they could swing it by visually, showing off the actual dessert items, to let the people start to think about it.

Ideally, you have a very hard-to-make dessert, and the server HAS to make this early sale because: “We have a limited amount.” Or “It takes more time to make this item. If you want it, I need to get it going now.” So you build exclusivity and intrigue at the most likely time of wanting to purchase it and secure the order while the customer is still hungry. After that, it’s just about delivering on the promise.

Now, these tips work great for a dine-in restaurant experience. However, if it’s on the phone or at a counter, that person could still sell better than a computer if they position it and ask about it like an invitation to a party, not an additional priced item. Case in point, “Would you like to spend $5.95 for cookies also?” Or, “Extra, double-chunk cookies with that ???!” Getting the customer to say, “Sure, why not?” As opposed to, “I don’t know if I want to add any more to this order.”

For online ordering, the ideal is to have a pop-up box, like the big boys do, after getting their main entree items in the cart. If your online portal does not have that ability, then if nothing else, have a great description and a fantastic, well-photographed version of your desserts to increase the likelihood of purchase. Do these tips, and you’ll see your dessert sales exponentially increase.

The post Mike’s Monthly Tip: You’ve Never Had Dessert. appeared first on Pizza Today.

Keep it cozy with Cold Weather Pizza Toppings

After a record-breaking hot summer in much of the U.S., we are ready for cooler temperatures. Are your fall and winter menus prepared to provide that cold-weather comfort? Just as summer tomatoes bring a freshness to your summer menu, look to cozy ingredients to warm up your customers when the temperatures go cool.

September is a perfect time to plan those cold-weather specialty menus. Before I dive into creative cozy pizza ideas, let’s reflect on your seasonal successes. You don’t have to start from scratch with your fall and winter pizza menus, go to your well for great pizzas that have worked.

During the pandemic, I offered some advice for changing up your fall menu. With cost of goods and inflation, that advice is still sound as you plan your fall and winter menus. Here are my five tips to help mitigate some of that risk of changing up your menu seasonally:

1. Go with your proven winners.
2. Look back to your sales reports from the past three to five years and find those fall and winter menu specials. Which fall and winter debut items were hits and which were duds?
3. Odds are you will find common ingredients that customers loved and ingredients that your market just didn’t care for. If you are unable to access item-by-item data history, scour your past fall and winter special social media posts. Were there items that garnered more attention than others?
4. Once you have a list of the popular fall and winter ingredients for your market, it’s time to think labor. Now may not be the time to roll out a labor-intensive new item. Instead try preparation and cooking techniques that do not strap your kitchen crew. Choose methods that can be prepped ahead or are already a part of your makeline.
5. Now it’s time to get creative in your kitchen. Try pairing seasonal items with those can’t-miss ingredients. People may be willing to get out of their pizza comfort zone if they see pepperoni or sausage on that a new fall or winter item.

Make pizza extra cozy with a white sauce

Pizza is already one of America’s best comfort foods. What can make pizza extra cozy? There are ingredients that are more filling. Here are a few ingredients to try on your cold-weather pizza:

White Sauces, from bechamel and Alfredo to thicker cheese-based sauces give the heftier feel.

Start with a basic bechamel sauce: Here is a basic bechamel sauce recipe. 

From there, let’s talk add-ins. You could go with cheese like Parmesan, bleu cheese, Gruyère, white cheddar or goat cheese. Roasted garlic always works well in a white sauce. Try other ingredients to change it up and make it your own — roasted red pepper, mushrooms, your favorite hot sauce or roasted hot pepper. Try herbs and seasonings like cayenne, onion powder, paprika, parsley, rosemary, saffron or sage. Even lemon can be that missing ingredient.

Look to heartier produce as pizza toppings

Now that we’ve concocted the perfect white sauce, it’s time to think about veggies. Luckily, there are some hearty varieties that will pair well with your version of a white sauce.

