Keep Your Friends Close...

And keep your friends that love food closer!

I've been blessed in this life to have many friends.

They come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and religions.

Some are gay and some are straight.

And some of them love food. 

I love 'em all.

I've been down with a nasty cold for about a week, pretty much glued to the couch and watching a lot of bad TV
(Note to Self: Never, ever watch Honey Boo Boo again. ). 

Well I did watch The Unforgiven and Pale Rider back to back last night. Got to love Clint Eastwood, even if he's taken to talking to empty chairs lately.

So what better to help me recover from my weakened state?

Well, a couple of gifts I received over the past couple of days from a couple of dear friends.

Both were surprises and made my day each time.

First came the bread from Diana who lives just outside Syracuse in Liverpool.

She and her better half Jeff were coming North on Saturday.

Well, Jeff was riding his bicycle to Canton from Liverpool, Diana being a bit more prudent drove.

On Sunday, they came to Tupper on their way home stop at Jack and Anne Marie's for brunch.

I was under the weather so I couldn't make it, but.....

Diana baked bread for the occasion and I got a loaf which Anne Marie delivered!

Here's the bread and Diana's description.  The pic is Diana's.

Crusty Garlic and Three Cheese Bread

"I used some Grande provolone, asiago fresca and some parm reg. The crust was good and it did not taste burnt--they were burnished."

I love bread and I love cheese, so to say I was a happy, happy boy would be an understatement.

The crust was nice and crusty, the inside was soft and the crumb structure was a sight to behold.

I can't say I've ever had better bread.

( It was awesome with the baked ziti Nancie made last night!)

Here's some pics I shot.

When I say crumb, I mean the holes in the bread. The better the the crumb, the better the the bread.
This is just wicked, and if you were closer you could see the melted asiago. 
There's lots of bread out there but this is killer!

My next surprise came this afternoon, when there was a knock on the door and what to my wondering eyes should appear but my buddy Dan.

Dan hails from Hazleton, PA.

Hazleton is right off Interstate 81 south of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. 

When he makes a pilgrimage to the old home town he stops at a bakery before he returns, and if I'm lucky, he brings a box of Pitza, yup I said Pitza.

The bakery is Senapes Bakery. 

According to Dan it's been in business for a long time, I'm guessing 60 years plus.

Hazleton is a classic American town, originally full of immigrants from all over Europe. Poland, the Ukraine, Ireland, Italy and on and on from the beginning of the last century.

Senape's is what the ethnic mixing bowl is all about. In this case the Italian bowl.

So what is Pitza?

Closest thing I can compare it to is Utica Tomato Pie.

Simple in construction, dough,sauce, and grated cheese.

Dan tells me when he was a kid they sold it in bars and stores for a nickel a slice (hope I'm not giving your age away buddy!)

At any rate Pitza is Pitza,not pizza in the classic sense, but a cousin, a very good cousin.

It's the kind of  thing that is sort of unremarkable on the first bite, then you say, OK, not bad, then 3 slices later you say whoa, better stop and save some for the wife and kids!

It comes in a box, wrapped in string. Old school.

Then you open up the box and ......

Well, there were 7 more slices there. Not sure what happened...

Eat me!

Like I said, before it's like Tomato Pie, and highly addicting.

I just ate 2 pieces in 5 minutes, when I finish this post I'm going back for more.

(It's best eaten cold, or reheated in a frying pan with a little bit of oil and the lid on.)

So, I'm on the mend, back to work tomorrow and a happy, happy boy thanks to my friends, all of 'em!

GP