Ah'Pizz (Montclair) Some of my facts on VPN/APN may be a little off.

Being one of the best known pizza tasters in the state has it perks. When a new spot opens they look for people that not only will be impressed but can get the word out. Thank God they found me. OK, I’ll come clean, I went to them, but some of that is true. One of the owners recognized me from Nomad Pizza in Hopewell where he used to work http://www.nomadpizzaco.com/.

Ah’Pizz located in a nice space on North Willow St. in Montclair serves Neapolitan style pizza. You might be thinking “What is Neapolitan style Pizza?” To answer your question it is pizza made as it is in the motherland. In fact Ah’Pizz is flying in a crew from Italy to certify them with VPN and APN Certifications. Currently only THREE pizzerias in the entire USA carry these certifications. One of the three also hails from NJ, A Mano in Ridgewood . Not to bore you with this but these certifications are a big deal to pizza aficionados like me. The VPN and APN are Italy ’s version of the “Pizza CIA”. They make sure the correct flour, tomatoes, etc. are used, (San Marzano tomatoes, grown in the shadows of Mt. Vesuvius’ in rich volcanic ash, Buffalo Mozzarella imported daily from Italy and so on) along with all other aspects of how this pizza is made from the cradle to the grave.

Now to get to the stuff you have all been waiting for, the pizza itself. This perfect looking pie tasted as good as it looked. The crust had a nice char around the edges which you can only get using a wood fired oven. This particular oven was ordered and flown over from Italy , (the price of oven should be estimated somewhere between $30 and 40 K)! The sauce is made from San Marzano tomatoes. If you have never had a San Marzano tomato once you try one you may never want to eat any other variety again. They have a nice sweet taste that does not require much of anything else to make a delicious sauce, most of the time it is not cooked before it is put on the pizza. After the sauce the pizza is then topped with fresh mozzarella, which I have to come to notice (after visiting 333 pizzerias) is rarely used by other places in the area and followed by a little bit of fresh basil. The pies are then cooked in the oven for 2-3 minutes (the oven temp reaches as high as 1,000 degrees hence the quick cooking time).upon removal from the oven the pies are topped with more fresh basil, a swirl of imported Extra Virgin Olive Oil and finished with the perfect amount of grated Pecorino Romano Cheese. Hopefully understanding the amount of the work that goes into one of these pizzas will explain why a 12 inch pizza can run you $12.

Although the menu at Ah’Pizz is still in the works, they do plan on featuring a nice salad of some type yet to be decided and a few different varieties of pizza ranging from Margarita to Fresh Clam, when is season. When is clam season anyway? I also know they are looking into deserts from Bindi and that they will most definitely have a NUTELLA Desert Pizza, which I have had at Nomad and is a must try!

I can’t comment on what the atmosphere will be like, I went at an off time of day when it was only the two owners and me. My only real complaint was the “Colorful” attitude of the front end owner. However it was made up for by his friendly partner who spent a year in Italy learning his craft and will be making the pies and manning the oven. I have had his pies at Nomad and they are killer. I do have faith that this place will be a huge hit in Montclair .

WARNING: If you like doughy pizza with undercooked pale cheese this is NOT for you. This pizza is what pizza was created to taste like.

Who makes the best Lasagna? ME!

I do many things well. A few of my talents are golfing, slam dunking a basket ball, and of course eating but at the top of my list is making lasagna (or my award winning pulled pork or bread salad, which I will save for a summer BBQ blog).

Contrary to what you all might be thinking this particular lasagna was not about me.

It was about Jodie and Scott Howell and the birth of their beautiful baby girl. Sienna Emily Howell, 7lbs 4ozs, 19.5” long was born 2/5/10 at 12:54 PM with a head of hair fuller then 90% of the men reading this, (which no doubt is a trait from the Howell side of her family).

This adorable baby came out hungry and was ready to eat, so I sprung into action. I could go on, but instead I will let the pictures speak for themselves. I am willing to provide my recipe to anyone who would like a copy, but please don’t waste my time or yours if you are not willing to make the commitment. The entire recipe is from scratch and takes me, a seasoned chef well over three hours to put together so the novice should be prepared.

Congrats Scott and Jodie we are looking forward to spending years watching Gavin and Sienna grow, hoping that history repeats itself and one day they too can attend the prom together this time around not only will both will enjoy it, they will arrive in a stylish (non-brown) vehicle.

It's that time of year!

