California Beer & Pizza Dedicated to Craft Brewing And Artisan Pizza Baking
Caioti Pizza Cafe
Pizza Therapy New Haven Style
FiftyFifty Brewing Truckee
Belgianfest Seattle
Tales From the Pizza Pub
Beer Movies Part I Issue #7
Spring 2011
California Beer &Pizza
"A quart of ale is a dish for a king." William Shakespeare ‘A Winter’s Tale’
Contents
Issue #7 - Spring 2011
Table of Contents Editor’s Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Feedback Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Caioti Pizza Cafe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7 FiftyFifty Brewing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 Belgianfest - Seattle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12 Tales From the Pizza Pub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Pizza Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14-15 Beer Movies Part I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17 Recommended View Settings in Adobe Acrobat: View Menu > Page Display >
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Two-Up
Show Cover Page During Two-Up
Editor’s Note Bill Graney
A
s we move into the new season we take some looks back to celebrate the just completed winter and also look forward to the future. With the longer, warmer days perhaps many of you are engaging in more outdoor activities and making a transition to different beer choices and pizza baking methods. Here in Southern California, having the pizza stone on the grill is almost always an option but after nearly being snowed-in on a trip to the Lake Tahoe area in February I was reminded there are many locations throughout California that have to adjust to more dramatic seasonal shifts. It's around this time of year that I typically adjust my ales of choice from stouts and Belgian dubbels & tripels to IPA's. There is always seasonal crossover but the time of year does tend to dictate what dominates. I brewed a Belgian blond in January and as that supply dwindles down I'm contemplating the hop profile I want to use on an IPA or slightly less hoppy pale ale. Being able to celebrate the diversity of beer through home brewing is a wonderful thing.
In this issue we begin with a profile on Caioti Pizza Cafe and an interview with owner/manager Carrie LaDou. Carrie shares her inspirational story of having to take over her husband's (pizza legend Ed LaDou) pizza cafe after his untimely passing. Without any experience in the restaurant business Carrie was thrown in the deep end and she has had to overcome a series of difficult
obstacles. Fortunately for pizza lovers (and foodies in general) Caioti Pizza Cafe continues to thrive and serve epic pizzas & entrees in Studio City.
Kristina and Andy Simpson check in with a report from FiftyFifty Brewing in Truckee. Head brewer Todd Ashman spent some time with the pair, gave them a tour of the facility, and explained the intricacies of barrel aging. Coincidentally I made a couple of stops at FiftyFifty a few weeks later and share in their enthusiasm for the beers and the location. For the Belgian ale lovers (which is everyone, right?) there is coverage from Belgianfest Seattle. This event was held on January 29, 2011 and brought together many of Washington's best brewers to strut their stuff and serve their interpretations of classic Belgian styles. I came away very impressed and was a little surprised they were able to pull it off as well as they did.
What would a trip to Seattle (or anywhere else) be without a couple of pizza adventures? In addition to the Belgianfest coverage there is also a look at two pizza stops that warrant your consideration when visiting the Emerald City. New columnist Chris Frank joins Team CB&P with his feature Tales From the Pizza Pub. Chris is a Portland OR pub manager and pizzaiolo. He will be sharing vignettes into his world from behind the bar and in front of the oven.
In his first column Chris tells of a bizarre annual event in North Portland involving Santas and rowdy men in banana costumes. In this edition of Pizza Therapy Albert begins a multi-part series on New Haven-style pizza. If you're not a hard core pizza aficionado you may not be aware that New Haven CT has a highly respected pizza tradition and a style all it's own. There are many well traveled pizza freaks that consider the journey to New Haven to be the golden road to unlimited pizza devotion. In the first of the series Albert profiles Sally's Apizza, a New Haven classic and a must stop if you're ever in the area.
Since the pizza movies series was concluded it made sense to move on to Beer Movies. Following the same trend the definition of "movie" is pretty loose and can include anything available on DVD; be it a film, documentary, travelogue, etc. In the first installment we take a look at Beer Nutz- The Search for the Holy Ale, The Historic Pubs of Dublin, and Strange Brew.
You may be noticing there are several departures from California in this issue but from the beginning the philosophy has been to be California-centric but not California-exclusive. In the future we will be looking at continued expansion while also staying true to our title. I hope you enjoy the issue and look forward to seeing you in the Summer!
Feedback
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Share your latest experiences with your fellow beer & pizza enthusiasts! info@californiabeerandpizza.com Letters and photo submissions are welcome and encouraged!
