I am having my neighbours over for dinner tonight. Because I like them (better the devil you know etc), I've decided not to kill them cook. Am ordering pizza instead. Best pizza in Cape Town. Thing is, I need to keep the pizza warm. What is the best way to do that? I do have one of those box like things that has knobs on it and warms things up. I think it's called an oven or a stove, or something like that. I have one of those. I also have a microwave. Help?
Then, what is the best way to get sticky finger marks, bits of cereal and smudges of juice off a CD? I don't have a CD cleaner, but do I have many and various different flavours of cleaning stuff.
I might not cook, but I am a clean freak. Can't be good at EVERYTHING!
Eat as soon a pizzas arrive.....never use the microwave, the pizzas will go soggy. If have to place in oven, low heat 150 celcius and on low tray in oven.
Soap and water cleans sticky dvds and cds....just dry afterwards.
Posted by: pizzetta | 29 September 2007 at 10:44 AM
Also for CD's - baby wipes if you have any laying around. These magical things will clean anything off CD's. They are my favourite things.
Posted by: Veronica | 29 September 2007 at 10:56 AM
Sorry my English, I'm Swiss...
Do you serve one of your delicious salads beside the pizza? Because if you would invite me (not very likely, as I'm not living even remote close), I would definitly want to try the kind of salads you make.
By the way, I firmly believe that you are either a cooker or a cleaner - and I'm definitly not a clean freak, unfortunately, as that would come handy after a cooking or baking session of mine.
Posted by: Stefanie | 29 September 2007 at 11:36 AM
Wrap the pizza in foil - not tightly - you may lift the filling - before putting in the oven - you don't want to dry them out.
My 5c worth, for what it is worth....
Posted by: Coral | 29 September 2007 at 12:06 PM
Just a thought, but most good pizza places will give you the pizzas uncooked and will tell you how long to cook them in your own oven......then you get to look like a hero as well as avoid poisoning your guests. Just remember pizzas cook in really hot oven, really quickly so if their instructions sound weird, just go with it..Good luck
Posted by: Oonagh | 29 September 2007 at 01:04 PM
The best thing of course is to eat it as soon as it arrives. If that's not possible and it gets cold, sprinkle some water over the top of the pizza, cover with foil, careful not to touch the cheese, and put in oven on some kind of medium setting, like 350 degrees farenheit. The watter wget soggy, I promise.
Posted by: Nicole | 29 September 2007 at 03:00 PM
WOW, I really should have proof read, damn kids in my way. That last sentance should say, "The pizza wont get soggy, I promise."
Posted by: Nicole | 29 September 2007 at 03:02 PM
Boil it. Boiled pizza! Everyone loves it! *mwah* (air-kiss so no germs)
Posted by: Andrea | 29 September 2007 at 03:02 PM
Wash CDs by hand under warm (not too hot) running water with a squiret of dishwashing liquid. Don't use anything abrasive and be careful if you're wearing rings. Make sure you rinse them well and pat dry with paper towel.
Posted by: Steve Crane | 29 September 2007 at 03:46 PM
I second the idea of getting the pizza's "half-baked" - They do all the work and you just finish baking them at home - perfect!
Posted by: lara | 29 September 2007 at 03:47 PM
Baby wipes will do the trick for CD's but you have to wipe them off with something dry, like the edge of your shirt. Plain old soap and water works just fine, too. CD Cleaner is a scam, and so are CD markers- Sharpies do the trick.
Does the pizza place deliver? Could you order ahead of time and tell them when to drop it off?
Posted by: Caustic Cupcake | 29 September 2007 at 04:14 PM
I've never heard of getting pizzas half-baked! Interesting!
We usually have pizza delivered while everyone is groaning about being hungry and is salivating the moment the pizza man shows up. It is devoured instantly.
If you must keep it warm, low low low heat!! Take it out of the box though, wrap it in foil. Good luck.
I second the baby wipes for cds.
Posted by: amy | 29 September 2007 at 04:24 PM
CD cleaning- dishsoap and warm water. works every time. just be very gently and DON'T wipe in circles. (if you wipe in a circle then if you in advertantly scratch the disk while cleaning it it is much more likely to be noticeable scratch.
Posted by: J | 29 September 2007 at 04:32 PM
That pizza menu is intense! :)Looks pretty tasty too!
