Versatile cheese worth a look when pushing your menu If there is one cheese that I adore, it’s mascarpone. Not because of its high butterfat or its traditional use as a sweet dessert cheese, but because it is a brilliant mixing cheese for any pizzeria and can be...
A few tips and tricks to convert ground beef pizza topping into a marketable hit When I was 16 years old, I worked as a dishwasher at the White House Tavern in Palatine, Illinois. This bar had a small kitchen that served huge cheeseburgers made by a grouchy Hungarian...
Offer more than spaghetti for an updated pasta menu Pasta is like walking into an amusement park. You can get lost in all the combinations, flavors and lovely profiles –– some old, some young, some just made up on a whim. Either way, the perfect pasta not only depends...
Pair big flavors with these easy tips While visiting a pizzeria near the beach in Ostia, Italy, I ordered a magnificent white pizza with Gorgonzola. The pizza was a beautiful thing to behold with the pillowy charred edges of a high-heat Neapolitan pie along with the...
I can’t get enough of topping a warm pizza with dynamic flavors after the oven. Nothing beats this mango salsa on top of meaty, cheesy pizzas because its giant taste is as brilliant as the visual effect. For more modern Caribbean flavors, see my story. Print Fresh...
Caribbean-inspired flavors can turn your menu into paradise The most exciting aspect of pizza is the ability of this fine platform to showcase different flavor profiles from around the world. The exciting flavors of the islands is a perfect example of how you can...
Diving into the many uses of “king of the pizza fruit” Without a doubt, pineapple is the king of pizza fruit. Pairing pineapple with salty pork, luxurious melting cheeses, spicy jalapeño, nuts and herbs transforms a boring pie into a memorable experience. In any...
Canadian bacon brings the flavor to meat toppings There are times as an entrepreneur that you want to take the low-risk road when it comes to toppings. That voice in your head says, “Will my customers even know that this topping is a cheaper (and perhaps an inferior)...
Summer ingredients make perfect LTO menu offerings Summer brings the sun, fun and relaxation of life to my small town. It also harkens the advent of barbequing, home cooking and my customers vacationing away from town. When I first opened, this meant fewer sales, less...
Explore Mushroom Menu Ideas Operators embrace mushrooms’ availability year ’round In 1975, I was a young dishwasher at a Swenson’s ice cream restaurant in Chicago. One day, Kevin, our abusive 20 year-old “head cook,” called me to the grill to see something cool. I...
Shrimp blows traditional toppings out of the water Shrimp can be an asset to your pizzeria by manipulating your menu to accommodate the many seafood lovers in America. Granted, some traditionally inclined people may stick to that old and dry rule of never allowing...
Looking to upgrade your menu in a meaningful way? Look no further. I think that every independent restaurateur is an artisan. Some of us stick to artistic traditionalism, while others veer off into new combinations, tastes and methods. While true food artisanship lies...
