The Rochester NY Pizza Blog

McQuaid Jesuit

2013-05-22T16:07:00.001-04:00

Yes, you read that title right. I'm reviewing school cafeteria pizza.
But not just any high school, or any school cafeteria. Let's cut to the chase - McQuaid Jesuit, a Catholic, male-only school, is not only a fine educational institution, it also has some of the best pizza around.
I discovered this through one of my readers, whose husband David DelGaudio runs the food program at McQuaid. I was skeptical, but figured, OK, why not?
It took a couple of phone calls to make arrangements - I didn't want to just show up one day and start wandering through the hallways, given our sadly necessary concerns these days about security - but I made it without too much trouble, and met both Dave and Director of Communications Sean Mullen, who guided me to the cafeteria.
I got there just before the lunchtime crush, and was very impressed by the wide variety of slices available. There were several thin-crust pies, from plain cheese to pepperoni and more, as well as a Sicilian pizza and something I hadn't run across before, panuozzo. This is basically a folded-over pizza dough with fillings inside.
But let me start with the thin slice. I went with a basic cheese slice, which was thin but not paper thin, nicely charred underneath, and supple, with just a bit of bite on the exterior of the crust. The crust was very good, but I think it was one of those that would be even better with reheating, to really crisp up the bottom.
There was some oil on the top side, from the cheese, but nothing excessive. The mozzarella was added in proportion to the thinness of the crust, and was melt-in-your-mouth creamy. A thin layer of basic, tomatoey sauce rounded things out.
Thin crust remains my go-to pizza, but the Sicilian here was a standout, with a bottom crust marked by a bubbly pattern that revealed its pan-baked character, but with no more than a slight feel of oil on the surface. The interior was chewy and breadlike, and the slice was topped with a generous helping of sauce and blistered dollops of fresh mozzarella.
Next up was the panuozzo. This cousin of a calzone is regularly offered here, but the fillings vary from day to day. On this occasion, the fillings were a basic pepperoni, sauce and cheese. The entire thing was baked as one giant loaf, and then sliced. The crust was nicely browned on top and bottom, and enclosed a steaming-hot interior, with smooth, stretchy cheese oozing out along the sides.
Dave informed me that all three of these offerings were prepared using the same dough and sauce, which made for a fascinating study of how the same ingredients can yield very different results, depending on how they're prepared and baked. And all three were baked in a large commercial pizza oven, with a gas flame in back providing some radiant heat.
My one regret is that I didn't speak to any of the students to get their take on the pizza. I got my slices at just about the time that the students swarmed into the cafeteria, locust-like, but minutes before I finished eating, they vanished just as quickly to go back to class.
But if any McQuaid students are reading this - you've got it good, at least as far as the food is concerned. I hope you know that. Not to sound like an old timer ("Why, when I was a lad ..."), but in my day, school pizza was pretty awful, although I suppose we still looked forward to it, given the alternatives. And I suspect that even today, few schools offer pizza that's even close to this good. If I were a McQuaid student, I might try to keep my grades down, in the hopes of repeating a year, just for the pizza. Something tells me it wouldn't work, but I'd consider it, anyway.
I could pick a nit here and there about this pizza. The thin-crust slice was a little pale along the edge (which also had a large bubble in it), and as I mentioned, it was a bit oily on top. But all in all, this was excellent pizza, well made, with quality ingredients, and it rates an A from me.
If you'd like to try McQuaid's pizza, it can be done. The cafeteria is generally not open to the public, but on school days you can order a 20-inch pizza to go; visit their website for details. A 20-inch pie is a lot of pizza, but I don't think you'll end up with many leftovers.
McQuaid Jesuit, South Clinton Ave. at Elmwood Avenue.
Pizza catering available on school days between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Merchants Grill

2013-05-17T10:07:00.000-04:00

While my explorations have taken me to nearly all of Rochester's pizzerias, I've still got some work to do on investigating the area's bars and restaurants that serve pizza. And I've been trying to whittle away at that list.
So it was that I recently stopped by Merchants Grill, on its namesake road in northeast Rochester. It's a popular bar/restaurant serving food all day, till the wee hours.
And in addition to the usual bar fare of wings and burgers, they do pizza. So that's what I tried, sharing a pie and some wings with a friend.
My pepperoni pie had a medium-thick crust, which was very dark brown to nearly black underneath, and crisscrossed by screen marks. It wasn't particularly oily to the touch, but its color and exterior crunch suggested the presence of oil in the dough, on the pan or cooking surface, or both. The edge was lighter in color but also crunchy on the surface, though the interior did have some breadlike chew.
The pie was topped with a basic tomato sauce, with a straightforward tomatoey flavor, and an even layer of nicely melted mozzarella, as well as a judicious sprinkling of cup and char pepperoni slices. They made for a tasty, well balanced combination.
The pizza was OK, but, perhaps not surprisingly, I liked the wings better. They were meaty and well coated, but not drenched, in a medium-hot, classic Buffalo sauce. I also appreciated the inclusion of celery sticks, although I would've preferred them from the wider, root end than these skinny strips from the top of the stalk.
It's nice to see pizza as an option at local eateries that aren't full-fledged pizzerias, provided that the pizza is decent. And this was decent. I wouldn't say that Merchants Grill is a pizza destination, but if you go, consider gettting a pizza - it's not bad. The crust wasn't the greatest, but it was OK, and to the extent possible, it was compensated for by the toppings, which were flavorful and well balanced. If you were having this as an accompaniment to a pitcher of beer with some friends, I think this would be a perfectly acceptable bar pizza. I wouldn't call this average Rochester pizza, but on balance, it falls somewhere in the middle, so I'll give it a C.
Merchants Grill, 881 Merchants Road
482-2010
Open daily from 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. (food available until 1:00 a.m.)

Book Review: Easy Indian Cooking

2013-05-17T09:01:00.001-04:00

There are certain ethnic cuisines that I just have to go back to now and again, and Indian is one of them. When I think of Indian food, I think of intoxicating blends of spices and other ingredients that yield complex, yet complementary blends of flavors and aromas that are a delight to the senses.
Probably like most Americans, though, my experience of Indian cooking has mostly been limited to Indian restaurants; I rarely attempt to cook Indian food at home. So I gladly accepted a review copy of Easy Indian Cooking from publisher Robert Rose.
Author Suneeta Vaswani, a native and (after some years spent in Houston, Texas) resident of Mumbai, knows her stuff, as is evident from the many tips found in the sidebars to the recipes. The book covers a gamut of Indian cuisine, from street foods to breads, meat- and vegetable-based main dishes, chutneys and sweets.
For the most part, the recipes are kept fairly simple, and though the ingredient lists can be long, there's generally nothing in them that you couldn't pick up at Wegmans, or at one of Rochester's Indian groceries, like this one or this one or this one.
You'll find Indian-restaurant staples like tandoori and pork vindaloo, as well as less familiar and vegetarian dishes, such as mussels in cilantro broth, potatoes with fenugreek leaves, and creamy broccoli curry. Not surprisingly, there aren't a lot of beef dishes here. When beef does appear, it's usually as an alternative to lamb, which is what you're more likely to find in Indian cooking, but if you want to use beef, the lamb recipes are easily adaptable.
As a home baker, and a lover of the flatbreads that you can get at Indian restaurants, I was especially interested in those recipes. The chapter on "Rice, Cereal and Breads" contains recipes for various Indian breads, but they're mostly either griddle- or deep-fried breads. Oven-baked breads are not to be found here. But any good, general baking cookbook should have recipes for those, and their absence is more than compensated for by the wealth of other Indian dishes found within these pages. Contrary to some people's impressions, Indian food is not all spicy hot, but I'm a pepperhead, and I was pleased to see recipes like "Fiery Fish," which Vaswani cautions is "not for the faint-hearted." Don't worry, you'll be able to cool your palate with a mango lassi or cucumber raita.
With 150 recipes, Easy Indian Cooking offers plenty to keep lovers of Indian food busy in their kitchens for a long time. And if you're a novice in this area, it makes for a good, user-friendly introduction to one of the world's great cuisines.
Easy Indian Cooking, by Suneeta Vaswani. Robert Rose (2d ed. 2013). Paperback, 240 pp.

