Monday's Question of the Day - December 15, 2015

MoochNNoodles

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It's the last full week before Christmas!!  
  Of course my kids are like: 
 
 etc.  You get the point!  My oldest has a January birthday; so this level of excitement tends to linger too....

Let's talk pizza! Not just pizza; but gourmet pizza!  Do you enjoy any of the fancy gourmet pizza's out there these days?  

This past weekend BOTH of my kids had an overnight with my mother.  That was a first for DS.  DH got home from work too late on Friday for us to want to go out to eat; so we ordered pizza, wings and an antipasto.  Instead of going the normal toppings route; we ordered a Bruschetta pizza!  It was amazing!  It had chopped garlic, olive oil, fresh basil, diced tomato and of course cheese.  DH like it but wasn't as excited as I was.  I thought it was fantastic!  I've had a Focaccia pizza from the same place. They use a Focaccia based crust and top it with caramelized onions (I don't normally like onion on pizza), olive oil, chopped tomato, rosemary, oregano, Romano and mozzarella cheeses.  We got that when my father was visiting once with his girlfriend.  We all raved over it.  Pepperoni pizza still has it's place; but these really are a nice change!  There is a big difference between pizza house places and the chain ones when it comes to these gourmet pizzas!
 
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catlover19

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There's a place where I used to live that makes the best gourmet pizzas. They have white pizza which is amazing. It's got garlic and a white sauce instead of pizza sauce.
 

Winchester

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We'll pretty much eat any kind of pizza. Regular, store-bought, frozen, etc. Rick really likes my home-made pizza, esp when it's grilled. But we're pretty much open to anything (sans any kind of olives and anchovies).
 

kookycats

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Pepperoni pizza, sausage pizza, we like the thin crust better than the thick crust. But in general I LOVE pizza!
 

micknsnicks2mom

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my absolute favorite pizza to get when eating out is the white pizza from AV Ristaurante Italiano, in washington, dc. however, that restaurant has closed it's doors and i haven't lived in that area for decades.

these days i make my own pizzas at home. i'd say the closest i have gotten to making a "gourmet" type pizza is when i made bbq chicken pizza using my homemade apple butter bbq sauce (made using my homemade apple butter) -- thank you, @Winchester, for suggesting i make some apple butter bbq sauce. the apple butter bbq sauce was used instead of using store bought bbq sauce, and it took the bbq chicken pizza up to a whole new level of yummy. i found i had to get my mind wrapped around the fact that the bbq chicken pizza wasn't going to taste like what pizza usually tastes like, but once i did that i was able to enjoy the bbq chicken pizza.

in general, my favorite pizza is pepperoni with mozzarella and asiago cheeses on it with some italian seasoning blend sprinkled over it. oh, and i prefer extra sauce on my pizza -- the kind of sauce that has chunks of tomato in it.
 
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cats4sky

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i love thick Sicilian pizza and also regular pies. i LOVE tomato basil pizza but i don't know if that's considered gourmet.  i must say my favorite is just a large pie with extra sauce and extra cheese, and i love alot of salt on my pizza and i have to have soda with it!

 

sneakymom

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It's the last full week before Christmas!!  
  Of course my kids are like: 
 
 etc.  You get the point!  My oldest has a January birthday; so this level of excitement tends to linger too....

Let's talk pizza! Not just pizza; but gourmet pizza!  Do you enjoy any of the fancy gourmet pizza's out there these days?  

This past weekend BOTH of my kids had an overnight with my mother.  That was a first for DS.  DH got home from work too late on Friday for us to want to go out to eat; so we ordered pizza, wings and an antipasto.  Instead of going the normal toppings route; we ordered a Bruschetta pizza!  It was amazing!  It had chopped garlic, olive oil, fresh basil, diced tomato and of course cheese.  DH like it but wasn't as excited as I was.  I thought it was fantastic!  I've had a Focaccia pizza from the same place. They use a Focaccia based crust and top it with caramelized onions (I don't normally like onion on pizza), olive oil, chopped tomato, rosemary, oregano, Romano and mozzarella cheeses.  We got that when my father was visiting once with his girlfriend.  We all raved over it.  Pepperoni pizza still has it's place; but these really are a nice change!  There is a big difference between pizza house places and the chain ones when it comes to these gourmet pizzas!
My oldest's birthday is in January too.  It got hard when she was little figuring out what to get her b/c she'd get a lot of "stuff" at Christmas.  