Caioti Pizza Cafe - Carrie LaDou
T
he career of pizza legend Ed LaDou has been well documented. From Prego in San Francisco, to Spago in Los Angeles, to influencing the design of the California Pizza Kitchen menu, to opening Caioti Pizza Cafe, he was the single most creative force in what was to become California-style pizza. Unfortunately Ed passed away in 2007 and since that time his wife Carrie has been managing Caioti Pizza Cafe in Studio City. I sat down with her on a Friday afternoon, ate some amazing pizza, and talked about Caioti Pizza Cafe and the transitions she had to make when she suddenly found herself in the position of having to manage a restaurant. Despite the trials and tribulations, Carrie projects a very positive attitude and a great desire to see Ed's legacy continue on through the restaurant. Both Carrie and her staff display a tremendous amount of warmth and kindness towards their guests and welcome everyone to come in and enjoy their cozy nook on a funky stretch of Tujunga Avenue.
Carrie LaDou Can you begin by explaining how your involvement in Caioti Pizza cafe began and how it has evolved?
It was kind of a baptism by fire, I was not involved before my husband died, I'm actually a registered nurse. In one way it was actually helpful in that it gave me a project during an emotional time but on the other hand it was really hard and I didn't know what I was doing. It was important to me to keep it going because of our daughter and to help her maintain the memory of her dad.
In addition to the wide range of pizzas, you have many other interesting menu items, entrees and a weekend breakfast menu. Did it start out as exclusively pizza and evolve or has the restaurant
always had such an diverse line up?
Ed was a chef in every aspect of the word and the restaurant has always had many things on the menu; entrees, specialty items, and weekly specials. Making his name as the pizza chef at Spago is what he became known for. He opened the first Caioti Pizza Cafe in Laurel Canyon and knew that he would have a lot of the same client base so it made sense to include the word pizza in the cafe. Including pizza in the name is appropriate but I also hear people walk by on the sidewalk and say they don't feel like pizza, and it's disappointing because we have so many items other than pizza. I wouldn't ever change the name but I try to get the word out through Facebook, and by telling
California Beer & Pizza — Spring 2011 — 4
people about our menu specials. Most of our regulars know that we have amazing entrees and desserts also. Why do you think the pizza became so popular?
Ed developed his own dough so nobody makes it the same we do and it's really good. We pay extra for the ingredients for our toppings and buy artisan cheeses. Your typical pizzeria just doesn't do that. Did you have any involvement at all in the restaurant prior to taking over as manager? No, I didn't even have a key. I came in the day after Ed passed and asked someone for a key so I could make a copy. It's definitely been..... interesting.
Caioti Pizza Cafe (Cont.) Did Ed like being known for pizza?
Oh yeah, he loved it. Mentally he would think about different combinations for toppings, he wouldn't necessarily have to try it out. We'd be on a date and he'd be writing things down on a napkin; like mustard seeds or goat cheese, and then he'd just put it on his specials board and he just knew it was going to be good. He thought about pizza differently than most people thought about it and twenty years ago his ideas seemed weird because he came up with combinations that people weren't used to. But they were always good.
The circumstances that put you in the general manager position were unfortunate but since you are in the position, do you like it? Would you prefer to go back to being an RN?
Well, this is a family restaurant and it's a connection for my daughter to her family and that emotional connection is very important to me. I practiced nursing for ten years and am ready to move on! I love the environment of the cafe, greeting the customers, and making sure they have a good experience. Do you like this location?
This is a great neighborhood! This is unusual in L.A. in that this is a
little community, and people walk their dogs, and people know each other's names, and the names of their kids and their dogs. We have an annual holiday open house on the block. It's really kind of old fashioned.
b Sausag Lam e
We enjoyed offering our customers byob with no corkage fee for 13 years but we discovered our license was not properly transferred from our previous location. So we've had to stop. We're working on getting it back. Have you added personalized touches to the restaurant or is it as it's always been?
Without changing it, I've taken down some of the stuff that a bachelor would have in his apartment. I change out the photography on the walls. I like to showcase the local photographers.
Lemon Grilled Eggplant • Roasted Garlic • Feta Mozzarella • Kalamata Olives
You've had some problems with your beer and wine license, how's that coming along?
There was an article in L.A. Magazine about the sheer volume of red tape you have to go through in Los Angeles to get anything done in a restaurant. One agency will dictate that a door has to open out while another agency will dictate that a door has to open in and there are even more requirements when there is a beer and wine license involved. I'm trying to work through them but this is an old building and there isn't a lot of room to do the types of upgrades they require. You did have a byob policy at one time, correct?
I'd like to do some renovations but at the moment they are on hold while we concentrate on re-instating our beer and wine license. Has the delay on the byob license had an effect on your customer base and revenues?
I never charged a corkage fee, and that made bringing in a bottle of wine very popular. Coming in and having beer or wine with an entree was a hit. For the first year after my husband died everything at the restaurant was going great. It is a little harder now without the byob policy, but the food and our location is still awesome. Most of our cooks were personally trained by Ed, and our location among the independently owned novelty stores of Tujunga Village makes Caioti a destination in itself.
California Beer & Pizza — Spring 2011 — 5
Caioti Pizza Cafe (Cont.) Have you ever thought about getting in the kitchen and getting your hands in the dough?
