Inception
Inception · February 12
The trend is breaking down, my friends. Thank Bullard for his Thursday 2/10 100 bps by July comments. Thank the news on Friday about impending doom in Eastern Europe. Everyone thought we had until at least the end of the Olympics.
S&P500 (SPY) failing to hold on a weekly basis (EMAs rolling over), and critically breaking down on an intraday basis. Cash is a position in this market.
US10Y yield and the price of WTI have been on the radar for a while now. 10Y weekly and oil monthly below. Obvious questions: does the 10 yr consolidate at 2% until the next Fed meeting? How long does it take oil to get to 100, and then what?
Black Shirt Brewing Co and Craft Pizza Kitchen (Denver, CO)
∙ Four Horsemen: (Pepperoni, Roasted Chicken, Bacon, BSB Sausage) ∙
Margherita with Pepperoni ∙
Digestibility of the crust is everything. Absolutely everything. Listen – if the crust isn’t top notch, the pizza can’t be. The toppings were excellent as well. Very unexpected delightful pizza at a brewery with a few tables. Had a couple great IPAs, enjoyed a couple pies. Great stop in RiNo.
Galasso's Cucina Italiana Pizza & Restaurant (Lebanon, NJ)
Toni & Nick Reunion Pizza Tour ∙ Volume 1
∙ Brooklyn Style: (EVO & Fresh Garlic Marinated Plum Tomatoes, Cheese & Fresh Basil) ∙
Cheese slice ∙
This was the first stop on our pizza tour. My friend and I had been dreaming it up for years. Following a FB group chat question posed to pizza enthusiasts in the region, Toni had a refined list. Galasso’s absolutely crushed it out of the gates.
Carting me around, Toni and I showed up around noon. Galasso’s wasn’t ready for our excitement.
When trying to get a feel for a restaurant standard, you have to try their cheese slice. Ehem, It was FIRE. There’s obvious bias with this being the first restaurant on the tour, but the pizza was incredible. The Brooklyn slice came highly recommended, and I’m so incredibly happy that it did.
Cheese: the cheese is light and airy, as is the crust. Shredded basil below the cheese. Tomato sauce isn’t overpowering at all, a compliment that falls into the crust. The slice goes down easier than college girls. A fantastically simple slice.
Brooklyn style: the sauce on this pizza will blow your mind and mess your shorts. Thick dough but not bready, the crust has a beautiful crisp on the bottom. Shredded basil in the cheese. The sauce tastes just like San Marzano tomatoes, garlic and basil. When we left, I peered over into the sauce container and saw only those 3 ingredients.
Toscana Pizza (Allendale, NJ)
Toni & Nick Reunion Pizza Tour ∙ Volume 1
∙ Cheese slice ∙
The third stop on the tour is nestled inside this quaint area. We sat at the bar by the front window, watching pizza go by while my mind was blown by this slice.
The crust continues to amaze. The cheese is great, a fair amount, and piping hot as it pools on top of the slice. It’s not too much, but it’s more than my taste goes for. I’m just being soft, they should never change a thing. The sauce is plentiful as well, there’s no skimping here. The sauce doesn’t have any texture, but compliments the slice well. The crust just can’t be beat around here. The slice is amazing.
Natale's Italian Restaurant (Lebanon, NJ)
Toni & Nick Reunion Pizza Tour ∙ Volume 1
∙ Cheese slice ∙
We arrived to the second spot, and unsurprisingly it was empty given the time of day. Unfortunately I think the pie we had wasn’t terribly fresh. Luck of the draw!
The sauce is like actual sauce, as is the cheese. Not as airy; more pull to it. Tastes like your traditional hometown spot. The crust makes the slice. Thin and light, nice crisp, folds easily. Sauce has less texture almost blended and you can see the Italian spice seasoning in it. Slice does the job better than most, but doesn’t leave you with much. Would revisit at a busier time to see if it was just not as fresh as you would hope for – the crust was good, but folded with straight edges.
DiMola's Pizza (North Plainfield, NJ)
Toni & Nick Reunion Pizza Tour ∙ Volume 1
∙ Cheese slice ∙
This was the fourth and final stop on our pizza tour. It needs to be said: I was full. I wasn’t terribly interested in having another slice in the first place (mind you, this would be slice five after having two at Galasso’s). Then I saw the slice. This is your local hometown spot that you take the kids to get a lot of cheesy pizza. The slice was completely overloaded with cheese, which is not my jam. There is a market for super cheesed up pizza lovers, and I commend you. Just not for me. Would be interesting if it were the first stop, maybe I would have felt differently.
Belmont Pizzeria (Richmond, VA)
Buffalo Chicken & Margherita pies ∙
Fire buffalo chicken!! The flavor was incredible; the sauce was some of the best buffalo I’ve ever had (it maybe had some cheese in the buffalo sauce itself). Margherita – delicious sauce, somewhat garlic forward. Possibly overpowering? The basil (pre cook) totally hits. Crust is wonderful, light and airy. Delivery was a bit cold so we re-fired in the oven for a nice crisp!
Ledo Pizza (Arlington, VA)
I’ve been eating Ledo’s as long as I can remember. These are the (almost) thin crust mini square pizza bites that blew your mind as a child, a difference you can appreciate as an adult. The edges of the crust crack like a fried tortilla shell, while a thin, doughy, substantive crust supports the rest of the pie. If the crust hasn’t captured you, lets talk about the lightly spicy, tangy sauce. Imagine a thin crust platter pie presented to your person, perpetuating sensual seductions to your perception that dazzle the senses before they tantalize the tastebuds. Doesn’t matter what you’re doin in the DC metro area (an Adelphi, MD original), you have to grab a Ledo pie.
Pizza 7 (Saratoga Springs, NY)
Pepperoni pie ∙
Nice late night bar pie had next door at Spa City Tap & Barrel. No kitchen, so they don’t mind if you walk in with a pizza and stuff your face. Super gooey cheese on fairly doughy crust, the grease from the pepperoni and everything else dripped all over the bar. Nice hot pie in the winter never hurts.