And no, I've never had any of the fancy pizza.  I've made my own and put some fancy toppings on it.  

Tonight I cheated.  Christmas shopping half the day and then someone had to go do handbells at church tonight.  I cheated and did the Papa John's thing.  I know- mine's better but it was easy 


Cheryl
 

denice

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Any pizza that has been cooked properly in a wood fired oven.  I love the smokey flavor and the charred crust that is still soft on the inside.
 
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MoochNNoodles

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my absolute favorite pizza to get when eating out is the white pizza from AV Ristaurante Italiano, in washington, dc. however, that restaurant has closed it's doors and i haven't lived in that area for decades.

these days i make my own pizzas at home. i'd say the closest i have gotten to making a "gourmet" type pizza is when i made bbq chicken pizza using my homemade apple butter bbq sauce (made using my homemade apple butter) -- thank you, @Winchester, for suggesting i make some apple butter bbq sauce. the apple butter bbq sauce was used instead of using store bought bbq sauce, and it took the bbq chicken pizza up to a whole new level of yummy. i found i had to get my mind wrapped around the fact that the bbq chicken pizza wasn't going to taste like what pizza usually tastes like, but once i did that i was able to enjoy the bbq chicken pizza.
I love BBQ chicken pizza!  Apple butter BBQ sauce sound amazing!  Your right; it's not "pizza" what we typically think of.  But boy it's good!  My DD's favorite food is pizza. (
)  She started out with BBQ chicken pizza before traditional pizza. 

 
i love thick Sicilian pizza and also regular pies. i LOVE tomato basil pizza but i don't know if that's considered gourmet.  i must say my favorite is just a large pie with extra sauce and extra cheese, and i love alot of salt on my pizza and i have to have soda with it!

The Sicilian style pizza is probably more common than round pies where I grew up.  I love a good Sicilian style pizza!  Especially a good chewy crust!  I think every generation from my parents to my babies have teethed on the crusts from the pizzas there  

 
Any pizza that has been cooked properly in a wood fired oven.  I love the smokey flavor and the charred crust that is still soft on the inside.
Ooooh yes!  I remember seeing one of those HGTV/DIY channel type programs on people's outdoor kitchens and a few places had pizza ovens built in.  If I ever get rich; I want one!
 
My oldest's birthday is in January too.  It got hard when she was little figuring out what to get her b/c she'd get a lot of "stuff" at Christmas.  

And no, I've never had any of the fancy pizza.  I've made my own and put some fancy toppings on it.  

Tonight I cheated.  Christmas shopping half the day and then someone had to go do handbells at church tonight.  I cheated and did the Papa John's thing.  I know- mine's better but it was easy 


Cheryl
I've already bought any Bday presents she will get from us.  it is hard; but at the same time it's easier to do all my shopping at once.  It's having an extra holiday right after the holidays that I struggle with!  I'm trying to figure out if we REALLY have to have a party.  A few of her buddies moved away and we don't have much family here.... Admitting it makes me feel like a bad mommy! 
 

sivyaleah

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Growing up in Brooklyn, pizza was a staple meal.  Working in NYC, still a staple.  NY has awesome pizza, the best around. The epitome of pie lol.

I'm very picky about it because of this.  There's a lot of mediocre pizza in NJ.  We finally found one place near by that makes it as NY style as possible (there's one other but it's a bit of a drive).  On their menu, is Grandma Pie. For those who don't know what this is, it's a square pizza but very thin crust.  The sauce, goes OVER the cheese, and is topped with a good grating of Romano cheese.  So good.

One of the best pies I've had was a black olive, anchovy and carmelized onions.  Not for everyone but we loved it.  
 

sneakymom

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MoochNNoodles wrote:

I've already bought any Bday presents she will get from us.  it is hard; but at the same time it's easier to do all my shopping at once.  It's having an extra holiday right after the holidays that I struggle with!  I'm trying to figure out if we REALLY have to have a party.  A few of her buddies moved away and we don't have much family here.... Admitting it makes me feel like a bad mommy! 


Nah- not a bad mommy 


How old?  We've never lived close to family due to dh's job.  There were a couple of times when the kids were real little, that they didn't have a "big" birthday party.  One year the kids we invited (like all 4 of them) got sick :( Crud was circulating around.   She was SO dissapointed- I think dd was 4 or so.  It was ok- I felt bad, but we found another way to celebrate.  