Yes.......and then I realize how many other things I have to do. I thought by this time I would be farther ahead with the renovations but the byob thing as thrown a wrench into everything. But we are getting a conditional use permit for the beer and wine.
salad dressing and wrote to tell their experiences with it. So many women have come by and told me that if I ever need someone to come and be interviewed they will swear that it works. I would say that 8 out of 10 women say that it works.
S un c h o k e
Where did the name of the restaurant come from? At the Laurel Canyon location, late at night and early in the morning Ed would give the coyotes some scraps out the back door when the building was vacant and he was setting up the restaurant. He wanted it to be "coyote" but he wanted a different spelling. What's the story with the Maternity Salad Dressing?
A local writer was eating here, early in the restaurant's history, she was pregnant and went into labor while she ate The Salad. She went on to write about it and said The Salad started her labor.
The article took off and magazines, newspapers, and TV shows started coming by to talk about it. So many people came by and wanted to know about it, so we started to bottle it and sell it here. Have there been any other reports of women going into labor after eating the salad dressing? All the books on the counter were signed by women who ate the
with an olive oil base and more options for vegetarians. But we won't change the overall concept.
I have pages of Ed's hand written recipes that have never been on the menu that can be specials or added to the menu. It's all very disorganized at this point, they're written on scrap pieces of paper and napkins. I kept them all and I'm trying to organize it. Those recipes would probably make a great cookbook.
Fresh Jerusalem Artichoke Tubes • Applewood Smoked Bacon • Roasted Red Peppers • Fresh Dill • Mozzarella
Ed and I were watching a TV show one night and one of the characters made a comment about going to get some of the maternity salad dressing. So it has become part of local folklore. Since we're so close to the studios I'm sure one of the writers heard about it and wrote it into the show. Do you have a vision for the next ten years?
I don't want to fix anything that isn't broken but one thing that may be lacking is food on the menu for people who are super health conscious. I want to keep everything that's currently on the menu but include some whole grain pastas
California Beer & Pizza — Spring 2011 — 6
He was working on a book too and I have that also. But I'm a single parent managing a restaurant so I can only go so fast with those kinds of projects. There's a million things to do.
Another thing I want to do is have more private parties. If we close the door and it's a private party the byob situation doesn't matter, people can bring in beer or wine. We can do that, we're not selling it, we're not open to the public. One time, it turned out to be really fun, a cooking club in Orange County, which turned out to be about 40 ladies, had heard about us and wanted to come here so they chartered a bus.
They pulled up right in front and came in, the whole neighborhood was watching. We had a whole menu planned for them and double sliced the pizzas so they could try a lot of different ones. They brought their own wine and everyone had a great time. And because of the neighborhood they all went shopping after they were done eating.
Caioti Pizza Cafe (Cont.) So if a brewery wanted to come in and pair their beers with our pizzas we could have a private party and do that.
Portobello
Sliced Portobello Caps With Spinach • Tomatoes Brie • Mozzarella • Slivered Almonds
If you would like more information about scheduling a private event/party at Caioti Pizza Cafe contact Carrie LaDou at: carrieladou@sbcglobal.net
To learn more about Ed LaDou's thoughts on pizza watch his fascinating interview from Pizza TV. This is must see viewing for every home and professional pizza baker.
Caioti Pizza Café
4346 Tujunga Ave., Studio City, California 91604 818.761.3588 Fax 818.761.3606
Map
Menu
Web
Click here to link to the interview on youtube. Interested in the maternity salad dressing? Click here to order.
California Beer & Pizza — Spring 2011 — 7
FiftyFifty Brewing - Truckee Kristina (Twitter.com/hopmonkey) is a digital marketer and social media marketer who believes life and beer should be full of hops and monkeying around. Andy (Twitter.com/brewindie) works as a video game marketer during the day, drinks hoppy beer at night and is an avid music fan always. We are currently homebrewing our own 90-minute IPA and planning our 2011 beer festival calendar.
S
omewhere between here and there… lies Truckee
After several trips along the California coast, it became clear that it was time to point ourselves East to further explore this amazing and diverse state. As longtime Coloradoans, periodic Georgians and accidental New Yorkers, the idea of driving East to reach the mountains was at the very least a foreign concept – but an inviting one nonetheless. We loaded our trusty little car on a Friday morning, left enough room for a case of bottles for the return trip and were off to explore a new terrain.
I’d traveled to Lake Tahoe in years past – as an early 20-something I remembered South Lake as a beautiful area full of dingy casinos, road-side motels and the bluest water I’d seen outside the Gulf of Mexico. All I knew of North Lake, was that it’s dangerously close to Reno (nothing good happens in Reno… except Buckbean – outstanding Black Noddy!), there’s plenty of skiing… and a tiny little brewery called FiftyFifty … or 50.50 if you prefer. I’d happened upon a bottle of Concentrated Evil in the months prior… probably drawn in by the devilish skeleton on the label and remembered not feeling blown away. But every brewery deserves greater
Music references link to Page 13. exploration – writing off an entire brewery based off one beer is like dismissing a band for making one less than awesome album (apropos for Truckee, I refer you to Built to Last ).
