Topic: New Year Resolutions 2012

[JerryM]

2011 has been pizza year for me - essentially outdoor wood burning oven. have had real good time.

the food at my local TA went downhill and prices went up. the local restaurant though has been a saviour doing a midweek meal deal that is too god to miss resulting in many happy curry nights out.

consequently my curry journey has not progressed too much this year.

the highlight has been ifindforu's staff curry which although not BIR is delivered with a fraction of BIR effort and sorts that midweek curry urge.

for 2012 i think i have 2 off needs jumping out:

1) to understand how infindforu's mix powder works
2) to really do justice to the Ashoka recipes - whilst i've done quite a lot there is still lots to go at in terms of trying out main dish recipes

the 2011 No1 "recipe refinement" - i've now realised is not practical as a specific task - it can only be delivered over time. i've now realised that you need to make a recipe quite a lot and understand the tastes before it can be refined.

anyhow would love to know what others are planning for next year in terms of that elusive BIR.

ps for anyone with outdoor pizza oven interest - www.woodovenukforum.forumup.co.uk

[spiceyokooko]

2011 has been pizza year for me - essentially outdoor wood burning oven. have had real good time.

Nice to find another Pizza fan. I used to make my own pizzas many years ago, but without a decent heat source, the base is always a bit 'biscuity'. I'm too mean to invest in a wood fired oven, are you getting really good results from it?

the 2011 No1 "recipe refinement" - i've now realised is not practical as a specific task - it can only be delivered over time. i've now realised that you need to make a recipe quite a lot and understand the tastes before it can be refined.

Agree 100% on the need to cook out a recipe multiple times before you can really understand it. This has always been my philosophy too and is a bit of an evolutionary process.

www.woodovenukforum.forumup.co.uk

Great link. I shall look at the 'smokers' in there with some interest as I've always been interested in food smokers.

As for 2012, for me will be a year of many changes and my cooking may have to go on the 'back burner' as I deal with other things. But when I get the chance I want to test out a few theories I have with regards to BIR flavours and continue with working on my 'generic' curry dish without trying to create a specific Bhuna, Madras, Dopiaza or whatever.

[JerryM]

spiceyokooko,

the dough plays a big part in the result and is the 1st to at least start to conquer (remains work in progress for me). the wfo pizza is for defo the top of the game. my bake time is around 2.5 mins. i can get a 3.5 min bake in my domestic oven but it's still well short of the wfo offering.

on the smokers - was very much impressed at this diy wok smoking - worked a treat and very simple. link to a site via the wfo site http://countrywoodsmoke.wordpress.com/2011/11/27/tea-smoked-salmon/ . my only observation was i needed to cook for longer than stated ~ 20-25 mins. i used normal loose tea.

getting back to the important stuff - the generic curry sounds very interesting. i have a sort of similar interest in that i'd like to try to convert something like ifindforu's staff curry into BIR but without the extra effort that normally involves. the thinking being that learning is to be had along with much enjoyment.

best wishes,

[spiceyokooko]

the dough plays a big part in the result and is the 1st to at least start to conquer (remains work in progress for me). the wfo pizza is for defo the top of the game. my bake time is around 2.5 mins. i can get a 3.5 min bake in my domestic oven but it's still well short of the wfo offering.

Jerry

As you rightly say, the dough is paramount to creating a really good pizza. I've always been a fan of the Pizza Express style pizzas, which in my opinion are probably the closest you'll get in this country to a pizza made in italy, the standard thin crust, wood fired oven variety. Although the pizza's you get in Pizza Express have been shrinking year on year - they're tiny now compared to what they used to be, they're still a cut above the processed, formulaic rubbish you'll get in Pizza Hut and other similar styled fast food outlets sadly inspired by America.

I bought Peter Boizot's (the founder of Pizza Express) excellent book, 'The Pizza Express Cookbook' and everything you need to create great classic thin crust pizza's is in that book.

