Pellet Fan
All Things Considered => General Discussion--Food Related => Topic started by: Bentley on August 28, 2017, 09:51:36 PM
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This is not Detroit Style Pizza, of that I am sure!
(http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n90/lwnna/Pizza/IMG_2593.jpg)
(http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n90/lwnna/Pizza/IMG_2597.jpg)
(http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n90/lwnna/Pizza/IMG_2601.jpg)
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LMAO!
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I could put that in my Weber Performer & use it for charcoal
:bbq:
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Don't you think it is to hard for that?
I could put that in my Weber Performer & use it for charcoal
:bbq:
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Welcome LSJ.
Trooper I've been doing alot of Detroit lately. Shoot me an email if you want to troubleshoot where you may have gone wrong.
(http://i.imgur.com/AzLAokYl.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/ufYcG77l.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/1YnTrool.png)
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Is the Detroit like what I would call a Sicilian style? Slices of cheese, not shredded and on bottom of pie like Chicago style?
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Is the Detroit like what I would call a Sicilian style? Slices of cheese, not shredded and on bottom of pie like Chicago style?
I think true blue Detroit style would be mozzarella, possibly muenster, or brick cheese. Not necessarily sliced. Two racing stripes of sauce across the top after baking. It's very similar to Sicilian. I have made it every which way. I prefer the sauce under the cheese. I do triple rise dough with some oil in the pan. Sauce on the dough, Mozz and muenster in the middle, and Parmesan/asiago stacked around the outside so that it falls down and creates that crunchy edge.
I've had buddy's and jet's in Detroit. Both awesome. Someone from Detroit would have to answer what a true Detroit is though, as I'm sure mine is a bastardized version.
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Buddy's
(https://i.imgur.com/rbshJMQl.png)
Another buddy's
(https://i.imgur.com/H5l5N03l.png)
Jets
(https://i.imgur.com/WEGf9d8l.png)
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I would be a big fan of Detroit Pizza. While I am not a fan of Chicago deep dish, I love a nice Sicilian pizza.
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I would be a big fan of Detroit Pizza. While I am not a fan of Chicago deep dish, I love a nice Sicilian pizza.
When I was younger, I only liked thin crust. Still like it, but have expanded quite a bit to like thicker and thicker. I'm with you though. Never been a fan of Chicago deep dish. I've had it from the originals downtown Chicago too, so I know it wasn't inferior iterations either. Detroit is my new favorite. Jets is the best to me.
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Begs the question, is your definition of thin crust NY style or is it Neapolitan like mine...I hear people say NY is thin crust...The two times I have had it in NY, 202 and 2004 it is not even close for me.
Was a place in Fresno, and now the whole Central & Southern San Joaquin Valley, called Me n Ed's, different ownership now then 40 years ago when I was in High School. Not a true Neapolitan, but close. 3 item, Linguica (sp), Pepperoni and Sausage, best pizza I have ever eaten. 2nd best was a place called Double Play Pizza in Camarillo, CA!
Very thin cracker crust pizza with a garlic sauce is it for me, will eat others, but its about the toppings and crust for me!
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I'm making another attempt at one tomorrow afternoon.
Both Buddy's and Louie's in Hazel Park put a pound of cheese on each pizza.
Detroit style deep dish pizza is somewhat assembled upside-down. That is,- the pepperoni goes on the bottom on the dough and then the cheese on top of that.
The cheese is Wisconsin brick cheese. I have two pounds left.
The sauce is sweet and is spooned on in long strips. In many Detroit joints the sauce is applied after the pizza comes out of the oven. I enjoy the sauce that is made following the directions in the Serious Eats article listed below.
The preferred pan(and many say this is highly essential) is a black pan - 10X14 and a couple of inches deep. I have one now. I didn't before and destroyed the lady's 9X13 cake pan on the last endeavor.
I'll be doing it in the Advantage @ 500f.
Sorry, I'm absolutely NOT a fan of Chicago Style Pizza.
I will be following the guidelines in this article by Serious Eats -
http://www.seriouseats.com/2017/02/how-to-make-detroit-style-pizza.html
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Begs the question, is your definition of thin crust NY style or is it Neapolitan like mine...I hear people say NY is thin crust...The two times I have had it in NY, 202 and 2004 it is not even close for me.
