Photo Credit KG
The purpose of this project was to look at how certain foods are made and if certain food labels are reliable. We also looked at the ingredients in the foods as well. We learned about the effect of different ingredients on certain foods, as well as whether they are safe for us to eat and digest. I chose to review all the foods that I did because they are very prominent in my life. I really love food, so it was a very interesting experience learning about everything that goes into how the foods I eat are prepared. My opinion on most foods did not change after my research, however, how I view meat products is now completely different than how I viewed it before this project. I can no longer eat meat without thinking about what the animal it came from had to endure. I was shocked to realize that people can live with themselves after treating animals so poorly. I was especially surprised and horrified to see animals that could not even walk due to their huge, hormone induced size. Luckily, when I made my own pizza, I did not use any meat.
Food Review
Malnati’s pizza has had a special place in my pizza filled heart my
whole life. After years of pizza eating, I wondered how hard could it be to
make my own pizza? It’s just cheese on bread with sauce! I decided to
make my own pizza, and try to match the pizza supremacy of Malnati’s.
To get Malnati’s pizza, all you need is a quick phone call and 30
minutes. Then, you can pick up your pizza. Immediately, the delicious
smell of melted cheese and tomato sauce hits you. Once you smell it, you
can’t help opening the box to look at it. The pizza looks like it’s straight out
of the oven! Once you see it, you have to try it. With the first bite, you
notice the crunchiness of the crust, the smooth, salty taste of the cheese,
and the zesty tomato flavor of the sauce. Once you chew the rough and
crispy crust, you taste the butter mixed in flawlessly. I have eaten Malnati’s
pizza my whole life, and it has always been a happy memory for me.
To make my own pizza, I bought the ingredients at Dominick’s. I
brushed the pizza dough with olive oil, spread pizza sauce over it, then
sprinkled mozzarella cheese over the top. Then I put it in the oven. When I
took it out of the oven, I was disappointed. The pizza looked hot and
freshly cooked, but it looked like a frozen pizza. I didn’t smell the tomato
sauce smell I was used to, and only smelled cheese, and a hint of dough.
When I touched the pizza, both the crust and the cheese were rough but
pliable. As I ate a piece, I noticed it was crunchy, moist and tasted bland.
There were no herbs or spices added. The pizza did, however, taste
freshly baked with its melted, bubbling cheese and crunchy crust. With
This pizza had no happy memories attached to it and it made me sad that I
could not even come close to the luscious goodness of Malnati’s.
There is no comparison between the two pizzas. Malnati’s has
incredible flavor and a one of a kind, unique taste. What gives Malnati’s
pizza its unique flavor is the herbs and spices added to it. Herbs and
spices were lacking in my pizza .
While thinking about the pizza’s ingredients, I thought about Pollan’s
five food transformations. At first I didn’t believe that either pizza related to
any transformation, but then I saw the opposite of the “Quality to Quantity”
transformation. The food is so good, and although it isn’t the cheapest, it is
definitely high quality food. After pondering further, I realized that both
pizzas related to the “Whole to Refined” transformation, as some
ingredients were processed to increase their shelf life. I believe this
because a restaurant, like Malnati’s, does not know with certainty how long
it will take to use ingredients purchased in bulk. If business is slow, it is
preferable for ingredients to last longer. In my homemade pizza, I used
processed mozzarella cheese. As I looked at the ingredients, I noticed one
ingredient that I was unfamiliar with; Natamycin. I researched it, and found
that it is an antimicrobial agent produced by bacteria and used to prevent
mold growth in cheese. Luckily it is safe to eat!
After my foray into pizza baking, I definitely recommend Malnati’s
pizza. It is spectacular, delicious, and has the perfect combination of
crunch, tangy tomato flavor and cheesy goodness. It is deffinitely one of a
kind pizza that everyone should try.