A Mozzarella Making, Pizza Baking Valhalla

Our relationship with pizza has always been a grand love affair.

Perhaps then, this is why the September meeting of
Queso Diego saw a rise in attendance. Members gathered at City Farmers Nursery for the piemaking free for all.

It was indeed, a deliciously pizzacentric affair for us curd nerds, and all the fun was had by those in attendance. 

Members took to stretching freshly pulled curds to their limits, and assembling toppling towers of toppings for some much needed pizza therapy.

Master cheesemaker, Virginia Masters, was on hand to demonstrate the proper way to make and stretch mozzarella.

As you can see, she takes her work very seriously.

A sea of heavenly potluck toppings lay before us to include, fresh garden veggies, grilled and cured meats, pestos, and enough sauces to turn any amateur into a fierce pizzaiolo.

Dough was flying, as members took to tossing, stretching and shaping their fair share into appointed pans.

Oh what fun, drizzling olive oil,

and stacking toppings in the most creative of combinations.

One member took the liberty of making a clever, mushroom-shaped, mushroom topped pizza.

I believe this beauty of a pie would have given even Mario and Luigi a run for their money.

Photo Credit: jeffbeaulieu.ca

Meanwhile out on Farmer Bill's lush grounds, there were additional pizza making creation stations.

They were manned by manly men who looked after the dough making, tended to the brick ovens,

...and our *harrumph*, "Franken" Weber,

a brilliantly designed, masterpiece version of a brick oven pizza handcrafted by Jeff using a jimmy-rigged Weber bbq grill and a bit of fine MacGyvering. 

Our little r2d2 of a pizza baking friend yielded gorgeous pizza after gorgeous pizza.

After some trial and error, we learned there's a bit of method to the madness of creating perfect topping:crust:sauce:cheese ratios.

Turns out it varies much based on preference.

This my friends, 

is science hard at work.

Why even an egg yolk found its way to the top of a soon to be fresh oven roasted pie.

Cooked to perfection, the slightly runny egg on top was perfect for crust dipping.

Yet another delicious evening and successful meeting for the Queso Diegans.

Now if Congress would only declare pizza a vegetable.

Ciao for niao

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