Greetings from Portland OR

[VincentK]

Hi! My name is Vince, I live in North Portland Oregon USA. I’ve used this forum as a reference on and off for a couple years and decided to finally join!

I’ve been cooking professionally all of my adult life after graduating from culinary school in AZ in 2005, so I’ve spent my days/nights in kitchens of various shapes and sizes for the better part of 15 years, at this point.

I’m currently temporarily unemployed due to the pandemic, but when I was last working I was cooking at what is arguably one of the best wood fired pizza shops on the west coast. I love cooking, I especially love wood fire cooking and all things related to that. I love making things, also music, art, fishing, motorcycles, retro video games, and being outside much as possible..

My current set up is a OKJ highland, because I can’t afford a horizon, and a big stack of 2yr Dried alder (mostly for my fire pit), apple, and cherry. My go to charcoal is Lazzari Mesquite.

I think that about covers it! Cheers!!!

 

[Blues1]

Welcome from SC!

 

[noboundaries]

Vince, welcome to SMF from outside Sacramento! Glad you're here and bringing the culinary expertise. There are quite a few of us here that throw pies on the grill, smoker, or oven, so please feel free to share any secrets that won't get you in hot water.

I have one Portland pizza memory after a 4 hour drive from Salem on backroads after the total solar eclipse. (It's like 35 miles for those unfamiliar to the area). Exhausted and hungry, we pulled into Pioneer Pizza on the southeast side of town. Nothing washes away traffic frustration like an ice cold beer and a decent pie.

Enjoy the forum! I hope you're back to making pies again soon!

Ray

 

[VincentK]

Hey Thanks!!!
It’s not a secret but I can share the best recipe for pizza sauce as its been done in Naples for centuries.

-Purée of the best San Marzano tomatoes you canfind
-Sea salt to taste

Don’t cook it, don’t muddy up the flavor with a bunch of herbs and spices.

 

[Inkbirdbbq]

Welcome!!

 

[2008RN]

Welcome from Sweet Home, OR

 

[fullborebbq]

Welcome from the sometimes frozen North East of Buffalo, NY will be trying the sauce soon!!!
Do you sprinkle with seasoning after the cook???

 

[VincentK]

Welcome from the sometimes frozen North East of Buffalo, NY will be trying the sauce soon!!!
Do you sprinkle with seasoning after the cook???

literally just uncooked tomato purée and salt, That’s it.

it’s your pie tho, add whatever you want, I’d say just treat the herbs and seasoning blends as more of a topping than something That needs to be cooked into the tomatoes like marinara before It goes on the pizza.
The sauce we make at my work is a pretty standard mix of fennel seed, whole garlic cloves, chili flake And salt, which is roasted in olive oil and that mixture is then puréed into the fresh (canned) tomatoes, but the tomatoes themselves are never cooked until the pie goes into the oven

 

[one eyed jack]

Welcome from NC Vince. I look forward to seeing a few of your smoke projects.

 

[pops6927]

I had the extreme pleasure of getting to go to the famous Pepe's apizza where "tomato pies" originated in New Haven, Ct., the very first "pizza joint"! It still had the original wood-fired pizza ovens, producing original tomato pies of crust, sauce and cheese! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Haven-style_pizza Long lines with famous movie stars waiting to get in, we stood in line for over an hour to get in the door, then another hour to get seated! We were visiting friends who lived in New Haven, Ct. who took us there. Quite a history!

 

[sawhorseray]

Welcome to SMF from Gilbert, AZ Vincent! Look forward to seeing pics of your cooks. RAY