LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk 54 you journey through the mountains. Here inside the Blue Line, I sought the best of the best but quickly discovered how impossible that challenge is. If you are from Lake George, it might be Giuseppe's; in Lyon's Falls, many would choose Marino's; Schroon Laker's like the wood-fired version at Sticks and Stones; Old Forge and Indian Lake residents and visitors line up for Tony Harper's or Puterko's; and those in Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake, and Lake Placid can choose between Little Italy, Guido's, Mr. Mike's, Bazzi's, Owl's Nest, or Caffe Rustica. From white tablecloth operations to Maplefields and Stewart's, patrons are loyal to "their place." There are too many choices, too many opportunities to discover something special, something inspired by that first pie to leave Lombardi's ovens. So my next step was to talk with those who make food their life calling: chefs and restaurateurs. What do they look for in great pizza and where in the Park do they find it? I posed a few questions to these chefs: • What is the most critical element when de- fining great pizza: crust, sauce, or cheese? • Do you prefer Neapolitan or deep-dish pizza? • Does it come out of a traditional oven or a wood-fired one? • Where do you go for pizza in the Adiron- dacks? Andrea Lautenschuetz, chef/owner of Salt of the Earth Restaurant in Lake Placid, said: "The most critical part has got to be the crust. It must be chewy but crisp and full of flavor. A great piz- za to me has perfect ratios. If it doesn't have enough of one thing or too much of another, it throws the whole thing off. The balance of acid to fat is import- ant. I like a little spiciness also, to break it up. It also needs to be cooked enough. I've had lots of pizzas that were undercooked. For me, the baking method doesn't really matter. Neapolitan or deep dish, I like them both. Where do I get pizza in the Adirondacks? Honestly, I prefer to make it myself, trying to perfect the pie each time, but I still find comfort in the local pizzerias. If it's done well, I love it!" Jarrad Lang, chef/operator of Left Bank Café in Sara- nac Lake, had a similar assessment: "I think for great pizza, every ingredient and layer needs to be on point; but that being said, a good crust is most important, followed by cheese and then sauce. I mean, really, you can get by with just good crust and cheese if necessary. I do look for a great crust ― crispy and thin and flavorful. So many pizzas are under-sea- soned.

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