Follow FiftyFifty Brewing Company on Twitter or friend them on Facebook.
If you’re planning a trip to Truckee (or North Lake in general), we highly encourage you to plan your drive accordingly – the traffic on I-80 into Sacramento was maddening at best. Rather than plug through the night, we made a conscious decision to pit stop at Rubicon in Sac-town (excellent brewery, thanks in part to Monkey Knife Fight… on tap) and ultimately stayed the night saving the remaining truck to Truckee for the early hours on Saturday. Fast forward several hours and a few Monkey Knife Fights later, we arrived in Truckee. The town
California Beer & Pizza — Spring 2011 — 8
puts out a very distinct ‘Kerouac would love this place’, crossroads sort of vibe. Snow hadn’t fallen in nearly a week and it showed – the town was wet, dirty and reminded me of the mud flap from a Denver DOT sand truck. The train tracks running through the center of town bore no charm… and the brick store fronts that faced the tracks did their best to deflect all that passed through Truckee. But beneath the grit, traffic and tourism… there was something there. Clearly. We booked a last minute room at the River Street Inn – a simple, B&B meets ski lodge. The owners were friendly, chummy and clearly knew they had a good place on their hands that would undoubtedly fill on busy holiday weekends. The room was simple, rustic, clean and well maintained – but otherwise non-descript. The breakfast the following morning was simple, rustic, clean and also non-descript. Yay toast!
Moving on – after a glorious threehour snowshoe trek along the creek/tracks/trail/thing – it was time for the #1 reason we came to Truckee. The Beer. Oh, the beer. If you recall what we mentioned moments ago about Concentrated Evil being uneventful – that all changed quickly when we made it to FiftyFifty Brewing Company.
FiftyFifty (Cont.) We showed up early for our appointment with head brewer, Todd Ashman and spent the time examining the respectable (albeit slightly out of place), lodgey establishment and helping ourselves to a sample of the 8 draft beers on tap that evening. The buzz in the place was palpable… people were giddy for their après ski – and even more giddy to know it was lovingly crafted beer vs. an overpriced Bud Light at the Squaw Valley Mountain House. The sampler consisted of the usual suspects – a golden ale, pale ale, IPA (they were out!), a porter, a stout, etc. All good, but none standout… just good. Then Todd showed up and our world forever changed. Today’s brewer is a rock star of sorts – they are known by name, recognized by fans and adored by many… and they LOVE IT. But not Todd… Todd is not about the notoriety or fame... he’s about making the best damn beer you’ve ever tasted. Like many great musicians, Todd hates the spotlight – he’s a craftsman, not a performer and he knows it. So needless to say, the appearance of two overly-enthusiastic beer bloggers was enough to put Todd on guard. He ventured over to our table and looked suspiciously at the halfdrunk sampler that sat between us. Todd graciously allowed us to finish our sampler and gave us the perfunctory explanations that any good draft beer deserves. And by all standards, these were respectable draft beers – any craft beer enthusiast would recognize that immediately. Fast forward 15 minutes and Todd has ushered us into the brewery itself, away from the increasing, post-mountain clamor of the res-
taurant. To say the brewery was on the smaller side is an understatement – at one point, we scaled a precarious, retractable staircase to reach the German-built mill in the ‘attic’. It was awesome.
As Todd continued to enchant us with stories of his amazing tenure as a brewer, the light started to come on as to exactly what this man had accomplished. Todd is a pioneer (and a poet) in the world of barrel-aged beers. Over the next two hours, we learned that the true magic behind the 50.50 label can only be expressed through the Eclipse series of barrel-aged stouts. To this day, the word Eclipse sends me into a near frenzy (now I know what it means to be a member of Team Edward).
We proceeded to sample the Four Roses, the Evan Williams and the Elijah Craig – each one growing more amazing, complex and exciting. In part due to the new world we were discovering (barrel-aged was not new, but Eclipse was), but also due to the passion and enthusiasm demonstrated by their maker as Todd took us through detailed explanations of what the beers mean to him. And as he also explained the tedious, labor of love that goes into hand-waxdipping every bottle of Eclipse to get that signature mark . Todd was equal parts proud and humbled by his work – he was the first one to criticize the slightest shortcomings of his beer and the first to be surprised by the overwhelming reception which they generate. Months later, we were treated to a second tasting of the elusive Eclipse at TCHO chocolate factory in San Francisco – courtesy of the good folks at TCHO, 50.50 and City Beer Store. Todd was
there, with the even MORE elusive Pappy Van Winkle in tow. Prior to meeting Todd, I had never heard of Pappy Van Winkle – and honestly I thought it was a rather silly name. But no more – this beer is the pinnacle of barrel-aged wonder…or craft beer in general for that matter. It is indescribably delicious, profoundly complex and incredibly scarce. Just take a quick look online at your favorite beer rating site and you’ll see that our sentiment is shared by the masses. And as I learned in my college Economics class – scarcity does in fact create demand.
