Chat today.

The best thing about Klaw’s chats is that there are so many people who are apparently so agitated with his style that they continue to show up in his chats. Even when they hate him, they can’t stay away.

You know what I hate? Posting comments on your blog. It sucks.

Matt – I believe the pertinent quote is from Woody Allen. Something about “The food here is terrible – and such small portions!”

The restaurant around the corner sucks, but I take time out of my day every afternoon just to sit down and tell them how much they suck…

Keith- I know you’ve published this once or twice before in chats, but on average how many submissions do you get in a normal chat? Also about how many pop up in the queue at a time?

John, the tracks you mentioned are good ones, however, Nevermind was Nirvana’s second album, Bleach being the first, and Straight Outta Compton is NWA’s second album as well. NWA and the Posse was the first. If I remember correctly, the post was about opening songs on debut album.

Aaron B, I make pizza from scratch at least once a week. I would recommend as a first timer you begin simply, and the recipe is remarkably simple.

Take 2 dl warm (not hot) water and put it into a bowl. Then put a packet of dry yeast into the bowl and allow it to dissolve. Follow this with a half teaspoon of sugar into the yeast-water mixture. In a separate bowl pour 4.5 dl flour and 1 tsp salt, blend. Then slowly add the flour-salt to the yeast water mixing with your hands. At the end of the additions you should have a rather compact ball of dense but soft dough. Allow this to rise for 30 mins covered in a warm place. After it has risen turn it out onto a floured surface and knead it three or four times. You can then allow it to rise another 15 mins, but it doesn’t matter so much in the end result if you don’t do this. After that put it onto a baking sheet, add your sauce and toppings and finally your cheese. Throw that into an oven at 260-270 celsius for about 8 mins. You should get the pizza you’re looking for.

Aaron,
if you’re not a cook (like say.. me), Trader Joe’s (greatest grocery story – ever!) has a great BBQ chicken pizza. I take the chicken off, add some crush red peppers, red chilli powder, a hint of basil, and its frigging awesome – 15 min oven prep time.

PhillR – did you get a starter dough as he suggests?

Aaron – I don’t make my own doughs because the results have been disappointing. I can’t seem to get a dough that’s pliable enough to stretch thinly, the way I like it. I buy doughs at Whole Foods (unbelievably strong, usually $3-$3.50 for a large one) or Trader Joes (less strong but suitable for a 12″ pie, and only $1). Both taste great and produce good crusts.

I owned a small pizza place until a few months ago and making the dough sounds more intimidating that it really is…although I always made it with a 50 lb bag of flour and large industrial equipment. But the concept is still simple enough. The problem most people who haven’t worked with dough is that they don’t realize how tempermental and finnicky it can be.

On hot days in the summer I would have to use a different temp. of water than on cold days in the winter. It has to set out and rise for just so long, but if you don’t put enough yeast in it needs to sit for longer. If there is too much air flow within the kitchen area it could rise too fast, etc, etc.

The point of this rant is to say that dough is relatively simple to make, it just takes experience to get it right and know throughout the process how to add certain ingredients to “fix it” before its too late.

thanks for the help guys. hope this goes well when i get around to making it

Keith, going out to Seattle next month, will only be there a day or two. Any food recommendations.

Keith, it is pretty funny that people that hate you constantly tune into your chats. Are you somewhat proud of that? Because if so many people that hate you can’t turn away, you have to be doing something right.

Seattle: Haven’t been in several years, but Red Mill Burgers, Zeke’s Pizza, Caffe Ladro (for espresso and for pies), Wild Ginger, and the 5 Spot were favorites of ours during the summer we lived there.