Making Homemade Pizza

Believe it or not, I have never made homemade pizza before. I've made tiny pizzas on pitas and pizzas that you take home and heat up, but I have never made a pizza with a real made-at-home crust.




 

Up until now, I was really spoiled. I had tasty $5.00 pizzas very close to my house. But the shop closed down and now the only pizza shops around serve horribly thin crusted, bland tasting pizza-like oddities for over $10.00. (When I say thin crusted, I mean thin crusted! We bought one with 1/2 a centimeter crust.) Not that we get pizza very often, but on occasion, we just crave it. Last time we went to the beach, we ordered the most delicious pizza. The crust was good the sauce was so good we were considering sneaking into their backroom for the secret recipe. Anyway, this had us craving pizza and with nowhere to get it, we decided to try it for ourselves. I put baby portable mushrooms on my and my mom's side and Andy put green peppers and sausage on his. It turned out very yummy, not quite the pizza we had at the beach, but better than any pizza around here. 


The Dough:

- 1 cup of Warm Water (105°F-115°F)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dry Yeast
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 3 1/2 Cups Flour
- Olive oil for brushing over the top.

Put the water into a measuring cup,(make sure it is of temperature or you will kill the yeast like I always do.) Add the yeast and honey and stir it a few times. When the sugar dissolves, add the salt. Put the flour in a medium-sized mixing bowl and make a well in the center of it. Pour the yeast mixture into the well. Stir with a wooden spoon until it is too hard to mix, then use your hands. You may need more or less flour, keep adding it until the dough does not stick to your hands. Knead about 5 minutes. When done, roll it into a ball and brush olive oil over the top to keep it moist. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit under a lamp to rise for 1 hour. (I got this tip from Jodi at Curious Acorn.  Before she told me that, I was always letting my doughs rise in crazy places.)

The Sauce:

- 15 ounces Crushed Tomatoes
- 1/2 Tablespoon Sugar
- 4 Cloves of Fresh Garlic, Chopped and Smashed.
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Salt
- 1 teaspoon Rosemary

We mixed this together and let it sit while we rolled out the dough.  The rolling pin that we have is useless, you are supposed to fill it full of water and freeze it to use it and it has never done anything but leak onto my dough. We've been using an old fashioned soda bottle, which worked surprisingly well.

The dough works best if you turn up the sides a little at the ends so the toppings don't fall off while cooking. I forgot to do this, but most of the toppings stayed put. We cooked the mushrooms and the sausage before baking to remove excess juice. Cover the dough in a thin layer of sauce, leaving a one inch border around the outside edge.

Add cheese and other toppings and bake it in a preheated oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes. We don't have a baking stone but the pizza still turned out yummy on an oiled metal tray.   

I know making pizza is probably very old to many of you but it was a lot of fun. We don't normally eat pizza very often so it was a fun yummy treat and I expected it to be a lot harder considering the vast amounts of horrible pizzas out there.

Common Mistakes that New Researchers Make

Thanks to the digital age, primary documents are quickly becoming available to anyone who wants to access them. Unfortunately, a growing issue that is a result of this accessibility, is that people who have never researched anything before are unknowingly sharing unsound research with others.  It is great to have so many people interested in evaluating history for themselves without the lens of a historian but there are some common pitfalls that new or amateur researchers make.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

-Not doing enough research and making theories.  Some people find one piece of evidence for something to support a claim and end their research. One piece of evidence is not research; it is a piece of data. Research is the culmination of a lot of evaluated data. (See next mistake.)

-Finding one source that gives evidence for something without evaluating the source. When one researches thoroughly, they find evidence and spend a lot more time studying the source of the evidence. How common a view would it have been? How widely spread was the publication? Did the author have any ulterior motives? Does the information only pertain to a certain area, religious or political group, or country?  Was the piece supposed to be satirical? 

-Having a firm hypothesis and making the research fit the hypothesis. This includes not including research that would negate your thesis. Ethical researchers will make note of the evidence that goes against their theories as well as the evidence that does. This is so readers can evaluate the source documents themselves and see if they agree with a researcher’s conclusions. Good researchers use “working hypotheses” which can change when new information is uncovered. Good researchers must be willing to change their views. There is no shame in being wrong but there is shame in trying to skew research to fit a hypothesis. 