Was a place in Fresno, and now the whole Central & Southern San Joaquin Valley, called Me n Ed's, different ownership now then 40 years ago when I was in High School. Not a true Neapolitan, but close. 3 item, Linguica (sp), Pepperoni and Sausage, best pizza I have ever eaten. 2nd best was a place called Double Play Pizza in Camarillo, CA!
Very thin cracker crust pizza with a garlic sauce is it for me, will eat others, but its about the toppings and crust for me!
New York is typically high gluten flour, and cooked around 600 degrees. The high gluten flour gives it an entirely different texture. It also has a less pronounced Rim, and is more crispy and firm than neo.
Neo is 00 flour, cooked 750+ . Has a puffy Rim, and is usually a little floppier than NY.
There are plenty of differences between the two, but the base flour is the main one in my opinion.
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I had tons of Neapolitan Style Pizza in Naples, Italy in the mid 60's. (USN-USS Grand Canyon AD-28)
Have had only one in the US and that was at Venturi Restaurant in Goshen, Indiana last summer.
http://eatventuri.com/
FMT,
I'm thinkin this is your kind of place!
Troop
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I had tons of Neapolitan Style Pizza in Naples, Italy in the mid 60's. (USN-USS Grand Canyon AD-28)
Have had only one in the US and that was at Venturi Restaurant in Goshen, Indiana last summer.
http://eatventuri.com/
FMT,
I'm thinkin this is your kind of place!
Troop
Those look tasty. Good luck on your Detroit. I made some dough tonight to use in the next day or two.
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Bentley, IMO the cracker type crust is Chicago thin pizza and nothing like pizza on the East Coast (i.e. NY, NJ,PA). The pizza here is the kind you fold in half to eat. Now if you wanna talk the Grandma's Pizza that I recently discovered back here that is a different story (and remember that I lived here for 23 years before moving away for 23 years...not sure how this style popped up in between but I love it).
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I gotta back up a bit on my comments about Chicago Style Pizza. The stuff I can't handle is Chicago's way of doing a deep dish. The last attempt, (downtown) was awful.
Not on the south-side, where we would get a thin somewhat crispy crust pizza - cut into squares that was sensational. We are about 2:45 out of the south-side of Chicago. My family and relatives would travel on a afternoon to the south-side, (Giovanni's on Sibley Blvd), and then drive back home after pizza. Worth every bit of it.
So there is very significant difference in the thin crust variety that I would get on the south-side and the thick round pizza that looked like a baked cheesecake.
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My experience is just the opposite, you fold NY, you are not gonna fold Me n Ed's or most Neo I have ever had...Will have to try this thin crust Chicago style, never knew it existed!
I know 00, no idea what NY uses and it is always about the water...so Iam sure you are spot on on that...Not sure how to articulate it, but I am not a "bread" type pizza eater!
New York is typically high gluten flour, and cooked around 600 degrees. The high gluten flour gives it an entirely different texture. It also has a less pronounced Rim, and is more crispy and firm than neo.
Neo is 00 flour, cooked 750+ . Has a puffy Rim, and is usually a little floppier than NY.
There are plenty of differences between the two, but the base flour is the main one in my opinion.
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For this project - its all about the dough/crust.
I'll be using KAF bread flour, because that, and all-purpose flour is all I have.
The cheese. toppings, and sauce will all fall into place.
The crust is where I crashed on the initial attempt,
Oh by the way, FMT, your deep dish crust looks EXCELLENT.
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My experience is just the opposite, you fold NY, you are not gonna fold Me n Ed's or most Neo I have ever had...Will have to try this thin crust Chicago style, never knew it existed!
I know 00, no idea what NY uses and it is always about the water...so Iam sure you are spot on on that...Not sure how to articulate it, but I am not a "bread" type pizza eater!
New York is typically high gluten flour, and cooked around 600 degrees. The high gluten flour gives it an entirely different texture. It also has a less pronounced Rim, and is more crispy and firm than neo.
Neo is 00 flour, cooked 750+ . Has a puffy Rim, and is usually a little floppier than NY.
There are plenty of differences between the two, but the base flour is the main one in my opinion.
I think good ny is supposed to crunch when you slice it, crack but not break when you fold it. True neo is cooked super hot which you would think would increase crisp, but it's kind of the opposite. I've been to a few certified neo places, and have come to realize I like a neo/ny hybrid more than certified neo.
Chicago thin is also referred to as tavern style. It seems to be making a comeback, as it was kind of looked at as old school for a long time. It's thin and buttery crust, and often cut in squares. Google home run inn Chicago to see one of those.
