a peek inside the fishbowl

21 Jul, 2019

Deep dish

Posted by andrea tomkins in: Ottawa|Publishing/writing/career stuff|Recipes and Food

Awhile back I posted a General Life Update in which I revealed a few big things coming down the pipeline for my family and I. In that post I wrote about my departure as managing editor of Kitchissippi Times but what I didn’t mention was how thrilled I was with my final issue. The theme was one I’d been planning for some time and thanks to a lot of people including Paula Roy – a regular contributor to KT who happens to be one of the most fabulous foodies I know in Ottawa – we made it happen.

The July issue of KT was all about pizza. You can read the digital edition of it right here. We had a lot of fun with this one and I am grateful to everyone who indulged me, contributed photos and articles, and helped pull it together. :)

The pizza issue!

I like pizza just as much as the next person (or maybe a tiny bit more) but I also think pizza reflects the great diversity of our community. It’s a humble and economical food – a slice can be had for only a few bucks – but it can also be very fancypants with gourmet toppings prepared by top-tier restaurants.

So how can someone take a universal food like pizza and turn it into a major focal point of a very local community newspaper? Good question.

  • Paula wrote a fabulous introduction to the topic and shared her own tips and tricks as well as some of her personal history with pizza. (It’s not what you’d expect for a foodie!)
  • Paula also shared her tried-and-true recipe for pizza dough. I use one that’s close to this, but I’m definitely going to give hers a try. Also useful: her suggestions on where to source local ingredients if you’re making your own. There are some great ideas here!
  • I REALLY liked this collection of beverages to pair with pizza and I’ve made note of these great wine, beer, and cider recommendations straight from the pros. Have a look right here.
  • Paula and I collaborated on a PIZZA MAP. Honestly, when we started putting this together we had no idea there were THIS MANY places to grab a slice in our area. If you live on this side of Ottawa you will definitely want to check it out. Maybe it will inspire you to try a new place?
  • I interviewed a Kitchissippi resident who installed a permanent pizza oven in his backyard. Unfortunately for me, our chat occurred very close to dinner and my stomach made weird noises the entire time. I was inspired by his story and I’m secretly hoping Mark builds one for us in our yard too. You can read that article right here.
  • Dave Allston, our local historian, wrote a fantastic column about the history of pizza in Ottawa and Kitchissippi. I learned so much, and there are parts that made me laugh out loud too. He shared some great old ads and photos, which were posted on the web version of the story.

I found myself thinking about the pizza edition of KT while we were away in Thailand. The youngest and I found ourselves craving pizza during our short stay in the Phi Phi Islands. We ordered a medium Hawaiian pizza from a place that billed itself as “Phuket’s #1 pizza!” The very idea of ordering Hawaiian pizza in Thailand cracked me up to no end. It should be noted there was also seafood variety available as well as pepperoni or plain cheese.

We ate our pizza on a bench overlooking the ocean, half a world away from home. It was hot and delicious. They gave it to us with packets of ketchup (??) and little packages of oregano and a fine chili powder that we sprinkled on top. I’m a convert! The chili powder really gave the pizza a real boost.

Pizza toppings?

To enjoy a favourite food in a gorgeous setting with a sprinkle of something new was really special. I hope the pizza edition of KT has the same kind of effect on readers – and takes something familiar and makes it fresh and new again.


1 Response to "Deep dish"

1 | Jinjer

July 22nd, 2019 at 9:19 am

Avatar

That’s great that you were able to do the pizza article! And how awesome would it be to have your own pizza oven?

I wonder if those packets were really KETCHUP or if they were packets of pizza sauce!!! Did you open one and taste it? Or maybe when you mix the ketchup and oregano together it’s supposed to make it’s own sauce? LOL

comment form:

Archives

Me and my pet projects

Ottawa Bucket list

Subscribe via email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.


  • Gretchen Humphrey: I had a beautiful bee& birdbath filled with a solar fountain and dozens of antique marbles that were suddenly disappearing. At first I thought my
  • Jinjer: I am sobbing reading this post. And you're right, companion is not enough. Little furry treasured gifts that they are. Thanks for sharing cutie-pi
  • Karen: Dear Andrea, Mark and your daughters I am so very sad for your family xxx Piper was/is my favourite Instagram post. You shared with us so intimately
  • Christina Banuelos: Thank you for sharing Pipers life with us. Your posts of Piper brought me joy. Every time I see your post and see what kind of mischief Piper was gett
  • Carla Slocum: I am sitting here yet again crying at your loss. We have known that loss with Asta the WFT our first pup but now have the enormous gift of Stryker the
  • Janelle Brown: Dear Andrea Thank you for sharing Piper’s story with her followers. I empathise with your grief and emptiness as I lost my 14 year old Westie last
  • Natasha McReynolds-Nicholl: My god reading this is heartbreaking. December 1st was the as you describe longest day of my life, we lost out beautiful WFT hazel. Pipers final momen

The Obligatory Blurb

My name is Andrea and I live in the Westboro area of Ottawa with my husband Mark and our dog Piper who is kind of a big deal on Instagram. We also have two human offspring: Emma (24) and Sarah (22). During the day I work as a writer at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. I am a longtime Ottawa blogger and I've occupied this little corner of the WWW since 1999. The Fishbowl is my whiteboard, water cooler, and journal, all rolled into one. I'm passionate about healthy living, arts and culture, travel, great gear, good food, and sharing the best of Ottawa. I also love vegetables, photography, gadgets, and great design.

If you'd like to contact me, please use this form. If you're so inclined, you can read more about me here. Thank you for visiting!

 


Connect with me at these places too!

Still calling it Twitter