It’s that time of year again when everyone lays claim to his Irish Heritage.

The Shamrock Shake reminds me of when I was a young lad and my neighbor, Ralph Beavers went ballistic every March because he had to get to McDonald’s to suck down this green shake.

I once heard a man describe the flavor as tasting like Girl Scout Cookies. I would have to agree with this description being that I am writing this with a shake fresh in my mind. My co-worker, Bryan who saw the sign on Wednesday waited five whole days to tell me. Long story short the minute I found out we shot over to Mickey D’s for this seasonal treat. Upon my first sip of this great vanilla based milkshake with the perfect hint of mint I was immediately transported back to 1984 and a mirage of Ralph Beavers appeared before me.

Please remember it is only here for a limited time. Once we all put away our Irish Knit Sweaters and Kelly green ties, toss the last Guinness bottle into the recycling bin and the last stale green bagel into the garbage can and all go back to claiming whichever nationality we truly are it will be a whole year before this shake is once again available.

Attached is a web site devoted to shamrock shakes this may help with you search. http://www.shamrockshake.com/

LENT?

http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/02/are-you-giving-up-anything-for-lent.html

Best sandwich in NJ?

What do you think of when you hear chicken salad? Perhaps an ice cream scoop gelatinous ball of chicken and mayo on top of a diner salad (real healthy), someone holding up the line in a deli while asking if the crusted over at one time white salad is tuna or chicken? Or maybe it is my least favorite that comes to mind, a mixture of chicken and mayo containing nuts and fruit… Well what I’m about to talk about is as far from the “Healthy Salad Platters” page in a diner menu as one can get. In fact to some it may be a health risk. It definitely isn’t what Hillary was ordering for Bill’s lunch today (or maybe it was)…

I was talking to a friend and firefighter (people like to turn to firefighters for food options, just don’t ask them about pizza), John F., one of Montclair ’s finest. First words out of his mouth when describing this behemoth from Nicco’s Italian Deli in Caldwell, “I don’t even like chicken salad” some of you guys out there may be thinking that men must speak this way about anything containing the word salad to protect their manhood, but later when I suggested my wife, who truly hates chicken salad, but loves all other things salad try this sandwich, the same words came from her as did the same end result. Men often feel the same way about admitting to liking a salad as they do liking quiche or admitting to watching a chick flick, however I do believe that Ghost was some of Swayze’s best work, but I’ll leave that topic for another blog.

The first thing I heard that knocked the word “salad” from my head was “breaded chicken cutlet”. And that was all I needed to hear to go taste for myself. Nick the colorful owner is not all shy or modest with his claim to make the best food ever and he has no problem talking shit to you about his food as he is making it. Now for the awesome chicken salad, he starts by taking two huge pieces of perfectly cooked and seasoned chicken cutlet, hacks them up with one hell of a chopping motion and tosses them into a large metal bowl, next a few mounds of mayo join the party. I ordered mine with lettuce and red onion, which he added to the hacked up cutlet and mayo, and finally a nice squirt of red vinegar. With a few flicks of the wrist this masterpiece is complete. It is then piled generously on an excellent sub roll, soft on the inside and a nice outer crust (nobody enjoys a sub roll that tears up the top of your mouth).

You will fall in love after the first bite. I can’t think of anything I would add to this monster. I hear his other food is great but I have yet to find out. This may be one of the best sandwiches I have ever had, I would recommend getting this sandwich immediately if not sooner, when this blog hits he may have to take it off his menu.

Enjoy

Super Bowl Sunday Cook Off

Let me start by saying, I had a wicked hangover on Sunday and I am lucky that I made it out of the house. My Super Bowl food competition entry was lacking the love that I usually put into these types of things. That said, my entry might not have been the best, but it was damn good.

I was not able to get full details on all dishes, but did my best (I was too busy self medicating my hangover with Vodka and Diet Coke).

Prior to the competition, the first entry was the one that was keeping me up at night, my cousin Jim’s. He did not disappoint. Jim’s entry was the legendary Bacon Explosion that we have all read about on the Internet football season after football season, but never had the guts to make.

This blood pressure raising, artery clogging beast was sliced and served between two fluffy biscuits.

Entry number two belonging to my mom, who was participating for the first time in a revered family cook off was a delicious mini-corn dog served at the end of a skewer that looked like a prop from the movie Braveheart. This strong contender featured a light and fluffy corn batter with three different dipping sauces; ketchup, honey mustard and horseradish mustard.

