I have this thing about reading some nicely written stuff about some food or drink and then suddenly start craving it like crazy. A few years back I read Mark Tully's article in the newspaper one morning about Darjeeling in which he talked eloquently about Darjeeling tea. I got hooked to this fine tea and to this day relish two and half large cups over my entire day!
A few days back, I stumbled upon this interview with Jimmy Coponi, a pizza obsessive on Flipboard. Jimmy is a seventeen year old whose life revolves around pizza! He goes all out to make great pizza including getting the perfect oven - a Forno Bravo and even - hold your breath - selecting the right kind of wood - white birch! I love such people!
I read and re-read the interview with the tantalizing pictures they had of pizza. Jimmy talks about how he judges a pizzeria by trying the Margherita. I suddenly had my 'craving attack'. I started craving margherita like crazy. Whenever I had some spare time I would look up the internet and read Margherita recipes! I started thinking I should make the pizza at home. But I had no Forno Bravo. Neither did I know where to get White Birch.
This Saturday, I had taken packed lunch from home to work. But I could hold on no longer. I handed over my lunch to one of my colleagues at work (to prevent the scolding I would get on taking back a full lunch box back home in the evening!), called up Foody's and ordered a Margherita Pizza from Via Milano.
The weather was perfect. There was a slight drizzle. The pizza finally arrived. I paid off the bill and took the box to my table. I opened the box and took in the delectable aroma. I picked a slice and took a bite. It was nothing short of a gastronomic orgasm!
A friend was lunching with me. I asked him, albeit reluctantly, to take a slice. He didn't seem too impressed. He was wondering what the fuss was. As I lovingly relished every bite I took, he struggled to finish even one slice. He reached out for the chili flakes and oregano that came with the pizza to make it more palatable. I needed no such frills. The pure margherita was enough for me.
Many people around me (and even me, honestly, until I chanced upon the Jimmy Coponi interview) think a Margherita Pizza is like, too plain. What's a pizza without toppings? The key, I guess, is to have a Margherita that is made well.
My next project is to make this at home - right from scratch. Well, I will have to make do with an electric oven but it can't be that bad!
A few days back, I stumbled upon this interview with Jimmy Coponi, a pizza obsessive on Flipboard. Jimmy is a seventeen year old whose life revolves around pizza! He goes all out to make great pizza including getting the perfect oven - a Forno Bravo and even - hold your breath - selecting the right kind of wood - white birch! I love such people!
I read and re-read the interview with the tantalizing pictures they had of pizza. Jimmy talks about how he judges a pizzeria by trying the Margherita. I suddenly had my 'craving attack'. I started craving margherita like crazy. Whenever I had some spare time I would look up the internet and read Margherita recipes! I started thinking I should make the pizza at home. But I had no Forno Bravo. Neither did I know where to get White Birch.
This Saturday, I had taken packed lunch from home to work. But I could hold on no longer. I handed over my lunch to one of my colleagues at work (to prevent the scolding I would get on taking back a full lunch box back home in the evening!), called up Foody's and ordered a Margherita Pizza from Via Milano.
The weather was perfect. There was a slight drizzle. The pizza finally arrived. I paid off the bill and took the box to my table. I opened the box and took in the delectable aroma. I picked a slice and took a bite. It was nothing short of a gastronomic orgasm!
A friend was lunching with me. I asked him, albeit reluctantly, to take a slice. He didn't seem too impressed. He was wondering what the fuss was. As I lovingly relished every bite I took, he struggled to finish even one slice. He reached out for the chili flakes and oregano that came with the pizza to make it more palatable. I needed no such frills. The pure margherita was enough for me.
Many people around me (and even me, honestly, until I chanced upon the Jimmy Coponi interview) think a Margherita Pizza is like, too plain. What's a pizza without toppings? The key, I guess, is to have a Margherita that is made well.
My next project is to make this at home - right from scratch. Well, I will have to make do with an electric oven but it can't be that bad!
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