Santino's Pizza, Oakfield

2013-05-15T10:34:00.000-04:00

Ever since I was a kid, I've loved looking at maps, and wondering what all those places were on there, and what they were like. These days, of course, you can virtually go anywhere on Google Maps, but it's hardly a substitute for being there. I'm pretty sure that spending a week looking at the Street View of Hawaii would not give me the same pleasure as spending a week there, in person.
So I still like to drive around and check out places I've never been to before. I always think, if it's your first time in a place, you're a traveler there, even if it's only an hour's drive from your home.
Which took me recently to Oakfield in Genesee County. I had to be in that area, and took the opportunity to pay my first visit to this village a few miles northwest of Batavia. Funny how some things stick in your mind, but I remembered hearing of it in 2005, when an 11-year-old girl made headlines by striking out every player she faced while pitching a Little League game. (If you're interested, here's a "what ever happened to" update.)
Of course, I didn't just go there to see Oakfield, nice as it may be. I also knew that - like any self-respecting American town - Oakfield has a pizzeria, Santino's, which had gotten some positive online reviews.
Santino's is a fairly large, bustling place, at least on a weekday at lunchtime, when I stopped in to try their pizza. They offer counter service, with a large seating area. They have pizza slices available at the counter, and I got two pepperoni slices to go, which looked pretty fresh.
The thin to medium crust was dark brown underneath, with a faint oily sheen and no screen marks. It was a good-looking crust, although on biting into it I found that it was not as crisp as I'd expected from its appearance. Firm, but not crisp.
The slices were topped with a thin layer of a simple, middle-of-the-road tomato sauce. The cheese, which seemed to be straight mozzarella, was quite thick, almost like double cheese. It had, unfortunately, congealed since coming out of the oven, which is one of the downsides of getting slices rather than a fresh pie.

A sprinkling of dried herbs was visible on top, adding a hint of oregano flavor and aroma. The thin slices of pepperoni were OK.
I could swear that I picked up a menu while I was at Santino's, but I can't seem to locate it. I'm not the most organized person around, so that doesn't surprise me. If I find it I'll edit this post to add more about their menu, but for now suffice it to say that Santino's offers a solid range of pizzas, wings and subs.
As for this pizza, hey, it wasn't bad. The flavor was pretty good, and the crust had some breadlike aroma, even if it wasn't as crisp as I like. The cheese was generous, even if congealed and chewy. And with two slices plus a fountain drink for just $4, it was a good deal. All in all, this was decent, basic pizza, average small-town pizza (and I don't mean that in a pejorative way), and I'll give it a C.
Santino's Pizza, 2 Main St, Oakfield
Phone: (585) 948-5266
Hours unknown, but it is open for lunch on weekdays

Tackles on the Bay, Hilton

2013-05-10T10:57:00.002-04:00

With warmer weather here at last, many of us will be spending more time on and near the water, whether it's one of the Finger Lakes, the canal, Lake Ontario, or your backyard pool.
Or perhaps Braddock Bay, in northwest Monroe County. The bay (presumably named after British general Edward Braddock, who was killed in the French and Indian War) has had some issues in recent years over low water levels, but maybe that'll change this year, and it's still a pleasant place to get on the water without the noise and crowds of places like Charlotte.
On a short, thinly populated stretch of Manitou Road in Hilton, on what's either an inlet of the bay or a creek feeding into the bay, lie three bar/restaurants, within less than half a mile of each other: The Willow Inn, Docksiders, and Tackles on the Bay. Bring a designated driver or boat captain and you've got a mini pub crawl made to order.
But that's not what found me at Tackles the other day. No, I was drawn here for the food, because, as far as I know, Tackles is the only one of these establishments to offer pizza.
Pizzas at TOTB come in 10- and 16-inch sizes, for $4.99 and $7.99 respectively, including two free toppings. I didn't need a 16" pizza, but with over two and a half times more surface area at only 1.6 times the cost it seemed by far the better buy (I didn't do all that math at the time, but I mentally did a rough approximation; what can I say? I'm a geek, or a cheapskate, or both). So I got a large pizza, with green peppers and onions.
The medium thick crust was a fairly uniform golden brown underneath, and was faintly oily to the touch. It had some crispness, as dough will when it's been baked on an oiled pan. Think of the sides and bottom of a loaf of bread that's been baked in a bread pan and you'll have a pretty good idea of what this was like.
The crust did have some decent fresh-bread flavor, though not much "chew." The minute air bubbles inside didn't indicate a lot of gluten development, so while the flavor was pleasant enough, the texture didn't wow me. Frankly this could've been made using a premade crust, which wouldn't surprise me, as this isn't really a pizzeria as such, and it seems unlikely that they'd be making their own dough from scratch every day. (Also, when you see just two sizes of pizza on a menu, I think that's some indication that they're probably using premade crusts.)
The crust had also very visibly been "docked," meaning perforated with tiny holes to keep it from puffing up in the oven. Again, I don't know if Tackles uses fresh dough or premade "shells," so I don't know if this was done here or if they came that way from the supplier.
The crust was topped with a very smooth tomato sauce. Its consistency reminded me of Ragu® sauce from a jar. I don't like my pizza sauce to be particularly chunky, but this was a little too pureed and canned-like for my taste. It had a slightly sweet flavor that was not bad.
The mozzarella was well melted and very stringy/stretchy. There was also a distinct aroma and flavor of what I think was Parmesan cheese. It was very noticeable, though not overpowering.
Atop the cheese were a few sprinkles of what appeared to be parsley flakes, which is something I've never seen on a pizza. I suppose it could've been oregano or dried basil, but it had the bright green color of parsley, and regardless of what it was, no flavor to speak of. The peppers and onions were thin sliced and sauteed to a pleasant softness, which I prefer to veggies that were added raw prior to baking. Fresh vegetables are fine and all, but peppers and onions develop what I consider to be better flavor and texture when they've been sauteed.
I also noticed that the toppings didn't adhere well to the crust. When I lifted up the cheese to examine the top of the crust, it came off quite easily, and the sauce was also very easy to swipe off. Again, that indicated to me that this was likely a parbaked crust to which toppings had been added just before the pizza was put in the oven. If a pizza's made with fresh dough, generally the sauce will soak into the crust a little (which is why you need to get it in the oven fairly quickly after applying the sauce, lest the crust get soggy or start to stick to the pizza peel), but not here. So I'm thinking the dough had already developed a bit of a skin or crust on top when the toppings were applied.
Tackles offers a full menu of bar food (burgers, wings, plates, etc.) and more substantial options, with a heavy emphasis on steaks, seafood, and Italian specialties. It's a very pleasant setting, right on the water, with an interior accented by light-colored wood throughout.
The pizza? Well, I've pointed out some flaws, but none were that serious. The biggest issue for me was that, like a lot of bar or restaurant pizzas, it seemed to have been made on a prebaked crust (if it was made from fresh dough, I apologize, but it didn't seem to be), and it had the shortcomings of such pizzas - not a great texture, and toppings that easily slid off the crust. But the flavor was good, it was somewhat crisp, and the cheese and peppers & onions were good too. This wasn't bad, but it wasn't better than average, so it rates a C.
Tackles on the Bay, 372 Manitou Rd., Hilton
392-3370
Mon. - Fri. 11 a.m. - 2 a.m., Sat. & Sun. noon - 2 a.m.