Let’s look at some fall and winter vegetable options: butternut squash, acorn squash, pumpkin, other winter squash, beetroot, carrots, Brussels sprouts, turnips, parsnips, potatoes, collard greens, mustard greens, kale, onion, shallots, leeks, radicchio and escarole.

I’m sure as you peruse the list, you’re thinking “how can I incorporate these atypical ingredients onto my pizza menu?” Start with more recognized favorites like squash, pumpkin and potatoes. You can roast these or even go a step further and puree them. People tend to sweeten up pumpkin and squash with brown sugar, honey and cinnamon. Play with flavoring. I challenge you to try combinations on the savory side like sage or rosemary. Hit them with lemon juice.

Onto the Recipes

I’ve included two very basic recipes for you to work your magic on. Your homework assignment is to add your own spin to the pizzas, whether that is incorporating a protein or seasoning them up. Whatever you come up with, tag us on social
@PizzaToday. Go get creative!

Butternut Squash & Gorgonzola Pizza Recipe

Butternut Squash and Gorgonzola Pizza

Potato, Bacon & Provolone Pizza Recipe

Potato, Bacon & Provolone Pizza

The post Plan Now for Fall and Winter Pizza Toppings appeared first on Pizza Today.

Approachable Artisan Bread

The definition of artisan is a worker who is in a skilled trade — especially one that involves making things by hand. My roles have changed over the years in my restaurants all the way from apprentice to owner. And along the way I have learned a few approachable breads.

My first job at the family business was hand rolling and baking breadsticks at eight years old. It wasn’t a hard job or a stressful job, but it did three main things. The first was to keep my wild eight-year-old self busy and out of the way while my parents and staff worked our busy restaurant. The second was to serve amazing skinny sticks of sourdough goodness to our customers. The third was that it was the first time ever my family let me be included in working at the family business.

Those breadsticks were the foundation of my baking career. I learned the nuances of cold/warm dough, how to proof dough in a small kitchen and that amazing chemistry of baking and how it affected my doughs.

Focaccia dough was my second. I learned how to shape at 12, working morning prep at our family restaurant while being home schooled for a year because even at 12, I was still pretty wild. That focaccia was amazing, easier to make and serve than breadsticks and also great for sandwiches.

My next adventure in non-pizza breads was with hoagie rolls at my first independent pizzeria outside of my family’s restaurants at 24 years old. I realized that with a little finesse I could basically take those same breadsticks and make these amazing rolls that have made some of my favorite sandwiches I’ve ever had in my life.

A decade later as my family retired, and my role increased at the family restaurants in my 30s, I’ve realized that bread bowls and bread loaves were easy to create after my millions of dough balls I had produced over the years.

In my 40s, I still love to learn and consider myself a perpetual student of dough. I love any chance to visit other pizzerias and learn their tricks and techniques of these breads. Garlic roll sliders were game changer after visiting John Arena at one of his Metro Pizza locations in Las Vegas.

So, join me in a fun filled, hands-on demo making all these different styles of bread out of a run of the mill NY pizza dough! Learn something new or share something new with us fellow artisans at the Pizza and Pasta NE show at the demo stage!

Will Grant owns That’s a Some Pizza in Bainbridge Island, WA.

Will Grant, owner of That’s a Some Pizza in Bainbridge Island, WA, and Sourdough Willy’s in Kingston, WA

Sunday, October 1
11:15 am to 12:15 pm
Demo Area

Approachable Artisan Breads

Will Grant, Owner, That’s A Some Pizza

You can make outstanding artisan breads in your pizza oven right there in your pizzeria. Will Grant will show you how! Learn more about the Education Schedule at Pizza and Pasta Northeast at the Atlantic City Convention Center on October 1-2. Visit ppne.pizzatoday.com.

Listen to Will Grant talk Pizza & Pasta Northeast on The Hot Slice Podcast.

The post Learn Easy-to-Make Breads from Pizza Dough appeared first on Pizza Today.

