By Iruni Kalupahana, JadeTimes News
The Art of Pizza Making
There's no one route to great pizza, but there is a unifying concept that stamps an exceptional pie. According to Paul Bright, senior innovation manager for AB Mauri North America, once pizza makers work out the proper formulation and process, the next critical challenge becomes precisely following that process every time. This might result in the variability of ingredients such as flour or variability in time and temperature during processing, thereby resulting in output variability. Consistency in time and temperature needs to be controlled with this product, because dough is a living thing from the moment it's mixed to 140 degrees when the yeast dies. As Dave Krishock put it at Grain Craft, most of the flavor gets extracted during the fermentation process, so we're not getting that flavor. You know, any time you speed up a process, you get a poor pizza crust, no matter what.
Why Pizza is Loved Worldwide
Pizza is said to be the most a perfect meal in existence, adored, perhaps by millions of people because of its variety and flavor. Every topping one could choose for each of these pizzas may present a different taste it's sometimes spicy with jalapeños or savory with a whole bunch of meats and vegetables mixed together. A crust, crispy and hot, fresh right from the oven; melted cheese, stringy; and a strong, hearty smell of a pizza baking all these create an appetizing trio that seems to tickle every sense. Even just a glance at a pizza the way its toppings rest and its crust glistens golden brown can make one's mouth water. Not the healthiest food, this taste that is different and unique is why pizza is enjoyed by most people.
The Evolution of Pizza
This has its history of centuries, proceeding from flatbreads in the ancient heritage to the various forms we fulfill today. Early forms of pizza could be traced back to ancient civilizations of Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. These were basic forms of flatbreads topped with local ingredients. In the 18th century in Naples, Italy, however, pizza was changing into the modern form. Cheap flatbreads were topped with tomatoes and cheese, in particular, to appease the appetites of working class Neapolitans. The origin of the Margherita pizza said to be the combination red tomato sauce, white mozzarella, and green basil resembling the Italian flag was said to have been invented by the pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito for Queen Margherita in 1889 and brought into being pizza as we know it today. The evolution of the pizza from such humble beginnings to become a global culinary icon just shows how universally appealing and endurable this food type is.
Universally loved dish