Mama Lor's Gourmet Pizza Corner, Webster

2013-05-08T10:57:00.000-04:00

Way back in July 2009, I gave Union Hill Country Grill in Webster what was then only my third "Grade A" rating.Since then, UHCG closed, much to my dismay, but the site is now home to Mama Lor's Café, which includes the Gourmet Pizza Corner, which is open Wednesday through Saturday. I recently picked up a pizza.
I got a medium, with green peppers and onions. I wanted some toppings, but I wasn't in a meat-eating mood. And peppers and onions make a natural combination.
Sometimes when a new name goes up, the only thing new is the name. But this was definitely different from the pizza I'd gotten at Union Hill. The crust was thinner, and the underside was much lighter in color, from very pale to a light golden brown. The texture was noticeably different as well - not as chewy, and more biscuitlike, with some surface cracks visible underneath.
The pie was topped with an even layer of smooth, melted mozzarella, sprinkled with diced fresh green pepper and onions. Sandwiched between that and the crust was a thickish sauce, marked by some herbal notes.
Mama Lor's pizzas come in three sizes, and they offer 20 toppings and seven specialty pizzas. The café itself serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a full menu that leans toward traditional comfort food. The dining area is attractive and comfortable, and while this may not be the oldest pizzeria around, it may be the pizzeria in the oldest building - the structure, which originally housed a post office and then a general store, dates back to 1865.
To be frank, I was a little disappointed by this pizza, but only because the pizza I remembered from the Country Grill was so good. But in fairness, this wasn't bad. It was missing the toasty breadiness of its predecessor, but the overall flavor and balance were pretty good. All in all, it was about an average pizza, so I'll give it a C.
Mama Lor’s Café, 1891 Ridge Road, Webster
Sun. - Tue.: 6 a.m. - 2 p.m., Wed. & Thu. 6 a.m. - 8 p.m., Fri. 6 a.m. - 9 p.m., Sat. 6 a.m. - 8 p.m.
(Pizza Corner open Wed. - Sat. 11 a.m. - close)
phone: 545-4895
email: info@mamalorscafe.com

Mama Mittsy's, Frontier Field

2013-05-02T09:34:00.001-04:00

Certain things in life just go together, and baseball goes with hot dogs. I can't say I eat a lot of hot dogs, but when I go to a ball game, I almost always have a hot dog (brown mustard and sauerkraut, in case you were wondering).
But in the interests of thoroughness, I've wanted for some time to try the pizza at Frontier Field. Like a lot of ballparks these days, Frontier Field has boosted its food offerings. There's nothing particularly exotic or upscale--you won't find sushi or dry-aged steaks here--but you can get BBQ, roast beef sandwiches, and subs, in addition to more traditional fare like soft pretzels and nachos.
And there's pizza. I've held off trying it, for a couple of reasons. Number one, as I said, I generally go for hot dogs and maybe a bag of peanuts at a ball game. Number two, I figured it would suck. I assumed it would be convenience store-type pizza on a squishy, or crunchy/oily, premade crust.
But then I read that the dough comes from Di Paolo, one of Rochester's venerable Italian bakeries, and, anyway, I just figured it was time to suck it up and have pizza instead of a hot dog, in the interests of making this blog as thorough as possible. So when I attended a Red Wings game the other day, I got a slice.
On the whole, I was pleasantly surprised. And yet I have to give this slice a D. How can that be?
Let's start with the crust. The underside was heavily floured, and scored with screen marks. It was also quite pale, and soft. In terms of thickness, I'd call it thin to medium.
But I could tell that it was made from good dough. If you can imagine somebody being given very good bread or pizza dough and then cooking it at too low a temperature for too short a time, you'll have an idea of what this was like. It tasted good, and had a good, chewy texture, but it had been a disservice in the preparation and baking.
In contrast to the underdone bottom, the cheese was browned. I can see why the pizzamaker took this out of the oven when he did, given the brownness of the cheese. I could theorize, or speculate, about why the top would cook so much faster than the bottom, but for whatever reason, the top was fully cooked while the bottom still had a ways to go.
The flavor was pretty good. The cheese seemed to be all mozzarella, and though it was a little more brown than I would've liked, it wasn't hard or dried out.
The cheese also covered only a small portion of the slice; there was a large gap between the cheese and the outer edge. Either it hadn't been applied close to the edge, or it migrated during the baking process.
The sauce had good flavor, and was well balanced between tomatoey sweetness and tanginess. It did reach the border of the cornicione, but was dried out where it wasn't covered with cheese.
Finally, there's the price. I don't usually figure the price into my ratings, but $3.50 for this slice was too high to go unmentioned. I know everything at a sports venue (hot dogs included) is overpriced, but if I'm going to compare this slice to other pizza in our area, I think that deserves a mention.
So, this had the fundamental makings of good pizza, but it was poorly executed. I'm not blaming the person who made it - I'm sure he was following the instructions he'd been given, and was subject to the constraints of when to show up for work, turn on the oven, etc. But all in all, this was below average for local pizza, so I'm giving it--with some regret at what could have been--a D. For my next Red Wings game, I'm back to hot dogs.
Mama Mittsy's, Frontier Field
Open during Red Wings games

Slice Pizza Co., Churchville

2013-04-26T10:57:00.001-04:00

Thanks to a very alert reader of this blog, I became aware recently of a new pizzeria in Churchville, Slice Pizza Co. It's located in the site formerly occupied by Mama Mia's.
I got a couple of pepperoni slices at lunchtime recently. Apart from the thick cornicione, the crust was quite thin, and the slices were on the floppy side.
The undersides were a mottled pattern of golden and light brown, and were dusted with corn meal. There were no screen marks. I wouldn't call them crisp, but they were reasonably firm; call them al dente. The cornicione was a little crisper, and had a satisfactory breadlike flavor.
There wasn't an abundance of cheese on these, but it was enough considering the thinness of the crust; too much cheese can easily overwhelm a thin crust. This cheese, however, hadn't melted all that well, and individual shreds were easy to see; the pizza didn't seem undercooked, so it may be the type of cheese that was used.
The sauce was a tad sweet, and again considering the thinness of these slices, they were on the saucy side. The thin-sliced Hormel pepperoni was average, and not too greasy.
Despite the sweetish sauce, through it all there was a certain saltiness to this pizza. I couldn't say if it came from the sauce, cheese or pepperoni. It wasn't overly salty or anything, but my tastebuds did pick up some salty notes.
Pizzas at SPCo come in four sizes, personal, small, large (16") and sheet (25x18"). They offer 19 toppings, and six specialty pizzas. Also on the menu are hot and cold subs, wings, various deep-fried and grilled items, plates, wraps, nachos and quesadillas.
This pizza was OK, no complaints, but all in all it was about average for local pizza. The crust was decent but not as crisp as I would've liked, and the toppings were acceptable but again not outstanding. Worth a stop if you're passing through the area and wanting a slice or two, but that's about it. I'll give these a C.
Slice Pizza Co., 54 S. Main St., Churchville
293-9000
Mon. 4 - 10, Tue. - Thu. 11 - 10, Fri. & Sat. 11 - 11, Sun. noon - 10

Book Review: Championship BBQ Secrets for Real Smoked Food

2013-04-24T13:36:00.004-04:00

Certain foods tend to inspire more passion in people than others. Pizza is a perfect example, but barbecue is right up there too. And although pizza is my particular food passion, I do love good barbecue. In fact I've toyed with the idea of expanding this blog, or creating a companion blog, to cover the local BBQ scene.
And I do take a stab at barbecuing at home every now and again. The results have generally been good, but it's a difficult art to master, if you really want to do it right.
I'm one of those people who, when they get into something, do research and read up on it, so they can get better at it. And so over the years I've amassed a small library of books on barbecuing.
The latest addition to my BBQ bookshelf is Championship BBQ Secrets for Real Smoked Food, by Karen Putnam and Judith Fertig. I recently received a review copy from publisher Robert Rose.
This is mostly a recipe book - over 80% of its 405 pages are devoted to recipes - but it starts off with a concise overview of BBQ basics, including various types of ovens and smokers, wood and other heat and smoke sources, and hot vs. cold smoking. The authors also offer advice for those planning to enter BBQ competitions, although with a few exceptions (such as choosing a team name), most of the advice relates to techniques that would be useful for the noncompetitive, home barbecuer as well.
One thing about the book that I particularly like is a section covering the basic process for various types of meat, such as pork ribs, beef brisket and chicken, accompanied by full-color photos. Those instructions then form the template, on which you can build by using the more detailed instructions for the individual recipes which follow. Those recipes cover everything from rubs and sauces to every kind of meat and cut you're likely to run across, and a few that you're not (cold-smoked ostrich, anyone?), as well as vegetables, fruits, cheese and nuts. Not every recipe is illustrated, but a color photo section does provide representative pictures from each chapter.
Karen Putnam clearly knows her stuff - she's got some BBQ world championships on her resume - and Judith Fertig presents the recipes clearly and simply.
This isn't the most comprehensive book on the subject that I've got, but not everybody wants or needs an 800-page tome every time they cook. Championship BBQ Secrets is thorough enough for all but the most hard-core BBQer, it's well organized, and it's easy to read. If I had to choose only one of my BBQ books to keep, that would be a very difficult decision to make. But as a solid manual on the art of barbecuing, with enough recipes and ideas to interest even an experienced 'cuer, this would not be a bad choice.
Book Title: Championship BBQ Secrets for Real Smoked Food
Authors: Karen Putnam and Judith Fertig
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Robert Rose (2nd ed. April 2, 2013)

