MMOT: Pizza Books 🍕📚
For this week’s Monday Morning Open Thread, let’s talk about our favorite (or not-so-favorite) pizza-related books. I’ve often found new pizza cookbooks to be disappointing, especially those from lauded pizzerias. I don’t know if chefs are tempted to keep their “real” recipes close to the vest, or if they feel like they need to dumb them down for the home cook, but most of the restaurant-specific cookbooks I’ve read have not contained the intel one would need to recreate the pies that landed them the book contract in the first place.
That said, I do like the new book The Joy of Pizza, from Razza NJ’s Dan Richer, a lot. It’s a comprehensive guide to making pizza at home in all sorts of ovens, and while it is opinionated, it is does not aim to recreate Razza’s pies to the letter, but rather to give you the skills to make your best pizza at home.
As for Modernist Cuisine’s Modernist Pizza, I cannot yet comment, since I haven’t spent time with it. yet. At $425 and 40 lbs, it’s probably not something the average home cook will want or need, but I plan to see if it contains useful intel to mine. So stay tuned.
Which pizza books do you like (or were less than wowed by?)
—Andrew
I haven't generally bought pizza cookbooks. I did recently receive the Pizza for Everyone cookbook from the Crust Fund Pizza project - John Carruthers' work in Chicago. I LOVE IT! So much great content...and since I lived in the Windy City for a few years in the 80's I have a special spot in my heart for this one. I'll be working my way through it.
I've generally used pizza recipes that are part of other cookbooks. That being said, I'm definitely doing more pizza than ever before and would like to add a book or two to my shelf, so I'll be interested to see what others have to say.
Andrew - did you like Chris Bianco's book? Lived in Phx for more than 30 years and Chris is a character. Interested to hear feedback on that one in particular. Thanks!
I can’t even imagine spending $425 on a book. I read about this over the weekend. Would love to hear why the publisher thought this could work. Will enjoy hearing if you review.