-Ignoring research done by others. It is very important to be cognizant of the research that others have done on your topic. It is not good manners to ignore the hard work that others have done before you and it is silly to present your research to your field if you have nothing particularly new to share. Your research should build on or negate the works of others as well as introduce new information, if possible.  Reading the works of others alerts you to resources you might not have find yourself and keeps you up to date.  

 I'm sure there are more but these are the ones I notice most and remember doing myself. I am very much a supporter of amateur historians because they typically research things that are very interesting that don't tend to get a lot of professional attention. I like to encourage people to try their hand at research if they are inclined because local history and material culture tend to only get attention from amateurs and it is some of the most interesting history to learn about. But we have to keep the research well founded, bad research gives amateur historians a bad reputation.      

This Thing Called Sleep

I've been working on a neat post but; unfortunately, school has kept me so busy that sleep has become this amazing novelty that is better than anything I can think of. 

However, I am taking a bunch of classes that I am actually interested in! That has never happened before. I am taking a class on the history of Pennsylvania and on the Revolutionary War period. I do have a ton of interesting reading but it's still a lot, even if it is interesting.

I'm really aching to write a post. I have a whole bunch of interesting ideas and no time to write. I'm sure after the first few weeks things will settle down and I'll be able to write a proper post. In the meantime, I look forward to this thing called sleep which is so glorious I am recommending it to everyone I know. :D

Is anyone else feeling this stress?

Book Sale Woes

Dear lady at the book sale with the book scanner,

I know buying books cheaply and reselling them is your livelihood. I was enjoying my day, casually looking through the used books at the library sale. I never buy more than 5 books and the books that I buy aren't exactly big money makers. In fact, that day I was just looking for a replacement 4th Harry Potter book for mine that promptly fell apart the first time I read it. I just want you to know that I very much appreciated you constantly raging toward me, like a reaping machine, throwing books every which way and pulling books practically out of my hands. Your reaching across me numerous times at the sale was welcomed and I hope you found everything you were looking for. You must have because I saw your 7 large bags of books stationed around the sale. I also liked the way you almost attacked that lady who saw a book in one of your bags and thought that it must have been available.

I was wondering if you noticed that other gentleman with the book scanner? The one that realized that the likelihood of any of us casual book shoppers  picking up a particularly valuable book was close to nil. He waited until us other shoppers moved until he started scanning in an area. In fact he didn't touch me at all during the whole time I was there. He even watched me pick up the books I wanted and let me pass, with a smile.

As a bibliophile, I just love relaxing and looking at the lovely $1.00 offers at book sales. I am not a person who buys more than they can read. In fact my budget for the sale was $5.00. Thanks for making my relaxing day perusing gently used books a nightmare. I had heard of your kind before but had never personally witnessed them. I want to thank you for demonstrating to me what I can only term as "Book Sale Rape." Rape is not funny but I feel it is the word that most accurately described what you were doing. (Yes, I had to make up a term for your actions.)

I just want you to know that I did get the Harry Potter book that I was looking for. I know it retails for a whole $0.01 online but liked the book enough I sprang a whole dollar for it. Especially since I like to support the library.

 Sincerely,

The girl with the suede bag that you complimented before you shoved me out of the way.


Has anyone else seen this happening? I am lucky in the fact that I tend to like books that no one else finds interesting and are pretty worthless in terms of resale value but are worth much more in knowledge value. Another good reason to love the Classics. :D I know this post was a little bit cheeky, but I have noticed this is a growing trend and have even heard that these people are banned from some sales during peak hours. While I am personally unaffected because of the books I like to read, I am sure others are frustrated with not being able to find books at sales because of this practice. Also, a little bit of courtesy to other shoppers wouldn't damage the "haul" too much either. I am very glad that the libraries are befitting from this practice but it really is a sad sight to see for people who love books.   

Reenacting Safety

These storms we've been having! The thunder last night was rolling and constant. I was lying in bed, looking toward the window and couldn't help but think of artillery fire.  None of my family could sleep, so we sat up and watched the lightning storm together. There is a reenacting event this weekend that part of our group is going to (Andy and I are taking a reenacting break.) I have been at events in the past where people could have seriously been hurt but "hardcore-ness" or "this is what they had to deal with" has gotten in the way of many people taking necessary safety precautions.









