1) We Lose A Legend of Pizza: Flo Consiglio Passes

2) How the Internet Changed Pizza History

3) Can you Freeze Pizza?

1) We Lose A Legend of Pizza: Flo Consiglio Passes

It is with great sadness that I share the news, Flo Consiglio, the Matriarch of Pizza has passed away.

Flo , was the wife of Salvatore Consiglio, the owner of Sally's Apizza located on Wooster Street in New Haven, Connecticut. She was a true original, who as Ed Levine (Pizza: A Slice of Heaven: The Ultimate Pizza Guide and Companion ) so aptly stated was "the keeper of the flame".

I was fortunate to have met Flo a number of times over the years. While her sons, Rick and Bobby, made pizza in the back of the house, Flo sat at a booth near the register, tallying up the price of each pizza. Every receipt was carefully printed out by hand. She never made a mistake. No computer or electronic device for her. Each receipt was hand printed.

She was extremely loyal to her favorite customers and always took care of them. Sally's is a very old school pizzeria. Sally's is only open six days a week, 5 until 10:00 PM. They are not open for lunch.

There is always a line to get into Sally's, and you really need to arrive early if you want to get in for the first round of pizza. There would always be several "reserved" tables. Flo would save these tables for special guests. This irritated a number of people, who waited in line for hours to get pizza. But that's just the way it is. If you did not like it, you could always go somewhere else.

I think Jim described Sally's the best:

• Sally's is open from 5 pm to 10 pm daily except on Monday's. 

• It does not serve lunch. 

• It serves thin-crust pizza exclusively.

•  No salads, no calzones, no pasta, no pan pizza. 

• It serves no hard liquor or wine. It serves two varieties of beer, bottle only and no beer on tap. 

• It serves generic soda and no Coke or Pepsi.

•  It does not serve by the slice. 

• It does not deliver. 

• Parking is difficult at best and sometimes one must park 1/4 mile away. 

• Sally's has never had a special or discount prices nor has it ever offered coupons, ever. 

• The interior is not elegant in any way and looks today much like it looked 50 years ago. 

• The wait staff is not the friendliest, and when a waiter comes to your table you better be ready to order or the waiter will leave and not come back for 20 minutes. 

• And, to top it all off, there is never less than a one to two hour wait to get into the establishment and often another 30-45 minutes to finally get your pizza. 

• Often the wait is outside in the dead of winter. 

Ruth, Rick, Bobby, and Flo Consiglio at Sally's Apizza

Albert with Flo Consgilio

The $20,000 Pizza Interview with Gail

Here is a tribute to Flo from our friend Gail. Gail won $20,000 from the Food Network by asking Flo for a simple favor. This is one of the most amazing interviews I have ever done.

I call this the $20,000 Dollar Pizza Interview.

One of the huge unknown secrets of Sally's (according to Gail)  is the water used to make the pizza. The water is magical and contains very mystical powers, explains Gail.

"I said Flo, I'm going to be on this competition and I really want to use your water, for my completion, Flo, is that OK?"

And she looked at me, she said, "Why sure Gail go right ahead".

And so I had this Evian water bottle and I emptied it out and I went into the Girl's room of Sally's, I drew the water out of their faucet and that's the water I used for my $25,000 pie..." 

Gail's co-star was Guy Fieri. Guy has currently released his Guy's BBQ Sampler Set (4-pc.) by Guy Fieri

Happy listening!

Here is the interview:

You can also download the interview HERE  to listen later on your PC, MAC, Iphone, Ipod, Smart Phone or whatever...
(Just right click and save, or left click to open in a new window to listen now)

2) How the Internet Changed Pizza History
by Albert Grande

Pizza has always been Americas favorite food. Its been the subject of movies, books, and songs. Pizza is not only a food of sustenance, but for some has become an obsessive delight. And for many Pizza Fans, pizza is a sheer and utter passion. Pizza debate brings on an endless thirst for argument that cannot be easily quenched with just a slice or two.

People discuss their favorite pizzerias with the same emotionally charged energy as they would discuss politics or their favorite sports team. Pizza has become so entrenched into the culture that it is easy to forget, pizza was once simply peasant food. Pizza was for many years, enjoyed by the lower echelons of society, who could afford little else.
For most of Pizzas long and romantic history, pizza was a regional dish. The great pizza in New York stayed in New York.

