Pizza Quest with Peter Reinhart

Note from Peter: I met Mike Kurtz at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas a couple of years ago and became fascinated with the exponential growth of the product he created, Mike’s Hot Honey, especially when I served as a judge at pizza competitions and noticed how many competitors were using it on their pizzas. As a specialty product, it seemingly tipped over into ubiquity rather suddenly. When someone creates anything…Read More…

Hi Everyone, If you haven’t already registered for the wonderful Fermentology series created by NC State University, here’s the link for free registration as well as both the Zoom and Livestream info. The sessions are only 20 minutes long (like a TED Talk), and the weekly topics are outlined in this link: https://cals.ncsu.edu/applied-ecology/news/fermentology-mini-seminars/ . If you want to start a sourdough starter and join us for a special sensory session…Read More…

Note from Peter: I received the following letter from “B,” a serious home baker and pizza maker in which she raised some good questions about flour and commented on how important this baking activity has become for her and her family. I think many of you will relate to her story. With permission, here’s a portion of her letter (and, I encourage you all to write to me at Peter@pizzaquest.com…Read More…

What day is it?  For that matter what time is it? I woke up the other night after a “nap” and heard my kids downstairs talking and laughing.  I walked downstairs and my son was sitting playing a video game talking to my daughter who was at the kitchen table painting – making some art.  It was about 3 AM!  I grabbed a glass of water and chatted with them…Read More…

Hey Everybody, If you see this today through Thursday, go to virtualpizzaparty.com  asap and join up.  It’s a three day “web-a-thon” featuring all sorts of pizza superstars doing interviews, demos, chat, you name it.  Chris Bianco is scheduled to appear at 5 PM today (Monday). When you go to the site it will give you the schedule of speakers and presenters. I’m scheduled to go on at 3 PM Eastern…Read More…

This is a wonderful master class by Chef Todd Fisher, of the hugely popular Tarpy’s Roadhouse in Monterey, California. We filmed this a few years ago at the Forno Bravo Wood-Fired Oven Expo at Talbott Vineyards, in Carmel Valley, just a few miles outside Monterey. Chef Todd shows us a number of excellent tips and techniques for roasting a whole fish (striped bass, in this instance) in a WFO (wood-fired…Read More…

Hi Everyone, What can one say at a time like this? If you are reading this I hope it’s not just because you have (and not by choice) too much time on your hands. I wish it weren’t so. For me, as perhaps it’s been for you, it’s been a time of deepened reflection. I’d like to try to use my Peter’s Blog space during this and upcoming posts, to…Read More…

                  Some of you have seen my video presentation (or witnessed it live at last year’s Pizza Expo and also at the Atlantic City Pizza and Pasta Show East, in which I tell the story of Mama’s Pizzeria and Cheese Steaks, my childhood go-to place for the best pizza and cheese steaks in Philadelphia. For those who haven’t heard my talk, here…Read More…

Hi Again, I’m headed to Texas, beginning with a pan pizza class at the Central Market Cooking School in San Antonio on Tuesday (Jan. 21), followed by the Central Market schools in Austin, Houston, Fort Worth, and Dallas on the succeeding days. I think the classes are all sold out, though you can call the respective schools if you’re just hearing about it now — there could be a waiting…Read More…

Welcome back everyone!  During the past year or so we posted a number of webisodes filmed at the Forno Bravo Oven Expo a few years ago. I had the chance to meet and cook with some great chefs and teachers, work side by side with the Obi Wan Kenobi of pizza, John Arena, and meet hundreds of kindred spirits who, in one of the episodes, we referred to as our…Read More…