Cheryl
 

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Basic Sicilian pizza is my fave.  But I also enjoy Hawaiian (ham and pineapple!) and Greek (feta cheese and basil).  Aw heck, I like any pizza, anchovies and all, ha haaa.
 

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We just don't get good pizza over here. 
Have you ever seen Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende? When I saw your post, I instantly thought of this.

I'm not too picky about pizza - I don't like pizzas that are too dry, and I prefer thin crust. My brother took me to a place near his apartment that makes amazing pizza, though there isn't anything special about what they do or don't put on it. I think the crust really seals the deal for me. If there is a pizza that can stay good, crust included, the following day without going hard and stale or mushy and soft when reheated, that's a good pizza. I can't afford such luxuries of even takeout pizza anymore.
When I worked at a coffee shop, one of our managers loved to cook and would use our pastry ovens to make quick pizza.
 
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MoochNNoodles

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Growing up in Brooklyn, pizza was a staple meal.  Working in NYC, still a staple.  NY has awesome pizza, the best around. The epitome of pie lol.

I'm very picky about it because of this.  There's a lot of mediocre pizza in NJ.  We finally found one place near by that makes it as NY style as possible (there's one other but it's a bit of a drive).  On their menu, is Grandma Pie. For those who don't know what this is, it's a square pizza but very thin crust.  The sauce, goes OVER the cheese, and is topped with a good grating of Romano cheese.  So good.

One of the best pies I've had was a black olive, anchovy and carmelized onions.  Not for everyone but we loved it.  
I would try that.  The anchovy is the only part I question!  My mother and I especially missed good pizza after we moved here 20 years ago. Wings too!  I love some good crispy wings.  Not the rubbery skinned ones some chain places overcharge for.  One of my favorite places near my family used to carry a chicken wing pizza... That was SO good!  If I ever move again; having a good pizza and wing place is a requirement of wherever our new place is!
 
We just don't get good pizza over here. 


But I did have the most amazing sushi for lunch.
My BFF spent 4 years in Japan before coming back to the states. She misses the food!!
 
MoochNNoodles wrote:

I've already bought any Bday presents she will get from us.  it is hard; but at the same time it's easier to do all my shopping at once.  It's having an extra holiday right after the holidays that I struggle with!  I'm trying to figure out if we REALLY have to have a party.  A few of her buddies moved away and we don't have much family here.... Admitting it makes me feel like a bad mommy! 


Nah- not a bad mommy 


How old?  We've never lived close to family due to dh's job.  There were a couple of times when the kids were real little, that they didn't have a "big" birthday party.  One year the kids we invited (like all 4 of them) got sick :( Crud was circulating around.   She was SO dissapointed- I think dd was 4 or so.  It was ok- I felt bad, but we found another way to celebrate.  

Cheryl
She will be 5.  Her first birthday was snowed out; only my mom and step-dad made it.  My other BFF was in the hospital having just had my godson.  I know she has done aquarium trips in place of a party for her kids.  In the past I've also delayed her party till the end of the month.  We had it at Build a Bear that year.  That was fun!
 
Have you ever seen Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende? When I saw your post, I instantly thought of this.

I'm not too picky about pizza - I don't like pizzas that are too dry, and I prefer thin crust. My brother took me to a place near his apartment that makes amazing pizza, though there isn't anything special about what they do or don't put on it. I think the crust really seals the deal for me. If there is a pizza that can stay good, crust included, the following day without going hard and stale or mushy and soft when reheated, that's a good pizza. I can't afford such luxuries of even takeout pizza anymore.
When I worked at a coffee shop, one of our managers loved to cook and would use our pastry ovens to make quick pizza.
A few months ago I read somewhere about putting a mug with some water in it in the microwave while you reheat pizza to help it stay moist.  It works!  It also helps with fries and rice.  I have eaten pizza cold rather than have it go tough and dry!
 

Norachan

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Have you ever seen Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende? When I saw your post, I instantly thought of this.
 I've seen that show before, but not that episode. That's the thing about Japan, they sometimes have some really weird ideas about what might taste good. I once went to this all-you-can-eat pizza buffet and they even had desert pizza. I accidentally took a bite out of what I thought was a plain cheese pizza only to find out it was custard. 


It was horrible mistakes like those that forced me to learn how to read and write.
 
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