Culture
Pizza Intensive – Learning the Craft
Jul 23, 2020The North American Pizza and Culinary Academy (NAPCA) in Lyle, IL knows pizza! They regularly offer fun, food-centric, date nights, and cooking classes for the general public. However, a few times a year, they also offer special courses for those who really want to take their pizza making skills to the next level. As an authorized branch of the Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli, the oldest pizza school in Italy, Master Instructor,... Read More
Caring for Business while Caring for Community
May 19, 2020As we continue to ride the waves of change, we would like to honor some of our customers and friends on the commercial side as well. These are local businesses and professionals who are expanding their efforts to find new ways to stay open, as well as to fill the needs they see within their communities. Specifically, let us introduce you to ShadowView Brewing who used their wood fired oven... Read More
Pizza Ovens Go To School
Mar 20, 2020With a renewed focus on the value of the trades, more schools are incorporating the culinary arts into their curriculum. Cooking teaches incredible skills across disciplines in a unique, organic (and delicious) way. Just some of the disciplines and skills involved are math, chemistry, history, sociology, communications, business, fine motor control, creativity, planning, and organization. Forno Bravo is excited to have worked with several schools across the country to place... Read More
Feast of the 7 Fishes – An Italian-American Christmas Eve Tradition with a Wood Fired Twist
Dec 19, 2019Food, faith, and place have been inextricably and deliciously intertwined throughout history. One example is the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Traceable back to Southern Italian immigrants in New York as early as the 1800’s, this grand Christmas Eve meal exclusively features seafood and its accompanying dishes. While a common occurrence within the Italian-American community, and in Italy in general, the name of the feast has only been popularized more... Read More
Restaurateur Spotlight – Father and Daughter Duo Thrive at Giannina’s Pizza and Catering
May 30, 2019Born in Sicily, and raised on his grandparents’ farm and vineyard, Salvatore Cicciarella grew up surrounded by hard work, good food, and strong family ties. At 77, with over 50 years in pizzerias and restaurants, he still shares those values with his daughter, Giovanna (Gio), as they work side by side in their business, Giannina’s Pizza and Catering. Salvatore makes the dough daily and Gio is the pizzaiolo and owner.... Read More
Chefs Honored as 2018 Top 25 Culinary Educators and Mentors by BAKE Magazine
Dec 10, 2018While we have many contributors and wonderful chefs on our Chef’s Panel, Chef Leo Spizzirri and Peter Reinhart are have truly become a part of the Forno Family in a special way. We are so pleased and proud that BAKE Magazine has honored both of them in their annual “2018 Twentyfive” special edition – which recognizes top professional culinary educators and dedicator mentors in the United States. BAKE is a... Read More
2018 Summer Recipe Contest Voting and Round Two Entries
Sep 10, 2018The submission period of our 2018 Summer Recipe Contest has officially ended and it’s time to test some recipes and cast your vote. We are thrilled with all of the recipes that came in! They run the gamut from main dishes and appetizers to bread and dessert. There are samples of cuisine and ingredients from many places – North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Wood Fired... Read More
Eid Bread (aka Wooden Mold Bread)
Sep 06, 2018Thank you to home chef, Ahmad Zeabi, for sharing this special holiday bread recipe with us! In this recipe, we are traveling to the Middle East. Ahmad explains: In Horan (Daraa), in the far south of Syria, folks used to make this special bread in the Fitr and Adha Eids; the biggest annual celebrations in the local culture, hence the name. Families would customize their wooden molds. Originally, they looked at... Read More
Fire Roasted Spanish Figs
Sep 06, 2018This recipe from Chef John O’Neil uses Texas Blue Giant Figs and several delightful specialty cheeses. He writes: I love using Spanish cheeses for this dish because it feels and tastes like we are basking in the sun in Spain! The Mahon Mitica, Cordobes Mitica, and Tronchon all melt nicely, which makes them the perfect blend for slicing over the top of the figs. The Tronchon cheese is an aged cheese... Read More
