Favorite Denver Area Pizza

[TheMatt]

You know, a naan-zza sounds good. Naan? Good. Pizza? Good. Together? Should be good.

[fredbram]

We always mangia naan-zaa for kwanza.

[afoodnut]

We always mangia naan-zaa for kwanza.

Love the naan-sense.

[CO Pizza Biker]

Thanks for the kind words busboy, I own Enzo's. Have you been around lately? Do I know who you are?

[afoodnut]

And now, for those who wondered about the popularity of Beau Jo's, Jason Sheehan has weighed in with an explanation in this week's Bite Me column in Westword.

He also reviewed Famous Pizza #1: Slice of Heaven.

Edited August 26, 2004 by afoodnut (log)

[rlm]

Yes, the white and red clam pizzas @ Proto's on Fridays are the bomb, baby!!!

[megaira]

This is what I get for not being around eG as much as I'd like to be these days... I almost missed out on a pizza thread.

Beau Jo's has mystified me as well... we'll have to try the Idaho Springs location out one of these days. We went to the one closest to us (c-470 and university) and while the toppings were fine, the crust itself was like an unleavened cracker in flavor. It just didn't have any charecter to my taste and the hype bubble went POOF.

There was a place over by Quebec and I-25 called Lil' Riccis, I think that had an expensive (20$) cheese wheel, but at the time I really liked them (we had friends who insisted on them, and heck, I wasn't argueing). I've been making my own pizzas so long now that I don't know if I would like them now.

I usually just can't make myself justify buying pizza when I can make them at home so cheap (and they're pretty good and to our tastes), so we never really go out for it.

That's not saying a tremendous amount, anyway...we're not exactly teaming with pizzerias around here other than the chains. Garlic Knot may be somewhat local, I think...it's the closest one to us... sometimes theirs are pretty good, others, not so great.

I totally dig the coal fired oven idea...

There was one Hub got years ago at a place up in Englewood that I never did find out where or what it was... he brought home leftovers, I tried a piece and was hooked. It was like...a vindaloo pizza. It had a hot vinegary tangy sauce, with red onions and chicken on it. It was really good. They of course promptly forgot where they went. >( I guess I'm going to have to get vindaloo figured out first before I can go ahead and recreate the pizza.

Indian pizzas sound heavenly...

How many of you make your own?

[Chezhoff]

How many of you make your own?

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I make my own and am constantly experimenting trying to get the crust right. I come close, I just wish my oven would get hotter....

[megaira]

dang you're fast.

I think it was Alton who said he turns his oven to the cleaning cycle to get it hot enough for pizza. I don't have a self cleaning oven...and all the ones I've had in the past, I recall having to lock...?

Otherwise, I would be doing better with mine if I gave up using the screen and put the crust right on the stone, but I'm a sucker for conveniance and a wuss about the smell of burning cornmeal.

There should be a Denver pizza get together.

[mongo_jones]

I make my own and am constantly experimenting trying to get the crust right. I come close, I just wish my oven would get hotter....

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do you deliver? we have a dinner crisis in process right now.

[Chezhoff]

dang you're fast.

when I have to be...

I think it was Alton who said he turns his oven to the cleaning cycle to get it hot enough for pizza. I don't have a self cleaning oven...and all the ones I've had in the past, I recall having to lock...?

I thnk most self-cleaning ovens now lock the door until they cool down after the cleaning cycle, so this wouldn't work for most. Though he's my favorite chef, Sometimes Alton doesn't think stuff through.

Otherwise, I would be doing better with mine if I gave up using the screen and put the crust right on the stone, but I'm a sucker for conveniance and a wuss about the smell of burning cornmeal.

Try not using cornmeal, just use a bit of flour on the peal and you won't have as much of a burning problem. Note that I didn't say you won't have a burning problem, it just won't be as bad...there's a reason I remove the smoke detector that's nearest my kitchen when I make pizza.

There should be a Denver pizza get together.

Good idea, but it might cause a big fight on where to have it...though I suspect that Proto's might win out in the end.

[Chezhoff]

do you deliver? we have a dinner crisis in process right now.

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Sorry I'm too late Mongo...I hope you were able to avert your crisis...

[megaira]

Try not using cornmeal, just use a bit of flour on the peal and you won't have as much of a burning problem. Note that I didn't say you won't have a burning problem, it just won't be as bad...there's a reason I remove the smoke detector that's nearest my kitchen when I make pizza.

Thanks. :)

I've used flour on and off (and sometimes to loosen up the dough when shaping), you are right, it definitely doesn't have the stench of burnt cornmeal (the only thing that beats it, is burnt vacuum cleaner belt, I think :/), though seems to put out a fair amount of smoke if you don't brush off the excess. I really like the texture and flavor of both flour and cornmeal... they both have sort of an rustic texture to them, so either is good in my books...but I get lazy and opt for olive oil on the screen -which isn't bad, but sometimes it's good to swap things out and not get boring.

I'm really wussing out of peel practice. ;) I do notice that when I use the peel, because of the dough springing back a bit when you put it on the floured peel, I seem to get bigger crust bubbles. I totally dig that. I'm all about loving the crust bubble.

Pizza get together - I think I'd try to make a trip up to Protos if the weather was decent. I've heard about them before.

If we did something like that, we should make up a ratings system and rate it, then check out another pizza place the next time, like Anthonys or something, or the Beau Jo's in idaho springs, etc. Then average out which one is the "best" and which excells over the others in different catagories (thin crust, thick, pan, toppings, etc.).

That'd be kinda fun, though, so would a "pizza night" where we all make our own favorites (I'd say "specialties" but knowing me and nerves, I would screw mine up in some way or another and that would not help the nerves.).