THIS IS A NEW VIDEONOTE! – SEE BELOW
Dear friends, as you are probably aware, ItalianNotebook has been experimenting with adding video content to our Notes. In offering this service to subscribers we hope to draw in a little bit of capital that will help us promote and improve the website. Barbara Goldfield and I have made five VideoNotes and the response has been excellent. For this we thank all those who have donated so far.
Although we are having a lot of fun producing these videos, they also take a a lot of time and effort. The people we have interviewed so far have been happy to simply share their knowledge, with infinite passion and patience. However, we need lots of feedback from you our readers to see if this is something you really want to see more of so that we can evaluate whether it is a viable addition to the daily Notes. Therefore, we are sharing today’s VideoNote with the entire readership.
Please send us lots of comments and suggestions: whether you enjoyed it or not and possibly what you’d like to see more of. Thanks so much!
-ed.
Pizza. Envision it and your mouth begins to water. Piping hot, it’s the epitome of fast, fabulous finger-licking food, right?
Wellll… for some it comes in big square pans with different toppings (pizza al taglio). For others it’s meters long and sold by weight (pizza alla pala). For others it’s big and circular and cut into triangular slices (pizza americana). For others still it’s round and fits on to a plate (pizza tonda) and cooked religiously in a wood-burning oven (see today’s VideoNote below).
But look up the word “pizza” and you’ll also find calzone, pizza genovese, pizza foggiana, pizza siciliana, pizza marchigiana and panzerotto. And what about pizzette and pizzelle?
And if you’re still not confused there’s more. In Rome, a pizza Napoletana is topped with tomato, mozzarella and anchovies. Order it in Naples and it comes without mozzarella but is seasoned with oregano and garlic. And it’s called pizza marinara, even though has nothing to do with the mare (sea).
Still confused? No worries, don’t sweat the details. In the VideoNote below, our friend Michele Novizio, owner of the Pizzeria La Lampara, talks about the only thing that really matters… the soul of the pizza!
(The VideoNote is below the following two images…)
The end result of Michele’s work…
VideoNote: Watch Michele work his magic!
Fifth in our new series of original VideoNotes, this one for everyone to enjoy:
The Soul of the Pizza
by Barbara Goldfield
Owner of “Savour The Sannio”, www.savourthesannio.com, a travel consultancy for central and southern Italy.
Puglia + Olive Oil = An Ancient Relationship!
The Italian Dolomites, Summer and Winter
Leonardo Extravaganza
Exploring Scheggino
This one is your BEST one yet! Thanks so much.
This made the whole “wood-fired” oven thing make sense. Looks mouth-watering.
Loved it!!
Wow, that’s fantastic! My stomach is growling. Thanks so much for this wonderful video.
I really enjoyed it as I speak Italian and was able to understand everything. Also learned something new. Why a pizza baked in a wood fired oven tastes better. More videos please!!!
Wonderful! I wish I were there.
Guess we’re making pizza tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wonderful video note; as all so far have been, too. Grazie mille!
This time of year there’s also pizza di Pasqua, which is nothing like traditional pizza. It’s a cylindrical bread shaped like a small panettone and it comes in a slightly sweet version and a version with cheese. We discovered it a few years ago in the markets in Rome, but I think it’s originally from Umbria. Now that we’re back in California, I make both kinds at home.
Great fun!
Pizza and Vivaldi, the day couldn’t start off any better, grazie Barbara!!!
I love these videos…… the music, the language, the subject matter. Each video draws you in ……. and I share a few moments with Italians in Italy!
I love this. It’s the first one I’ve seen. I love Italian Notebook in any form…text or videos. Thank you for letting me spend a few virtual moments in Italy!
Delightful! Loved the combination of the chef working the pizza to the sound of Vivaldi. Molto bene.
Very nice to see the process and to hear the language. I liked it very much!
That’s it tonight we have home made pizza…..Loved the video
More Please!
The video is fine but I like the photos.
These videos are great. Many thanks! The subtitles are fine, but special thanks also for including the spoken Italian.
Pizza al taglio means pizza by the piece or slice.
Very nice. Enhanced by the fact that the dialogue was in Italian (duh). Made what could have been a rather predictable dialogue seem more charming, etc.
My first VideoNote – fantastico! Really like the format and would love to see more. Brings your wonderful snippets to life.
Great video and pizza lesson! Loved hearing the language and listening to the music — I would love to be there to enjoy la pizza, mangiare!
New member to Italian Notebook, love it, and now will love the videos!
Sylvia
I am a new member to Italiannotebook and love it, and now will love the videos.
Sylvia
Mmmm-mm! I’ve reached the point where I don’t want pizza unless it’s from a wood-fired oven and amazingly enough, we’re very fortunate to have two places right here in Huntington, WV that use wood-fired ovens for their pizzas. Mama-mia but they’re good! And this one looks wonderful!
To all the enthusiastic comments above, yes, indeed. One quibble: The time-line for the video obscured some of the subtitles. Maybe I just don’t know how to make it vanish…but many thanks!