Airport Pizzeria, Sodus

2013-04-23T14:30:00.000-04:00

Last year, following the Wayne County Pizza Contest, I passed by a place that had apparently escaped the notice of the event's organizers: Airport Pizzeria, on Ridge Road in Sodus. I was hoping that Airport could be included in this year's contest, but sadly, the contest was not held this year. So it was up to me to go investigate Airport Pizzeria on my own.
I ordered a medium pepperoni pizza, which is as good a benchmark as any for basic American pizza. The thin to medium crust was browned and somewhat floury underneath. The underside was pebbled with screen marks, but the bottom was reasonably crisp, unlike many screen-baked pizzas that I've had. It also had some pleasant toasty overtones and an enjoyably chewy texture. The narrow outer edge was nice and crisp.
The pizza was well balanced, with a good, but not excessive amount of cheese, sauce and pepperoni. Well melted and stretchy, the mozzarella was baked just nearly to the point of browning. The sauce was marked by a distinct flavor of herbs, though I had a hard time pinpointing exactly what it was. Oregano is common, but there was something going on here - some thyme, perhaps? - so maybe they used a blend of dried "Italian" herbs.
The thin sliced pepperoni was fine, if nothing remarkable. As pepperoni tends to do, its melted fat did add a thin layer of oil to the top of the pizza.
Airport Pizzeria is not just a pizzeria, but a bar and restaurant. It's on Ridge Road - which is not the same as 104 - about two miles east of the village of Sodus (which is not the same as Sodus Point). According to the menu, Airport makes its own dough and sauce (and mac salad, baked beans, wing sauces, meat sauce and chili) daily, on site. That makes Airport a true pizzeria, not just a bar that serves pizza - a bar that serves pizza, as often as not, uses premade pizza shells and sauce straight out of a can.
Airport's pizzas come in small, medium, large and sheet sizes, and they're available by the slice as well. They offer 19 toppings, and six specialty pizzas. They also do calzones and stromboli, wings, hot and cold subs, wraps, burgers, salads, sides, and a few dinners, including fried chicken, the "Big Pappa Plate," fish fry (every day), and, on Thursdays, a NY strip steak with potato, salad and a roll, for (as of the date of this post) $12.95. If you're interested in a pizza and wing combo, ask about their specials, and you'll save a couple bucks or so.
This was good pizza. Not top rank, for me, but certainly worth checking out. If 2014 brings us a new Wayne County Pizza Contest - and I hope that it does - I would definitely want to see Airport Pizzeria among the entrants. I'm giving this a B.
Airport Pizzeria, 7740 Ridge Road, Sodus
(315) 483-0653
Mon. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m. - 1:30 a.m., Sat. 11 a.m. - midnight, Sun. noon - 10 p.m.
Delivery available Mon. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 10:30 p.m., Fri. 10 a.m. - midnight, Sat. 11 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.

The Color Run 5k, May 4

2013-04-18T08:43:00.000-04:00

Don't look for me to participate - I'm a "walk, don't run" kind of guy - but if you're a runner, check out next month's The Color Run™, which promises to be "the craziest, colorful, 5k of your life." Proceeds will benefit Teens Living with Cancer.
What is it? According to the organizers, The Color Run™ event is "a one of a kind experience that is less about speed and more about enjoying a color crazy day with your friends and family. For our events, it is about participants of all different speeds, ages, shapes, and sizes toeing the start line. Whether you are a casual morning mall walker or an Olympic athlete, the 3 miles of The Color Run™ course will be the most enjoyable real estate you’ve traveled in a VERY long time."
OK, there you have it. For more information, visit their website. Oh, and if you want to participate - enter code COLORNYPIZZA when you register online by May 1 for a $5 discount off the entry fee.

Finns Inn, Palmyra/Marion

2013-04-17T11:48:00.000-04:00

On the eastern outskirts of what I consider the Rochester metro area, Finns Inn is a small roadside tavern with pizza on the menu. Bars with pizza are not always even on my to-do list, because often they simply rely on premade crusts, or shells, that they sprinkle with toppings and stick in an oven. Not worth writing home about, or blogging about.
Often you can tell those places because of the limited options on their menu. If a place only offers 12" pizzas, there's a good chance that they're using premade crusts. And pizza made with premade crusts generally sucks.
But when I looked at Finns Inn's menu, and saw three sizes of pizza, I figured they must make it more or less from scratch. They could buy their dough from elsewhere, but that's not so bad. As long as the pizza dough is raw when it goes into the oven, it could yield a very good pizza.
So on a recent eastward trek, I stopped in and ordered a medium pepperoni pie. A small would've been enough for me, but I think that a small is sometimes too small to give you a really good idea of what a pizzeria's crust is like - for that you need a pizza that's wide enough to have room both for a thicker cornicione along the edge, and a thinner middle. And I figured what I didn't eat right away I could save for later.
When it arrived, I could see that this pizza indeed was not made with a shell. A "shell" crust is typically so dried out that you can hold a slice by the edge and the point will stick straight out. This was much more pliable, with some surface cracking and a golden brown underside.
The crust had a biscuitlike texture, suggesting that the dough had a relatively low gluten content. (Which in itself is neither an inherently good or bad thing - from what I've read, many Italian pizzerias use relatively low-protein flour, which means less gluten.)
Although the individual components of this pizza didn't meld together particularly well, this pizza nonetheless is best described as a whole. And I can best describe it by saying that this pizza was a big sloppy mess, but I liked it.
There was lots of everything on this pizza - thick, gooey cheese, a liberal amount of pepperoni slices, and plenty of sauce to boot. But this was also not a knife-and-fork kind of pizza. It was made to be eaten with one's hands, which meant that a nearby handful of napkins was required.
The sauce had a bright, tomatoey flavor, and provided a liquid base for the well melted, stringy cheese. The thin slices of pepperoni were not remarkable in themselves, but were so abundant as to add considerable flavor and a chewy textural contrast to the rest of the pie.
The pizzas at Finns Inn come in small, medium and large sizes, and the modest list of toppings runs to just seven items. The rest of the menu is solid, bar-food fare like wings, burgers, and chicken sandwiches. Nightly specials include $1 tacos on Wednesday nights and wings for $5 a dozen on Monday nights. On Sundays, a large one-topping pizza and a pitcher of Bud or Bud Light will set you back just $14.
The roadside tavern is a uniquely American institution, as witnessed by the countless historical markers along our highways and roads. Finns Inn, which dates back to 1947, is a good current example. It's old enough to have gained some character, but I think it's no mere relic, and continues to serve as a meeting place for folks in the area.
Finns Inn also has one thing going for it that the taverns of our forefathers lacked: pizza. This was a little sloppy to eat, but it tasted good, and you know, I think I just have a soft spot in my heart (or stomach) for these kinds of distinctive bar pies. If a "B" means that it's memorable, and worth going a little out of your way for, then I'm giving this a B.
Finns Inn, 3181 Rt. 21, between Palmyra and Marion
(315) 597-0067
Hours unknown, but I'm guessing it's open daily from lunchtime on. Call ahead to be sure.

