Pizza Wars!

Posted on March 6, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers
Pizza Wars Tastings

Our selection for tasting in Pizza Wars! East Ave, the eventual willer, is top left.

Our local high school held a very successful fundraiser this week called PIZZA WARS! Six non-chain local pizza places were invited to submit their slices for tasting and judging in the categories of Best Topping, Best Crust and Best Overall. The competing businesses were Pizza Etc, Pope’s Pizza, Caputo’s Pizzeria, West Avenue Pizza, Rustic Pizza and Eats, D’Andrea’s, and 9 Miles East. Saratoga Springs is a pizza-loving town and all of these were familiar to me except the first which is actually from the town next door to us in Ballston Spa.

Tasting tickets were $6.19 in advance (including service charge) or $7 at the door, a bargain any way you look at it, and presumably the pizzas were donated and the labor was school volunteers so receipts went 100% to the Saratoga Schools Education Foundation, the official sponsor. They said the event was “sold out” and attendance was easily in the hundreds so this is an idea worth copying.

Pizza Wars AttendanceZ

West Ave, the Pizza Wars winner, is stationed at lower right in this crowd photo. The kid with the green shirt has the sole job of stamping tickets so the others don’t have to take their sanitary gloves to do it: typical attention to detail from this establishment.

Burnt My Fingers was there to stuff our pie hole, of course, but also to enjoy the strategizing the pizza places used to put a thumb on the scale appeal to voters. A couple (including Pizza Etc, whose bold choice for serving was a sauceless veggie), served up small, sensible bites which probably took them out of the running. Others offered full slices and some also had a choice of toppings to choose from. You had to choose one only from each tasting station, and they stamped a booklet to prevent double dipping.

Our favorite, and predicted winner, was West Avenue Pizza, offering a generous square with a topping of beautifully cupped pepperoni. This is an outfit run by an entrepreneurial family of Guatemalan immigrants who also own an excellent chicken place next door. They achieved notoriety when pizza savant Dave Portnoy rated them high in his one-bite tasting tour, and they are a fixture at various local public events. The quality of their products and attention to detail is consistently high.

Pizza Wars Aftermath

The aftermath.

Results: West Avenue Pizza did indeed take Best Pizza and also Best Crust. Best Topping, however, went to Pope’s which had a not-so-secret ingredient in its sauce: sugar. We left stuffed and happy with the experience.

Posted in Eating, Events | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Recipe: Instant Pot Philly Italian Pork

Posted on March 1, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers
Instant Pot Philly Italian Pork

Instant Pot Philly Italian Pork with broccoli rabe and cherry peppers.

Philly Italian Pork is one of the tastiest things we have made in the Instant Pot. As soon as the natural release was done, I found myself slurping the gravy by the spoonful. This recipe begins with the journey by Woks of Life’s Kaitlin to recreate the pork sandwiches she ate at Tommy DiNic’s while in college, then makes a swerve into reader Donna’s Instant Pot version which she says is even better. Makes many servings.

Ingredients
Pork butt, picnic or shoulder cut, bone-in or not, 4-6 lbs
½ c finely chopped garlic (about 16 cloves)
2 T dried oregano
2 T dried fennel
1 T dried thyme
1 T dried rosemary
1 ½ T Kosher salt
2 yellow onions, peeled and sliced thin
Olive oil
½ c red wine
14 oz can chopped tomatoes
2 bay leaves
2 c chicken stock

Method: Cut the pork into large chunks, reserving any bones. Mix salt, chopped garlic and dried spices and rub over all surfaces of the pork. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

In the morning, sauté onions in ¼ c olive oil till transparent; reserve. Sauté pork chunks in batches, turning to expose all sides and cook till light brown and crispy. After last chunk is removed, deglaze pot with red wine then add back onions and pork chunks as well as the reserved bone. Add chicken stock, tomato and bay leaves. Pressure cook on Manual for 60 minutes followed by 30 minutes natural release. Discard bones and bay leaves. The pork is ready to eat immediately, though if you refrigerate overnight it will throw off a layer of fat you might want to scrape up and discard.

