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• Saturday, February 11, 2012

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Home Cooking: Follow the recipe for "CJ's Pizza" to end up with this on your plate. Photo by Chris Jennerwein

Quick Bites

Pizza Challenge

Staff Report
Pizza: a food with ancient Greek origins, the very mention of which can create fiery arguments on crust, sauce, toppings, and oven temperatures. In our fair cities, where is that famed pie that tickles your tastebuds and awakens pregnancy-worthy cravings? The Moonshine Ink staff weighs in “When the moon hits your eye like a big…” well, you know.

After 15 years in Truckee, I’ve seen pizza places come and I’ve seen pizza places go. But one has remained constant: Village Pizzeria in the SaveMart center. (Even that sounds weird to say because we used to call it Lucky/Long’s!) Now, I’m basically a former Jersey girl, so I know my pizza and I favor the New York style. I gave up on getting that long ago out West. But Village offers a flavorful, consistently good quality pie. And the garlic chips ($7.95) are a must. You have to order them right alongside the pizza. Pies come in four sizes, from pizetta ($7.95) to large ($17.95). 11329 Deerfield Drive, Truckee, (530) 587-7171, villagepizzeriatruckee.com  
~ Beth Ingalls

Being an Italian born (Piacenza, Italy) ragazza and raised on the East Coast, I can tell you a thing or two about pizza. While it wasn’t invented in Italy, it was perfected there, and the next best place to have an authentic Italian pizza is in New Haven, CT, my old hometown that I left over 15 years ago — not because of the pizza. The key to a great tasting pizza is the base; a slightly salty thin crust (unless it’s Sicilian), tomato sauce that tastes like real tomatoes, and quality mozzarella cheese that melts in your mouth. Toppings are important, but without a solid flavor-popping base of crust, sauce, and cheese, it doesn’t matter what you put on top. So in my search for a pizza joint as yummy as the ones I was used to (Pepe’s APizza, Sally’s APizza, and Tolli’s), my friend Beth and I agreed to meet at Peluso’s APizzaria in Truckee to share a slice or two. We were not disappointed. Though quite greasy, it brought me back to my childhood days of special treats, Friday nights, and family celebrations. We didn’t love the tomato and spinach; it may have been more tasty freshly made and not served by the slice. The sausage was delightfully spicy and comforting ($4.25). Try it, you might like it too! Pizzas come in small ($13.75) and large ($18.60). 11253 Brockway Road,  Truckee, (530) 550-1340
~ Monica Caldari

While I could write a book on how much I love the many ways of pizza, I'll keep in brief and let you in on one secret: when I’m in a rush but want to cook at home, I buy dough from Front Street Station Pizza Company in Tahoe City. For $4, you get the equivalent of a large pizza, and it bakes into perfectly crispy crust on a pizza stone. 205 North Lake Boulevard, Tahoe City, (530) 583-3770, frontstreetpizza.com
~ Lis Korb

My favorite pizza in town is Fireside’s Pear and Gorgonzola pizza, one of their signature dishes. Made with Bosc pears, gorgonzola cheese, a hint of balsamic vinaigrette, and fresh arugula on the side that you put on the pizza yourself, this pie is the perfect blend of sweet and salty. The best part? No need for a side salad. Personal ($11.95), medium ($17.50), or large ($23.50). Village at Squaw Valley, (530) 584-6150, firesidepizza.com  
~ Melissa Siig

When I eat pizza, I like mixing my own ingredients, seeing the dough rise, and rolling it to add a perfect topping. A thin homemade crispy crust with homemade tomato sauce, mozzarella and provolone cheese, small pieces of ham, tomatoes — both chopped in small pieces — and chopped olives is my first choice. When time works better to have it done and bring it home, I buy a ham and cheese large at Peluso’s APizza in Kings Beach. They make it tasty and crunchy! A cheese slice is $4.25, add up to two toppings for 75 cents each. Enjoy your pizza with a fresh glass of beer — if it’s locally brewed and served in a chilled mug, even better! 8160 North Lake Boulevard, Kings Beach, (530) 546-2301
~ Lucila Hussek

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