Restaurant Recipe Creation from Concept to Reality

Often a recipe can be all title and no substance. The quattro formaggi pizza doesn’t amount to much if one of the four kinds of cheese is Velveeta. Like having a movie script start with the title instead of the story — i.e., snakes on a plane instead of a well-crafted script that naturally gains a title. Curating great food is a culmination of balance, structure and creativity to value the consumer’s palette above anything else. After that, it’s operational awareness and knowing how to execute it effectively. Hence, all staff and customers are keenly aware of this item’s value proposition and why they should buy it. Here is my process for achieving that.

New Menu Item Conceptualization

Any great recipe starts with inspiration, whether a spin on something you’ve had yourself or something unique. The best recipes come from items you long to eat yourself. They don’t come from simply seeking to people please, without a heart behind it, to make the best possible thing. Even making a gluten-free pizza, assuming you have no gluten intolerance, must still be made from a place of intrigue and dedication to greatness because no one wants to go to the second-best pizza place in town. Then once you’re inspired, it’s time to create and make the best version possible. If you have proficient culinary staff, a quarterly menu submission meeting is a great team builder and an opportunity to freshen up a menu.

Testing and Agreement

Once the concept is ready, it’s time for it to take a tangible form. Prepare your pizza, taste it, refine it and repeat this process until you hit the sweet spot where the best creation possible has been achieved. The testing phase is a series of trials and errors, incorporating feedback from your staff, customers who dig you, and people who don’t care if they tell you something you don’t want to hear.

Process Creation

Upon successfully testing the new recipe, the next step is establishing a comprehensive process that enables the kitchen team to recreate the same pizza consistently. A well-documented process should specify each ingredient’s weight or volume, prep order, cooking times, temperatures, if applicable, and every other detail that ensures consistency and quality. Specificity is your friend on a recipe. The process creation step is the blueprint that helps transform your unique concept into a replicable product.

Meanwhile, training your staff to prepare the new recipe ideally is another significant aspect. Knowledgeable and skilled kitchen staff are the backbone of your operations. Having staff cook the new item off a few times to learn it with repetition ensures a run on the new item goes well. Additionally, having staff try the pizza so they can speak to it and sell it in their voice should occur from the kitchen test runs of the recipe.

Ingredient Sourcing

The next stage is to source the right ingredients. If you made the recipe from items purchased at a grocery store, it’s time to find it affordably sold in bulk from your supplier. You can only price it out once you know what you can legitimately and consistently produce the item for.

In-House Menu, Description and Pricing

Once the item is ready to hit your restaurant’s floor, you must prepare it for its digital debut. Integrating the recipe into your in-house menu involves having a solid description and menu placement with a price that justifies its unique value proposition and exceeds the target profit margin. The price should be based first on food cost, then what it’s comparable to in the market, and last but not least, what you can sell it for if it’s so unique and special that it’s a must to try it.

Menu Synchronization

With the new items ready for its launch, it’s time to synchronize all your menus – in-house, takeout, catering and online. Every platform must reflect this new addition, ensuring a cohesive customer experience across all ordering channels. I find it easier to print and prepare all the materials and change everything out Sunday night after closing so you can come in Monday ready to rock with a new menu. If you are doing one item with a slow rollout, that’s fine too, but eventually, the extensive process needs to occur if the item is a winner.

Online Presence and Delivery Services Menu Updates

In this digital era, a significant chunk of your business might come from online platforms. Ensure your new recipe’s description, price and pictures are updated on your website and other online delivery services. Remember, your online menu serves as a virtual gateway to your pizzeria. It’s your digital front door, and having a bad one is like a restaurant with the open sign not turned on.

Marketing and Promotion

The last step is a proper launch with pinpoint targeted marketing. Use all the tools in your marketing arsenal, including social media platforms, e-mail newsletters, and in-house promotions. Organize more food tastings for staff day of launch, push your promotions on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and ensure a consistent marketing message across all channels. Invite the news to try the new items; you never know what might get picked up on a slow news day. A press release is not out of the question and costs nothing if you do it yourself.

