Beer in dough recipe for success for Winnipeg's pizza champ

Diana Cline is an eight-time Canadian Pizza Baking Champion. The owner of Diana's Cucina & Lounge at 730 St. Anne's Road is finishing up La Pizza Week on Sunday and then she's flying to Vancouver for a big industry event. Before I get to that, Diana's Pizza Week entry is the Farm Boy. It's topped with her house-made marinara sauce, chicken fingers, strip bacon, caramelized onions and a cheese mix of mozzarella and chive and garlic havarti. After the pizza is baked, it's finished with crispy fried onions. The crust at the bottom of all this is made using Moosehead Lager. Diana put Winnipeg on the pizza map back in 2005 when she got a lot of attention for using Moosehead in the dough of an award-winning pizza. She says beer in pizza dough has many benefits including different textures and tastes. A beer like Moosehead creates a crunch on the outside but the inside is soft and chewy. A lighter beer causes the crust to be crisper and lighter. Diana says beer and even wine has been used in pizza dough for centuries in Italy because when the water wasn't great, they needed a liquid that had gone through a filtration process. She's currently playing around with pinsa, a unique form of pizza that hasn't made its way to Winnipeg yet. Continued success, Diana!

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We aren't the only ones feeling the squeeze at the grocery store. Government officials in Italy have decided to take action against rising pasta prices. The cost of spaghetti is up over 17%, compared to a year ago, despite a decrease in the price of wheat. One suggestion has been made to save money…turn off the stove while cooking pasta after the water has come to a boil. However, Chef Luigi Pomata called this tip "a disaster."

The fear of missing out on new food trends is the new FOMO. According to a new survey, more than three-quarters people are experiencing FOODMO. The poll of 2,000 social media users found 77% felt food-related FOMO and nearly as many (75%) said they instantly crave food when they see it online. To prevent the fear of missing out, 57% have attempted to make the recipes they’ve seen.

A new study out of Spain says a handful of walnuts three times a week is enough to boost attention and brain growth in adolescents. It's especially effective in kids with ADHD. Walnuts contain a beneficial type of omega-3 oil that helps students concentrate in class. Participants in the study were also less hyperactive.

The US Food and Drug Administration has authorized the entrance of gene-edited pigs into the food chain for human consumption in the form of German-style sausages. Gene-editing can make changes in an organism's DNA which could occur in nature or through selective breeding but would take much longer without a tool like CRISPR. The FDA authorization is investigational but gene-editing livestock to quickly produce desirable traits for improved food production is a viable strategy for helping to feed the planet's growing population.

Velveeta is out with a rich cheese truffle. The new TruffVel is a blend of white chocolate and cheese sauce. You can purchase a five pack at Compartes.com for $24.95 while supplies last. The TruffVels are yellow and resemble cheesy shells.

Double Chicken Please in New York City just took top spot on the 2023 list of North America's 50 Best Bars. It's a cocktail bar/chicken joint. DCP is well known for its wonderfully bizarre drinks including the Cold Pizza Cocktail which is made with Parmigiano Reggiano, tequila, tomato, basil, honey, egg white and burnt toast.

Just when you were worried your kids weren't getting enough sugar, General Mills has launched Kit Kat Cereal in the US. Based on the chocolate bar of the same same, the cereal is described as "chocolatey crispy deliciousness."

— Hal has written columns for years. He's also the host of Connecting Winnipeg weekday mornings from 10 to noon on 680 CJOB. You can email him at [email protected].

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included RISING PASTA PRICES THE NEW FOMO HANDFUL OF WALNUTS GENE-EDITED PIGS VELVEETA CHEESE TRUFFLE NORTH AMERICA’S BEST BAR DESSERT FOR BREAKFAST — Hal has written columns for years. He's also the host of Connecting Winnipeg weekday mornings from 10 to noon on 680 CJOB. You can email him at [email protected].