Daily Slice gives a quick snapshot each weekday of a different slice or pie that the folks at the Serious Eats empire have enjoyed lately.
While driving around Newark looking for pizza bread for a recent hot dog tasting dinner, I ended up at Calandra's in Newark—a small chain of Italian bakeries whose pizza bread is so-so, but everything else is fantastic.
There were all sorts of pastries and delicious looking fresh breads, but what really piqued my interest were these room temperature mini-pizzas that sort of reminded me of the mini tomato pies I recently had at Varalli in South Philly.
I'm not sure if room temperature pizza is a "thing" in Newark the same way it is in Philly, but they didn't offer to heat it up either. The dough had that same light, white spongey thing that goes on with tomato pie, confirming my belief that all this stuff comes from a clever way to use leftover sandwich bread dough (or maybe in this case, Pizza Bread dough?)
The broccoli slice was awesome cold and reminded me of the veggie slices from Cacia and Corropolese that I love. But I just can't get behind cold pepperoni (or any meat) slices on anything other than a college hangover level—the cold, congealed meat grease/cheese combo is unappealing and it just doesn't set off the same comfort food receptors in my brain as really good tomato pie or a cold veggie slice. Verdict? Eat the broccoli pizza in the car, then heat the pepperoni one up in the oven when you get home.
Calandra's Bakery
204 1st Ave W, Newark, NJ (map)
973-484-5598 ; calandrasbakery.com
About the author: Hawk Krall is a Philadelphia-based illustrator who has a serious thing for hot dogs. Dig his dog drawings? Many of the illustrations he has created for Hot Dog of the Week are available for sale: hawkkrall.net/prints/.