Category: Articles

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    [post_date] => 2023-08-08 07:00:00
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    [post_content] => There are lots of ways to top your pizza, from the old standards like pepperoni and sausage to the somewhat controversial ham and pineapple to the fancy add-ons like lamb and goat cheese. But once you get your finished pie, you may have a desire to kick it up with some heat. Ordering jalapenos or other chilis as a topping for your pizza is one option, but many of us like to go the condiment route and add some red pepper flakes or hot sauce or chili oil to bring some more burn. Below are six different options that I like which vary depending on the type of pie I am eating. And I welcome you to chime in with your own ways of spicing up your pizza in the comments section.

Crushed Red Pepper: This is one of the most common ways to spice up a pizza and sometimes the only option if you are eating the pie where it is made. That jar of crushed red peppers is ubiquitous in Italian restaurants and pizza parlors, and it is definitely a good way to bring some spice to your slice. These flakes don't add much flavor beyond maybe some of that earthy, dried pepper taste. They also don't bring too much heat unless they come from a hotter type of chili. Typically, the ones you find in restaurants and at the store have a bit of a kick but won't set your mouth ablaze. And they don't do too much to change the flavor of the pizza unless you pile a lot on. They just kick things up a bit and allow the taste of the other toppings to come through unhindered. The crushed red pepper flakes are generally what I rely on while at a restaurant or in cases where I want a little extra heat without too much alteration to the other flavors. These are the most accepted topping for kicking up a slice of the pie and you can use them on pretty much any type of pizza.

Tabasco Sauce: Some might consider this sacrilege, but I can attest that this iconic sauce from Avery Island is a great way to bring some heat to your pizza. It does have an impact on the overall taste of the slice you are eating because it brings some of that vinegar tang and fermented chili flavor to the picture. But if used judiciously, it does not overwhelm and delivers just the right amount of pop with a nice burst of heat. I find that Tabasco goes particularly well with meaty pizzas, especially a pepperoni pie. But it still works with veggie pizzas as well. This will deliver much more of a kick than the crushed red peppers, but it won't send you screaming from the room unless you completely dowse your slice with the stuff. And this may not be the spicy topping for everyone, but if you like Tabasco, you will almost certainly enjoy it on your pizza.  I tend to use this mostly with pies from the chain restaurants or if I cook up a frozen pizza.  (Read more about the sauce here.)

Cholula Sauce: There was a time when California Pizza Kitchen had a bottle of this south-of-the-border sauce on every table, and that started a whole trend of linking it with pizza. This does not bring as much heat as Tabasco, coming in closer to the kick you get from the red peppers. And while it is a milder sauce, it will have some impact on the flavor of the pizza with its earthy flavors and Mexican seasonings, so it is not for all pies in my opinion. In fact, typically I don't add it to the pizza itself, I make a little pool of the sauce on my plate for dipping the crust. I believe that's how it works best, but some prefer to drizzle it over the full slice. There are some pizzas I will do that with (CPK's Spicy Chipotle Chicken Pizza for example, more on that here), but Tabasco is typically my go-to hot sauce for a slice of the pie.  (You can read more about Cholula sauce here.)

Trader Joe's Italian Bomba Sauce: I don't get paid to promote the products from Trader Joes's (Hey, TJ's if you want to throw some money my way to promote your products, I'm all ears), but that California grocery chain has some good spicy selections and I try to get the word out on a regular basis. One in particular is the Italian Bomba Sauce and I make sure to have a jar of that available at all times. It has a tartness and tang along with some earthiness from the peppers and it brings a nice amount of heat with it. Not that it will turn your pie into an inferno, but it does bring a bite. This will definitely alter the flavor of your slice and it's not for every pizza. I find it goes really well with a margherita pizza or just plain cheese because it is not taking away from the other ingredients. But I have also spooned some of this onto a meat-lovers slice and it still worked pretty well, and it really helps to bring a slice of frozen pizza to life. If you haven't discovered this sauce yet, get to the TJ's near you and buy a jar or three. You will almost certainly find yourself hooked and will pull this out every time you serve something with Italian origins. (Read more about the sauce here.)

Chili Oil: There are lots of chili oils out there, and how one affects the taste of your pizza will depend on what goes into the oil. A very basic recipe includes chili peppers, garlic, and olive oil, but there are plenty of variations. Drizzling some of this on your pizza will bring a little bit of tartness along with some garlic and the taste of the peppers. Typically, chili oil is not too hot and will not result in too much of a blaze. It is a more subtle topping that works well with the other ingredients while kicking things up just a bit. You don't see this in pizzerias or Italian restaurants as much as you should. And there are not too many chili oils in the store either beyond the Asian varieties. It is easy to make (watch for an upcoming recipe) and works well with the gourmet pies, so having some on hand for when you bring home a pizza is a good idea.