There's no magical ingredients to the dough, it's basically just water/oil, flour, salt and yeast/sugar. What makes the difference (as is so often the case in cooking) is what you do with those ingredients! The two key things in my opinion is the kneading of the dough into the right consistency, but not so hard that you compress all the yeast derived air out of the dough and the correct rising time and activity of the yeast. You also need to spread/stretch the dough out into the required shape by hand, you should not use a rolling pin, that just squashes and compresses all that yeast generated air out of the dough.

If you then cook your pizza in a wood fired oven at the correct temperature you should get the perfect pizza crust - crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.

If you're serious about getting your dough right, I'd strongly recommend that book as a very good informative read. ISBN 0-241-13077-8. He also gives the recipes for a variety of different types of dough and of course all the classic Pizza Express Pizza recipes are in there as well.

[976bar]

My passion for cooking has taken me over a 30 year period really. I always think back and wonder why I went into the electronics field instead of the kitchens..... but that is history now and I have the life I have been given...

I would like to try some more pizza cooking next year, did some a few years ago and I love the thin and crispy type, I can't stand thick based pizza's or stuffed crust as all that bread detracts from the main ingredients. My Girlfriend when we get a pizza just pulls the top mixture off and just eats that without even trying the bread lol, and loves veggie pizzas, favourite one being, Red Onion, Mushroom, Green Pepper, Jalapeno.... which I also adore....

Another one I had when in Greece once is Tuna and Onion. Fresh flaked Tuna, Red Onion, a drizzle of Olive Oil and stone baked...

With my Indian, I have to say I am very happy with what I produce now and want to experiment more in the new year with dishes that probably aren't BIR but not traditional either. I think Emin-J knows exactly what I am talking about having frequented the same restaurant in Bristol.

So there might be some new dishes appearing on here sometime in the new year, don't knock them if they are not BIR, just try them and let me have you're honest opinion... trouble is, which section should I post them in?......

I hope everyone had a great Xmas and Happy New Year to all...

[DalPuri]

I haven't made my own pizza'a for years, but when i did, the recipe was from a friend who's parents owned a pizza place in wangaratta, OZ
sorry, i dont have the recipe anymore.
i do remember being told to use lamb bones in the sauce and NEVER any herbs.
if any of you do eat shop bought pizza's, i URGE you to try the Italian Style ones from iceland.
for me, none of the other supermarkets come close! EVEN the pizza express sold in supermarkets, AND theyre only GBP1.50
also made in italy

http://www.iceland.co.uk/our-food/frozen-food/pizza

Frank 

[JerryM]

Spicyokooko,

you'll have to join the pizza site. the lack of rolling pin use is spot on.

this is the best finished recipe i've come across http://woodovenukforum.forumup.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=6953&mforum=woodovenukforum#6953. this site is very good too www.pizzamaking.com

976bar,

very much looking forward to the "bristol" style. i can't promise i won't try and put a BIR slant for my own use but it's the bigger picture of learning for all of us that's important - get them posted matters not where

[mr.mojorisin]

pizza...mm..love it
here's one of my stuffed crust efforts with home made base and home made tomato sauce base
simples

[curryhell]

Mr M, now that's what i call dedication .  Pizza, i can take it or leave, preferably leave it.  Once a  year is my limit.  But that does look damn tasty and i wouldn't mind making that my one slice for 2011 .  Guess i'll have to make do with boring old curry again : :

Edit - Just noticed the additional ingredient in the background.  Is that essential to the overall taste ;D.  Maybe i'd enjoy pizza a lot more with that kind of  addition

[976bar]

Spicyokooko,

you'll have to join the pizza site. the lack of rolling pin use is spot on.

this is the best finished recipe i've come across http://woodovenukforum.forumup.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=6953&mforum=woodovenukforum#6953. this site is very good too www.pizzamaking.com

976bar,

very much looking forward to the "bristol" style. i can't promise i won't try and put a BIR slant for my own use but it's the bigger picture of learning for all of us that's important - get them posted matters not where

Hi Jerry, I've just joined the woodoven forum, and am just waiting for them to activate my account, I fancy making some Pizza's again!! Thanks for the link