Guest Columns

Over the years, with little more than some extreme luck, I’ve been able to spend time with some of the world’s great pizza makers and enthusiasts. Pizza has a complex sub-culture that includes artisans, entrepreneurs, teachers and, on occasion, some very interesting philosophers who view our craft as a metaphor that grants insight into the nature of humanity. For the very best thinkers in the pizza world there is no…Read More…

Of all the controversies in the world, the one that makes the least sense to me is that of how to properly eat pizza. Not a week goes by without a tour guest asking my opinion on the subject, citing alleged faux pas by public figures like Donald Trump and Bill Deblasio. They clearly expect me to react like Jon Stewart, with complete disgust for any method requiring utensils other…Read More…

Note from Peter:  I’ve recommended interesting products here from time to time, but only rarely.  However, I get so many emails from folks lamenting a broken or cracked baking stone that I couldn’t resist posting this guest column from our long time friend, Bob Radcliffe (I remember when I dropped my 10 year old stone and had to fight off serious tears — it was a type of mourning after…Read More…

Note from Peter:  I recently had the great honor of spending two full days in NYC with John Arena and a host of other pizza luminaries at the World Pizza Summit and Caputo Cup Championships. I was going to blog about it but John did such a great job that I am ceding the floor to him here. Weeks later, and I’m still digesting all the great pizzas and other…Read More…

In my house it’s only my son, Owen, and I who love seafood. When making pizzas for the family I usually make one for us – something that is “our” pizza. One of my favorites to make is just starting with a nice simple marinara with great tomatoes, thinly sliced garlic and some oregano and olive oil as the base and add whatever seafood I’ve picked up. The marinara is…Read More…

Note from Peter: I want to welcome our newest Guest Columnist, Scott Wiener, noted pizza-freak and founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours in NYC, where he has taken over 37,000 fellow pizza-freaks to the finest pizzerias in New York City, both on foot and by bus.  He has also written a terrific book, Viva la Pizza: The Art of the Pizza Box, in which he chronicles his Guinness World Record collection…Read More…

Note from Peter: This month, our regular guest columnist, John Arena, continues his exploration of pizza authenticity in its broader context. As you read the description of his recent “Dream Team” experience in Naples, if you are at all like me (and many of you are), you will wish you could have been there with him. If you’d like to meet John in person, come to the Global Pizza Summit…Read More…

Note from Peter: Here is the first of what we hope will be many new guest columns from John Arena. If you haven’t already seen the interview piece we did with him a few weeks ago, scroll down and catch up. In this column he addresses, in his inimical way, the matter of authenticity. I have a feeling this isn’t the last time he’ll have something to say on the…Read More…

Note from Peter:  I’m happy to announce that John Arena, founder of Metro Pizza in Las Vegas, and one of America’s most beloved pizzaiolos, is returning as a regular columnist here on PizzaQuest. His first official Guest Column will run in December. Many of you have read John’s informative and engaging posts during the past few years, in which he explores his interest in the history and artistry of pizza,…Read More…

I don’t think I need to explain what the Vera Pizza Napoletana (VPN) certification is in detail, but to anyone who’s just wandered by our site, who may not know, the VPN was established as a denomination of control (DOC) by the Italian government to designate and identify pizzerias who meet and follow strict requirements that respect the traditions and art of true Neapolitan Pizza making. What the VPN does…Read More…