Book Review: Kids in the Kitchen Cookbook

2013-04-15T13:36:00.000-04:00

I was recently given a review copy of the TIME for Kids Kids in the Kitchen Cookbook: Fun Recipes for Kids to Make! That's a long-winded title for a book that comes in at a relatively modest 160 pages, but it's a good starter cookbook for kids who are learning their way around the kitchen.
My nine-year-old daughter has recently taken on some cooking duties, and the recipes in this book are well designed for someone her age. The 80+ dishes here will generally appeal to kids, such as sloppy Joe sliders, quesadilla treats, and chocolate chip cookies. And there are more healthful but kid-friendly dishes like "broccoli trees" with Parmesan and "frushi" (fruit sushi). You'll even find a few ethnic dishes like Mexican posole soup and soba noodles with sweet & spicy shrimp.
Ingredient lists are short, typically no more than ten items long, with many coming in at six or fewer. And the instructions are likewise short, simple and easy to follow. A brief introduction covers some kitchen basics, like food safety and how to measure ingredients.
Each recipe is accompanied by a full-color photograph, and additional tips and food trivia are provided in the sidebars. One especially good feature of this book is its spiral binding, which allows the pages to lie flat for easy reference during food prep and cooking.
My daughter was excited to get this book, and it wasn't long before she prepared some very tasty chicken fingers (artfully plated in the photo) for our dinner. I'm looking forward to her taking on one of the pizza-related entries, such as Margherita panini, globe-trotter pizzas (made with English muffins), or pizza sticks (made with refrigerated pizza crust).
Yes, a lot of the recipes do call for prepared ingredients. But this is for kids, after all. The recipes, which run the gamut from breakfast to lunch, dinner, dessert and snacks, are complex enough to give kids the satisfaction of having genuinely prepared and cooked a dish (as opposed to just putting something in the microwave, or making a cold sandwich), without making them feel intimidated or overwhelmed. If you know a budding young chef, this book would make a fine gift, and a good stepping stone in his or her culinary education.
TIME for Kids Kids in the Kitchen Cookbook: Fun Recipes for Kids to Make! (TIME for Kids Books 2013). 160 pp. $19.95 US, $21.95 Can.

Back to Fiamma

2013-04-12T12:37:00.000-04:00

I've been pleased, though hardly surprised, to see that Fiamma continues to do well. For a long time, Rochester's and Monroe County's east side has held a lopsided advantage over the west side where wood-fired pizza is concerned, but Fiamma's opening in Gates has dramatically shifted the center of gravity for lovers of the style.
I gave Fiamma a rave review last October, and only the need to check other pizzerias off my list kept me from going back sooner, but I did make a return visit recently. This allowed me to stray from my usual diet of Margherita pizza, and check out some of Fiamma's other varieties.
In fact, I didn't even choose what kind of pizza to get from among Fiamma's wide array of traditional and specialty pizzas. Instead, I left it up to pizzaiolo Giuseppe Paciullo. He recommended the Positano, a "specialita" pizza that's topped with butternut squash puree, smoked mozzarella, basil, and spicy pancetta. Probably not something I'd be inclined to order, but I trusted him to steer me in the right direction.
My trust was amply rewarded, with one of the best pies I've had. Giuseppe told me that not many people order the Positano, probably because the toppings sound a little weird to the average customer. That's understandable, but it's also a shame. They don't know what they're missing. This pizza had a wonderful flavor that could hold its own with any more conventional, tomato-based pie. It also demonstrated how a few well-chosen ingredients can yield far more flavor, or at least more satisfying flavor, than you can get from an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach.
Not that I dislike squash, but aside from the orange hue, I never would have guessed that to be one of the toppings on this pie. Maybe it was the effect of pureeing and then cooking the squash, or the influence of the other toppings, but the squash flavor was toned down and subtle, rendering the overall flavor of this pie simultaneously familiar and difficult to pin down. The squash provided a sweet but not cloying base for the contrasting yet complementary smoky, savory and piquant flavors and aromas of the cheese, basil and pancetta. For all the relative simplicity of this pie, the result was a richness and depth of flavor that I've seldom found in any pizza.
One of my companions ordered the Diavola pizza, from the "Tradizionali" side of the menu. Topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, spicy Italian soppressata, basil, and spicy olive oil, this was basically a kicked-up version of a red pizza, not tongue-scorchingly hot, but with enough spice to add an extra dimension to the sure-fire combination of tomatoes, cheese, basil and thin-sliced cured meat.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the toppings on these pies, I don't mean to neglect the crust, which, for my money, is what truly makes Fiamma's pizza among the best that our area has to offer. After my first visit last year, I'd heard from a friend that one of her dining companions on another occasion had complained that Fiamma's crust was wet and soggy.
Well, yes, in a way. But as you can read here, that's what to expect with authentic Neapolitan pizza. That doesn't make my friend's friend "wrong" - I mean, you like what you like, and you don't like what you don't like - but yes, you will probably need to use a knife and fork to eat Fiamma's pizza, just as you would if you went to a pizzeria in Naples, Italy.
But I did mention that "wet" complaint to Giuseppe, to get his response. He attributed it to Americans' unfamiliarity with the Neapolitan style, telling me, "I never said that's the way [i.e., with a crisp crust] I make pizza. I say, 'this is Neapolitan pizza.' You know, it's like going to Chicago, eating the Chicago style pizza, and saying it's too thick."
And he raised another good point. Fiamma's pizzas cook in an incredibly hot, 1000-degree oven, where they spend about one minute before they're done. The result is a charred but not burnt crust, and toppings that are cooked but not blackened or dried out.
And a crust that, frankly, is not crackly crisp throughout. As Giuseppe put it, "Nothing that cooks in one minute can ever be crispy." Perhaps a "naked" disk of thin dough would get thoroughly crisp, but with toppings, a pizza dough simply cannot exude enough moisture in one minute to develop the firmness that is typical of American style pizza. In fact, Giuseppe said, in Italy, a pizzeria that served a customer a pizza with a thoroughly crisp crust would likely be met with an annoyed, "What did you serve me, a tile?"
Giuseppe also cited Fiamma's use of fresh mozzarella as a reason why his pies cannot be left in the oven long enough for the crust to get completely crisp. I love fresh mozzarella, but I know from experience that it can go from delectably creamy to unappetizingly rubbery in the blink of an eye. Fiamma's pizzas stay in the oven just long enough for the cheese to melt - any longer, and you'd end up with white Silly Putty, or worse.
Having said all that, I should add that on this visit, my pizza crust was not wet. No, this was not the kind of pizza that one could eat with one-hand, folded down the middle like a New York-style slice, but it certainly wasn't soggy, either. So just know, if you go there, what to expect, and what not to expect. And by all means, dare to stray from your pizza comfort zone. I'm glad I did.
Fiamma, 1308 Buffalo Road, Gates 14624
270-4683
info@fiammarochester.com
Mon - Thu: 11:45 am - 9 pm, Fri: 11:45 am - 10 pm, Sat: 4 pm - 10 pm, Sun: 11:45 am - 9 pm