The third entry was a lovely rack of ribs cooked by my Aunt Mary Ann. I am not sure what type of BBQ sauce was used, (was to busy with my “Skinny Bitches” to ask, refer to paragraph 2) but my taste buds tell me Jack Daniels. Everyone loves a rib that falls off the bone.

Entry number four came from the first ever two time challenge winner (Thanksgiving Stuffing and Christmas Potato Challenges) none other then The Hamkeeper himself. I had a lot to live up to based on my past success and without a doubt wore a bull’s-eye on my head. I decided to go with a classic crowd pleaser, the Mini Wagu Beef Slider with Big Mac (not so secret) Secret Sauce on a Pepperidge Farm Slider Bun, with Yellow American Cheese and a dill hamburger chip. This is my Brother Dylan’s favorite sans cheese so I had to make him a few without.

And now for a drum roll please….. Last but not least entry number five, our winner and bar food/appetizer favorite everywhere, the Potato Skin. This entry featured my new favorite cheese, Pimento and of course bacon. The winner was my sister Margaret who I have since emailed to get her thoughts and recipe for this tremendous app. in case any of you are interested in trying.

Kudos to those who chose to enter and make an already competitive day even more so with our winner winning by the slimmest margin yet, 1 vote, while 3 entries were tied for second and 1 for third…

Big Mac Secret Sauce Recipe

http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/recipedetail.asp?sessionid=&login=yes&id=65&agree=yes

The Big Game Tailgate

This is how you eat when you are a VIP. Thanks to AL for the pics!!!

This may change your life

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100204/ap_on_bi_ge/us_heinz_ketchup

The Story

In 2007 I read a want ad in The Star Ledger’s Munchmobile column for Pizza Patrol members. As I was reading it all I could think was “Ahh…. Life is about to change.” I told anyone who would listen (and someone who wouldn’t), from coworkers to family members, to my dog that this would be a life changing event for me. After a few promising emails with the Muchmobile’s very own Pete Genovese I thought I was well on my way, and then I heard nothing, nada, zip! All those people I told thought I was a fraud.

Fast forward two years and the same want-ad is flashing before my eyes like the Batman Signal. I go through the process again only this time, it is a go. At first everyone was excited including my wife, who was 6 months pregnant at the time. I assured her that this would not interfere since the Pizza Patrol would be done in Sept. LATEST and the baby was due in October. It would only be two nights a week, she would probably enjoy some time alone since our lives were about to change. And she could have the privilege of reading about her husband every Friday in the paper. No big deal, right?

Time to meet the Pizza Patrol, I was nervous at first. There are people from all different walks of life. Men and women in a variety of ages ranging from a lawyer to a part-time babysitter with one goal in common, finding the best pizza in all of New Jersey.
The excitement of that first night only lasted for some of us, by week 20 half of the members couldn't eat another slice or devote another night. Next comes October and promises that it was truly almost over. The new baby at home replaced any excitement about the adventures of the Pizza Patrol that my family once shared. Not one person wanted to hear about the Pizza Patrol or cared that I was out to 11 pm eating pizza sometimes more then the promised 2 nights a week, and the occasional weekend (especially my wife). At this point in the elongated pizza eating season, the process turned into a grind. The number of pizzerias to try kept increasing 100 then 200, then finally 333. It was like the Groundhog Day of pizza eating. Members were getting cranky, if you glanced at the Munchmobile driver the wrong way you were in for a long night. The Yankees were in the World Series and instead of watching I was trying to listen in the back round on the AM radio. Friends, family, co-workers and strangers kept telling me about the “best” place that we didn’t go to (even Costco was mentioned, ugh).

By the end my baby didn't recognize me (could be the excess pounds), my dog wouldn't play with me even though I reeked of bad sausage and my wife would complain that I smelled like garlic. What started in a t-shirt and shorts ended in a Northface jacket as we ate our final slice. In the end the people around me still loved me, although some are skeptical that it is really over. I wish I could take all the people who claimed to know the “best” pizza on a tour of the truly outstanding pizza NJ really has to offer. On this wild ride of good nights and better nights one thing I know for sure is that I met a group of people that I always will remember and call my friends.

Would I ever do this again?? I just hope next year it’s called the "Burger Bunch"

This is how it all started!

Munchmobile

Lift off!

At The Caged Ham we will talk all things food. Give me a few days and I'll get my first real story up. Hang tight.