picking out what spices are in a really good curry.”Pettit’s Kitchen Know-How
WHEN SHOPPING for garlic, it’s difficult to know what you’re
buying (especially since most garlic is aged). Though it may be
impolite, the best way to know if the garlic is good is to dig
your nail into it and smell it. If it smells fresh and appetizing,
buy it; if not, leave it.
THE SECRET to a great pizza is the finishing oil you use to
drizzle on top. You want an oil that’s fragrant when it hits
something hot. At Delancey, Pettit uses an oil called Colline di
Santa Cruz, available at chefshop.com (see Resources).
WE ALL KNOW that fresh ingredients are often the best, and
that applies to flour too. Pettit advises that you use the freshest
flour you can get when making pizza (he uses flour from the
Shepherd’s Grain; see Resources). Try to track down a place
near you that grinds flour fresh and then buy it from them as
soon as you can after grinding. If you can’t get fresh flour, use
King Arthur brand.