There is also a version of Chicago thin that is built like a deep dish, but with thinner crust. I posted awhile back on pelletheads with one of those.
My version of tavern style. 16 inch pie baked in pan. Hadn't cut the squares yet in the pic.
(https://i.imgur.com/B68QuG5l.jpg)
Thin Chicago built like deep dish. Sliced Mozz on bottom, sheet of raw sausage, sauce on top, parm sprinkle.
(https://i.imgur.com/yovB5Shl.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/jrNZa1Bl.png)
The bottom pic was probably one of my favorite pizzas I've ever made.
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Chicago thin is also referred to as tavern style. It seems to be making a comeback, as it was kind of looked at as old school for a long time. It's thin and buttery crust, and often cut in squares. Google home run inn Chicago to see one of those.
The lady and I will be hitting Chicago on a overnighter in a few weeks. She has not been to a HomeRunInn. I've been there once. It's on the agenda for a Friday evening with Lawry's on tap for Saturday eve.
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Chicago thin is also referred to as tavern style. It seems to be making a comeback, as it was kind of looked at as old school for a long time. It's thin and buttery crust, and often cut in squares. Google home run inn Chicago to see one of those.
The lady and I will be hitting Chicago on a overnighter in a few weeks. She has not been to a HomeRunInn. I've been there once. It's on the agenda for a Friday evening with Lawry's on tap for Saturday eve.
For your anniversary? I know the royal was your anniversary one year, so the timing would be about right in a few weeks for the old royal time frame. Have fun. My aunt used to live there right downtown, so I've spent a fair amount of time in the city.
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Bently, it does look like from you photos you salvage the good part. THE TOPPINGS!
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I did do that.
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Begs the question, is your definition of thin crust NY style or is it Neapolitan like mine...I hear people say NY is thin crust...The two times I have had it in NY, 202 and 2004 it is not even close for me.
Was a place in Fresno, and now the whole Central & Southern San Joaquin Valley, called Me n Ed's, different ownership now then 40 years ago when I was in High School. Not a true Neapolitan, but close. 3 item, Linguica (sp), Pepperoni and Sausage, best pizza I have ever eaten. 2nd best was a place called Double Play Pizza in Camarillo, CA!
Very thin cracker crust pizza with a garlic sauce is it for me, will eat others, but its about the toppings and crust for me!
Bentley, I was re-reading some of this thread. I mis-read this originally, and never really answered your question. To me, no ny would not be thin crust. Based on being from the Midwest, I would think cracker style when I think thin. Tavern like I talked about above, or an even drier version like pizza hut thin. I would consider ny more like hand tossed. Thin I would define as rolled out, or ran through a sheeter.
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Personally, I've never had detroit style pizza. Main thing I know is cheese gets burnt on the edges, as it's cooked in blue steel pan.
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I think there is a chance with all the folks I know in what I call the Great Lakes area and that includes Minn. I might make it to the Chicago area again...will have to look for both this Chicago thin and Tavern and now I need to get to Detroit, just because I have never been, I now want to try this style pizza and I want to go to both American Coney Island and Lafayette Coney Island as I am now learning (always debatable I guess) that the Coney Dog, which is basically a chili dog was invented in Detroit...
I am thinking, have one, move next door, try another, then back over again...I am gonna say 4 to 6 should be enough to figure out which is better!
(https://i.imgur.com/oaPXk2ch.jpg)
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I think I have been to the American Coney when I was working out that way 14 years ago. Hopefully, I am in Chicago for work when you visit again.
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now I need to get to Detroit, just because I have never been, I now want to try this style pizza
I will meet you there, comrade.
We will go to a north suburb - Hazel Park and go to Louie's on Dequindre. Or we can do a pizza crawl in the Detroit area. Or we can have some at my house.
But I haven't nailed it quite yet.
It's the crust as always. Flavor was wonderful but the crust was somewhat tuff. Went in tonight at 500f on a stone and cut the time back to 12 minutes.
I don't really know what to do to remedy. Did I knead it too long? Was it still cooked too long? Should I have gone longer? I have no expertise in this matter.
Out of the pit and "resting".
(https://i.imgur.com/ShHTU04l.jpg)
On the cutting board and getting ready for slicing serving
(https://i.imgur.com/SC9LU3Zl.jpg)
The pizza had been assembled in somewhat of a Detroit style. Pepperoni both under the cheese and on top. I kept the left side as is and added other toppings to the right side of the pizza. (Onions, Italian sausage, green pepper) I spooned on a small amount of sauce before cooking and added more sauce once on my plate.