The inside secrets of the best New York pizza remained in the boroughs and neighborhoods where it was created. There would be an occasional newspaper or magazine article. Television and radio reporters would sporadically discuss pizza on regional and local venues. However, unless you visited New York, these inside pizza secrets remained mysteries to the rest of the country.

The pizza in New Haven stayed in New Haven. Frank Pepe began making pizza in 1925. Sallys founded by Franks, nephew, Salvatore Consiglio, came into being a decade later. Modern Apizza, also in New Haven developed their own brick oven masterpieces. Up the road in Derby, Connecticut, Roseland Apizza had created their own brand of incredible pizza, independently of anyone else.

Most people outside of New Haven were clueless to the pizza being created there. This was true for most of the residents of the entire state. Most Connecticut residents had never thought of traveling to New Haven to eat pizza. And why would they? They had their own great pizza, or so they thought.

And so it had been across the country. State by state, region by region. From the East Coast to the Heartland. From the Deep South to the West Coast. From Chicago to Los Angeles. From Portland to Louisiana. Pizza made in that region stayed in that region. There was no cross over. No sharing of pizza ideas.

The only way you discovered regional pizza was by knowing someone who lived there or by traveling yourself to a particular area and searching it out. Other than that, pizza was regionalized remained hidden and undiscovered.
This was true not only of the United States but across the entire planet. Pizzerias in Italy, all of Europe and other continents hid their pizza secrets to all but the fortunate residents and random traveler.

However, things were about to change. Enter the great game changer. The Big Kahuna of Information was about to turn regionalized pizza into a global point of argument and dialogue.

The floodgates of the great pizza symposium were opened. 

Enter the great game changer. The Big Kahuna of Information was about to turn regionalized pizza into a global point of argument and dialogue.

Read the Rest of the Story HERE at Legends of Pizza blog.
(Opens in a new window)

4) Difference Between Thin Crust and Thick Crust

Alice Asks:

Can you tell me what's the difference between a thin crust and
thick crust pizza base?

My response:

The difference really to me is an issue of the thickness of the pizza crust and the type of pizza being made.

The thin pizza is known as Neapolitan pizza. This was the type of pizza favored there. This is also known as New York pizza. This is the type of pizza made in New Haven, Connecticut, also. This is the type of pizza, I am most familiar. This is the type of pizza I usually make.

Thick crust pizza on the other hand uses a much thicker base. It is also known as Sicilian pizza (or on Long Island, New York, Grandmother's pizza). Usually this type of pizza is served in a rectangular pan. In Rhode Island when I grew up most of the Italian Bakeries would sell this type of pizza.

Some people think just using more dough in your pizza makes a thicker crust and I think this is true.
A thick crust takes a little longer to cook.

I hope this answers your question.

The Pizza Therapy Digital Store Front
 

As usual Dear Pizza Fan: Thank you. I really appreciate your support.

Remember: "100% of the shots you never take, don't go in..." Wayne Gretzky

I'm taking some shots. Wish me well.

That's all the "Pizza News!", for now...

"Pizza on Earth, Good Will to All" Sincerely, Albert Grande, The Pizza Promoter  Ironwood Gourmet Acacia Wood Pizza Peel (See all Pizza Peels)    Kitchen Supply 14-Inch x 16-Inch Aluminum Pizza Peel with Wood Handle (See all Pizza Peels)   Outset QZ10 Stainless-Steel Pizza Peel with Rosewood Handle    EXO Super Peel Pizza Peel in Solid White Ash - Claim the Legends of Pizza      Volume 1 and 2 eBook       Pizza Blog       The Forum     Legends of Pizza : (The My Space and Face Book for pizza) Learn the Pizza Business: Free Report      Food and Pizza Articles                     POS Pizza Software The Best of Pizza News 2009   Pizza News January, 2010 Gail Churinetz on the Food Network Pizza News, March, 2010 Pizza News, April 2010 Pizza News June 20210 Pizza News October 2010 Pizza News, November 2010 Pizza News, December 2010 Merry Christmas Greetings from Pizza Therapy Pizza News January 2011       Pizza News March, 2011 Pizza News April 2011                    Pizza News, June 2011 Pizza News July 2011 Pizza News, October, 2011   Index 2          Pizza Press Releases   Subscribe to my Podcasts at I Tunes Index 2   Pizza Therapy  | History |  Dough |  Making Pizza | Italian