I’m not sure if this is your case, but it happens to me when I leave the little white arrow on the timeline itself. WHen I move it off the timeline disappears.
Very nice. We have eaten wood fired pizza in Napoli, but now I understand the process a little better. Also gave me another opportunity to practice listening to Italian.
It’s 5:00pm here and I just made the mistake of watching the video. How can I have been so foolish. Meatloaf is not going to cut it, I’m going out for a pizza. It won’t be as good but I can dream. Terrific addition to the notebook, keep them coming.
To quote Bill Murray; ” Unless you are a pizza, the answer is yes, I can live without you.
The videos are nice, but it is a pain to have to go to Internet Explorer to watch them–thanks to AOL I’m sure.
Meravigliosa! I loved the video and thank you so much for getting near the hot flames to film it! I love what Michele says in regards to the wood her uses…NO CHEMICALS , only the best wood for his oven. Bravo! I would love a pizza of his right now.
Thanks for this informative and entertaining video. Regretfully I haven’t been to this location – but may I mention that in Sep 2013 we were on a tour in Bellagio and we happened on the Villa Serbelloni for lunch. The most squisito pizza margherita I’ve ever had!! (I’m 76) So simple, but all the parts, from the bread to the tomato sauce to the cheese and spices were magnifico! And the local white wine – I couldn’t believe it. Unfortunately, we had to return to the tour, so I couldn’t take the time to speak to the chef and discover how it was made. Indelible, exquisite memory for a simple pizza and local wine!!??
I think the videos are a good and bad idea. It really depends on how it is implemented.
I use the Italian Notebook as my personal travel agent. I plan my yearly trip to a specific region of Italy and include what I have seen in the Italian Notebook as a must see items. So, from this stand point possibly loosing the stories and still photo I see the video concept as something other than good.
From the stand point of seeing more on a video than a still photograph can provide, the video concept is a good thing. Certainly, the example off the pizza requires the video rather than just a story and still photographs.
I guess what I’m saying is the video concept if used to add more information, thus, enhancing the Italian Notebook while retaining the still photography would clearly be a step in the right direction. However, I would be troubled if the story and the still photographs were limited when the videos were included.
Thanks for the opportunity to give you my opinion.
We hear you loud and clear! Thanks for your input.
Grazie! I had fabulous pizza in Carovilli (Molise). This video brings back the memory.
By the way, I appreciate learning any new Italian words.
I enjoyed the video note, The Soul of Pizza. I always read every contribution to ItalianNotebook. I would like to say I would be able to enjoy every video but viewing a video requires a bit more time plus my internet connection may be slow. You asked for feedback so I wanted to be honest. Everyone does a terrific job. I do completely appreciate every contribution to the ItalianNotebook. Grazie.
Loved it. If I could suggest one improvement…I found the text that the beginning to move too quickly. I had difficulty reading it.
Hi MC, Yes, I realize that now. I guess I was so concerned that the videos not be too long that I cut back too much. What do you think about the length of the video: too long? too short? Thanks for the feedback.
Barbara, the video was perfect. Time, content and music. Brava!
Loved the video – no problem at all viewing it on my Iphone or Ipad. The video is an option those that cannot access don’t have to click on it but for some of us – well today you made my day! Loved the video loved listening to the Italian language. I was able to dream I was in Italy if not for a little while – THANK YOU – Appreciate all your notes and improvements.
Videos although very nice are not necessary………..
Happy with just text.
Re: Pizza alla marinara, I had learned years ago that it was called such because the marinai (sailors) on the mare (sea) long ago couldn’t refrigerate enough cheese on their long trips, hence food senza (without) mozzarella.
Loved it! I’m from the next town over, so I enjoyed seeing this and sharing it in class with my Italian students. Grazie mille!
I thoroughly enjoyed today’s Video note: Soul of the Pizza. Many thanks to those who so willingly share their knowledge, expertise and passion.
Wonderful and the music was perfect.
love everything you do ….I send it to all my friends Thank You
LOVED this video. Also, I like the fact that Italian was spoken (and translated!!!)
Great job!!
I loved this video and think they would be a great occasional supplement to the normal text/photograph pages since they are more difficult to produce. But I so appreciate hearing Italian, learning about something uniquely Italian, and seeing scenes from Italy. Thought it was great how you started out showing the panorama of San Agata and then the street and store front, how there were folks just hanging in the tiny shop, then of course the pizza making. But the whole sequence added a great deal to the experience of the short video. I think you’ve found a new talent, Barbara! Film director/producer!
Brilliant! The only thing missing was the smell and the taste!! I will have to find Michele and try the marinara for myself when I visit Italy later this year.
Congratulations to everyone involved in the filming.
Best wishes
This is a great video. I’m guessing many of us would like to see the occasional video in Italian Notes. Moreover, I think at least some us would also chip in to make it happen.
I love the video, the music, the language, the pizza!!
One of very favorite sites,your selections are wonderful and always bring a smile to my face and a nice warm feeling.Thank You Keep up the outstanding work.Ciao
Absolutely outstanding,please do continue,I am planning a trip to Italy and your videos has given a lot of valuable info.Thank You ,very very much.