A couple of dear friends flew from Florida to Pittsburgh to see my art show and attend the closing reception. They’d gone online at home and arranged to go on a walking food tour of the Pittsburgh neighborhood, Brookline.
Yesterday, Shuey sent me the photos and captions. They really enjoyed the ‘Burgh Bits and Bites tour. There are tours in other neighborhoods,the Strip District, Bloomfield and Shadyside. In fact, two were already booked up and so they chose Brookline.
Shuey made it easy for me by numbering the photos and text.
Pitaland in Brookline. #1
I’m sending individual pics to tell the story of how pita bread is made. First the secret recipe dough is made fresh, formed into a biscuit of dough and comes out here where it makes a left turn and heads into a machine that flattens it out.
Pitaland in Brookline. #2
After it’s flattened into a super thin pancake it makes a few turns and heads into the oven.
Pitaland in Brookline. #3
In the oven for 22 seconds at 1200 degrees. They are so thin entering the oven that I couldn’t even see them until about half way through they just materialize out of thin air in a second . . . like magic! Out of the oven they continue their journey cooling off.
Pitaland in Brookline. #4
The cooled pita breads drop off the conveyer onto a table where they are manually deflated and stacked then handed off to another worker who bags them up for shipment to stores in 14 states.
Pitaland in Brookline. #5
This is Joe Cuchines, owner of Pitaland and two of his employees. He came to America with 1 dollar in his pocket and . . . he’ll tell his story best.
Thank you Shuey for such a great guest blog. I’m going to have to take the tour.
Shuey was a guest blogger with his fabulous Barred Owl Photo in 2012 https://rutheh.com/2012/03/12/barred-owl-niceville-florida-guest-post/
Like a mini version of “how it’s made”
Fun post and sorry I could not attend the closing reception (wish u were a tad bit closer – but maybe another time will
Work out)
Delectable for the eyes but not for the gluten-free table, alas
I love the old-fashioned way of making bread. Even though it is going through the assembly line, it is still hard manual labour. Today’s emphasis on gluten-free bread and other food products is in my opinion a fad and will disappear. Thanks for interesting post, Ruth!
Thank you Peter. 😀
Another piece of the story Joe shared with me regarding the two workers standing with him in the last picture. He already has a machine that will efficiently stack and bag the finished pita breads, but . . . he won’t put it in until these two workers retire. They’ve been good loyal workers since he started and they’ve got their jobs until they decide to leave. He sees all his workers as family, not employees. Refreshing!
Efficient production.
A food tour. What a great idea
“He came to America with $1 in his pocket.” And now look it. Fabulous photo essay.
It’s a wonderful story, isn’t it? Thanks Audrey
Hilarious that they are manually deflated! I can imagine their rising out of nothing as being very magical.