If that’s not your speed, direct messaging people with large followings in your community to try the new item on you, i.e., free, is an easy and also low-cost way to get your fast social presence for the item. This sounds like influencer marketing, and it is, but go after people with influence to your demo, not people who advertise themselves as paid influencers. In Tulsa, the television weather people carry more social clout and followers than the average MLM marketer who wants constant paid freebies.

In Summary

The recipe process from concept to a tangible offering on your menu is a detailed and comprehensive system that demands a blend of creativity, precision, and business acumen. Every pizza that leaves your kitchen is not just a food item but a testament to your dedication, hard work and commitment to delivering value to your customers. If it’s not, you are selling a commodity — and commodities only fight in a race to be the cheapest, not the best.

Mike Bausch is the owner of Andolini’s Pizzeria in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Instagram: @mikeybausch

The post Proper Recipe Creation appeared first on Pizza Today.

Discover Detroit-Style Pizza

Detroit style pizza is a square, deep dish pizza that is known for its racing stripes sauce on top, cheese crust crown and light crust. Whether you call them red tops or square pizza, Detroit-style pizza is a unique pizza style that hast become one of the hottest pizza styles and one of the most popular pizzas in the U.S.Pizza Today has amassed a library of resources on Detroit pizza. In this guide, you’ll learn about Detroit style pizza’s characteristics, history, dough, recipes, best Detroit pizza and more.

Detroit Pizza Guide Table of Contents

1. What is Detroit Style Pizza?
2. What Makes Detroit-Style Pizza Different?
   1. The dough
   2. The proofing process
   3. The pans
   4. Toppings and cheeses
   5. Deck oven baking
3. What makes a Detroit Pizza a Detroit Pizza?
   1. Detroit Style Pizza Dough
   2. Detroit Style Pizza Pan
   3. The Detroit Cheese Crown Pizza
   4. What is Brick Cheese on Detroit pizza?
   5. Why is it called a Detroit Red Top?
4. Detroit Style Pizza Recipe
   1. 3 Detroit Pizza and Detroit Pizza Dough Recipes
5. Best Detroit Style Pizza
   1. Best Detroit Style Pizza in Detroit
   2. Detroit-Style Pizza went national
6. Detroit Pizza vs Chicago
   1. What is the difference between Detroit-Style and Chicago-Style Pizza?
7. What is the difference between Detroit and New York Pizza?
8. How To Reheat Detroit Style Pizza
9. Detroit Style Pizza gets a National Food Holiday

What is Detroit Style Pizza?

Detroit-style pizza has gone national and international. Until a decade ago, Motor City visitors would ask, “what is a Detroit style pizza?” Detroit natives just called it pizza. The Detroit style deep dish pizza is unique and unlike any other pizza style. Today, Detroit-style pizza can be found across the United State and around the world.

Detroit-style pizza originated at Buddy’s Pizza in Detroit, Michigan, in 1946.

The square pie can be traced back to who created Detroit style pizza. Buddy’s Rendevous Pizzeria. According to Buddy’s Pizza’s own history on its website, “The Detroit-style Pizza legacy began at Buddy’s Rendezvous Pizzeria on Six Mile and Conant Street on Detroit’s East Side when in 1946 Gus Guerra and team made their first square-shaped pizza. Baked in forged-steel pans borrowed from local automotive plants, they were able to produce a very light and crispy crust which is now known as Detroit-Style Pizza. This was the first known square pizza in the U.S.”

Listen to Buddy’s Pizza CBO Wes Pikula on The Hot Slice Podcast. Detroit-style pizza is trending across the country. This week, we talk to Chief Branding Officer Wes Pikula of Buddy’s Pizza, the original Detroit style. Discover more about Buddy’s, the development of the Detroit pizza and how the legendary pizza company is in full growth mode.