Linda's New York Pizzeria

2013-04-10T08:09:00.000-04:00

I've always been pretty pleased with the pizza I've gotten from Cam's Pizzeria, and despite my general skepticism about chains, they do a pretty good job of turning out good New York style pizza from their many locations in the Rochester area.
Some time ago, I learned that one of Cam's oldest locations, on Lyell Avenue, had become Linda's New York Pizzeria. I stopped in for a couple of lunchtime slices and was pleased with what I got.
My two pepperoni slices were thin - so thin, in fact, that they were translucent -and though they were more browned than charred underneath, they had a nice, crackly crust, with enough backbone to pass the fold test, meaning that the tip stood out, without flopping down, when the crust was folded and held horizontally. Despite its thinness, the crust also had a pleasing chewiness, although the thin cornicione along the edge was a little pale and not quite as satisfyingly breadlike as I might've liked.
The slices were topped with a thin layer of slightly sweet tomato sauce, with some flecks of dried herbs noticeable, and a thin layer of basic mozzarella, plus the aforementioned pepperoni. Given the thinness of the crust, the toppings were applied in good proportion; this crust was not meant to hold abundant, heavy toppings.
Besides a reasonable variety of slices, Linda's offers New York style pies in 12", 14", 16", and 20" sizes, as well as 16" x 16" Sicilian pizza and 17" x 25" sheets. The menu features about two dozen toppings, and six specialty pizzas, including a "New York deli" pie with ham, Swiss and mustard sauce, and a breakfast pizza, which is something of a specialty here - Linda's bills itself as "Rochester's original home of the breakfast pizza."
Linda's also serves wings, hot and cold subs, wraps, strombolis, calzones and sausage rolls, salads and several Italian dinners. There's a fair amount of seating, though the atmosphere is pretty stripped-down and basic.
On the website, Linda's features the slogan, "even better." I assume that means better than the Cam's that was here before. I'll withhold judgment on that, for now, but this was very good pizza. Aside from the cornicione, my only quibble would be with the cheese, which was OK, but not outstanding. It simply didn't have the melt-in-your-mouth smoothness that helps elevate a very good pizza to true greatness.
But again, very good pizza. I love a good thin crust, but not all thin crusts are good. There are a lot of things that can go wrong - too burnt, too flabby, too crackly - but this crust combined thinness with a crackly underside and a nice, breadlike chew. Not quite at the top of my list, but very good indeed, and it easily merits a B.
Linda's New York Pizzeria, 1219 Lyell Ave. 14606
458-8900
Mon. - Thu. 7 a.m. - 10 p.m., Fri. 7 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Guerreri's, Gates

2013-04-05T15:44:00.000-04:00

Recently a reader let me know that the Cordello's in Gates had closed and been replaced by a new pizzeria, Guerreri's. So I got over there and grabbed a couple of lunchtime slices, which with a drink set me back just five bucks.
I've had hit-and-miss experiences with Cordello's, but I never cared much for the pizza from the one in Gates. So I was hoping that this new place would offer something significantly better. In that, I was, sorry to say, disappointed.
When I got there, there were three types of slices available from the pies in the warmer: plain cheese, pepperoni, and sausage with banana pepper rings. I opted for two pepperoni slices.
The first sign of trouble came from a look at the underside: that all-too-familiar pancake bottom, with big air bubble craters and a browned surface that was slightly oily to the touch, although I wouldn't call it greasy.
The medium thick crust was hard and crunchy along the edge, but much softer and rather spongy toward the center. It was topped with a straightforward tomato sauce that had a good, if basic flavor, with a medium thick viscosity. Atop that lay a thin, uniform layer of melted, slightly browned and congealed mozzarella cheese. The shredded cheese hadn't melted together completely, and I could still see individual shreds. I'm not sure if that's a function of the type of cheese being used (I imagine that full-fat mozzarella melts better, though I don't know that for sure), the oven temperature, or some other factor. The thin sliced pepperoni was fine, nothing exceptional, but OK.
Guerreri's pizza menu lists fourteen toppings, and four specialty pizzas, including a potato pie topped with mild wing sauce, seasoned potatoes, mozzarella, cheddar, and bacon bits, served with sour cream. They also serve calzones, wings, hot subs, wraps, fried sides, and a daily fish fry.
Since it just opened recently, I'll hold off assigning a grade to Guerreri's. I was disappointed with these slices, but I'll stop by again sometime and see how things are.
Guerreri's Pizzeria, 2445 Lyell Road (near Howard), Gates.
429-7555

Mon. - Thu. 11 am - 11 pm, Fri. & Sat. 11 am - midnight, Sun. noon - 9 pm

Pizza Stop: Chicken Spinach Tomato slice

2013-04-02T19:53:00.000-04:00

Just a quick post on a recent slice I had at The Pizza Stop, a place I've reviewed many times before. There's no point in reviewing the same consistently good cheese slices that I usually get here, but once in a while I try something different, so I like to report on that.
Recently I got, in addition to my cheese slice, a chicken-spinach-tomato slice. Particularly where New York style pizza is concerned, I don't tend to go for complicated specialty pizzas, but The Pizza Stop tends to keep it relatively simple, and when they do specialty pizzas, the toppings are generally well thought out.
So it was with the chicken, spinach and tomato pie. This may not have been a traditional Italian pizza, or based directly on an Italian dish, but it was in the spirit of great Italian cooking, with a few basic ingredients that added up to more than the sum of their parts.
On this slice, chunks of lightly browned chicken mixed with wilted shreds of spinach and tomato slices, on a bed of melted mozzarella, topped with shredded Parmesan. Nothing particularly exotic, but the toppings complemented each other well, with the browned chicken adding some meaty heft to the tangy cheese, sweet tomatoes (which weren't bad, for this time of year in upstate New York), and the slight vegetal bitterness of the spinach.
Those toppings could've saved even a weak crust, but fortunately in this instance they came atop The Pizza Stop's signature thin crust, which remains one of the best around. The chicken slice did not have quite the blackish, charred areas that you'll usually find on the thin crust pizzas here, but it was still nice and crisp on the bottom, with a pleasingly bready aroma, flavor and chew.
As I've said before, plain cheese will always remain my go-to pizza, especially when we're talking New York style pizza. But variety is good too, and if you're in the mood for a white pizza, The Pizza Stop's chicken spinach tomato pizza is a winner.
The Pizza Stop, 123 State St., Rochester 14614
546-7252
Mon. - Thu. 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Fri. 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Closed weekends.

Skippy's, Sodus

2013-03-29T09:48:00.002-04:00

On a recent eastward trek along Rt. 104, I happened upon a pizzeria I'd never heard of, Skippy's, in Sodus.
If you haven't been out that way much, when you hear "Sodus" you may think of the cute little village on the water. That's Sodus Point. Sodus is a village that straddles 104, about two and a half miles inland. And it's a nice little place, too, even if it lacks the water views of its bayside neighbor.
Skippy's sits on West Main Street, right in the center of town. A bar and a Chinese restaurant, those other essentials of small town life, lie within a stone's throw away. If you're into food generally, El Rincon Mexicano, one of our area's best Mexican restaurants, is also nearby on Ridge Road, which is not the same as 104. Consult a map if you're unfamiliar with the area.
When I went into Skippy's, they had both regular and pan (Neapolitan and Sicilian) slices available, so I had to try one of each. The regular, pie-cut slice was on the thin to medium side. The underside was dotted with screen marks, and was firm but not crisp. It was well browned and had a faint aroma of oil mixed with that of toasted bread.
The slice was topped with a moderate layer of relatively thick tomato sauce, which had a marked though not excessively herbal flavor. The cheese was melted, not browned, but it had congealed a bit.
The pan, or Sicilian, slice was made from the same basic components, but offered a different overall experience due to its thicker crust and having risen and been baked in a pan.
Pan pizza is tricky. It can come out overly soft on the bottom, or crunchy but excessively oily. The worst pan pizzas are oily and soft, like a pancake.
Rarely if ever will pan pizza be as crackly crisp as a pizza that's been baked directly on the oven deck, nor should they be. It's a different style of pizza. But for me, the ideal pan pizza will have at least some bite to the crust, and a breadlike interior, without a noticeably oily surface on the underside.
The underside of this slice was cratered with big popped bubbles, and was nicely browned. I wouldn't call it crisp, but it had a pleasant al dente bite to it, without the excess of oil that's the bane of many a pan pizza.
Because of its relative thickness, I was able to better evaluate its interior. There was some nice, moderately chewy breadiness here, though texturally I would've liked a little more internal airiness. Certainly you don't want big bubbles popping up all over, but the dough here was a bit more compact and dense that it could've been, which for my taste is less interesting and pleasing than a slice that has a more airy interior with bubbles of varying size.
The cheese on this slice was a little browned, probably because the crust of this pizza necessitated a longer stay in the oven than the relatively thin pie. The thin slices of pepperoni were just slightly crisp.
This was decent pizza, perfectly acceptable for a quick bite while passing through Sodus, and worth a short detour off 104. If I lived in Sodus, I'd be good with this as my local, hometown pizzeria, though when ordering a pie, I might ask them if they could bake my pizza on the oven deck. All in all, it was average for this area, so I'll give it a C.
Skippy's Pizza, 14 W. Main St., Sodus, NY 14551
(315) 553-2205