Serving suggestion: the classic way to serve Instant Pot Italian Philly Pork is on a puffy Italian roll: split the roll, add a layer of provolone (sharp preferred) and toast till cheese is melted, then pile on pork with a good amount of juice. Addition of sautéed broccoli rabe or spinach is a must; a relish of sautéed long hot peppers and bell peppers is optional (and offered at extra cost at DiNic’s, I believe). There are jars of sliced pepperoncini on the counter at DiNics for a finishing touch; we had pickled cherry peppers and used those instead.

Philly Italian Pork Sandwich

Philly Italian Pork Sandwich with cherry peppers.

Instant Pot Italian Philly Pork is also mighty good without the roll, served over polenta or just on its own in a bowl with a spoon to capture every molecule of herb-specked gravy. Date night note: this method is a lot neater than the sandwich, which tends to disintegrate into sloppy goodness that ends up on your shirt.

Posted in Eating, Mains, Recipes | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Recipe: Strawberry Peanut Butter Sandwich

Posted on February 26, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers
Strawberry Peanut Butter Sandwich

Strawberry Peanut Butter Sandwich. Add some bananas if you like.

A place in our former neighborhood (Castro/Lower Haight) in San Francisco made a nice strawberry peanut butter sandwich. Smooth or crunchy peanut butter and sliced ripe strawberries on toast are a lovely juxtaposition of tastes and textures. To get fancy, add some sliced bananas. But leave them out if you are packing for school lunches because the bananas will get funky by lunchtime. Recipe for 1 sandwich.

Ingredients:
2 slices bread, your choice but not too dense, lightly toasted
About 4 fresh strawberries, stemmed and sliced lengthwise
Good peanut butter (we use Trader Joe’s Creamy Salted)
1/2 ripe banana, sliced (optional)
Honey (optional)

Method: toast the bread to light brown. Spread a thin layer of peanut butter on each slice, all the way to the edges. Layer on sliced strawberries and add bananas if you like. An optional layer of honey will give extra sweetness (though if that’s your jam, just stick to strawberry jam). Slice in half and serve.

Posted in Eating, Mains | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Food for Thought: Southern Living cole slaw recipes

Posted on February 22, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers
Chick Fil A Cole Slaw

Chick-Fil-A Coleslaw from Southern Living recipes. Credit: Courtesy chick-fil-a.com.

Southern Living Magazine contacted us recently for permission to reproduce Kerry’s one-sentence recipe for Snow’s Beans. That led to Southern Living recipes showing up in our feed and guess what, there’s some good stuff there.

When we are in the south we want to eat cole slaw of course (or as SL often refers to it, just plain “slaw”) and there are plenty of ideas starting with 15 Coleslaw Recipes That Pair With Any Meal. Classic Coleslaw is similar to our Deli Style Cole Slaw and uses the same secret ingredient: grated onion. Permanent Slaw is on the borderline between a salad and a condiment: it’s dense and acidic and “the longer this side dish sits, the more flavorful it becomes ”. Pineapple-Pepper Slaw provides the same flavor surprise as our Pineapple Slaw and uses fresh vs canned pineapple, an upgrade.

The recipe that got us most excited, and you know we do get excited abut cole slaw, was The Recipe For Chik-Fil-A’s Sorely Missed Coleslaw. It seems that “as our sales volumes grew, it just wasn’t feasible to keep adding to the menu without taking anything away” and coleslaw took the hit. But they were kind enough to share the recipe and, since the link in the article leads to a dead page, so shall we:

CHICK-FIL-A COLESLAW (Makes 6-8 servings)

  • 4 t vinegar
  • ¼ c sugar
  • ¼ t dry mustard
  • ¼ t salt
  • 1 c mayonnaise
  • 2 10-ounce bags fine shredded cabbage, chopped to 1/8 inch*
  • ¼ c finely chopped carrots

Whisk vinegar, sugar, mustard and salt together until sugar is dissolved. Add mayonnaise and whisk to mix. Add cabbage and carrots. Mix to combine. Refrigerate for two hours and serve.