Calabrian Chilis: This is a relatively new thing for me based on a discovery I made earlier this year. I had been hearing people raving about Calabrian chilis and decided to try one of the brands out there (more on that here), and found myself instantly hooked. These are the same chili peppers used in the Italian Bomba sauce, so I guess it makes sense that I like them. You can chop them up and put them on your pizza, and/or you can drizzle some of that oil over your slice. It brings that tartness and earthiness similar to the Bomba sauce, but with these you can go for a more judicious covering if desired. I have also added these as toppings to a pizza I am cooking which works out as well. They are a little harder to find, but if you don't have an Italian market close by, you can order them online at Amazon.com.

How do you bring some heat to your pizza? Let us know your spicy suggestions in the comments below.
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https://spicyfoodreviews.com/2022/01/review-spicy-chipotle-chicken-pizza-from-california-pizza-kitchen
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There are lots of ways to top your pizza, from the old standards like pepperoni and sausage to the somewhat controversial ham and pineapple to …

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    [post_date] => 2021-03-23 06:50:32
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    [post_content] => Luby’s Cafeteria is a Texas institution that has been around since it got its start right here in San Antonio in 1947. Sadly though, after over seventy years of serving the people across this state and beyond, this chain is set to close the doors to all of its restaurants later this year. And while Luby's is not known as a location for spicy menu options, it has a few items with a kick to choose from and long ago actually helped contribute to my love of spicy foods.

Way back when I was a little tyke, Luby’s (or Romano Cafeteria which was bought up by the chain) was a common destination for lunch after church on Sundays if we weren’t going to grandma’s house. The fried fish (square in shape like fish should be) was my usual entre selection accompanied by macaroni and cheese (which counted as a vegetable) and fried okra (look mom, I’m eating my greens). And no, I didn’t get the Lu Ann Platter, I wanted the whole piece of fish! I would also usually get the jalapeno cornbread (there’s kernels of corn in there, more vegetables!) which was never very spicy but at least a baby step in the right direction.

The meal was not complete, though, unless I also picked up one of their cream cheese stuffed jalapenos. That was half of a pickled jalapeno with the seeds removed and stuffed with a fluffy cream cheese mixture that I believe also included bits of pickles (though don’t be trusting these withered brain cells to recall precise ingredients). They really weren’t particularly hot, but to a five-year-old kid they sure seemed like a spicy challenge, and my brother and I would usually dare each other to eat the whole thing. Those are my earliest memories of eating spicy foods, and my love of heat has only grown from there.

I recently visited Luby’s for lunch knowing that I will not be having many more opportunities in the future, and it was truly a blast from the past. I got my standard combo of fried fish, mac and cheese, fried okra, and cornbread. Sadly, the location near me does not have the cream cheese stuffed jalapenos anymore, so I had to settle for the pickled pepper on its own (and with seeds removed).

Luby’s is not gourmet food, nor has it ever been. But it is good comfort food and that lunch was like taking a trip back in time. Sure, sitting on the steam tray causes the fried selections to lose some of their crispiness. The tartar sauce is heavier on the mayonnaise than I prefer. The mac and cheese could use a bit more seasoning. The cornbread is somewhat dry. But none of that mattered or bothered me a single bit while eating my meal. If you want more seasoning, they have salt and pepper and hot sauce and more at the condiment stand. This is simple food, and it is simply good, and every bite was pure nostalgia.

It is a shame that current food trends have passed Luby’s by because it still has plenty to offer. It’s not farm-to-table, it’s not organic, it’s not all scratch-made, it won’t get any airtime from Guy Fieri or a photoshoot in Bon Appetit. But it is good, old-style comfort food at a reasonable price. And it has plenty of choices to satisfy different tastes. But waiting in line to select your food from servers standing behind steam trays lost favor years ago, and the current pandemic environment only made this establishment seem like an even less desirable establishment for a meal.

I have to admit that I have been a stranger to the place over the last decade or so.  When the kids were younger, we went to Luby's more often because it usually had something to satisfy everybody, and it was cheaper than your average casual sitdown joint.  But as a lover of craft beer, I started going more often to places that had a variety of brews on tap.  The kids also grew up (they tend to do that), and became less enamored with old-school cafeteria dining.  Perhaps if people like me had not removed this restaurant from the regular rotation, it might not be on its last legs.

Over the years Luby’s has tried different things to update the restaurant's image like adding fancier entrees, offering beer and wine, beefing up the table service, and more. But that never did enough to bring in new customers and was typically not well-received by the established clientele. Luby’s is what is. A throwback cafeteria that serves good food but has sadly become more and more of an anachronism in the 21st century.

Current plans are for the locations still open to continue full service through August, which is the end of the fiscal year. At that point, the cafeterias will close their doors—unless a last-minute savior steps in—and Luby’s will become yet another restaurant chain that has fallen to hard times. If you have not been in a while, I recommend stopping by for a Lu Ann Platter and a slice of pie. If you have never been, it’s worth a visit to see what you missed out on all these years.

Farewell, Luby’s! You have served the great state of Texas and beyond well in your years, and you will be missed by those of us who have many fond memories of dining in your halls.
    [post_title] => Farewell Luby’s!
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Luby’s Cafeteria is a Texas institution that has been around since it got its start right here in San Antonio in 1947. Sadly though, after …