A Quick Guide To Pizza Cheeses

A lot of times, what gives a certain restaurant's pizza its particular taste is the type of cheese they use. Really, it should be the types of "cheeses" since many places have their own unique blend. Some places even have a secret recipe that they won't give out, even under pressure of torture. Here are some of the most commonly used and why they are the best.

Mozzarella

Without a doubt, mozzarella is the king of pizza cheeses. It originated in Naples and was originally made from the milk of water buffalos. These days, it is made from cow's milk and it is easier to work with. This cheese is packed with moisture and has a short shelf life. You have to use it pretty soon after buying it. There are lots of different mozzarellas available at the store and they all have different fat and moisture content.

Provolone

The second most popular cheese is provolone, which comes from the Neapolitan word 'prova,' meaning 'ball.' Provolone is firm and smooth with a golden color on the outside and a creamy interior. The key to this cheese's flavor is its smokiness. It is cured for several months and this gives it a pungent flavor. Like mozzarella, there are several different varieties that are commonly used.

Cheddar

Cheddar is a good cheese for mixing. It is rarely used by itself because it does not stretch well. Instead, it is usually mixed with other types of cheese. It varies from mild to sharp flavor and the whole range is good for making pizzas. The sharper types of cheddar aren't usually used because they don't blend as well.

Mixes

Most places use a mix of mozzarella and cheeses that are harder. They do this to add variety to the flavor and also cut down on the cost of the mozzarella. Every place has its own recipe (and some won't divulge!), but mixing cheeses include Parmesan, provolone, Romano, and dry jack.

Cheese-less?

It may surprise you to know that some folks prefer their pie with no cheese on top. This might seem like a wild new idea, but it has been the norm in Europe for years. Deep-dish pizza loaded with cheese is actually an American concoction. In Europe (including Italy), they often skip on the cheese so that the flavor of the other toppings can come through better.

If you're making your own pizza at home, you should experiment with cheeses. Even if you're buying a frozen one from the grocery store, hit the deli and pick up some different type of cheese. The flavor difference just might turn that cheap store-bought pie into something as tasty as what you get at your favorite Italian restaurant.

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Posted in: Cheeses,Guide,Pizza,Quick

Home Ice Makers - A Small Guide

Ever since the first mechanical ice making concept was conceptualized way back in the 1840's by John Gorrie, man has utilized this mechanical form of making things frozen for many, many uses. Back then, Gorrie envisaged using such a device to cheaply make ice which he could use to cool his patients down who were suffering from Malaria and Yellow Fever.

Over a hundred and fifty years later man is still using mechanical devices based on the same principals Gorrie set out all those years ago. Although there have been many improvements, the concept is still pretty much the same.

Ice makers are used all over the world these days to create ice quickly and cheaply. Whether it be for domestic use in drinks for example, or whether in the hospitality industry to cool drinks and food. They are even used widely in other sectors such as manufacturing and such. You've seen those large Ice Sculptures that are carved out of huge blocks by men with chainsaws right? Sure thing. Those blocks of ice came out of very large ice makers.

What I want to concentrate on today though are those for domestic use - for the home, the car, your boat.

After more than a century and a half of innovation and improvements, small domestic ice cube makers are cheaper than ever to buy and are very, very popular - especially throughout the Summer months. Electricity is cheap, water is cheap, and once you've invested in a small ice machine, ice also becomes cheap. A lot cheaper than buying it by the kilo from supermarkets.

Nearly all small domestic ice makers plug into an electrical outlet.120 volts if you're in the United States, or 240 volts if you're in the United Kingdom. These appliances generally don't use that much electricity and therefore are cheap to run.

On top of this there are two types of ice maker - one that you have to plumb in to a mains water source, and the other where you have to manually fill the ice maker with water. The ones you have to plumb in are more heavy duty, larger versions of their smaller counterparts and can pump out much more ice. The downside to these larger appliances though is they are not so portable. You can't just unplug it and move it to another position or to another house altogether. The other type is the very compact, very efficient, very portable domestic ice makers. These ones are literally 'plug and play'. You plug it in, fill it up with water, and within a short amount of time you've got yourself some ice, freshly made, and ready to use.

As summers are getting warmer and longer, and the demand for cheap ice is increasing, these small portable domestic ice makers are becoming more and more fashionable, and are now very much in demand.

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Posted in: Guide,Makers,Small