What I learned today (Take Two)

A new place opened up down the street from us that specializes in Detroit-style pizza. I tried it out a couple of nights ago, never having had it before. Apparently, the defining characteristic involves the pans it's cooked in, square steel pans that were originally drip trays designed to catch oil leaks from car engines (or some such thing). The pizza has a very thick crust, but it's also the lightest and fluffiest crust I've run across. There's a thin crispy bottom to it, which makes for a nice contrast and keeps it from being saggy. I ordered one with sausage, roasted serranos, and cheese, and it was really good, but it had a strange touch of sweetness to it. I went back and looked at the menu a little closer and saw that they add "a touch of lemon honey", which I missed earlier. I don't know why they do that and I'd like it better without that. Next time, I'll know to pay more attention.

A new place opened up down the street from us that specializes in Detroit-style pizza. I tried it out a couple of nights ago, never having had it before. Apparently, the defining characteristic involves the pans it's cooked in, square steel pans that were originally drip trays designed to catch oil leaks from car engines (or some such thing). The pizza has a very thick crust, but it's also the lightest and fluffiest crust I've run across. There's a thin crispy bottom to it, which makes for a nice contrast and keeps it from being saggy. I ordered one with sausage, roasted serranos, and cheese, and it was really good, but it had a strange touch of sweetness to it. I went back and looked at the menu a little closer and saw that they add "a touch of lemon honey", which I missed earlier. I don't know why they do that and I'd like it better without that. Next time, I'll know to pay more attention.

I've never eaten Detroit-style pizza. FWIW, it's my understanding the original pans were used to hold small parts such as nuts and bolts so they wouldn't get lost on the assembly line.

I'd probably like that lemon honey. I use honey now in place of sugar in some recipes, like marinades. I have truffle honey and Mike's Hot Honey, along with a natural, local honey I buy.

It is probably good stuff, but I can't say I liked it on a sausage pizza.

[Jenise]

Waiting for a flight in Burbank, in need of a seat I wandered into the little restaurant opposite my gate which turned out to be a Guy Fieri place. My first ever. I ordered an iced tea for sipping on while I perused the menu. It was an unattractive color of dark grayish brown, clearly instant not fresh brewed, with a weak flavor closer to dirt than tea. After that, would I order food? No way. Guy's as cheap as I would have guessed him to be!

Sounds like a reconstituted powdered iced tea. Back (very long ago) when I worked in restaurants, that was how they made the "iced tea", and your description is spot on for what resulted.

I recently had to refill my pepper grinder, which had a three-peppercorn blend. Penzeys had a four-peppercorn blend, but the price was ridiculous, plus the shipping. I found another brand of the four-peppercorn medley and learned that pink peppercorns are not what they seem. They are actually in the cashew nut family and could cause issues for someone allergic to tree nuts. My daughter is allergic, so I asked her if she knew about the pink peppercorns. She did not, but she does not use any peppercorns. I asked around to others, and no one knew. I was happy to learn of this so I could make sure any guest who is allergic does not partake in the three- or four-peppercorn medley with the pink peppercorns.


On Reddit, opinions are mixed regarding how common a reaction is; while the cross-reactivity is documented and can be severe, not every person with a cashew allergy will experience a reaction to pink peppercorns. Always check multi-color pepper blends and ask about ingredients when dining out if you have a tree nut allergy

[quote="Karen/NoCA"]I recently had to refill my pepper grinder, which had a three-peppercorn blend. Penzeys had a four-peppercorn blend, but the price was ridiculous, plus the shipping. I found another brand of the four-peppercorn medley and learned that pink peppercorns are not what they seem. They are actually in the cashew nut family and could cause issues for someone allergic to tree nuts. My daughter is allergic, so I asked her if she knew about the pink peppercorns. She did not, but she does not use any peppercorns. I asked around to others, and no one knew. I was happy to learn of this so I could make sure any guest who is allergic does not partake in the three- or four-peppercorn medley with the pink peppercorns.

There's an invasive tree in Florida that has similarly colored peppercorns, but the ones in blends are probably from the Brazilian variety. Both can trigger allergic reaction, but the Florida version is worse:

Florida's Schinus terebinthifolius is strongly discouraged due to toxicity risks and potential gastrointestinal or allergic reactions. True culinary pink peppercorns typically come from the related Peruvian peppertree (Schinus molle), though both are members of the Anacardiaceae (cashew/mango) family.

The oil from cashew trees is toxic, which is why you never see cashews in their shells. The trees are related to poison ivy.

I recently had to refill my pepper grinder, which had a three-peppercorn blend...

My new 'pepper blend' at the house is black peppercorns and cardamom seeds. Admittedly not the right flavor profile all the time, but adds a nice dimension to many dishes, which I love!

Another three-peppercorn blend that's nice is black, white, and green peppercorns--all from the same plant, Piper nigrum.

My new 'pepper blend' at the house is black peppercorns and cardamom seeds. Admittedly not the right flavor profile all the time, but adds a nice dimension to many dishes, which I love!

Try Grains of Paradise sometime; it's like black pepper and cardamom all in the same seed!

My new 'pepper blend' at the house is black peppercorns and cardamom seeds. Admittedly not the right flavor profile all the time, but adds a nice dimension to many dishes, which I love!

Try Grains of Paradise sometime; it's like black pepper and cardamom all in the same seed!

I have a jar. Interesting stuff. It's in the ginger family, closely related to cardamom. It's also one of the botanicals in Bombay Sapphire gin.

Try Grains of Paradise sometime; it's like black pepper and cardamom all in the same seed!

Interesting! Just looked it up.

My new 'pepper blend' at the house is black peppercorns and cardamom seeds. Admittedly not the right flavor profile all the time, but adds a nice dimension to many dishes, which I love!

That's something I'd have never thought of but it sounds like it would work well in a lot of dishes.

I've heard of people who use a blend of black pepper and coriander seed, but I have not tried it. Seems like it might basically pass as lemon-pepper, if you're not too sensitive.

My new 'pepper blend' at the house is black peppercorns and cardamom seeds. Admittedly not the right flavor profile all the time, but adds a nice dimension to many dishes, which I love!

That's something I'd have never thought of but it sounds like it would work well in a lot of dishes.

Yeah, it's not exactly complicated but it came about as an accident (I forgot that I still had cardamom in the grinder) and then I liked the flavor so I kept doing it.

Of course I suppose a restaurant approach would be to have multiple grinders for everything to have its own, but I don't need to do that!

I have three grinders: one for black, one for white, and one for Grains of Paradise.

Tonight: My fishmonger sells ready-to-eat octopus tentacles, frozen. I thawed them and gave them a hot sear in a steel pan -- it's no plancha or charcoal grill but it's what I can do. Separately, I made a fancy sort of potato salad: fingerlings, celery, red onion, olives, a little carrot and red pepper, more or less sauteed then seasoned with a caper vinaigrette and smoked paprika. Definitely a winner, though I only tasted it... I'll serve it up tomorrow.

Tonight I am finishing up the cantaloupe and figs with jamon, and a totally ready-to-go stinky goat cheese on sesame bread. I sprinkled some mace on the melon and that seems to work well.

I have three grinders: one for black, one for white, and one for Grains of Paradise.

Not bad. I never got into white pepper. I do have two grinders. One for pepper and one for cinnamon.