It wasn’t until a pizza maker Shawn Randazzo, who owned Detroit Pizza Company, won Pizza Maker of the Year and placed first in the Pan Division with a Detroit pizza at the 2012 International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. This was the first time a Detroit pizza took the top honor at the international pizza competition.

What Makes Detroit-Style Pizza Different?

There are several characteristics of the Detroit style pizza that separates it from any other style. The late Shawn Randazzo, who owned Detroit-Style Pizza Company in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, helped take the style national when he consulted with pizzerias across the country teaching the Detroit style. He said in “Do it Detroit style” kitchen feature: “One of the most unique aspects of Detroit-style pizza is its square shape due to the fact that it is prepared in square steel pans. Detroit was experiencing a boom in automotive manufacturing in the 1940s, and the pans used to bake the first Detroit-style pizzas were also used as small parts trays at auto plants. Square steel pans are still used to prepare authentic Detroit-style pizza today.”

Detroit pizza is distinctively unique down to how its dough is proofed, the baking process, ingredients used and how to apply toppings.

A brief look at what makes Detroit pizza different from Shawn Randazzo’s Do It Detroit Style feature:

• The dough.

Detroit-style pizza features a medium-thick crust that’s light and airy on the inside, yet crispy on the outside, a signature of authenticity that’s achieved by a high moisture content (between a 68- and 72-percent hydration level) and the proofing process. Preparing your Detroit-style pizza dough takes care and attention to detail.

• The proofing process.

There are two ways to proof Detroit-style pizza dough. For the first method, you refrigerate the dough for a 24-hour cold fermentation period, which can enhance taste and texture. After 24 hours, you can press the dough out into the pans, making sure it is consistently even throughout the entire pan. Once fully pressed out, let it rise to a thickness of between one inch and one and one-quarter inch. At this point, the dough is ready to bake.

• The pans.

As mentioned, Detroit-style pizza is baked in square steel pans. We season our pans through a multi-step process that protects the pans and makes pizza more flavorful with each bake. Over time, the oils from the pizzas you bake will lend a natural seasoning to your pans. Like an old friend once said, “Like fine wine, Detroit-style pizza pans improve with time.”

• Toppings & cheeses.

Traditionally, a layer of pepperoni lines Detroit-style pizza crust. Next, cheese is spread evenly across the entire pizza, edge to edge, covering the pepperoni. Brick and mozzarella cheese blends are the most authentic, and brick cheese can be blended with other cheeses as well. However, there are substitutes that can be used in areas where brick cheese is difficult to obtain or extremely pricey. After the cheese is applied, any additional toppings can be placed on top.

• The sauce.

Ladling red sauce on last is one of the signatures of Detroit-style pizza, which is why it has earned the nicknames “red top pizza” and “upside down pizza.” You can craft your own red sauce recipe, but it’s best to begin with ground tomatoes as the base. The sauce is simmered until it’s ready to use, and it’s traditionally applied to Detroit-style pizza after baking. Some pizzerias apply it before baking, which does not jeopardize authenticity — but it can affect the bake due to high moisture content.

• Deck oven baking.

Detroit-style pizza is baked in deck ovens, which admittedly take some time to master. Training your kitchen staff to properly use deck ovens is critical to consistent baking. Natural gas-fired deck ovens with stone or steel decks are fired from the bottom so they don’t dehydrate vegetables and other toppings like forced air conveyor pizza ovens tend to do.

Now’s let’s go deeper in Detroit Pizza characteristics.

A Detroit pizza being made at the International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas.

So, what makes a Detroit Pizza a Detroit Pizza? 

According to Buddy’s site: “The style flips traditional pizza on its head by beginning with double proofed dough perfectly fit to a square pan – a process that allows the dough to rise and be stretched twice – followed by the backwards layering of toppings.”

There are several factors that makes a Detroit pizza a Detroit pizza, including its dough process, how the dough is proofed, oven baking and how ingredients are staged.

