VPN

     There are probably hundreds of thousands of pizza joints scattered over the globe.  And some are no doubt better than others, offering an endless variety of styles and toppings on all different thicknesses of crust.  Some are very good, and others...well, not so much.

     So how do you know that the pizza you ordered will be memorable in a positive way?  There is no absolute guarantee, but there is one indication that the pizza on your plate is the real deal.  Look for the letters "VPN" to be displayed in the establishment.  The logo might appear on the front door, by the cash register or on the menu.



   VPN stands for Associazione Verace (or sometimes Vera) Pizza Napoletana.  Recognized by the Italian government denomination of control (DOC) it is an organization that was instituted in Naples in 1984 "to promote and protect the true Neapolitan pizza."  Along with companion organizations, VPN Americas in the US and Canada and VPN Giappone in Japan, they monitor strict requirements that respect the tradition of the art of Neapolitan pizza making.

     Those requirements include the following:

1. Use of a wood burning oven that can heat to 800 degrees F.

2. Use of only fresh, all natural, non-processed ingredients like "00" flour, San Marzano tomatoes, Fior-di-latte or Bufala mozzarella, fresh basil, salt and yeast.

3. The must be kneaded either by hand or with a low-speed mixer.  No mechanical dough shaping is permitted.  The pizza baking time is not to exceed 90 seconds.

4. The facility must have a proper work surface, preferable a marble slab table.

5. The size of the pizza cannot be larger than 14 inches and must have a raised edge crust and a thin (0.11") center.  The slice should be soft and elastic and easily foldable, not hard or brittle.

Upon inspection, if these criteria are met the ownership can apply for membership and submit a $2,000 certification fee and then pay $250 annual dues to maintain their status.

When I perused the menu at Punch I took notice that the V.P.N. logo appeared in the lower left corner above the words, "Punch is one of a few pizzerias outside Naples, Italy to be a member of Vera Pizza Napoletana, an organization dedicated to regulating the authenticity of Neapolitan pizza."

So the next time you're hungry for a pizza, be sure you get the real deal!  Make it a VPN.