Peter's Blog

So, I’ve already written that we we opened Pure Pizza here in Charlotte a couple of weeks ago, but the Grand Opening is really going to be this Saturday, May 12th, when the entire Seventh St. Public Market, where we’re located, has its own Grand Opening. There will be music, jugglers, demo’s, lots of food — basically an all day celebratory festival (and for the whole week following) after two…Read More…

I keep ruminating on my experience on Roosevelt Ave. in Jackson Heights, Queens, during the IACP Conference week (see my previous posting on this, dated April 7th). As I described then and re-read about the various street food taste bursts that we discovered there, I also continue to recall that at nearly every truck or cart one particular phrase kept coming to me: “They’re pursuing the American dream.”  I even…Read More…

I feel as if I’ve just emerged from suspended animation. I spoke too quickly in my post- IACP posting when I said “I’m still standing,” as a few days later I hit the wall, ended up in the hospital, and couldn’t stop coughing. Turned out it was just bad bronchitis and dehydration, all of it probably initiated by the major pollen drop here during the too-early spring and then complicated…Read More…

I hate missing deadlines so I apologize for failing to post as promised. I just got clobbered by a serious pollen/bronchial illness that has totally laid me low. I’ll be back soon, but just wanted to let you know there’s a reason for my tardiness. I feel another coughing fit coming on…later folks, sorry….. Peter

Last week I spent five exciting days in NYC attending the annual IACP Conference, which I referenced a couple of posts ago (especially for those culinarians among you who may want to join).  I think of it as fantasy camp for professional foodies.  There were over 40 workshops, panels, tasting sessions, field trips, throughout the conference so it was impossible to attend more than a small percentage of them —…Read More…

This is a quickie, with more details to come later this week. Bottom line: we didn’t win for Best Food Blog of the Year after all. That honor went to a terrific blog called 5 Second Rule (5secondrule.typepad.com). Many of you voted for us — thank you so much — and I promised  to post the results asap, so here it is, just to put everyone out of the misery…Read More…

I’m headed to NYC, the Big Apple, for the annual IACP Conference (the first time it’s ever been held in NYC — it moves to a different city every year — next year it will be in San Francisco). It will be like fantasy camp for foodies this weekend, culminating on Monday at the Awards Gala when we’ll find out whether Pizza Quest wins for Best Food Blog of the…Read More…

It’s hard to believe, but the time has come for another Asheville Artisan Bread Festival, this Saturday, March 24th.  Seems like just yesterday we were there, that I posted some photos here on Pizza Quest, and that we had a chance to celebrate with artisan bread bakers, cheese makers, and other Asheville area craftspeople in the lovely foothills of the Smokey Mountains.  This is our 8th annual event and I’ve…Read More…

I mentioned last week that Anthony Strong was recently named San Francisco’s 2012 Rising Star Chef for his work at Locanda, Craig Stoll’s newest restaurant, located just around the corner from Delfina and Pizzeria Delfina in the part of town they affectionately call, The Gastro. So, in tribute to Anthony’s well deserved success and budding fame, and for those who missed this the first time around, we’re replaying our visit…Read More…

March Madness begins this week in college basketball — my favorite sporting event of the year, full of last second drama and indelible moments of sports greatness. But it is also a big week for pizza too. Tomorrow, the annual Pizza Expo begins in Las Vegas — the biggest, baddest pizza show in the world and we’re sending the intrepid Brad English to cover it for Pizza Quest. I expect…Read More…