Posted by: Aqua | 29 September 2007 at 04:45 PM
Best to keep it warm? When you order it, ask them to deliver it at the time you are planning to start eating. ;-) Most places will be willing to try and deliver it just on time.
Posted by: Angela | 29 September 2007 at 04:55 PM
No advice handy but great tip about the pizza place, Tertia! I will be in Cape Town in November and I love pizza!
Posted by: Dana | 29 September 2007 at 05:14 PM
Don't listen to Oonagh, Tertia! She's telling you to actually be responsible for cooking something and not burning it, and we can't have that, can we?
Does the pizza place offer delivery, or do you have to drive there and pick it up yourself? If you have to pick it up, might be best to send Marko while the guests arrive, and serve it freshly hot. Or keep it warm in the oven. Remember that the oven needs to be fairly hot to burn paper (451° Fahrenheit), so if it's at the equivalent of 250° Fahrenheit, a cardboard pizza box won't burn, and the box should keep the top of the pizza from drying out or burning.
Posted by: Orange | 29 September 2007 at 05:24 PM
check this out:
http://www.parenthacks.com/2007/09/use-baby-wipes-.html#comments
I assume that if it works for DVDs it'll probably work for CDs too.
PS. this is a very cool website. good tips.
Posted by: jconroy | 29 September 2007 at 05:33 PM
Rubbing alcohol works the best for cleaning CDs, DVDs, and anything that you can't get clean otherwise. The best thing about the rubbing alcohol is that it dries on it's own. No suggestions on the pizza though.
Posted by: Jillian | 29 September 2007 at 05:38 PM
"most good pizza places will give you the pizzas uncooked" Sorry, but...what's the point...???
Coll Cacchio, hmmm, yummy. I think I know what we're now having tonight, and I can blame it on you, lol. The Morituri is my favourite. Just order when the people arrive, then there is just enough time to get two glasses of wine down and do the essential chitchat before they deliver. And I think this is a brilliant idea, as long as you don't stress about trying to keep it warm and stuff...
I'll send you some alcohol wipes with Grant, I have, like, a gazillion of them leftover from a client's promotional launch, and I use them to clean CD's and screens. Remember to wipe in straight lines from the center to the outside...
Posted by: Adi | 29 September 2007 at 06:26 PM
don't use the MW (makes pizza mushy), use the oven
Posted by: Anna | 29 September 2007 at 08:46 PM
To clean a cd use liquid dish washing soap and warm water. Just use your fingers- not any clothes and rub from the inside of the cd out towards the edge. Do not make circles or rub horizontally. To dry do not use paper towel or napkins. Use a cloth like you would use to clean your glasses. Something without fuzz- like a tee shirt. That should do the trick.
Posted by: Patty | 29 September 2007 at 09:58 PM
Oh man...
The minute you said best pizza, I knew you meant Col'Cacchios.
Damn, how I miss them...
Posted by: cooler*doula | 29 September 2007 at 11:19 PM
Heat a skillet over med-low heat. Spritz in a little non-stick spray or olive oil. Place slices and warm through. It takes a while (especially when there are many people eating) but it makes the bottom of the crust crispy-crunchy while the middle stays soft and chewy. My family does this even when the pizza is still hot!
Posted by: Rowan | 30 September 2007 at 02:52 AM
Wondering....
It says they have some smoking sections.... (perhaps they have other restaurants and not all have smoking inside). What is the current state of smoking in SA? Here (In Canada) we are doing our best to push smokers miles away from doorways (smoking inside restaurants has been gone in most provinces since 2000). Recently our local government banned it on patios and within 6 feet of door ways( say horray to that)
Curious :-)
Posted by: Emma | 30 September 2007 at 06:45 AM
I don't know if there are "pizza stones" in SA, but any smooth, large clay stepping stone (clean) that you can get at a home improvement store would do. Put it in the oven and get it piping hot while you wait for the delivery. No oil, nothing on it, this is not really cooking even though you are using the "hot thing" in your kitchen. When the pizza comes, turn off the oven and slide the pizza out of the box on to the stone. It will crisp up the bottom, the cheese will stay nice and melt-y, and it will stay hot for a while as the stone loses heat slowly. Don't cover with foil, as it will steam the thing rather than warm it. You can take the stone out or not, that's up to you. I love the sizzle a delivered pizza makes when I slide it on to a hot stone.
Posted by: WendyP | 30 September 2007 at 10:17 PM