Pizza Culture & Italian Traditions Archives

March 6, 2015

PPS has officially completed its 2nd video production! Click below for the link!

We had so much fun making our first video that we decided to make another one!

PPS ‘ “The Pizzaiolo” focuses on the job of Neapolitan pizza maker (or “pizzaiolo” as they say in Naples) at Prima Strada.

The process of crafting a PPS Neapolitan pizza is both a science and an art, and it’s certainly a lot harder than our skilled pizzaiolos make it look!

Watch the above video for behind-the-scenes Pizzeria Prima Strada action and commentary.

Be sure to visit our YouTube channel for more Pizzeria Prima Strada video clips! Enjoy!

Read More +

October 3, 2014

Here’s Your Recap of PPS’ Naples, Italy Tour 2014

Arrivi Napoli – A bit tired from an early morning flight from Palermo, Cristen and Geoffrey loaded into a cab with the luggage while Andrew, Vanessa and Jasper took to the streets! With a side stop at Pizzeria San Gennaro, they met up with Cristen and Geoffrey in the Piazza Bellini ready to explore!

Here are some photos from their first adventures in Napoli!

While waiting for the rest of the team to fly in, they indulged in – what else? – pizza.

Next, cue PPS team members Andrew, Alex, Livia, Patrick and some very lucky plus ones. Finally, they arrive safely!

Dinner at Pizzeria Sorbillo was the group’s first meal! Pizze Margherita, Ricotta, Speck & Funghi, Pesto e Pomodori…and the list goes on. The pies were perfectly soft and smoky; the mozza had great texture; and the tomatoes were bright…

Read More +

September 22, 2014

The PPS Team is in Italy! Here’s What They’re Getting Up To So Far.

Follow Prima Strada on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram? Then you’ve probably seen our recent posts -a group of PPS staff members have taken off on a trip to Italy. They’ll eat pizza, drink wine and beer, taste, savor, bond and take in all they can! But have no fear; they’re sure to bring all they learn back to PPS to share with you!

Here’s a recount of their experiences thus far.

The lead team is PPS owners Cristen and Geoffrey, along with Operations Manager Andrew and wife Vanessa (…don’t forget baby Jasper).

Some few days ago, the gang arrived in <a href="http://en avis pfizer viagra.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palermo”>Palermo, Sicily after a long and exhausting (but well worth it) day of travel.

Once arrived and settled, they wasted no time and headed off to a local spot recommended by PPS Prima Pizzaiola Tomoko Inoue: Santandrea Ristorante. The food was wonderful – pasta alla norma and vegetable stuffed ravioli, etc. (complete with a glass or two of delicious Planeta Syrah, of course).

Read More +

March 5, 2014

New Cocktails on the PPS Menu!

PPS Cook St. Restaurant Manager Patrick Francis may be Irish, but his heart beats Italian. He’s reimagined 4 cocktails for our menu (rooted in true Italian tradition, of course!): the Picket Fence, the Negroni, the Negroni Sbagliato and the Bellini.

The Picket Fence is a refreshing mixture of Calvados, Amaro Montenegro and Maraschino liquor. Trust us, you don’t need to wait for a warm day to sip on this! Delizioso!

Our Negroni stays true to the bittersweet taste you’ll remember with a more modern presentation. Now it arrives ready to pour over eye-catching spherical ice cubes, finished with a slice of orange.

Next, it’s our pleasure to introduce the Negroni Sbagliato! The serendipitous Sbagliato came to fruition when the bartender at Milan’s Bar Basso grabbed a bottle of spumante (sparkling wine) rather than the drink’s last component: gin. The “mistake” was well received. It caught on and the cocktail later became the bar’s house special.

Best not to mess with a classic – the PPS Bellini sticks with tradition. Elegantly served in a champagne flute, our Bellini consists of Prosecco, a touch of Maraschino liquor and organic peach…

Read More +

February 26, 2014

Prima Strada Team Visits VPN America, Learns From the Best

You may have noticed some photos of our team in California in recent Facebook and Twitter posts – beaches, sunsets, countless pizzas, and exam papers. That’s because while PPS Cook was closed for repairs, Chefs Andrew and Alex and Ops Manager Andrew flew to Southern California to attend a VPN Americas training course.

“Verace Pizza Napoletana” translates to “Real Neapolitan Pizza.” You may recognize the acronym from the signs we hang (with great pride) outside both of our PPS restaurants.

At Prima Strada, we’re always looking to improve our skills and, in turn, our pizza.

With Cook closed for some TLC, A3 were more than happy to head south for sunny weather and training from “the source” – Peppe, Jose (#3 ranked Pizziaolo in the world) and Donato.

Here’s a play-by-play of their trip with a few photos.

After dropping their bags in their Marina del Rey condo, they explored Venice Beach. After tacos and beer, they headed back to the condo for some rest.

On Wednesday morning they made their way to the AVPN headquarters where Peppe, Jose and Donato awaited. It was class time!

Day…

Read More +

Work With Us