 Heat-Related Problems:

I think heat exhaustion is one of the most common reenacting maladies. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, 154 people were treated for heat-related illnesses at the last reenactment of First Manassas. But it happened then too: "Our men now and then fell down exhausted. If there were any cowards, they had a good excuse," wrote Frederick Frye of the 3rd Connecticut Infantry on July 30th, 1861 of his troops.

There are actually many heat related problems, including heat cramps, syncope, exhaustion, and stroke. The first three can be treated in camp but heatstroke is a medical emergency.

If you:

-Start to feel sick to your stomach
-Have been drinking a lot, but can't urinate
-Stop sweating when you should be sweating
-Faint

Start to rehydrate by drinking a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda per quart. The person should then take a trip to the medical tent. It is generally advised to not do any further physical activity after you've become sick, so if you are feeling slightly sick in the morning: sit the battle out. Don't let anyone convince you that you are "letting them down" or "they need the numbers," when it could turn into a medical emergency.

A mixture like this can easily be kept in a small period correct jar or poke sack and poured into a tin cup or canteen as a precaution.  Make sure to keep an eye on other reenactors, especially on hot days or when marching. If nothing else will persuade you to take necessary precautions; remember, if you go down with heat and EMTs have to treat you, they will cut right through your meticulously researched, expensive, time consuming clothing to save your life. (It's ridiculous to have to put it into these terms but it is actually the only thing that will convince some people.)

Cold-Related Problems:

Cold-related problems include hypothermia and frostbite. These problems normally only occur at events that are later in the year, high in the mountains, or near a body of water. Sometimes events can be sizzling hot in the day and freezing at night. If you get to the point of hypothermia, it is a medical emergency.  According to The Civil War Battlefield Guide by Frances H. Kennedy "Many of the Union wounded froze to death in the no man's land between the lines," during Fredericksburg in December of 1862. Not many winter events include camping but some do, such as the Bath-Romney Campaign in January.

The best thing to do to prevent cold-related injuries is to pack a change of clothing and extra blankets, even if these things are kept in the car. Always take an extra blanket, even if you think you won't need it. You never know if one of your blankets will get wet or if it will turn out to be a lot colder that everyone anticipated.  Also keep a spare change of socks in a dry place.

Some "reenactor" tips for cold events include carefully warming up a stone near the fire, wrapping it up in a blanket, and using it as a heating pad for your feet at night. Also carefully putting hot liquid in a tin cup and holding it helps warm the hands. Keep in mind cuddling for body heat like real Civil War soldiers did; some guys would rather freeze, I know. Many people prefer to sleep "taco style" which is folding your blankets so you have one side of the blankets under you and the other part over top of you.

Rain/Thunderstorms:

Rain is a common reenactor nuisance. One would think that we would all be better prepared for it. While there were rain umbrellas in the 1860s, I have yet to see an accurate reproduction one. Coats designed to repel rain did exist but I have not seen a reproduction one either. A good photo of Thomas Jackson's coat can be seen here. Also for civilians, oiled-silk capes existed for rain and some wools are water resistant. Oiled-silk was also used for water-proof dresses.  

Most storms are small and can past without harm, but violent storms can be dangerous. Make sure that your wood pile is covered with a ground cloth so that you can cook once the storm is over and that your tent stakes are firmly in the ground as wet soil can loosen them. Some people dig a small trench around their tent to direct water away from it but it is not possible or allowed at some events.

If there is lightning at an event, the best thing to do is to get a hotel room or sleep in your car. The last place you want to be during a lightning storm is in an open field with metal flag poles, cooking equipment, rifles, ect.  Metal on the ground doesn’t normally attract lightning strikes but can direct ground currents. Make sure not to touch metal during a storm with lightning. This is hard with rifles in tents.  Some people may dismiss the danger of lightning storms, but if the thunder is within 10 miles, find another place to stay. (To see how far away a storm is, count the seconds between when you see a lightning strike and when you hear the thunder. To see the science behind this see my post here: How Close are the Guns?)

Lightning will strike the tallest object in an area and then spread out along the ground. You do not want to be too close to the tallest object in the area to be hit when the energy travels along the ground and you do not want to be so far away that you become the tallest thing in the area. Last Gettysburg reenactment, lightning injured 5 reenactors during an early morning storm.

I think this post will be part of a series on possible safety issues we might encounter in the field. Hopefully I won't have to cover gun safety as it should be drilled into everyone's heads. I hope everyone was safe and enjoyed that last event, even with those terrible storms.