Effects of the recession - Part 1

Phaedrus · 05-14-2008, 01:18 AM

Originally Posted by Psyclone

I used to love Pizza Hut thin crust pork topping pizza. The crust was cracker crisp and the pork topping was finely ground. Then in one stroke of genius, someone decided the make all the ingredients large and chunky. It ruined it for me. That was probably 10 years ago and I've hardly had a pizza hut pizza since.

Just curious, why is large and chunky so bad?

I felt it made the pizzas 1000% better. The finely ground was too "over-processed frozen pizza-esque".

But you are not the first person I've heard with this complaint.

Arkansas · 05-14-2008, 06:40 AM

Originally Posted by Phaedrus

You, my friend, need to learn how to make your own....

It's surprisingly cheap and easy. I use the thick tortillas, or pita bread as a crust, and just use spaghetti sauce from a bottle. Put your own cheeze on, bake, and voila! Home made pizza....

hmmmm....interesting take on using tortillas. Curious how that works though. One would think the tortilla would end up one of two extremes....brittle or soggy. What's your secret P??

Phaedrus · 05-14-2008, 07:22 AM

Either find some nice, thick "homestyle" tortillas, or use two on the bottom, and be happy with one brittle, and one soft and soggy. Oh, and use a stone to bake it on.

I didn't say they'd be "perfect"; I just use them when I want something really fast and cheap. Though some of the thick tortillas approach "sublime" category as quick pizza crust.

The night before last, I put a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a pan, and pan fried a "pizza" on medium-high. It turned out pretty good, but it was best when I folded over the "crust" and turned it over once and browned it on both sides.

jdoggivjc · 05-14-2008, 08:50 AM

My brother-in-law has this love for Pizza Hut that I'll never understand. Why he thinks they make such great pizzas I'll never understand. I'll eat Pizza Hut if it's what's available, but I'm never going out of my way to order it (oh yeah, he's an Iowa grad. That explains his like for Pizza Hut - no taste!

)

If I'm going to order from a chain, and that's a big if, it'll be Papa John's. Fairly inexpensive and the closest thing I can get to a New York style pizza from a large chain. However, I'd rather order from any one of the local pizza joints here in the Quad Cities, whether it be Harris Pizza (or any one of their number of spin-offs) or Paul Revere's.

The funny thing about the national chain pizza shops is you'll be hard pressed to find one on Long Island, NY. It's kind of the anti-Wal-Mart scenario there - all of the mom-and-pop pizza joints on the Island make it impossible for the large chain pizza joints to compete. And it's not just because the mom-and-pop pizza joints taste better - they're also less expensive than the national chains as well.

Wesley · 05-14-2008, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by cyclonenum1

Technically speaking, we are not in a recession. Recession is generally defined as two consecutive quarters of negative real GDP. Real GDP 1Q08 was basically flat (not negative) so we have not even had one quarter of negative real GDP yet.

Our press is being very "alarmist" over our economic news. What you really need to look at is the fundamental of corporate earnings...although they have slowed slightly, they are still relatively strong.

Are you hinting that the liberal drive by media wants the people to feel like GWB has failed on the economic front? The measured core inflation does not count energy or food. Some core measure.....

Hey the economy is doing well. Gas companies are really taking in the money now. Yahoo. Yet the restaurants are hurting.

isugcs · 05-14-2008, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by Phaedrus

You, my friend, need to learn how to make your own....

It's surprisingly cheap and easy. I use the thick tortillas, or pita bread as a crust, and just use spaghetti sauce from a bottle. Put your own cheeze on, bake, and voila! Home made pizza....

You, my friend, need to get a mixing bowl, flour, olive oil, hot water, salt, sugar, and yeast packets... and make edible crust. AND spring for the 59 cent can of pizza sauce. After that make sure you have shredded moz cheese and some browned pork sausage and voila, now you have the real thing.

No really, I do agree making your own is the way to go and it is surprisingly cheap and easy. And if a farm boy like me can do it... anyone can.

Wesley · 05-14-2008, 09:09 AM

U.S. April CPI up 0.2%, core rate up 0.1%

By Greg Robb
Last update: 8:30 a.m. EDT May 14, 2008

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - U.S. consumer inflation moderated in April, the Labor Department said Wednesday. The consumer price index increased 0.2% in April after a 0.3% gain in the previous month. The core CPI, which excludes food and energy costs, was up 0.1% in April after rising 0.2% in March. Economists were expecting the CPI and the core rate to rise 0.2%. Energy prices moderated after a large jump in March. However, food prices rose 0.9%, the largest gain since 1990

Phaedrus · 05-14-2008, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by isugcs

You, my friend, need to get a mixing bowl, flour, olive oil, hot water, salt, sugar, and yeast packets... and make edible crust. AND spring for the 59 cent can of pizza sauce. After that make sure you have shredded moz cheese and some browned pork sausage and voila, now you have the real thing.

No really, I do agree making your own is the way to go and it is surprisingly cheap and easy. And if a farm boy like me can do it... anyone can.

