I'm So HaPpY, BuT==========I Part III---Long --:-)

Char-Woody · May 2000

Well, here is the story..and there is a moral to it.[p]The other day I was gazing at my little clay pot dish's that my wiffy had set out on the picnic table for the kids to use as ash tray's. Filled with sand. My thoughts drifted to the posts via Tanker Tim's posts and his clay pots used for pizza stone stands. [p]This is where my inquisitive mind starts clicking. More trouble for
Char-Woody!![p]I dash to the local Wal-Mart store, and purchase some nice clean clay pot containers/trays, and soak em up with olive oil.[p] Next, I opened a package of Betty Crocker Pizza dough mix and whupped up some instant dough in a pan..let it rise and and divided it into portions about equal to the 2-8" inch clay dishes and two 4 inch clay dishes for some Pizza. [p]These baseball size balls and golf ball size balls rolled out with the dough roller pin (marble one here) worked perfect for mini pizza's..[p]I made up one with just olive oil coating in the new clay pizza dish, and popped it in the BGE on the plate sitter and tested it. It worked great, this little pizza cooked nicely..but it partially stuck to the clay bottom.
The next one I sprayed with Crisco Cooking spray...Works beautifully and the little Pizza's slipped right out of the little clay dishes..[p]Wonderfull, I sat out on the picnic table with a cold beer at noon eating my heart out with Piiiizzzzzzaaaaa, just like a real Italian pizza cafe. All by my lonesome with all different varieties.

Watched the neighbor Marion Free, two doors down was mowing with his rider lawn mower waving his hello's.[p]I popped those little cuties in and out and rotated em, one after another...Gosh this works great.
Small problem arose...and this is where it gets sticky...a 90% success story...But Alas, there is/was an awful after taste of clay that stayed with me for two days. I scarfed down mucho Bud Light to get rid of it...[p]A solution came to mind...my new and now discarded clay pot dishes were plain ones..nice, made in Germany, and I assumed to be really good fired clay. [p]They also made one that was glazed interior. [p]I dashed back to the store and got two more glazed ones. Fired up the BGE last night and did two more 8 inchers in the glazed clay dish trays. No big deal ..whats money?? $1.79 each.[p]Disgustingly...the same taste...dang..but my experiment failed. But no..Not a failure , for with experimenting its always a success. There is no such thing as a failure for you cancel out one option, and its a stepping stone forward to another adventure, for my quest now is for a proper (pyrex type) vessel to handle the temperature yet produce the mini pizzas. These were sure fun to make, and browned perfectly, and the result was uptown..Except for that danged clay pot taste.
The moral of the story...never use anything that is not already approved for food preparation. I layed me body on the line for the test, sigh!!! Phuttuuuiii taste. But this works...wow..what nice pizzas. Ruined..But the principle works.
So there is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, with all the garnishments...
Cheers...till next time...and wait till you get a grip on my new rib techique..heeeeeeeeeeeeeee....C dubb Ya.

Tanker Tim · May 2000

Char-Woody,[p]You da MAN! Now you've got me thinking. Your problem is that you probably weren't using "Swanky Eyetalian" Terra Cotta pots. I'm off to Sicily for a week of honest to god
Eyetalian Pizza, this time the digital camera's going out to eat so I can get some good pictures and ideas on improving my crust technique! [p]I'll keep an eye out for some suitable small baking dishes for your Bambino Pizzers![p]TT

Char-Woody · May 2000

Hey Tanker Tim, how's our Iowa fly boy doing?? I caught your post down below, any you guys already have your claim to fame..:-)..Doing a super job for us Yankees and Rebels over here. Post that website next time again. Its a beauty.
I enjoyed the aircraft photos on it..Who ran over the patrol car?? That was hilarious...Keep Eggin em on my friend...Char-Woody.
(BTW..you can always air drop me some of those Sicilian pots. I bet they will work)

Tanker Tim · May 2000

Char-Woody,[p]All's good on the East Anglian front, only 49 days left.
They're letting me out of the cage for a week of Pizza and Sun. The wife and kid's are headed to Japan for a couple of months to visit family and I'll meet them in Germany.[p]I'm going to be in trouble, me in Germany with a BGE. I'll be on the fat boy program in no time![p]Did you try using regular pizza crust instead of the instant stuff? I seem to remember the Pampered Chef sales lady telling me that if my pizza stone was ever washed with soap to bake a couple batches of instant bisquits to absorb the soap from the stone. It might work with Spin's regular dough? Just a thought.[p]TT

Char-Woody · May 2000

Tanker Tim, yeh, I agree with ya. I was worried about soap so I just rinsed em in hot water and air dried them, then did a double wipe with olive oil to coat em. About a tablespoon of oil to each saucer. I think its something in the clay itself in the firing processes. Tastes kinda like burnt rubber...bleeeahhh..Aluminum Oxide maybe. I agree, Spins dough works great..just didn't have time to go the full dough route.
Good thoughts tho..! Thanks...What day is the air drop, and if ya would use orange chutes..I can find em easier..heeeee...Oooops..did it again.
C~W[p]

Lee2 · May 2000

Char-Woody,
You know, fellows, I really don't want to be a wet blanket and a party pooper, but speaking as the mother of a professional potter, I hope you are making sure that these pots you're cooking in and/or on aren't glazed with a lead glaze. If they're not made as eating or cooking utensils, they may have lead in their glaze. That is not a good thing.