Basically this was all just experimenting and it further confirmed that I really don't know what I'm doing most of the time.
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Come through Fort Wayne on your way, and I will buy you as many coneys as you can eat. People allegedly drive from Indianapolis, buy 12, then eat them all the way back to Indianapolis. I work about a block and a half from it, and maybe eat it once a year. They are good, but the place makes you smell like something you have never witnessed before. Bring a change of clothes.
(https://i.imgur.com/9CxDyi2l.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/Dh2dudul.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/kQLMRl1l.png)
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I am going to try a Detroit right now. It is Pillsbury dough, laugh if you want, but it is what I have. I am told to roll out and bake for 8 mins. That is being done now. I am here to now see how the Detroit is put together...I realize this is not correct sequence, but it is how I will do my 1st one. correct? And I do not have this pan you speak of, so baking tray...
Dough
garlic & EVOO
toppings
cheese
Red sauce (I will not be saucing after it comes) 2 stripes...
OK, here I go!
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I think this is gonna be a Mayberry style, but we will see. It is all about taste correct?
(https://i.imgur.com/CD6yWarh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/OYpFYVHh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/RoeIJoWh.jpg)
Is there a big Greek community in Detroit?
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The odor?
It's the onions, FMT
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The Mayberry style is really nothing to write home about...and I have determined I can no longer do any red sauces on Pizza, just can't seem to handle even a little of it!
(https://i.imgur.com/1Nj23D3h.jpg)
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I guess garlic sauce it is?
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Ohh, and I am ready for Chili dogs in any city with any member at any time I do not care what the place smells like or what I do afterwards! I Love Chili Dogs w/onions...you all can have the cheese!
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The odor?
It's the onions, FMT
Onions as well as about 75 years of grease from the chili.
Do you have a sliced pic of your pizza Trooper? That would help assess what's going on with the dough.
Other questions would be how much flour, and how much water?
What's the process. One rise? Two rise? Overnight? Same day?
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I'll try to get a slice foto on tomorrow
I weigh all my ingredients, especially when "doughing".
10.5oz. bread flour, 7.6 oz. water, 1 tsp.instant rise, 1 1/2 tsp. salt.
Kneaded with mixer. Dough was fairly slack and sticking to bottom of mixer.
2 hr rise - no knockdown. Spread it out in pan & went to pit a half hr. or so later.
OK FMT, here we go. I have a leftover slice I can photo
Here is the bottom of the slices.
(https://i.imgur.com/ni9bK2xl.jpg)
Here are come cross sections.
(https://i.imgur.com/kGT4RhRl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/x3OObAsl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZJJEgzbl.jpg)
OK now maybe I'm being a little cuckoo. But so be it.I just think the texture of the crust wasn't what I'm accustomed to. Too firm and a too tough to suit me. What do you think about next time, after I spread the dough out to the edges in the pan. (took me about 2-3 sessions) I then let it rest and rise a tad in the pan before applying the toppings and cheese?
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I'll try to get a slice foto on tomorrow
I weigh all my ingredients, especially when "doughing".
10.5oz. bread flour, 7.6 oz. water, 1 tsp.instant rise, 1 1/2 tsp. salt.
Kneaded with mixer. Dough was fairly slack and sticking to bottom of mixer.
2 hr rise - no knockdown. Spread it out in pan & went to pit a half hr. or so later.
Still show me a slice, but I'll throw out a few things. Your pizza will always be better if you make the dough at least the day before. Possibly a few days. Use less and less yeast if you are planning 2,3, or 4 days out. Your ratios look pretty good for same day dough.
The biggest improvment I made when I was starting was an autolyse step. Add your water, yeast, salt,etc to the mixing bowl. Add about half the flour. Mix until smooth and shiny. It will look like thick pancake batter at this point. Let it sit for 20 minutes at that point. The flour is sucking up all the water, and will make for a softer more manageable dough. Then add the rest of the flour in small increments mixing until smooth and shiny between each addition.
In your cook tonight the 2 hour rise was fine, but the pan rise was probably too short. After that first half hour in the pan, I would have pressed it out to the edges of the pan again, and let it rise another hour. You would have been surprised how easily it would have manipulated at that point. If your dough is tough, let time do the work. Time fixes alot of problems with dough.