Before we heap further praise on this fine establishment, I encourage you to try it for yourself. Go to City Beer Store – or wherever you go for your finest bottles, and ask kindly for a bottle of Eclipse. Find a friend, take a road trip to the mountains and find the perfect place to listen to your favorite Grateful Dead album and savor a true American Beauty.
For outdoor enthusiasts, Tahoe has always been a must-visit destination. Now, the small town of Truckee in North Tahoe and Fifty Fifty Brewing has earned the privilege of being at the top of any craft beer enthusiasts’ travel list. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime craft beer opportunity…much like an Eclipse.
Belgianfest - Seattle
T
he second annual Belgianfest was held on Saturday, January 22nd, 2011 at Magnuson Park in the Sand Point section of Seattle. The building in which the festival was held, called The Workshop, was large and open and had the appearance of a warehouse or airplane hanger. The brewer's tables were placed along the outside edges of the room. As it turned out, the day was partly cloudy and a bit chilly but it seemed that having it outside in one of the open fields would have been a better atmosphere but it's understood that festival organizers can't plan outside festivals in Seattle in January. The early session was sold out so the hall was filled to capacity. The situation was probably the same for the later session. Despite the appearances of crammed conditions when entering, the lines to the brewers table were very short and even the longest lines had minimal wait times. With people packed into the center of the hall discussing the beers, it gave the impression of being over crowded so it was little surprising how smoothly the event progressed.
One mistake we made was not watching the clock as the beers were cut off at a point when we'd only been to about 3/4 of the brewer's tables. Not thinking about the fact that there would be two sessions turned out to be a strategic blunder as a lot of the time was spent discussing beers, talking to the brewers and general chit chat. In spite of the time mismanagement there was
still plenty of beer tasting and information gathering that took place. Many of the people in attendance shared their thoughts about other beer-related events that take place in the area throughout the year. Since visiting the Pacific Northwest is a fairly regular occurrence for me it's likely that reports from Seattle will show up periodically.
challenge. My expectations were moderate but I have to say the brewers put out a very impressive display of craftsmanship. I don't recall having a single beer that I didn't think was at least in the very good range. As expected, there were many dubbels and tripels and I felt the brewers who were brewing to style nailed it just about every time. The Red Hook Dubbel and Big Al's Tripel stood out to me as being particularly well done.
Other beers that I found noteworthy were the Naked City Saison, Big Belgian Pale Ale from Boundary Bay, and Snoqualmie Brewing's Wit.
On to the beers; there are a few North American breweries that do Belgian styles quite well (Lost Abby, Unibroue, Ommegang, Russian River, and Ladyface Ales immediately come to mind). But having tried Belgian styles in the past that were brewed by breweries that don't specialize in the style I've found it can be hit or miss. So I went into Belgianfest very interested to see how the Washington brewers, some of whom don't regularly brew Belgians, would take to the
California Beer & Pizza — Spring 2011 — 10
The one that stood out the most, which came as a surprise since it's an oddball style, was the Sour Yuzus from Elysian Brewing. The stats include: 100% pale malt, Turbinado sugar, Belgian ale yeast, Magnum (for bittering) and Styrian Goldings hops (for finishing). Organic dried lemon peel is added at the end of the boil, and yuzu juice is added pre-andpost fermentation. The ale is then aged in wine barrels for 8 months and innoculated with Roselare and Lactobacillus.
That's a lot to process and for the fundamentalists it might seem over the top but the whole was greater than the sum of the parts might suggest. As is often the case with specialty ingredients, I couldn't actually taste yuzu, yet it's addition was part of the total flavor profile that made this sour a winner in my book. Well done Elysian and the Washington state brewers have a lot to be proud of with this festival.
Belgianfest (Cont.)
California Beer & Pizza — Spring 2011 — 11
Seattle (Cont.)
R
ecommendations on Twitter and Chowhound led to two new pizza experiences. CB&P officially recommends both Via Tribunali's wood fired Neapolitan pizza and Bambino's brick oven pizza.
V
ia Tribunali has four Seattle area locations. Our visit was to the Georgetown location. The pizza was great and the staff was super friendly. They were also patient and enthusiastic when it came to answering questions about their pizza and oven.
B
ambinos in Belltown cranks out an awesome brick oven pie. Additionally, they have a very impressive set of taps and bottled beer list.
California Beer & Pizza — Spring 2011 — 12
Tales From the Pizza Pub Chris Frank is a pizza pub manager and pizzaiolo in Portland Oregon and he will be sharing his Tales From the Pizza Pub with California Beer & Pizza readers. In each article Chris will offer us a look into what it's like inside the crazy world of making pizzas, serving beer, and managing a restaurant. He is also an avid Portland Timbers fan! Feedback for Chris can be emailed to California Beer & Pizza.
