Rooftop Pizza Party Recap: Thoughts On An NYC Culinary Experience

Over the past few years, pizza has become a larger part of my life than I'd ever imagined. Soon after starting I Dream Of Pizza in 2008, I become keenly aware that pizza had the potential to be more than just a food. From Pizza Club to the NYC Pizza Run, I've utilized the universal appeal of pizza to create a sense of community. For me, pizza is a means of bringing people together.

Earlier this year, I decided that I wanted to create a special pizza experience by hosting an intimate group of complete strangers on my rooftop. There would be pizza. And beer. And lots of other delicious surprises. It would be a culinary event like no other -- all set along the backdrop of the city skyline. I spent weeks crafting the menu, hunting down the optimal ingredients for each pie, and promoting what came to be know as Rooftop Pizza Party. Slowly, the spots began to fill up. By the time the three night run was slated to begin, my "above ground" supper club was completely sold out.

This past weekend, I got to know 18 awesome individuals. As pies came out and beers were poured, each group of strangers morphed into a group of friends. Once the final dessert was consumed (a delectable vanilla bourbon milkshake), I enjoyed hanging out with everyone on the roof well into the night. I've lived in New York for nine years, and hosting these dinners was one of the most rewarding experiences I've had. I love seeing the smiles as people dig into my carefully crafted pies, just as much as I enjoy hearing about everyone's passions and life stories. On paper, Rooftop Pizza Party might seem like a simple pizza dinner. But I had loftier hopes about what these gatherings would achieve.

I have no idea what the future holds for Rooftop Pizza Party. Perhaps there will be more dinners later this summer (sign up for the mailing list to stay in the loop). Or maybe these three nights will go down as the one and only series of this special experience. But I do know that I will continue to use pizza as a means of bringing people together -- one bite at a time.

Since this is a pizza website, by now you're probably curious about what pizza I served each night. These are the six pies to which guests were treated:

Hey Margherita. 

Buffalo Mozzarella, Marinara Sauce, Homegrown Basil, 

Sea Salt, Fresh Pepper, Parmesean, Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

Gus & Gus. 

Buffalo Mozzarella, Shaved Asparagus, Cremini Mushrooms,

Asiago, Sea Salt, Fresh Pepper, Lemon Juice, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Green Monster. 

Marinara Sauce, Rocket Arugula, Onion Scapes, 

Garlic, Parmesean, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Shroomville. 

Buffalo Mozzarella, Basil Pesto, Cremini Mushrooms, White Mushrooms,

Homegrown Basil, Sea Salt, Fresh Pepper, Parmesean, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Follow The Lieder. 

Liedekranz Cheese (Richfield, WI), Sautéed Onions, Onion Scapes, 

Homegrown Basil, Sea Salt, Pecorino Romano, Honey, Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

Nutella Ella Ella. 

Nutella. Bananas. Cinnamon 

Free Pizza At Carmine's II Tonight

Carmines' II (436 Union Avenue) in Williamsburg will be unveiling their new outdoor garden with a free pizza tasting tonight from 6:30PM-9:30PM. There will also be live entertainment and other treats.

Rooftop Pizza Party: What You Missed Last Night

Last night was the first of three Rooftop Pizza Party dinners that I am hosting... and it couldn't have gone better! Although the weather was looking muggy all day, by 7PM the skies were clear and it was time for some pizza!

In case you're out of the loop, Rooftop Pizza Party is an innovate culinary experience that pairs homemade pizza pies with craft beers (plus some other surprises!) along the backdrop of the New York City skyline.

Although Saturday's dinner is completely sold out, as of right now there are still two slots open for tonight. You can grab them here.

 

I'm keeping a recap of the evening's festivities under wraps until next week, but here are some of the pies you would have tasted had you been in attendance last night.

Gus & Gus. 

Buffalo Mozzarella, Shaved Aspargus, Cremini Mushrooms. 

Asiago. Sea Salt. Fresh Pepper, Lemon Juice, Extra Virgin Olive Oil,

Green Monster. 

Marinara Sauce, Rocket Arugula, Onion Scapes,

Garlic, Parmesean, Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

 

Hey Margherita. 

