The Prima Strada Gang Goes to Italy: Finale

And so ends our pretend journey with the Prima Strada crew as they gallivanted around Southern Italy. From the wine tastings to the ping pong tables, it has been quite the ride. Luckily for us, they saved the best for last!

A couple of months ago, a lovely man named Peppe came to Victoria and deemed our pizza VPN worthy. For those of you who are not sure what VPN means, it stands for Verace Pizza Napoletana, or "True Pizza of Naples." Similar to the DOC label you find on that beautiful bottle of Chianti, the VPN certification is awarded to those pizzerias who follow the traditional method of pizza making that has been used in Naples for hundreds of years. And just to give you an idea of how strict the regulations are, only a handful of VPN pizzerias exist in Canada. It only made sense that we received our VPN certificate in the motherland of pizza, Naples.

The gang headed to Ristorante Umberto in Napoli for an unforgettable dinner. Seeing as how the restaurant is run by Massimo Di Porzio, the President of the VPN, you can bet his pizzas taste pretty darn good! After the certificate presentation, the guys couldn't resist jumping in the kitchen to show the Italians their skills.

All in all, the trip was a success. I didn't even leave Victoria and I feel like my life got a little more exciting! If you want to see more photos (they only took around 800) please check out our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pizzeriaprimastrada. Grazie!

The Prima Strada Gang Goes to Italy: Making Fior di Latte

When the Pizzeria Prima Strada gang went to Italy, they learned how to make fior di latte (fresh mozzarella) from an Italian primo! At Prima Strada, we use only fresh mozzarella and fresh buffalo mozzarella on all our pizzas. Ever wanted to know how it's made? Now you can!

The Prima Strada Gang Goes to Italy: Part 3

After a few days of relaxing and eating gelato, the Italy crew has got to work. First up on their agenda, eating the local pizza. They went to Pizzeria Da Franco in Sorrento to begin.

Da Franco's pizza is not Sorrento style. It's not Napoli style. It can only be described as Da Franco style, with a mix of fresh and smoked mozzarella on every pie. From the pictures it looks like they asked the right locals! Next on the busy To-Do list is visit a vineyard (talk about tough work!) And while Andrew is all business it appears his wife Vanessa has the right idea.
And what trip would be complete without a visit to Caputo, the company that makes the flour we use to make our authentic pizza in Victoria! They meet up with Directorre Eugenio Caputo for the VIP tour.

They all get a hands on lesson on the milling process and watch the bags fill with flour. These are the exact same bags we use in Pizzeria Prima Strada.

And it looks like Enzo just got hired! Head to toe in Caputo gear, he's ready for duty!There's more work to be done, the gang is heading out for pizza in Napoli next. My mouth is watering already...

The Prima Strada Gang Goes to Italy: Part 2

As if just the thought of the gang in Southern Italy wasn't enough to make you jealous on this rainy Friday, there's now photographic evidence. Fresh off the plane in Napoli, the crew sat down to enjoy the feeling of jet lag. Some took the flight easier than others (I'm guessing) as there is already a beer on that table.

From Napoli they hopped on a bus headed for their temporary home in Piano di Sorrento. Along the way, Cristen managed to snap a picture of the Italian coastline near the city of Meta. When they arrived, their hosts Anna Maria, Emma, and Maria showed them around and made them a true Italian caffe. The next day they explored the markets and the beautiful city of Sorrento. And after a long day of walking they returned to the Villa Jenny to prepare a pork roast with fresh rosemary from the garden, fennel with honey and walnuts, and some rapini (aka broccoli rabe). And what else is there to do while dinner is in the oven than bring the ping pong table into the living room for a couple games?

There are many more photos to come, so put on your best "I'm not jealous" face and get ready because I'm sure that they are only going to get better from here. Ciao for now.

The Prima Strada Gang Goes to Italy: Part 1

At this very moment, a group of Pizzeria Prima Strada staff (and some very lucky +1's) are on a plane to Southern Italy. The trip is part reconnaissance, part adventure, and a large part fun!
I'd like to invite you all to join my vicarious trip to Italy as we follow Kathleen, Matt, Geoffrey, Cristen, Vanessa, Ben, Andrew, and the children explore the birthplace of pizza. I will be posting updates about their journey (and pretending that I'm the one holding the camera!) I'm excited, are you?