The great thing about having this recipe in your repertoire is that you don’t have to serve it in a tiny specimen cup (a pet peeve of ours) and you don’t have to go to Chik-Fil-A to enjoy it. Check out Southern Living cole slaw recipes.

*We do have one quibble with Southern Living recipes: they tend to use prepackaged vegetable ingredients when it’s just as easy to start from scratch. Also, they insist on using Duke’s mayo, of which the less said the better.

Posted in Eating, Food for Thought, Recipes, Sides | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Oscar’s Smokehouse Smoked Pork Chops

Posted on February 16, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers
Oscars Smoked Pork Chop

Oscar’s Smokehouse Smoked Pork Chops are sold locally for more than the mail order price.

Oscar’s Smokehouse Smoked Pork Chops come from Warrensburg, a town 35 miles north of Saratoga Springs in the foothills of the Adirondacks. It’s a bit far to drive for a pack of meat (though the trip is beautiful on the scenic portion of I-87) but these morsels are worth the effort.

The smoky/sugary treatment is just right and the chops themselves are meaty and tender with just a bit of bone you can save and toss in a pan of beans. They are so good that when a respected local food critic reviewed a new restaurant in town, said pork chop atop a latke was one of her favorites even though minimal restaurant intervention was involved in preparing the dish. You need to try these.

In serving, I typically fry up the smoked pork chops in bacon grease. They are already cooked so I am bringing them to serving temperature with a bit of exterior crispness. Black eyed peas and greens are typical sides.

Oscar’s has a mail order operation though it’s obviously a sideline. A pack of two smoked pork chops between 1-1 ½ lbs is $13.99 online and I’ve always found they tend toward 1 ½ pounds which will serve 2 very hungry eaters or 4 sensible folks. A local store sells them for $11.69/lb so you are initially saving with mail order but shipping has to be factored in.

Oscar’s appears to charge $23.50 flat rate for shipping in the east (at least as far as Lansing MI, where one of my regular contacts resides) and $39.50 for longer distances, typically “west of the Rockies”. So you will want to order up to reduce the impact of that hefty shipping charge. Any of the smoked cheeses are good, and there is bacon at $10.99/lb or bacon ends and pieces for $6.99/lb which would be perfect for our German Potato Salad. Or go for the Adirondack Mt. Pack which includes six smoked pork chops, a pound of smoked cheddar and a jar of spicy mustard.

If you’re a lover of smoked meats, give Oscar’s Smokehouse Smoked Pork Chops’s a try. You won’t be sorry. P.S. No, this is not an affiliate post. I just like their products.

Posted in Cooking, Eating | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Recipe: Rye Currant Breadsticks, Improved

Posted on February 10, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers
Rye Currant Breadsticks Improved

Rye Currant Breadsticks, Improved.

The rye currant breadsticks created by AI weren’t bad, but to make them great we still needed the human touch. More currants, more honey and most important 100% rye flour. These morsels go great with any sort of dip: scoop up a portion, pop in your mouth and enjoy a burst of sweet-salty satisfaction. Makes around 24 6-inch breadsticks.

Ingredients:
2 c whole rye flour
½ c currants
1 t instant yeast
3 T honey (separated)
1 T olive oil
½ t Kosher salt
¾ c (approx..) warm water
Water for dipping
Maldon salt for coating

Method: soak the currants in ½ c warm water with 2 T honey; mix the yeast in ¼ c warm water with 1 T honey. Allow 15 minutes for the currants to soften and yeast to bloom. Combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl then add yeast mixture and olive oil. Knead till it begins to come together then add currants and water mixture. Knead for 7 minutes or so, adding more flour if the dough is extremely sticky. At the end hou should have a well formed ball which is just a little tacky. Cover and rest 90 minutes or so.