Buffalo Mozzarella, Marinara Sauce, Homegrown Basil, 

Sea Salt, Fresh Pepper, Parmesean, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

DinnerTool.com: Solving The "What's For Dinner" Dilemma

Today we bring you word of a new site aimed at helping families solve the never-ending “what’s for dinner” dilemma. DinnerTool.com lets you search through thousands of recipes that feature only the ingredients you have in your kitchen. It's never been easier to plan an easy, fast and healthy meal for the family.

To celebrate summer, the site is running a contest in which home cooks everywhere can submit their most crowd-pleasing, original summer party recipes through today -- June 23rd. The recipes will be judged on taste, originality and portability by the site’s editorial staff. On June 28th, four finalists will each receive a $150 and become eligible to win the grand prize, which will be determined by popular vote. The recipe earning the most online votes by July 10th will win $1,000 and be featured on DinnerTool.com.

Click here to visit DinnerTool.com and enter this great contest!

this is a sponsored posting from dinnertool.com

Everything You Need To Know About Rooftop Pizza Party

Rooftoop Pizza Party debuts Thursday evening! And in case you're still deciding whether or not you should attend, I thought I'd give you a sneak peak at what you can expect at the first three dinners -- Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.  

What is Rooftoop Pizza Party -- you might be asking yourself? It's a brand new NYC culinary experience where fresh, homemade pizza pies are served to an intimate group of food lovers along the backdrop of the city’s skyline. You'll enjoy all of the following:

The View.

What would a Rooftop Pizza Party be without a nice view? The East Village rooftop where the meal takes place provides some beautiful skyline views as you can see below. Dinner will get underway as the sun sets over the city on what is one of the longest days of the year.

The Beer.

Each of the six pizza pies will be paired with a different craft beer. Thursday evening's dinner will include beers from the following breweries: Abita, Goose Island, Redhook, Avery, Troegs, and Souther Tier. Six beers this great would run you a $40 tab at a bar. It's hard to think of a better value than having them paired with your dinner.

 The Toppings.

We certainly won't be skimping on those. Much of the food you'll be eating will be coming directly from the Union Square Farmer's Market. There are so many wonderful vegetables in season now, it's simply the best time of year to throw them on a pizza. How local does it get? Well, many of the herbs we'll be using-- like the basil below -- have been growing on our rooftop since April.

 The Cheese.

The mozzarella below, which we guarantee will melt in your mouth, came from our favorite store on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. All of the dairy products you'll be eating are from local cheese stores.

 Dessert.

It will feature Nutella. Enough said.

There will be many more surprises in store, so come join us for our inaugural dinners! 


You can click here to reserve your spot or click here for more information. If all of the above isn't enough incentive to come, we'll give you some more: 

Save 30% until 5PM today with discount code IDREAMOFPIZZA!

Green Door Pizza Bakery: Ancient Gem Hidden In Jerusalem's Muslim Quarter

I recently returned from a trip to Israel (my ninth time there!) and was able to sample pizza from three very different places. In prior postings about pizza in Israel, I've broken down the type of pizza place you might visit there into three distinct groups: (1) traditional, old school pizza places, (2) modern slice joints, and (3) upscale, artisinal pizza restaurants.

The traditional, old school "pizza" places might be found in the alleyways of the old city of Jerusalem where old men cook warm pita-like bread on ovens that look like they date back to the patriarchal days. Modern slice joints, on the other hand, are similar to what you might find on the street corners of New York City. They can be found in almost every town and city throughout Israel. And finally, a new breed of upscale, artisinal pizza joints are producing pies similar to what you might find at a fancy New York City pizza place. They are usually located in major cities like Tel Aviv and are just beginning to make their mark on the Israel pizza scene.

It just so happened that each of the three places I visited on this trip fell distinctly into a different one of these categories. The first, and most fascinating place I checked out is called Green Door Pizza Bakery. It has no address and once you're able to find it, you'll be greeted by a man standing in a hole in the floor making some of the most unique pizza you've ever tasted. It doesn't get much more ancient than that. The place, by American standards, would not pass a health inspection. There are cats roaming around and the man producing the pies smokes a cigarette as he works. But it is this type of atmosphere that makes eating at Green Door Pizza Bakery so special.

