11 Comments

the heat is causing all kinds of errors in my own kitchen, andrew. and while i'm here, please know that i make your sicilian slab pie all the time (including yesterday) and it is nothing short of brilliant. thank you!

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You can get Burt's pizza here in my neck of the woods - his original restaurant is still open in Morton Grove, plus there are now a handful of Pequod's locations, all run by his kids. Honestly, I think it's hit and miss. Sometimes it's incredibly delicious, and other times it's burnt to the point of nearly inedible. Avoid getting fresh veggies like bell peppers, because those are the most likely to get incinerated.

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Burt sold Pequod's to Keith Jackson back in the 80s back when it was only Morton Grove. Keith opened the spot in Lincoln Park in the 90s. Burt sold Burt's Place just before he died to two investors. They later split up, with one keeping the renovated Burt's and the other opening Lefty's with locations in Wilmette, Highland Park and Austin, TX.

I personally think the Pequod's in Morton Grove is the best and most consistent of the bunch.

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Ah, ok. A friend told me his kids were running the stores. Thanks.

I've only eaten at Lincoln Park once and it was excellent. I've had Burt's and Pequod's in Morton Grove many times, like I said, mixed results, but I do notice the toppings make a difference - the fewer the better.

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Pouring with rain here. I am so grumpy I am making mistakes all over the shop.

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ugh. We had a thunderstorm last night and the heat & humidity wave seems to have broken, at least for a few hours. I'm so tired of the crust on my beautiful breads turning to mush in a matter of hours.

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I do love dry desert heat but humidity UGH

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Same! I don't mind 90F as long as it's not soup

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Jul 14, 2023Liked by Andrew Janjigian

Hey Andrew - I wrote that pizza article. If you ever get out to Chicago, drop me a line and maybe we can meet up for a pizza or two!

The deep pan pizzas are pretty easy to make - I generally just tweak my naturally leavened Detroit dough (just to tighten up the crumb a bit). Lots of different ways to get that tighter crumb but I like using a scald/tangzhong.

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Brian - Loved it! I'd love to pizza crawl next time I'm in Chicago, we'll have to get Dennis and John Carruthers on board too. And thanks for the intel. I use scalds all the time, but rarely with pizza, will have to try that.

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About that heat, I made sourdough brioche yesterday that nearly over proofed from the constant 78 degrees in the airconditioned house. The loaf was so tall, it approached the ceiling of the oven and the upper crust burned on the outside layer, forcing me to do some surgery. The bread is still good, a little drier and the holes slightly larger. The overall crust is a little heartier. I left the house for errands in the final proofing. Next time, I will have a shorter trip from home or incorporate refrigeration.

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