Detroit Style Pizza Dough

Dough Expert Laura Meyer has covered Detroit style pizza dough extensively. In her Knew to Know article, she explained, “In terms of dough process, I managed to speak with someone within the Buddy’s company; but unfortunately, I am not privy to specific proprietary information. What I could gather is that they, like a lot of pizzerias in Detroit, are doing it the same way they always have or as close to the same as possible. They are using fresh yeast, a mid- to low-range protein flour, and there is no browning agent and no fat or very little fat in the dough. For water I suspect a lower hydration not exceeding 60 percent. The dough is made same day and is proofed in the pan for a number of hours before being cooked. The representative from Buddy’s explained to me that it “should be light and crunchy”. During my eating tour of Detroit, I noticed the height of each pizza was only about one to 1.5 inches and had a crumb structure that was tighter with many small bubbles. There was a crunch on the bottom, but it was never super distinct. It was the type of crunch that you get from contact with the pan and length of cook time, but not the thicker and more sturdy crunch you get from higher hydration.”

Get a Detroit-style Pizza Dough Formula Recipe, including detailed dough process from Dough Expert Laura Meyer in Knead to Know: The Tenets of Detroit-style Pizza, Part II.

Detroit Style Pizza Pan

An example of the Detroit Style Pizza pan

Originally Detroit pizzas were made to readily available auto manufacturing’s small parts trays because they were available and found in abundance in the Motor City.. Those auto parts pans are hard to come by today. But pizza pan manufacturers have stepped in to provide pans that meet the expectations for operators to bake a Detroit-style pizza. LloydPans is featured in our Product Showcase with 8″×10″, and 10″×14″ inch Detroit-Style Pans. See more on LloydPans’ Detroit Style Pizza Pans.

The Detroit Cheese Crown Pizza

Cheese crown at Hunny’s Pizza, Saline, Michigan

It’s unclear whether the cheese crusted crown edging a Detroit pizza is an original trait. But today, it is a signature that pizzerias across the country have strived to outdo each other on the Instagramability of cheese crown on a Detroit-style pizza. Follow hashtags like #cheesecrown on Instagram.

To create the cheese crown, pile extra cheese along the edge of the well-seasoned and oiled pan. After the bake, use a metal spatula to carefully extract the pizza, keeping the crispy crown intact.

What is Brick Cheese on Detroit pizza?

A signature component that makes a Detroit pizza a Detroit pizza is Brick Cheese. What is Brick Cheese? Brick cheese is a Wisconsin semi-hard, cow’s milk cheese that gets its name from the bricks used to press out the moisture in the cheese. It’s a mild and buttery flavored cheese but can get more pungent and tangy as it ages. Pizza makers are experimenting with various ages of brick cheese on Detroit pizza. Brick cheese is often blended with mozzarella. In past, brick cheese was hard to find. Today, many main line distributors carry Brick cheese.

Why is it called a Detroit Red Top?

The reason why you hear Detroit pizzas being called Detroit Red Top is due to the red sauce that is applied to the top of the pizza.

In Motor City Pizza, Jeff Smokevitch says, “The sauce is usually applied before the final bake for par-baked pies. Although gaining recent popularity is the technique of applying pizza sauce after the final bake (raw bake or par bake). Most of the older operators in Detroit will apply their pizza sauce before a raw bake. If applying after the final bake, make sure your pizza sauce is in a hot holding container of 135 F or above. Sauce is a heavy ingredient for the pie. When you apply the sauce, it should be based on the strength of the dough.”

Detroit Style Pizza Recipe

How to make a Detroit style pizza by following one our recipes built by pizza masters and pizza dough experts. The Detroit Style Pizza Dough Recipe As many pizzeria recipe ingredients are proprietary, we have enlisted the best pizza makers in the U.S. to create Detroit Style Pizza Recipes for you to try in your kitchen. Our recipes provide detailed how to make and bake a Detroit style pizza.