Char-Woody · May 2000

Lee2, thats why I laid me body on the line...:-(..Good thought and super reason to stay with food grade utensils.
Thanks...
C~W
(Maybe the Bud Light rinse took care of the lead??)

djm5x9 · May 2000

Char-Woody:[p]There used to be a place in Atlanta (Buckhead) that had bread cooked in flower pots. Good stuff, but I do not know what preparation was done to the clay pots . . . Several soakings and washings prior to use? The use of "special" cooking pots and placed in regular pots for service?[p]Regardless, the following link just might make dish type pizzas easier. Smaller sized pans are available. I suggest Tuff-Kote for easy cooking and clean-up.

[ul][li]Tuff-Kote Deep Dish Pizza Pans[/ul]

Earl · May 2000

Char-Woody,[p] That's funny! You are correct about one thing, for every
wrong way, there is a right way. You just tried the wrong
way first. You get to move to the front of the class for
that effort. But then again C W you were already at the front. Nice try.[p] Earl

Char-Woody · May 2000

djm5x9, nice website..Gonna tuck that one in my favorites file. Thanks. I was trying to avoid the metal route as per pie tins and keep the cost cheap and tossable. These you have posted are very reasonable also. I might order some for a follow up and see how they do. These clay dishes were about 7" wide at the top and 6" on the bottom and the smaller ones about 5" x 4" on the bottoms. I can still taste em...!!
More Bud please!!
C~W[p]

Char-Woody · May 2000

Earl, thanks, sometimes the most obvious solution isn't always the right answer. But its a lot of fun finding out.
C~W

Nature Boy · May 2000

Char-Woody,
Being creative, and trying new things is what makes barbecue Q.[p]Thanks for the great report. You might already have this bookmarked, but this is some SERIOUS ceramic stuff that they sell. It is specifically made for cooking so you shouldn't get that flavor you describe......I haven't.[p]Cheers...NB
[ul][li]Killer Ceramic Cookware[/ul]

YB · May 2000

Char-Woody,
You may find something here you can use.
YB
[ul][li]Pots And Pans[/ul]

Char-Woody · May 2000

Nature Boy, Yes, they have some great links to understanding ceramics also. Part of my goal was to find a nickle dime pizza dish also. These on this website are top drawer utensils. Also in the small versions you can really add the variety to the menu. I was making pepperoni and Canadian bacon and italian cheese, onion and green pepper with sausage and mozzerella cheese, and sausage and mushroom with green pepper and sliced olive with mixed cheeses. All rotating in and out one finishing, one medium cooked and one fresh going in. Dainty little guys..It was fun.
Cheers..Thanks for the tips..
Char-Woody[p]

Char-Woody · May 2000

YB, Bingo YB...ya hit the jackpot..Those porcelain Cordon Bleu dishs in the set of 4 for 12 bucks should fill the bill. Reasonable on price and easy cleanup. Yer da man..heeeeee.
Cheerio...C~W
Gonna order a set for experimenting....!!![p]

YB · May 2000

Char-Woody,
If they work let me know,i might have to have a set myself.
YB

Char-Woody · May 2000

YB, Wilco!!

Unknown · May 2000

Char-Woody,
Your "clay aftertaste" problem may stem from using oil with clay. Clay absorbs oil and can turn rancid; hence the warning that always comes with clay pizza tiles not to let cheese melt on the stone. Clay pot cooking liquids never contain much oil for the same reason. Once the oil soaks in, it doesn't wash out; over time the odor and taste the rancid oil imparts worsens. They are meant to be soaked in water and used with water/broth-based cooking liquids. Clay pots are great to cook with and tile stones are essential for decent pizza crust, just don't let much oil, cheese, or meat fat come in contact with them.

Char-Woody · May 2000

PM, you have done your homework. And your right all the way around. But in this case, the oil was applied just before the bake, and no time to turn rancid. And without it, (Crisco Spray) the dough stuck even with olive oil preconditioning. So I think I will scrap the clay idea, and just use common ordinary small pie tins that are disposable. I think you can start the mini pizza bake right in the tin, and about the time the dough stiffen's from the bake slip it out and bake it right on the ceramic stone. Let if finish browning up while you make another one in the emptied pie tin. Nice thing is they are all perfect rounds and look great. And you can mould the rim crust as you like it.

I'm So HaPpY, BuT==========I Part III---Long --:-)

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