I doubt you've read my "other" pizza posts. After 9 years in the pizza biz, I think I "might" know a thing or two about making it from scratch. I was just giving a few suggestions on avoiding the (gasp) frozen pizza, for the unenlightened.

Here is some "Pizza Porn" for one of my double-crusted (home-made) Italian Tomato pies.

I don't have any good pics of my Chicago Style, but I'm especially fond of the corn-meal crust and real sliced Water Buffalo Mozzerella.

I know you were poking fun, but you may have awakened a monster...

P.S. - Whattya mean CANNED sauce?????

Phaedrus · 05-14-2008, 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by Wesley

Are you hinting that the liberal drive by media wants the people to feel like GWB has failed on the economic front? The measured core inflation does not count energy or food. Some core measure.....

Hey the economy is doing well. Gas companies are really taking in the money now. Yahoo. Yet the restaurants are hurting.

Originally Posted by Wesley

U.S. April CPI up 0.2%, core rate up 0.1%

By Greg Robb
Last update: 8:30 a.m. EDT May 14, 2008

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - U.S. consumer inflation moderated in April, the Labor Department said Wednesday. The consumer price index increased 0.2% in April after a 0.3% gain in the previous month. The core CPI, which excludes food and energy costs, was up 0.1% in April after rising 0.2% in March. Economists were expecting the CPI and the core rate to rise 0.2%. Energy prices moderated after a large jump in March. However, food prices rose 0.9%, the largest gain since 1990

Just curious, what does Inflation have to do with a "recession"?

Wesley · 05-14-2008, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by Phaedrus

Just curious, what does Inflation have to do with a "recession"?

Glad you asked.

The true inflation continues to be understated. Several news stories quote 10% annual rate. Since energy and food are not really counted, two of the most important items are not carried in the stats. These two items are quickly rising and making people feel like they have less money to spend. People gassing up with $80 for their SUVs have less money to spend and will not go out to dinner to eat pizza as much. Higher inflation than reported, dropping house sales/selling prices, fewer and smaller salary raises, mandatory food and energy needs, all lead to a general feel that we have a recession (or people are not getting ahead as fast as they did in the past) . Inflation/stagflation/deflation is intertwined with a possible recession when our economy depends so much on energy and finances. When your annual growth is 0.3% for a quarter you are right at the breakpoint. Thank goodness the govt coimputer was also able to arbitrarily generate 200,000 fake new jobs to make the job scenario for unemployment rosier.

Hey, the price of football tickets and corresponding contributions is going up also.

Phaedrus · 05-14-2008, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Wesley

all lead to a general feel that we have a recession (or people are not getting ahead as fast as they did in the past) .

"Recession" is a term with an actual "meaning". "Feelings" have nothing to do with it. Nothing you've posted in the thread has ANYTHING to do with a "Recession".

I would suggest that Americans' rampant appetite for credit has a much greater effect on their economic well-being than the current price of oil, or the fact that banks are letting complete morons get house loans.

pulse · 05-14-2008, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by Wesley

Glad you asked.

The true inflation continues to be understated. Several news stories quote 10% annual rate. Since energy and food are not really counted, two of the most important items are not carried in the stats. These two items are quickly rising and making people feel like they have less money to spend. People gassing up with $80 for their SUVs have less money to spend and will not go out to dinner to eat pizza as much. Higher inflation than reported, dropping house sales/selling prices, fewer and smaller salary raises, mandatory food and energy needs, all lead to a general feel that we have a recession (or people are not getting ahead as fast as they did in the past) . Inflation/stagflation/deflation is intertwined with a possible recession when our economy depends so much on energy and finances. When your annual growth is 0.3% for a quarter you are right at the breakpoint. Thank goodness the govt coimputer was also able to arbitrarily generate 200,000 fake new jobs to make the job scenario for unemployment rosier.

Hey, the price of football tickets and corresponding contributions is going up also.

Very true. We have been dealing with significant inflation, but the way its calculated isn't realistic.

Psyclone · 05-14-2008, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Phaedrus

Just curious, why is large and chunky so bad?

I felt it made the pizzas 1000% better. The finely ground was too "over-processed frozen pizza-esque".

But you are not the first person I've heard with this complaint.

For many of the ingredients and pizza types, large chunks are better. But for this particular 1-topping thin pizza, finely ground pork topping was an exception I wish they would have kept.

Phaedrus · 05-14-2008, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by Psyclone

For many of the ingredients and pizza types, large chunks are better. But for this particular 1-topping thin pizza, finely ground pork topping was an exception I wish they would have kept.

Unfortunately, Pizza Huts don't have good, full-service kitchens. If they did, they'd be able to accommodate your desire for finely ground pork topping. I know that if you were a regular customer at MY pizza restaurant, I'd grind up some pork topping for you and put it on the way you like it.

Chain restaurants kind of suck that way.

I had a co-worker once, that liked his pizza ingredients put in a blender and smeared on his pizza. Kind of didn't "get" that, myself.