Did you oil the pan at all? Most Detroit pizzas have quite a bit of oil under the dough to kind of fry the crust, and get that crispy bottom. Also, many have some oil in the dough, but it's not necessarily crucial.
Yeast amount really doesn't matter as long as your timing is right. The less the better really, as long as you give it time. If you sprinkle 10 granules of yeast in the water it will do the exact same thing to the dough as a tsp, but it may take 24 hours. It's a more controlled rise, and flavors develop over that time.
Next time try a quarter tsp of yeast. Put the bowl in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. Doesn't have to be exact. It will rise overnight in fridge. Next day, let it warm up a bit at room temp. Punch it down, and into your pan. Don't try to hit the edges of pan yet. Let rise room temp for an hour or two. Then press out to edges of pan.
You have 2 options at this point. Another room temp rise until you are ready to top and cook, or throw it in the fridge again oiled and covered in plastic. Next day, let it come to room temp for an hour or so, and cook that sucker.
The rising stage of pizza is just as much a product of time and temperature as the cooking stage is. Your yeast amount and whether the dough is at room temp or fridge temp allows you to make it work on your schedule instead of the other way around. Use less yeast, take your time, do it in a matter of days not hours. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
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I was already planning on making pizza this weekend, so I have some examples. I made my dough Friday night with very little yeast. I let the whole ball rise overnight in fridge. Saturday afternoon I took it out of the fridge, and let the bowl sit in my pantry for an hour or so to take the chill off.
I flattened it out then cut into 3 different amounts. One Detroit at 450 grams, one for my wife at 275 grams, and one for the kids to share at 325 grams. Pressed the Detroit into the pan, and balled up the other two. Back into fridge.
So this is how they look on this Sunday morning. See how the Detroit is not even close to the edges yet? I'll leave that one out earlier than the other 2 when ready to bake. I will press it to the edges, then let it rise one more time. The dough balls have a nice smooth top without any crazy bubbles because of the low yeast rise, but they have a great amount of activity underneath. They are looking pretty good, and I can use these whenever I'm ready today.
(https://i.imgur.com/6IKS8wbl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4Te08kwl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/wFXnnfQl.jpg)
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Bentley, you would probably need to stack 2 or 3 tubes of the Pillsbury stuff to get to Detroit thickness. But maybe Mayberry style will be the next big thing.
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FMT,
Back up and see that I added photos by modifying last nights posting.
Then after adding the pics, I noticed that you've already given me a good reply with some workable solutions, so you don't need to reply to that issue.
On final question/comment.
My dough was fairly slack. Sticking to the center/bottom of the mixing bowl. Do you have this issue when mixing, or is your dough in a more consistent and workable ball?
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FMT,
Back up and see that I added photos by modifying last nights posting.
Then after adding the pics, I noticed that you've already given me a good reply with some workable solutions, so you don't need to reply to that issue.
On final question/comment.
My dough was fairly slack. Sticking to the center/bottom of the mixing bowl. Do you have this issue when mixing, or is your dough in a more consistent and workable ball?
Your flour to water ratio puts your hydration level at 72%, which is pretty typical for most Detroit recipes You See online. The dough will be pretty wet and harder to deal with at that hydration level. I don't think that is really your issue, however you could decrease the hydration to about 62% and still get good results with a little more easily managable dough.
I typically do mine at 62%, but that is only because I'm making more than one type of pizza with the same dough batch.
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Yeah, Detroit looks like it is going to be much like Sicilian in the amount of "bread" with the pie, and much like what I call thick Crust pizza, not for me. I want very little "bread" with my pizza!
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Yeah, Detroit looks like it is going to be much like Sicilian in the amount of "bread" with the pie, and much like what I call thick Crust pizza, not for me. I want very little "bread" with my pizza!
Then you would not like grama's pizza either.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4375/36816068396_502af612a7_c.jpg)
Sweeter tomato sauce with fresh basil and lotsa garlic
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But see to me, that looks half the height of Troopers! That does look more Sicilian (or at least what I consider it)...I have only had it once and it was in Burbank, at the actor Joe Mantegna's place...Taste Chicago!
(https://s.yimg.com/fz/api/res/1.2/mQGClCR5X_nQf2OqR.6Vww--/YXBwaWQ9c3JjaGRkO2g9NTYyO3E9ODA7dz0xMDAw/https://s.yimg.com/vp/77a1/77a15e1e7c25cc083c1d18c73eb56fd6.jpg)
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OK pizza/pellet/fans - one more issue & I'm done til next time.