When dough has rested, roll out the breadsticks. Pick about a T of dough out of the ball and shape into a pudgy snake, then roll out as thin as you can make it on a flat surface. Use the same motion as for baguettes, pressing in the center of the roll then moving your fingers/hands outward. Repeat till the dough is used up.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour a little water onto a plate and shake some salt flakes onto your work surface. Roll each breadstick in the water, then the salt and place on a half sheet pan with Silpat or parchment paper lining. The breadsticks should just about cover the surface with room to breathe. Place in preheated oven; after 7 minutes turn the pan so everything cooks evenly. After about 15 minutes, the breadsticks will be slightly browned and you can turn off the oven but leave them a few more minutes with the door ajar so they will crisp up. Cool to room temperature then serve as an appetizer snack.

Posted in Baking and Baked Goods, Eating, Recipes | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

What to eat during the Super Bowl?

Posted on February 6, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers

Baking powder wings, from an earlier Super Bowl potluck.

What to eat during the Super Bowl? We are torn between rooting for the Patriots, a semi-local team with a quarterback whose wife is a TikTok baker, and the Seahawks which are owned by the daughter of the late molecular gastronomy maven Paul Allen. But the dastardly gulls booted our beloved 49ers from the playoffs in an earlier round, so New England it is! We’ll have baked beans made with this recipe for folks to enjoy between commercials.

Or, maybe not. At the tail end of COVID in 2021 we published this clips post describing the various ways we had cooked wings. (Which BTW have climbed in price to a level that makes no sense; consider substituting skin-on chicken thighs for any of these preps.) In 2021 gochujang was a novelty; now you can find it at your local 7-11 but we still like this KFC hack by which you can make some pretty good Korean style wings with ingredients that are already in your pantry.

Chicago Style Hot Dog

The finished product: Chicago Style hot dog, made at home.

Another year we did our Chicago Style hot dog taste test with ingredients that had been imported from Vienna Beef in the Windy City expressly for this purpose. Fun, but it requires a very boring game which this one probably won’t be. Also, this year the boozy local Chowderfest falls the day before and after two days of carousing our culinary and hosting ambitions may be dulled.

We do have our eye on this shrimp toast recipe from our friends at Woks for Life. It’s a true fusion snack that shows up on puupuu menus even here in the emerging permafrost, and might be just the thing to serve during halftime as we’re toggling between Bad Bunny and the patriotic option.

What’s on your big game platter?

Posted in Drinking, Eating | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Are you baking Taylor Swift sourdough?

Posted on February 1, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers

Taylor Swift “Funfetti” sourdough interpreted by Anya Ptacek.

So does Taylor Swift really bake sourdough bread and is it legit? I am one of those who admires her as a role model and for her social stances without actually listening to her music, but when it comes to baking we hold people to a higher standard. And I was skeptical after running across this recipe for “Blueberry Sourdough Bread à la Taylor Swift” in which the leavening agent is… baking powder.

But then I learned that her fiancée Travis Kelce had given her a bread slicer for Christmas and, considering he could have just as easily given her an island in the Caribbean, thought this was pretty hard core. (Presumably we are talking about one of those devices with vibrating wires like you see in commercial bakeries, not something like this gizmo from Amazon). So let’s dig deeper and give Taylor Swift a second chance (yes, that’s a song title from her upcoming album).

A lot of misdirection is not her fault and comes from people who are more fans than bakers. Exhibit one: an article in Real Simple that links to this quick bread recipe for a blueberry loaf. Looks potentially tasty but it’s not sourdough. The article also cites this cinnamon bread recipe which looks decent but gets its leavening from yeast with sourdough once again in a supporting role.

The biggest challenge in workshopping (her phrase) sourdough to give it the Taylor Smith treatment is “Funfetti”, which allegedly has sprinkles folded into a regular sourdough to delight her future nieces, the Kelce girls. I am grateful to Anya Ptacek who sensibly adds sugar and vanilla extract for flavor balance and advises holding back the sprinkles till the third stretch and fold so they don’t dissolve in the dough.