B
eer—and Pizza. A match made in heaven. In day to day pizza pub operations however, they often clash… Slinging pies during the holiday season is always a bit hectic: Last minute shoppers shoveling pepperoni slices down their throats in between visits to boutiques, less enthusiastic shoppers slamming pints of stout, children wailing with contempt for gifts destined for trees other than their own. If you’re working at a pizza pub in North Portland there’s an added headache—more of a migraine, actually—the Drunken Santas. Never heard of the Santacon? Consider yourself blessed.
Once a year, without warning the streets of Portland’s hippest neighborhoods are filled with
Santas bent on chaos, confusion, and calamity. Their fake beards soaked with beer, sometimes mud, the cuffs of their getups torn and dragging behind them. This
year, an opposition group of jerks in Banana suits appeared out of nowhere, provoking the Santas by chanting child-like insults across the restaurant. Last year I was lucky enough to have the night of
Santacon off. This year—no dice.
A line out the door always makes me nervous, but when the line is entirely wasted and carrying bullhorns, I start to sweat. We’re a family joint, especially at six in the evening, not the kind of place our customers expect to hear screamed slurred expletives. This line of Sot Nicks lasted three solid hours, producing the following highlights: Five shattered pint glasses, two eighty-sixes, about a dozen dropped slices, four confiscated horns, fifteen vengeful Bananas, two public urinations, and a Santa pressing his exposed package against our plate glass window. Just another night in pizza pub heaven.
Music References From Pages 8 & 9 •
Released on Halloween day in 1989, Built to Last is a Grateful Dead album that is arguably their worst ever. Not only is it a poor studio album, but it doesn’t even contain a single track that you might want to hear live.
•
In all fairness, Concentrated Evil is more like Shakedown Street – it’s fun and worth checking out, but not as good as others…
•
American Beauty was released almost 19 years to the day prior to Built to Last and is arguably their best album ever. Even if you don’t like the Dead, you will like this album. And even if you don’t like barrel-aged beers, you will like Eclipse
California Beer & Pizza — Spring 2011 — 13
Pizza Therapy - Sally's Apizza Albert Grande is The Pizza Promoter and an internet marketer. His website Pizza Therapy (http://pizzatherapy.com) grew out of his passion for pizza. In addition, to Pizza Therapy, Albert has a number of other food related websites and blogs including: Legends of Pizza (http://legendsofpizza.com) Pizza Therapy Blog: (http://pizzatherapy. blogspot.com/), and his personal blog, Internet Marketing, Pizza and Rock and Roll (http://albertgrande.com) You can follow Albert on twitter @pizzatherapy
Pizza History - New Haven CT Salvatore and Tony Consiglio learned the pizza business from their Uncle Frank, owner of Frank Pepe's Pizzeria Napolentana. In 1938, after working for him for a few years, they decided to open their own pizzeria. Originally they wanted to call the restaurant "Sally's and Tony's". But you had to be 21 to have a beer permit. Tony was only 19. They decided to call it "Sally's.Apizza." Over the years Sally's attracted some very famous pizza fans. One was Frank Sinatra. According to Tony Consiglio, co-founder of Sally's, if Frank Sinatra was in New York he sometimes would have his "driver go to New Haven and pick up a few pizzas from Sally's...Mozzarella with pepperoni was Frank's favorite, but once in a while he'd have one with clams." (F.Y.I. One way from New York to New Haven is almost 2 hours!)
O
ver the year's I have gotten lots of comments about Sally's Apizza on Wooster Street. Here are my favorites:
• Parking is difficult at best and sometimes one must park 1/4 mile away.
• Sally's is open from 5 pm to 10 pm daily except on Monday's. • It does not serve lunch.
No salads, no calzones, no pasta, no pan pizza.
• It serves no hard liquor or wine. It serves two varieties of beer, bottle only and no beer on tap.
• It serves generic soda and no Coke or Pepsi. • It does not serve by the slice. • It does not deliver.
• The wait staff is not the friendliest, and when a waiter comes to your table you better be ready to order or the waiter will leave and not come back for 20 minutes.
• And, to top it all off, there is never less than a one to two hour wait to get into the establishment and often another 30-45 minutes to finally get your pizza.
• It serves thin-crust pizza exclusively. •
like it looked 50 years ago.
• Often the wait is outside in the dead of winter.
• Sally's has never had a special or discount prices nor has it ever offered coupons, ever.
• The interior is not elegant in any way and looks today much
Just imagine any pizza place in Ohio, Florida, Texas or any other part of the country or world! If they initiated all the conditions above, how soon would they go out of business?"
