I started cooking at the age of nine. Barely able to see over the counter top, I stood happily alongside my mother as she prepared meals for my father and seven brothers. She took great pride in the traditions of her Italian heritage, but also stressed that the most authentic … More
Chef Santo Bruno
Chef Bruno
In recent articles, I have discussed dough boxes, making your own cheese and even touched on how the Italians are attempting to define what can be called pizza. We’ve read in PMQ about pizzas with meats, pizzas with vegetables, dessert pizza and heard about every conceivable combination you can imagine. … More
Food & Ingredients
In Lehmann's terms
Question: We're planning to change the size of our large pizza from 16-inches to 18-inches. How much dough should we use for this size? Answer: This is a very commonly asked question, which is easily answered through the use of a little basic high school math. The math involved here … More
Business & Marketing
The magic of mushrooms
Egyptians once believed them to be the plant of immortality. Ancient civilizations believed them to possess supernatural powers. Chefs today consider them to be the “fifth taste,” offering a whole different taste sensation. Mushrooms, once only fit for royalty, are now one of the most popular vegetables on the market … More
Food & Ingredients
The craft of crust
Question: Why do I hear so much negativity regarding the use of par-baked pizza crusts? Answer: I think much of that negativity comes from the fact that par-baked crusts have been around and in general use for many years. This is the type of crust that puts frozen pizzas in … More
Chef Santo Bruno
What is pizza?
I just returned from Italy, and being in the pizza business I was wandering from one pizza shop to another, always looking for a good pie. After experiencing several different establishments, I came to the conclusion that I prefer American-style pizza. It is my opinion that the U.S. has a … More
Chef Santo Bruno
What’s with the wood…dough boxes
PMQ has received many emails and calls about the wood dough boxes seen in most of the articles about New York pizzerias. As a result, Tom Boyles asked me to share my knowledge on this subject. Wood boxes were around long before plastic and metal…they were the first type of … More
Chef Santo Bruno
Do it yourself cheese
In the article on Umberto’s on page ___, you read that they make their own fresh mozzarella. Is this something you want to do? The advantages to making your own cheese are it gives you something unique to market about your restaurant, it allows you to control the freshness and … More
Food & Ingredients
A breakdown of pizza nutrition
From time to time, I get a question regarding how to make pizza a healthier food. It seems that healthy eating is all the rage these days, and rightfully so. With our aging population and reports of overweight youngsters, we really should take greater care in selecting the foods that … More
Food & Ingredients
How cheesy can you be
In order to make a pizza you must have three basic ingredients; dough, sauce and cheese. The rest is optional. Many pizza makers attempt to improve their pizza by creating a better crust, adding seasonings to the sauce or trying different combinations of toppings. How many have tried to improve … More
Food & Ingredients
Dino's Bar-B-Que chicken pizza recipe
Anyway you slice it, chicken is perfect for menus. You're already equipped for it, all you need is a good chicken product and a pizza oven. Now you are ready to take advantage of America's ever increasing demand for the bird. Poultry products allow you to expand your menu without … More
Food & Ingredients
In Lehmann's Terms: cornmeal use and the art of undermixing
QUESTION: I am new to the pizza industry and have seen that cornmeal is occasionally used on the bottom of some pizza crusts, but not on the bottom of others. Can you explain why? ANSWER: Cornmeal has been traditionally used on pizza crusts as a slip, or release agent to … More