Of course, these days we are supposed to use AI rather than doing our own research. I googled “Taylor Swift Sourdough Bread Recipes” and got the following:

Taylor Swift’s “sourdough era” went viral after she shared her passion for baking during an appearance on the New Heights podcast. While she hasn’t released a formal cookbook, fans and food creators have developed specific “Taylor’s Version” recipes based on the flavor rotation she described.

Taylor’s Favorite Flavor Rotation
Swift revealed several creative variations she has been “workshopping” or regularly baking:
• Blueberry Lemon: Widely reported as Travis Kelce’s favorite.
• Funfetti (Sprinkles): A colorful version she developed for Jason Kelce’s daughters.
• Cinnamon Swirl & Cinnamon Raisin: Sweet, spiced loaves perfect for breakfast.

“Taylor’s Version” Sourdough Recipes
Bakers have translated her flavor descriptions into these popular community recipes:

• Funfetti Sourdough Loaf: This sweet loaf uses a standard sourdough base but adds rainbow sprinkles during the final fold to create a “celebration cake” effect.
o Base: 1 cup active starter, 1 cup warm milk, 3 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp sugar, 3 cups flour, 1 tsp salt.
o The Magic: Add ½ cup rainbow sprinkles gently after the first rest.
o Bake: 425°F for 30–35 minutes.

• Blueberry Lemon Sourdough: An artisan-style loaf featuring fresh or freeze-dried blueberries and citrus zest.
o Key Inclusions: Zest of 1 lemon, 1 cup blueberries, and often ¼ cup sugar to balance the tartness.
o Pro Tip: Some versions use Trader Joe’s lemon curd during shaping for a gooey center.

• Cinnamon Sugar Swirl: A “standard” sourdough base (e.g., 500g flour, 350g water, 100g starter) rolled with a cinnamon-sugar paste.
o The Swirl: Stretch the dough into a rectangle, spread the cinnamon-sugar mix, and roll tightly before placing in a banneton for a cold proof.

Taylor’s Sourdough Tips
Based on her public comments and fan-tracked “sourdough adventures”:
• Embrace the “1700s” Vibe: Swift categorizes sourdough as a slow, methodical hobby that rewards patience over perfection.
• Sharing is Key: She is known for gifting loaves to friends, complete with punny notes like “Are you bready for it?”.
• The Right Kit: Creators suggest using a Dutch Oven and a bread lame for scoring decorative designs—like an “M” or “TS”—on the crust.

Are you a/already baking your own TS-version sourdough b/intrigued by the crossover of celebrity and traditional baking c/thinking this is all a load of hooey? Answer in the comments please.

Posted in Food Heroes, Something Else | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Recipe: Rye Currant Breadsticks

Posted on January 24, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers
ChatGPT Breadsticks

Rye Currant Breadsticks from ChatGPT recipe.

[Update: above are the rye currant breadsticks I baked using the ChatGPT recipe. They’re good but not what I expected with clear directions for improvement. Next time I will use 100% rye flour and cook at 350 degrees so the bottom doesn’t brown before the breadsticks are crisp on top.]

Rye Currant Breadsticks are my first ChatGPT recipe. I described some delicious breadsticks I had found on a charcuterie plate and the LLM came back with a recipe which was almost exactly what I plan to try. So why wait to share? I’m traveling now but will be baking these as soon as I get back home. Here’s the entire exchange:

My query: recipe for rye bread sticks with honey currants rolled in coarse salt                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ChatGPT: Ooo, those sound dangerously good 😄 — a little sweet, a little salty, very snack-able. Here’s a crisp rye breadstick recipe with honey-soaked currants and a coarse salt roll, designed to be elegant but not fussy.                                                                                                                                Rye Breadsticks with Honey Currants & Coarse Salt