You might be wondering how I came across this place. I'd heard, over the years, about a pizza shop in the Muslim Quarter. Having no other information about it, I was able to piece together some blurbs from websites about how to get there, although it has never been written about extensively online as far as I can tell. There was also this shaky video on YouTube that I came across:

The man making the pies is Abu Ali. He speaks very little English, but just enough to be able to communicate with American tourists. When we entered the shop, we approached him down in his hole. He smiled and asked us, "meat or no meat?" My three friends and I opted to try pies without meat. Each pie is made individually with dough that has previously been prepared. The main toppings used on the pie are cheese and eggs, although there is also some sauce and spices added right before it goes into the oven.

The result was a pizza that tasted like it had shakshuka on it. In case you're not familiar, shakshuka (sometimes spelled shakshouka) is a Middle Eastern dish featuring eggs that are cooked in a sauce of tomatoes, peppers, onions, and spices. It is generally a dish which I find appetizing and it tasted just as good on pizza. As I worked my way through the pie, which is quite filling, I found myself enjoying the pizza more and more. It comes out of the oven very hot, and benefits from a few minutes of cooling. Each pie cost only about $7.00 American dollars (depending on what the conversion rate is).

It should be noted that had I been eating the pizza in a Middle Eastern restaurant in New York City, I might not have found it particularly noteworthy. But as I dug my mouth into this pie, I thought about all of the history which has taken place in the alleyways of Jerusalem surrounding me. And here, in the 21st century, there is a man who opened a pizza place at which he stands in a hole in the ground and churns out pies from an oven that is perhaps centuries older than him. What an experience.

So by now you might be wondering how to find a pizza place without an address? I'll do my best to get you there. A street sign outside the front door indicates that it's located along the Sheikh Raihan Ascent. If you bring up a map of the Muslim Quarter, you'll see that after entering through the Damascus gate, veer to the left when you reach the first fork to get to the Sheikh Raihan Ascent. From there the pizza place should be visible. I, however, had the difficult task of navigating my way there from the Jewish Quarter. From The Cardo area, take Beit Habad for about a third of a mile (a 10-15 minute walk through the crowded Muslim market) until you reach the area leading to the Damascus Gate. Look to your right and you should see signs for Green Door Pizza Bakery.

Enter through the front door, walk down a few steps, and head over to the hole in the ground. In it, you'll find Abu Ali... eagerly waiting to make some pizza for you.

Rooftop Pizza Party: A New Culinary Experience

Perhaps the only thing I love more than grabbing some pizza at one of New York's renowned pizzerias is firing up a delectable homemade pie in my apartment. And after a year of experimenting among friends and family, I am excited to announce a brand new culinary experience that will be open to the general public:
Rooftop Pizza Party -- New York’s first ever “above-ground” supper club, serving fresh, homemade pizzas in an intimate outdoor environment.

For decades, New Yorkers have enjoyed pizza pies at sidewalk cafes and slices on stoops. But never before has this quintessential New York food been served along the backdrop of the city’s skyline. This special New York experience will be debuting on June 23rd, June 24th, and June 25th. Each dinner gathering, which is limited to just six guests, includes an appetizer, dessert, and six pizza pies -- each paired with a different craft beer. Plus, there will be some other tasty surprises throughout the meal. You can check out the FAQ here.

Tickets cost $50 and today you can save $10 with the code ILOVEPIZZA.

Great pizza. Great beer. Great company. And so much more! All illuminated by the city's skyline.  

Click here to reserve your spot now.

*please note: www.rooftoppizzaparty.com is best viewed on a personal computer.

2011 NYC Pizza Run In The Media

On Saturday, June 11th, nearly 100 runners gathered in Tompkins Square Park for the second annual NYC Pizza Run. Putting on this event is always one of the highlights of my pizza-filled life. So many amazing people have participated in the event, and it was great to see so many familiar faces back again this year.