Click here to check out Albert's coverage of the 2011 Pizza Expo! California Beer & Pizza — Spring 2011 — 14
Pizza Therapy (Cont.) Here's what happened the last time I went to Sally's. I knew it was going to be a good night of pizza when Jon F. and Sandi showed up with smiles of their faces. They were anxiously anticipating going to Sally’s Apizza for the first time. We arrived at Wooster Street, 30 minutes before Sally’s opened. We were first in line. Jon and Sandi guarded our spot, while Charlene and I took Kamalei to ride the swings in a nearby park. We came back just in time to see the lights of Sally’s twinkle on. Show-time!
Stepping into Sally’s Apizza is like going back in time. From the moment you walk in the door you are transported to a different era. The décor is simple and functional. The booths are cozy and comfortable. Rick Consiglio, son of Sally (Salvatore), showed us our table and then handed us our menus. He explained there were several pizzas that were not on the menu. I looked around. Pictures and mementoes lined the walls. Frank Sinatra’s portrait, personally autographed, hung above us. We knew we were in the company of greatness. After all, we were sharing our pizzas with “the Chairman of the Board.” We opted for a large clam, a large pepper and mozzarella, and a small potato and mozzarella. I also ordered a small pepperoni to go. The Family had instructed us, to not return home, unless we brought back a Sally’s pizza. Each pizza was unique and memorable. The crust was superb. The potato
pizza, which we had sampled on our last visit, was a show stopper. Lightly seasoned with just a hint of rosemary, all of the toppings blended together to create a wonderful taste. The clam pizza was extremely tasty and
holds the family together. Sally himself passed on several years ago. He would be quite pleased to see his family continue the legacy. This is truly a family operation. Each member contributing to make sure the operation runs smooth. Sally’s Apizza is like no other pizzeria on the planet. I am sure the Consiglio’s would have it no other way. "Pizza on Earth...
Good Will to All!"
satisfying. The crust was thin but did not bend under the weight of the toppings. These were happy clams. Scrumptious clams. The pepper and mozzarella was quite tasty and understated. The sweet peppers complimented the amazing crust. We were all totally satisfied. Even Kamalei insisted I take her picture while she was eating a slice of pizza. She wanted to remember the moment. Sally’s is truly a family operation. Rick works the “front of the house”. While brother Bobby, works “the back of the house”, making pizzas. Sister Ruth, helps out at the register. Flo, Sally’s wife, was all over the restaurant, helping wherever she could. She looked years younger than the last time I had seen her. I would love to know her secret. She is the glue that
Albert will continue his New Haven-style pizza series in the Summer 2011 Issue of California Beer & Pizza! California Beer & Pizza — Spring 2011 — 15
Beer Movies The Quest for the Holy Ale
Link to Netflix
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he two disc Beer Nutz series takes a look at beer culture in various cities in the U.S. and Canada. The co-hosts (Eric Gagnon & Kirt Kingzett) take the viewers on tours of beer-centric locations such as breweries, brew pubs and craft beer bars. The video production is high quality and the young hosts are well spoken and enthusiastic. Fortunately they don’t take their youthful humor to a frat boy level and generally succeed in their attempt to bring interesting material to the viewer in an entertaining manner.
They visit some of the best craft beer cities in North America but with each segment at roughly 25 minutes they can only scratch the surface in many of the places they visit. The features that held my interest and kept me watching were the brewery visits. The viewer is treated to numerous looks at the brewing processes in many breweries of varying sizes.
The series may be of value to craft beer enthusiasts on a strictly entertainment level or for planning a visit to one of the cities covered, but for home brewers, the chats with professional brewers about their brewing systems are fascinating. A couple of minor complaints; the hosts use the term “Beer Nutz”
constantly. They use this reference for anyone who likes beer and its frequent repetition can be irritating. Also, they give out a 1-5 keg rating for each location visited and they don’t explain why one place gets a 3-keg rating while another location received a 5-keg rating. The rating segments come off as random and pointless.
The Beer Barons, Silver Creek Brewpub, Milwaukee Alehouse, and Rock Bottom Brewery.
Chicago: The Map Room, Piece Pizza & Beer, Goose Island, Siebel Institute, Harry Caray’s, Sheffield’s, and Rock Bottom Brewery. The Historic
Pubs of Dublin
The cities and locales covered include: Denver: Bull and Bush Pub & Brewery, Sandlot Brewery at Coors Field, Falling Rock Tap House, Wynkoop Brewing, Flying Dog Brewing, and Vesta Dipping Grill.
San Francisco: Tom Dahldorf’s office at Celebrator Magazine, Anchor Brewing, Silverado Brewing Co., Calistoga Inn Restaurant & Brewery, Russian River Brewery, Beach Chalet, San Francisco Brewing Co., Magnolia Pub & Brewery, and 21st Amendment. Boston: Boston Beer Works, Boston Beer Co., Sunset Grill & Tap, and The Publick House, Burlington VT: The Vermont Pub & Brewery, Magic Hat Brewery, American Flat Bread, Three Needs, and Nectars.