Crust Pizza Kitchen, East Rochester

2013-03-26T10:58:00.001-04:00

In August 2009, I published a post about Despatch Pizza Kitchen in East Rochester. (East Rochester, by the way, was originally named "Despatch," for railroad-related reasons.) Despatch occupied the former site of a Piatza's pizzeria.
But the door continues to revolve at this particular address, and the latest entrant on the scene is Crust Pizza Kitchen, which opened in January.
I got a single slice recently at lunchtime. The thin to medium thick crust was generally pale, with some browner areas, and displayed screen marks. It was rather soft, and very pliable. The interior had a little breadiness, but it wasn't particularly interesting.
The slice did have decent flavor and was pretty well balanced. It was toppped with a basic tomato sauce, which was very middle-of-the-road, not too salty, sweet, or herb-infused. The mozzarella was a little browned, not overly so, but enough to make it a little less stretchy than it otherwise would have been.
That probably has something to do with the abundant pepperoni, which was generously if somewhat haphazardly applied. When a pizza has a lot of toppings on it, particularly toppings like pepperoni that benefit from a longer time in the oven, exposed areas of cheese are likely to get browned. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing depends on whether you like your cheese a little bit browned. Me, I like it just to the edge of browning, baked enough to be stretchy but with a faint hint of caramelization on the surface.
Crust's pizzas come in 9-, 12-, and 16-inch sizes, as well as 18 x 26" sheets. There are over 30 toppings available, including several varieties of cheese (feta, ricotta, cheddar, provolone and Swiss), and one of my favorites, fresh garlic. They have an impressive list of 22 specialty pizzas, from a "Mac's Cheeseburger," which, like a certain "big" burger from a ubiquitous chain is topped with 1000 Island dressing, pickles, onions, tomatoes, and American cheese, to a "Señor Taco" pizza with ranch dressing, seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, onions, mozzarella and cheddar, plus shredded lettuce that's added at the end.
Crust also offers jumbo-size wings (four sauces), salads, a wide variety of hot and cold subs, calzones, plates, fish fries, wraps, burgers and hots, and a few sweets.
It's a good looking menu, and some of the items, including some of the pizzas, sound good. But this slice, while not exactly bad, didn't wow me. The flavor was OK, but the crust was just too soft, and didn't have enough backbone to stand up to the toppings. That was particularly disappointing given the name of this pizzeria, and the statement on their Facebook page that they “proof” their dough overnight, "which ensures that it has a 'flaky' finish without a 'cracker' quality. If you want to tell the quality of a pizza, look underneath it" The name and that statement led me to think, or at least hope, that the crust would be especially good here.
Alas, for my taste, the crust on this particular slice was not stellar. But I think that CPK's heart is in the right place, and since they've just recently opened, I'm not going to assign this one a grade. This is the kind of place I want to go back to sometime, and give another try.
Crust Pizza Kitchen, 115 W. Commercial St., East Rochester
218-0818

Mon - Thu: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm, Fri & Sat: 11:00 am - 10:00 pm, Sun: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Fairfield's, Fairport/Penfield

2013-03-21T08:38:00.004-04:00

As I've mentioned before, it takes me a little longer to get around to bars and restaurants that serve pizza, but I do generally get to them, eventually. Recently I crossed another such place off my list, Fairfield's. The name comes from its location near the border of Fairport and Penfield.
Fairfield's is a casual restaurant with a small bar. The menu is split roughly between Italian American mainstays (e.g. chicken french, linguine with clam sauce) and bar food staples like burgers and wings.
And pizza, which straddles both those culinary worlds. So I stopped by recently to check it out.
While you can "build your own" pizza from Fairfield's list of 25 available toppings, they also have 11 specialty pizzas available, and I went with my usual Margherita (which was correctly spelled on the menu, I might add). Margherita pizza was named for an Italian queen, and the pizza created in her honor displays the red, white and green colors of the Italian flag. So Margheritas typically involve some combination of tomatoes, cheese and basil.
Fairfield's Margherita is described on the menu as topped with fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella, Romano, basil and olive oil. And that proved to be an accurate description, particularly where the oil is concerned.
In short, I have never seen such an oily pizza. Even before I took a slice, I could see a pool of oil surrounding the pizza on the plate. Oil on top, oil on the bottom - it was amazing.
I briefly considered sending it back, but I figured my job is to review what I'm given, so I forged ahead and started eating.
Now here's the thing. Yes, it was kind of gross seeing so much oil on one pizza, but it actually tasted pretty good. Maybe I was just hungry, but I don't think that completely explains it.
The fact is, oil can make food taste better, especially when it's picked up some of the flavor of other ingredients during the cooking process. Fat conveys flavor to your taste buds, or so I've read. That's why vegetables taste better with butter, and why a fried onion tastes better than a boiled onion. Food memories are strong, and I also remember as a kid sopping up the oily sauce from my dad's chicken stew with a hunk of Italian bread. If I made that dish today I'd probably skim off most of the oil, and then wonder why mine didn't taste as good as dad's. And it's not unusual for a pizzaiolo to give a pizza a quick swirl of olive oil, either before or after going in the oven.
So yeah, this tasted good, in a guilty-pleasure kind of way. Problem was, the crust had all the texture of a maple-syrup-soaked pancake. The bottom was nicely browned, but I couldn't properly assess the texture of the crust, because it was so coated and infused with oil. Only along some parts of the edge, which displayed some nice blistering from the oven, did I get a sense of its underlying bready qualities.
Aside from that, the pizza was topped with a smooth, even layer of melted mozzarella cheese. It seemed to be good cheese, in the sense that it had taken on an almost liquid quality, and was not overly chewy or rubbery. The red sauce and bits of chopped basil stayed very much in the background, but added some subtle counterpoints to the richness of the cheese and the oily but tasty crust.
Fairfield's does offer some tempting specialty pizzas, and gluten-free pizza as well. There's a lot on the menu that I like, and rather than me go through it, you can take a look at it here.
Now we get to the hard part. How to grade this pizza? Subtract that oil, and it could easily rate a B, at least. With all the oil, I've been leaning toward a D. I know people have different likes and dislikes in pizza, but I don't think anybody would like this much oil on, in and under their pizza.
Not to duck the issue, but I'm not going to grade this pizza. A single letter grade would oversimplify matters. If I had separate grades for the crust, cheese, overall flavor, etc., it would be different. But from the start I've been giving pizzas one overall grade, and I plan to stick with that. And even if I were to rate the crust separately, I'm not sure what I'd do, because I think it was fundamentally good - it just got doused with oil.
I don't know if this was typical of Fairfield's pizza. Maybe the chef accidentally gave this a way-too-heavy dousing of olive oil. But if so, I would think some of it could've been poured off the plate before it was served to me. If this was typical of their pizza, then I'd recommend cutting way back on the oil. Oil has its place, but more is not always better, and this is a perfect example of that.
Fairfield's Bar & Grill, 2600 Baird Road, Penfield 14526
(585) 383-0767
Monday and Tuesday 11:00 am to 10:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am to 11:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am to 10:00 pm
Friday and Saturday 11:00 am to 11:00 pm
Sunday 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Valero, Rt. 104, Wayne County