Photos from the festivities are forthcoming, but for now you can relive the the run via the press clippings below. I'm always grateful for the wonderful coverage the event receives from some of New York's best publications!

NYC Pizza Run Brings New Meaning To Take-Out Pizza
NY Daily News

Three Laps, Hold The Anchovies
NYTimes.com (The Local East Village Blog)

The Run For The Pizza In New York Saturday
USA Today

No (External) Injuries At Yesterday's Pizza Run
Gothamist

Wacky and Wild Running Races
Shape Magazine

Conquering The 2011 NYC Pizza Run
TriEssential

NYC Pizza Run: Great Idea For Those Who Hate Running 
theSOP.org

2011 New York City Pizza Run
Gluttoner.com

Al Passatore Shines In Barcelona's El Born Neighborhood

After a pretty bad encounter with the pizza-like baked goods BarcelonaReykjavik, I was determined to find some more authentic pizza before leaving Barcelona. Although I knew I wouldn't have to time to explore the pizza scene in any depth, I figured it would at least be good if I could find a place worth recommending. On my final day there, I swung by Al Passatore (8, Pla Palau, 93-3197851) which is located in the El Born neighborhood, just a few blocks from the Mediterranean Sea.

The restaurant features a full Italian menu and many of the diners around me were indulging in items other than pizza. But my eyes were, of course, drawn to Al Passtore's expansive list of pies -- more than 30 in total! They ranged from €7.40 (about $10.00) to €10.90 (about $15.00) -- not bad in a city that's known for serving lots of expensive food. Although the beautifully decorated dining room seats about 60 people, the real action is outside. If the weather is nice... dine al fresco.

 

Since my friend had gone exploring on his own, I could only handle one pie alone; I ordered a Margherita. Although not quite up to par with the pizza I'd been eating in Naples, it exceeded my expectations. It had all of the characteristics of a typical Neapolitan pie, with the crust being the primary deviation. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Rather than a chewy, soft and airy crust -- this Margherita pie contained a slightly crunchier crust with cracker like properties. In turn, it actually held together better than many traditional Neapolitan pies. The crust around the edge of the pie, as you can see, was thicker too.

If you're looking for some good pizza in Barcelona, I would definitely recommend Al Passatore. The real question, however, is whether or not you should be eating pizza in Barcelona in the first place. There are so many incredible tapas bars and eclectic restaurants in this melting pot of a city, and the pizza there is not quite up to par with many of the other cuisines you can find. Hopefully, that will change in the coming years. 

But for now, if you only have a limited amount of time to spend there, it's probably not worth it to waste a meal eating Italian food, which you can find in many other cities. Just down the block from Al Passatore is one of the city's most popular tapas bars: Cal Pep. It would be a shame if your trip to Barcelona didn't include a meal there.

Prizes Annouced For 2011 NYC Pizza Run This Saturday

Yesterday on the NYC Pizza Run website, I announced the prizes that will be up for grabs at the race this Saturday. In case you missed it, here are the awesome prizes that have been generously donated by some of my favorite establishments:

First Prize (Male)
An Emile Henry pizza stone from Pizza a Casa Pizza School
Free pair of passes to Scott’s Pizza Tours
$25 Gift Certificate to Pizza by Cer té
$25 Gift Certificate to Common Ground
$25 Gift Certificate 900 Degrees
$25 Gift Certificate to Plum Pizzeria and Bar
$10 Gift Certificate to Eddies Pizza Truck

Second Prize (Male)
Two-for -one certificate for a pizza making class at Pizza a Casa Pizza School
$25 Gift Certificate to Plum Pizzeria and Bar
$25 Gift Certificate 900 Degrees
$10 Gift Certificate to Pizza by Cer té
$10 Gift Certificate to Eddies Pizza Truck
$10 Gift Certificate to Common Ground

First Prize (Female)
An Emile Henry pizza stone from Pizza a Casa Pizza School
$25 Gift Certificate to Pizza by Cer té
$25 Gift Certificate to Plum Pizzeria and Bar
$25 Gift Certificate 900 Degrees
$25 Gift Certificate to Common Ground
$10 Gift Certificate to Eddies Pizza Truck 