Portland OR: McMenamins Edgefield, Higgins Restaurant, Hair of the Dog, Bridgeport Brewery, and Horse Brass Pub. Vancouver B.C.: Storm Brewery, Steamworks Brewing Co., The Irish Heather, The Railway Club, Yaletown Brewing Co., and Dix BBQ & Brewery.
Milwaukee: Lakefront Brewery, Pabst Mansion, Miller Brewing, Palm Tavern, Sprecher Brewing,
California Beer & Pizza — Spring 2011 — 16
Link to Netflix
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Beer Nuts
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he Historic Pubs of Dublin doesn’t focus solely on beer but considering what a significant part of the Irish pub experience a pint of stout is, along with this issue’s close proximity to St. Patrick’s Day, it seemed a good time to take a video stroll through the pubs of Dublin.
The PBS video is hosted by writer Frank McCourt (Angela’s Ashes) and he does a fine job as host and promoter of the Irish pub experience. Throughout the tour he draws from the rich historical connection between the pubs and people who write for a living. As he put it; “The pubs are alive with the political and literary history of Ireland.” In addition to the frequent comments about Ireland’s great novelists and poets he also visits The Palace Bar — a hangout for journalists. It’s not all about the scribes though and one of the more interesting segments features Kavanaugh’s Pub, known as The Grave Diggers Bar (extended foootage of Kavanaugh’s is featured in the
Beer Movies (Cont.) Of course no visit to Dublin would be complete without a visit to St. James Gate Brewery for a tour and pint of Guinness. The brewing talents of Arthur Guinness are synonymous with Ireland and many consider it the stout by which all others are judged.
The Temple Bar area gets some attention as Dublin’s commercial center and home of trendy bars and art galleries. McCourt can’t stay in the touristy areas too long though and he goes on to explore the pubs he frequented as a student at Trinity College.
The Irish pub experience is about conversation over a pint and televisions in pubs are the exception (although having been in Dublin during the 2002 World Cup I can assure you the no TV rule is not etched in stone). The pub is treated as a gathering place for dialogue and in some cases music.
McCourt takes the viewer on a tour of several pubs that feature traditional Irish music and seisúns (informal jam sessions). In reference to O'Donoghues Pub McCourt say's, "There isn't a better place in the world to hear Irish music." The number of pubs visited in the 60 minute feature contains too many to list but for me the real value of the documentary is the way McCourt brings in the literary and political traditions associated with Irish pubs and one gets the sense that the pubs really are filled with the ghosts of writers, poets, and revolutionaries. If you already enjoy, or think you might enjoy, the Irish pub experi-
ence, this DVD will provide you with a good bit of craic for an hour. You may also be able to catch it on PBS. It seems like the type of production they break out during fund drives. Strange Brew Link to Netflix
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DVD bonus section).
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he movie Strange Brew showcases the comic hijinks of the fictional characters Bob & Doug McKenzie (played by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas). Bob and Doug came to popularity as a result of their appearances on SCTV. If you were a young adult in the late 70's/early 80's you probably remember SCTV, considered by many to be the best sketch comedy show of all time (and it helped to launch the careers of John Candy, Martin Short and Eugene Levy). The McKenzie Brothers did skits on SCTV in which they parodied Canadian stereotypes. They sat on a set in parkas & touques, drank beer, ate donuts, cooked backbacon, and discussed the topic for that particular segment.
Their popularity grew and they became one of the most beloved of the regular SCTV skits. They also put out an album which included their take on the 12 Day's of Christmas and the song Take Off, which included an assist from Geddy Lee (of Rush). Transforming a two-minute skit format into a full length movie was a
daunting task but many reviewers were kind and most seemed to feel they pulled it off as well as it could be done.
The plot borrows Hamlet themes and mixes in McKenzie Brother zaniness. The gist of the story is that our heroes land the jobs of their dreams; working in a brewery. While working at Elsinore Brewing, Bob & Doug stumble upon an evil plot being formulated by the sinister brewmeister Dr. B.M. Smith (Max Vov Sydow). Dr. Smith is putting an additive in the Elsinore Beer that allows him to control the minds of those who drink it. Of course his ultimate goal is to control the world through beer consumption. He tests his beers on patients from the nearby insane asylum by pitting them against one another in hockey games.
Not having seen or thought much about the McKenzie Brothers in the past quarter century I went in to this viewing thinking there would be a good chance that it wouldn't stand the test of time and I would wonder why I ever thought it was funny in the fist place, which is frequently the case when visiting relics from the past. Strange Brew turns out to be one of those rare gems that holds up well and though dated, is still funny and entertaining. It's definitely a goofy movie and those who don't like it will probably really hate it and see no redeeming qualities whatsoever but for those who like to embrace the ridiculous from time to time, there is a lot to like. I'm looking forward to stumbling upon it again in another 25 years.
California Beer & Pizza — Spring 2011 — 17