2013-03-15T09:29:00.000-04:00

What!?! Gas station pizza? You're reviewing gas station pizza?
Well, yes. No, I have not so completely run out of pizza places to review that I have been reduced to this. But on my recent excursion along Rt. 104 in Wayne County, I was passing by a Valero station when a sign in front proclaiming "NY Style Pizza" caught my eye. My expectations were low, but my curiosity was piqued, and my hopes were high.
My expectations were fully justified. This was some of the worst pizza I've eaten. In fact, I didn't eat it, at least not more than the few nibbles needed to evaluate it.
The self-serve slices were sitting in a warmer on the counter. And I think they had been sitting there for a long time. Now it's true that a slice that's been sitting for a while is probably not representative of what a fresh pizza would be like, but that's why vendors shouldn't let their slices sit for a long time.
The crust on this slice was very thin, which I guess accounts for the "NY Style" claim. But in no other respect did it resemble New York style pizza. The crust was lifeless, with a disagreeably chewy texture, and a browned bottom that was slightly oily to the touch. The corncione along the edge - the saving grace on many an otherwise forgettable pizza - was no less awful, resembling nothing so much as stale fried dough.
Topside, the orangey, oily cheese had been cooked into a solid mass of what can best be described as burnt plastic. What remained of the mostly evaporated sauce was little more than a painted layer between the cheese and the crust.
I kind of like burnt pepperoni, especially of the cup and char variety, so that was the closest thing here to anything enjoyable about this pizza, but there wasn't enough of it to help, and what there was, was welded to the hardened cheese.
Sadly, the two employees with whom I spoke were friendly and helpful. I say "sadly" because I hate to give a bad review to a place where the people seem nice. Please, if you're going to serve bad pizza, then be rude, because it'll make my job that much easier.
But all I can do here is emphasize that I am grading this slice of pizza, nothing more. This may be a fine place to fill up your tank or pick up a cup of coffee or whatever else you need. But as I attempted to eat this slice of pizza, the word that came to mind - it's right there in my notes - was "horrid." It rates an F.
I'm afraid I don't have an address for this establishment. All I can tell you is that it's a Valero station on the south side of Rt. 104 in Wayne County. The Valero website shows a station in that area, but the address given appears to be incorrect. But I doubt that you're going to want to seek this place out, so no matter.

Book Review: the 8-week Healthy Skin diet

2013-03-15T08:41:00.000-04:00

I was recently sent a review copy of The 8-Week Healthy Skin Diet by Karen Fischer. I'm frankly not particularly skin-conscious, but most women seem to be, and my wife is no exception, so she was eager to take a look at this book.
The best and most honest endorsement I can give this volume is to tell you that she loves it. After adopting several of the recommendations contained in the book, my wife tells me that her skin is smoother, softer, and not as dry as before. She even tried some of the suggestions (like eliminating dairy foods) on our daughter, who had been having a problem with dry skin on her hands, and sure enough that cleared up too.
One of the things my wife especially liked about the book is that it lays out a clear scientific basis for its advice. And it does contain a lot of information about the underlying science, explaining the meaning and importance of pH, different types of fats, proteins, UV light and more.
The book is well organized, and despite the title, it's more than just a dietary plan. There's a discussion of different skin types, general guidelines for maintaining healthy skin, and specialized programs for particular issues like acne, dandruff and children's skin problems.
The final third of the book is taken up with Fischer's healthy skin diet program, including over 100 pages of recipes. No pizza, I'm afraid, but as long as you're OK with cheese-free pizza, I think you'd be within her dietary guidelines.
Am I following Fischer's program? No. But as I said, I'm a guy, and an old-school guy at that. Unless I have an obvious problem, my skin is not something I give much thought to, even though it is the largest organ in the human body. But my resident expert raves about this book, and is planning to buy copies as gifts for her girlfriends (who I hope aren't reading this). That's a strong recommendation, as far as I'm concerned.
The 8-Week Healthy Skin Diet, by Karen Fischer. Robert Rose, Inc. (2013). 480 pp.

104 Pizza & More, Williamson

2013-03-13T08:53:00.000-04:00

On Route 104 in Williamson, about halfway between Webster and Sodus in Ontario County, you'll find 104 Pizza & More. It occupies half of a gas station, but it's a full pizzeria - this isn't just a gas station with warmed-over slices sitting under a heat lamp.
On a recent stop, I got a single cheese slice, which was basically one quarter of an entire (medium, I think) pizza.
The bottom of the slice was very, though unevenly, dark, and heavily criss-crossed by screen marks. The medium-to-thick crust was rather soft. It was topped with a blanket of browned, chewy mozzarella, and a thick red sauce marked by a cooked-tomato flavor.
This was one of those slices that was better along the edge than in the middle. The edge had a nice bit of crunch and some breadlike flavor and aroma, but the rest of the slice was too soft, too well done, and a bit too oily for my taste. The cheese was also cooked past its optimum point, and had become somewhat dried out and lost its stretchiness. On the plus side, the slice as a whole had pretty good flavor, and the components were well balanced.
104 Pizza & More has quite an extensive menu, with seventeen specialty pizzas and 21 toppings, including such unusual items as tandoori chicken, egg, and sweet corn. All pizzas can also be ordered with either traditional, garlic or barbeque sauce. They also do wings, calzones, hot and cold subs, appetizers, and two dessert pizzas (cherry cheesecake and "mad monkey," with pudding, chocolate chips, sliced bananas and cream cheese or frosting).
It's an intriguing menu, and if I were in the area I'd go back to check it out more. But I wasn't wowed by this slice. It had some potential - as I said, the flavor was good, and the edge of the crust, at least, had some good qualities - but it was really dragged down by the overcooking and the soft crust. I have to give it a D.
104 Pizza & More, 3885 State Rt. 104, Williamson. (315) 589-8483

Sun. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.

And the winner of a $30 Joe's Brooklyn Pizza gift card is ...

2013-03-08T13:08:00.003-05:00

Nick Veee! Nick, I don't think I have your contact info so please shoot me an email at rochesternypizzaguy@gmail.com with your mailing address and I'll get your gift card out in the mail. Congratulations to Nick and thanks to all who entered, as well as to Joe's for their generosity in contributing this donation.
I'll have more giveaways coming, so check the blog, my Facebook page, or my Twitter feed for announcements!

Krony's, Hamlin

2013-03-06T10:18:00.001-05:00

I've done a couple of posts about Krony's in Spencerport, in January and November 2010, but until recently I never made it out to their western outpost in Hamlin (much less their waaay western outpost in Palm Springs, CA. After I reviewed the Spencerport Place, a reader told me that I should review the Hamlin location, and I always meant to, but it is a bit of a drive, so, yes, it took me a long time. Hey - it may take me three years, but eventually I'll get around to fulfilling reader requests.
I have been to Hamlin a few times, and I remember seeing Krony's there before, but when I finally made it there recently, the physical setting wasn't at all what I remembered. They must have relocated not that long ago, because the building was much bigger, and in a different location from what I remembered seeing.
That may be a sign that they've been doing well, and based on the two slices that I got there, I'm not surprised. I got a pepperoni slice, and a tomato-basil white pizza slice, and both were pretty good.
The tomato basil slice, despite the name, was dominated not by tomato or basil, but by tangy Parmesan cheese and chopped garlic. The flakes of dried basil and the small bits of pale tomato added color, but not much else. That was not a major cause for complaint, however, because the cheese and garlic combination was tasty enough on its own.
The only downside of this slice, for me, was the crust. It wasn't so much bad as just a little too oily, and not crisp enough, for my taste. (You can see the oily sheen in the third photo.) But the oil was mostly on the surface of the underside, and the thin to medium crust was otherwise pretty enjoyable. The outer edge, which was formed into a narrow cornice, had a pleasant balance of crispness and chew.
The crust on the pepperoni slice was noticeably different, and more to my liking. It was not oily, and had a breadlike texture, with some charring underneath. While pliable, it also had a surface crackliness that was absent from the tomato basil slice. It was topped with a slightly sweet, thick tomato sauce, a moderate layer of low-moisture mozzarella, and a reasonably generous application of thinly sliced pepperoni.
Krony's pizzas come in 9-, 12-, and 16-inch sizes, with 21 toppings available. They also serve several specialty pizzas, including a cheeseburger pizza (I love the idea of pickles on a pizza) and a seafood pie. But their menu extends well beyond pizza, to wings, subs, burgers, pasta, soup, salad, and more. There's a sizable dining area, and they also serve beer and wine, plus soft serve ice cream.
Particularly with gas prices being what they are, I don't anticipate making the drive out to Hamlin all that often, but I' glad I did on this occasion. These were two good slices of pizza. I preferred the pepperoni slice's crisp, charred crust, but the tomato basil slice was very tasty indeed. These were good enough to rate a B from me.
Krony's Pizza etc., Corner of Hamlin-Clarkson Townline Road & Rt. 19, Hamlin.
964-7111
Sun. - Thu. 10 a.m. - 11 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 10 a.m. - midnight (closing time is one hour earlier in winter - if in doubt, call ahead)