Second Prize (Female)
Two-for-one certificate for a pizza making class at Pizza a Casa Pizza School
$25 Gift Certificate to Plum Pizzeria and Bar
$25 Gift Certificate 900 Degrees
$10 Gift Certificate to Pizza by Cer té
$10 Gift Certificate to Eddies Pizza Truck
$10 Gift Certificate to Common Ground

Slice Out Hunger: $1 Pizza For A Good Cause Tomorrow

Tomorrow evening, Scott's Pizza Tours hosts its third annual Slice Out Hunger fundraiser at Amity Hall (80 West 3rd Street). From 6:30PM - 10:00PM, dozens of New York's most famous pizza places -- from Di Fara to Lombardi's -- will be selling slices for just $1.00. The best part is that every single penny is being donated to City Harvest.

Click here for more information.

Healthy Pizza Comes To NYC Charter School

A recent piece on the New York Times City Room Blog profiled new food options in the cafeteria at the Family Life Academy Charter School (Bronx Charter Makes Eating Well Part of Its Philosophy). Among the healthier options being served? Pizza! It's nice that the school found a way to keep this staple on the menu while giving it a bit of health upgrade:

Mamoudou, 10, says he misses a few things, including pancakes, hamburgers and bacon. But he loves the pizza, made with homemade sauce and fresh mozzarella. “I would marry pizza if I could,” he says, flashing a toothy grin. 

You can read the full article here.

via NYTimes.com

Stick To The Pastries At BarcelonaReykjavik Bakery In Spain

After spending a week in Italy on a pizza adventure this winter, I headed to Barcelona for a few nights to meet a friend of mine who is currently working near there. Although I had intentions of at least trying some pizza in Barcelona, it wasn't the primary purpose of my trip. To be honest, after trying nine pizza places in Naples and Rome, I was ready for a bit of a pizza respite. Plus, Barcelona is known for it's eclectic mix of cuisines, not one of which is pizza.

I made it through the first few days of my trip without thinking about pizza. I'd had excellent meals at spots like Taller De Tapas and felt no need to work some pizza into my diet. But on our third day there, we wandered into a bakery just off Las Ramblas. We weren't even particularly hungry, but the smell of fresh baked goods lured us in. The name of the bakery was the not-so-easily-pronounceable BarcelonaReykjavik (12, Carrer del Doctor Dou, 34-93-3020-921).

It was still pretty early in the morning and my eyes were immediately drawn to the fresh brioche buns, cinnamon roles, chocolate croissants, and assortment of other pastries. Everything is made in-house and is about as fresh as it gets.

Among all of these baked goods, however, I noticed a tray of somewhat neglected pizza-like treats. The small, disc-shaped breads were covered with cheese, sauce, spices, and toppings. Sounds like pizza to me! I ordered one with olives and it was put back in the oven to be reheated. When I bit into the pizza, however, it was still just lukewarm. It could have definitely benefited from a few more minutes in the oven. Although it had probably only been sitting out for a few hours, it didn't taste as fresh as the pastries I tried. 

I suppose since BarcelonaReykjavik isn't a pizza place, they're not selling their pizzas as frequently as other items. I still thought their pizza had potential though -- you can tell from the moment you walk in that the place focuses on producing fresh, high quality baked goods. My advice though: stick to the pastries.

Canada's "Boston Pizza" Changes Name During Stanley Cup

Believe it or not, there is a Vancouver pizza chained called Boston Pizza. Only in Canada, would such a place exisit. Can you imagine if there were restaurants in New York City called Boston Pizza?

The only thing more sacred than pizza in Canada is hockey. Which puts the chain in tough spot since the Vancouver Canuks are currently facing the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals. In what may be Canada's smartest pizza marketing move ever, the company has re-branded all 62 of its locations as "Vancouver Pizza."

Maybe if the Canuks win, the name will stick around for a while. Personally, I'd be more likely to eat at Canadian chain called "Vancouver Pizza" than one called "Boston Pizza."