The initial hunk of Wisconsin brick cheese weighed out at about 48 oz. and I have about half of it left.
I had to cut out a few knots out of the 12 oz. piece. Aging right in the frig.
So the remaining 2 pieces - each about 12 oz. have to be wrapped and frozen.
I'm hoping that the consistency & flavoring won't change much by freezing. Hey, I'm not making a deli sammy with the stuff.
Hopefully it will be OK for use nicely melted on the next Detroit Style Pizza.
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Yeah, Detroit looks like it is going to be much like Sicilian in the amount of "bread" with the pie, and much like what I call thick Crust pizza, not for me. I want very little "bread" with my pizza!
Then you would not like grama's pizza either.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4375/36816068396_502af612a7_c.jpg)
Sweeter tomato sauce with fresh basil and lotsa garlic
That slice looks fantastic! Did you make that?
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Coney dogs and Jackson Michigan... some say the coney originated in Jackson Michigan, my home town. Todoroff's.. right near the jackson train station...
I was born in Jackson, never had a coney until I was about 20 years old, and have to this day haven't had one in Jackson. Drove past what is supposed to be the original many times... the closest I've ever come to being at the place, is a gentleman's club a few doors down.. (back in my drinking days).
I have ate at each of the Detroit coney places that claim to be the original... I see coney dogs as great quick food when you don't know where else to eat, or don't want to spend too much money.
Back to Jackson... the best Pizza on the planet is at Andy's Pizza... a one time part owner of the coney place, started his own resaurant in the early 70s, I hear they make great coneys, but I can only vouch for the pizza... Andy's Special... aka #26, ham, pepperoni, bacon, mushrooms, green peppers, and onions... fantastic pizza. The only 14 inch pizza which makes me feel full after just two slices (but I still eat a third one ).
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So what is Salisbury, "Merryland" style pizza like ..... ?
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FMT, I did not make that slice. I have yet to venture into the make my own pizza from scratch world. That slice was from a pizza shop a few miles from my house.
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Queball, not sure what the style would be but it sure looks delicious.
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Thanks! ... Beginner's luck. ... Talking about regional styles. How does the type of dough factor into all of this?
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I think I would enjoy the Salisbury style!
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Mmm... that Salisbury style looks fantastic. I surely will try to find a way to incorporate some of that into some pizza sooner or later.
As for dough... This is my theory on dough and 'styles'... I suspect much of it was pure accident. Today , some of us go to a lot of trouble to reproduce something that we've had somewhere, we may spend a lot of time trying to figure out exactly how they do things... But, I think at some point, the owners of pizza joints were just doing the best they could with what they had. Limited cooler space, probably required some pizza places to come up with pizza dough that didn't require much cooler space.... or who knows what collection of environmental variables led to your favorite pizza maker's dough.
I know this guy who's family has been selling pizza in New Jersey for 40 years... he shared the pizza crust formula with me... it was way different then anyone had ever told me... except for one thing... the way he told it... There were no ultra fine measurements of ingredients... 50 pounds of All trumps, 3 gallons of water, cup of sugar... ( not the exact formula, but not too far off )... When I questioned some things.. he say... Oh, I'll have to ask my dad... Not that he himself wasn't knowledgeable about things, but his dad new more.. and well... from what I could gather, his dad surely had to have worked at someone else's pizza place , and probably learned from some other old guy. My point... I think stuff gets handed down, not by some ultra secret or precise method of transferring the information, but just by word of mouth and/or watching. I still suspect that for any given 'style' , it originally was just the way they did things.. I doubt that anyone ever sat down and spent hours and hours tweaking the formula to get it just right... that probably evolved to the point where it worked, and then didn't stop doing it that way , once it worked well for them.
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Man.. saw the title of this thread and since I grew up in a suburb of Detroit, I had to look.
I never knew there was a Detroit style...when I grew up, it was all about Mike and Sylvias in Allen Park, MI(which is only Sylvia's Sub Shop now). Their pizza and subs are the best ever and I crave it and hit them up EVERY day that I'm there visiting.
Theirs is Sicilian, but check out the photo of that pizza! Yummy! The pepperonis are what makes it to me. I wonder how you can ship unbaked pizza? Have to look into that and have some shipped to me now!
(http://sylviassubshop.com/images/finalbigpic.gif)
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I Love to hear personal Food histories...Thanks for sharing! This story is my Me n Ed's...