Makes: about 24 thin breadsticks
Texture: crisp outside, lightly chewy inside
Flavor: earthy rye, gentle honey sweetness, salty finish
Ingredients:
For the dough
1 c (120 g) rye flour (medium or dark)
¾ c (95 g) all-purpose flour
1 t instant yeast
¾ t fine sea salt
1 T honey
¾ c warm water (about 105–110°F)
1 T olive oil
For the currants
⅓ c dried currants
2 T honey
2 T hot water
For finishing
1 egg white, lightly beaten (or water for vegan)
Coarse sea salt or flaky salt (Maldon works well)

Method:
Soak the currants
Mix currants, honey, and hot water in a small bowl.
Let sit 15–20 minutes until plump. Drain well and pat dry (important so the dough doesn’t get soggy).

Make the dough
In a large bowl, combine rye flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, and fine salt.
Add honey, warm water, and olive oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead (by hand or mixer) 5–7 minutes until smooth but slightly tacky.
Gently knead in the drained currants until evenly distributed.

First rise
Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise about 60–75 minutes, until slightly puffy (it won’t double much—rye doesn’t).

Shape the breadsticks
Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 24 small pieces. Roll each piece into a thin rope, about 8–10 inches long. Brush each breadstick lightly with egg white, then roll or sprinkle generously with coarse salt.

  1. Bake
    Bake 12–15 minutes, rotating pans halfway, until:
    • Firm to the touch
    • Lightly browned at edges
    • Crisp but not dark
    For extra crispness, turn off oven, crack door, and leave sticks inside 5 more minutes.

Cooling
Cool completely on a rack. They’ll crisp up more as they cool.

Optional Tweaks (highly recommended 😉)
• Caraway or fennel seeds: ½ tsp in the dough for classic rye vibes
• Orange zest: ½ tsp pairs beautifully with currants
• Smoked salt: incredible contrast with honey
• Extra crunch: roll thinner and bake 2 minutes longer

Serving ideas
• With soft goat cheese or whipped ricotta
• Alongside blue cheese and pears
• As a cocktail snack with gin or dry sherry
• Wrapped in parchment as a classy homemade gift
If you want these extra crisp like grissini or softer and breadier, tell me which direction you want and I’ll tune the hydration and bake time.

Posted in Baking and Baked Goods, Recipes | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Food for Thought: Love Kari Cooking

Posted on January 18, 2026 by Burnt My Fingers
Tamales Verdes

Tamales Verdes with chicken, from Love Kari Cooking.

I came across the Love Kari Cooking Youtube channel because  I wanted to make tamales as my first experience with Masienda artisanal masa. And, since the New Year’s celebration had passed with my potential tamale party participants scurrying to the sidelines like cucarachas when the lights turn on, I knew here would not be a dulce version. That left me with two classics: a chile Colorado red version made with pork, and a chile verde with chicken.

Kari Kitchn

Kari in her kitchen (which is in Southern California).

There are some fanciful recipes out there, but I needed the OG version and Love Kari Cooking delivers. Because of the many steps and effort involved, Kari’s recipes are not going to make the easy list (her video titles regardless). Put another way, this is a no shortcuts approach to traditional Mexican-American cookery.

How to make Tamales Verdes de Pollo (Chicken Tamales) Easy Recipe involves from-scratch shredded chicken and green sauce with grilled peppers and tomatillos plus masa which starts with 1 ½ c lard blended till fluffy. There are plenty of tips along the way: boil tomatillos till they change color; that’s when you know they are done. Properly hydrated masa should float in a cup of water. Use extra (soaked) corn husks to make a bed for steaming the tamales.

The videos clearly demonstrate what Kari is doing at each step, though there are a lot of quick cuts so you’ll need to watch a few times before making your own attempts. (The camera operator is her husband Javier.) The best Tamales Rojos de Puerco con Chile Colorado has a very different result than the chicken tamales recipe but almost identical steps, so check them both out. Her recipes make 30 tamales and will use a full pound of corn husks, so make sure you have a lot of hungry mouths or room in your freezer. Check out Love Kari Cooking.

Posted in Cooking, Eating, Food for Thought | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment