Pizza Magic: An Afternoon with Franco Pepe

Who is Franco Pepe?

Franco Pepe is where old school methods and modern vision meet to create magic – pizza magic.

He is a world-class pizzaiolo who comes from generations of master bakers in the little Italian town of Caiazzo.

He's turned this town of 6,000 residents into an international pizza hot-spot with his restaurant, Pepe in Grani. Every night, 400 people fill the restaurant to try his world-class pizza pie, and that's a LOT considering the tiny population of the town.

Why is his pizza so good?

For Pepe, it's all about the dough and the ingredients. In Italy, he focuses on sourcing from local farmers – oil made with the olives from Caiazzo, cured meats from black pigs bred in the area, the chickpeas from the hills surrounding Caiazzo, and onions from Alife.

The right stove is also essential to creating the signature Pepe flavour. That's why he's here – to test out Red Ember's Forza Forni oven, which was hand-built in Italy, of course, and is the only one of its kind in Winnipeg.

His pizza making is one part intuition and three parts research. Pepe investigates combinations of flour to make the perfect dough for the humidity and temperature of the environment. Then, once he has that perfect combination, he searches again through ancient and modern techniques of mixing, tossing, and kneading to make it even more delicious.


Can I try it?

You bet! On Saturday, November 18 from 2-4PM, Franco Pepe and a shipment of exclusive, high-quality ingredients direct from Italy, will be at The Forks Market, christening Red Ember's stunning pizza oven with his world-class pizza! Tickets include two slices of pizza and a glass of wine from the same region, paired by the folks at The Common.

GRAB YOUR TICKETS

(They're going quick!)

Other posts that might interest you:

• Not So Common: New Beer List in The Forks Market
• More Than Amore: Red Ember Common Open at The Forks
• Getting Cozy: Winter Prep in The Forks Market

Not So Common: New Beer List in The Forks Market

The Common jazzed up its beer list just in time for winter wanders. There's a few eclectic additions, but we're loving it! Each beer has a reason why it deserves a sip – so grab a note pad, jot down some favourites, and have a test flight in The Forks Market.

N°5 – Monk's Indiscredtion

Made by: Sound Brewery
Where: Poulsbo, Washington
Beer type: Belgian specialty ale

Okay, we're starting out strong – literally. Sound Brewery specializes in beer that has much more of a kick than normal brews. While having a well-balanced, smooth taste, this guy's ABV marks 10%. This one ain't for the faint of heart.


N°7 – Humulo Nimbus

Made by: Sound Brewing
Where: Poulsbo, Washington
Beer type: Double IPA

Another kicker from Sound Brewing, this IPA sits a tad lower on the ABV scale at 8.5% but still stronger than the typical beer. It's crisp, clean, hoppy, and a little tropical. We highly recommend you try it with some spicy roti from Taste of Sri Lanka for the best kind of flavour overload.


N°8 – Blood Orange Gose

Made by: Anderson Valley Brewing Co.
Where: Boonville, California
Beer type: Sour

Gose or gueuze beers are more acidic than usual, making them taste sour. Creating this kind of beer is a very specialized process that has been mastered over centuries. The ale Jon Snow and crew spills over their glasses when they cheers may very likely have been some form of sour. The Blood Orange Gose is a modern take on the medieval classic by changing the taste of the acidity slightly by brewing with blood oranges, sea salt, and coriander.


N°10 – Peanut Butter Milk Stout

Made by: Belching Beaver Brewery
Where: San Diego, California
Beer type: Stout

Yup. Peanut Butter. No joke here. Bring this beer up to your nose, and you will immediately think you're standing beside the chocolate river from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Take a sip, and you'll be pretty convinced you're drinking liquid REESE'S Peanut Butter Cups. This beer is dessert, and really, you have to try it.


N°12 – Saint of Circumstance

Made by: Collective Arts Brewing
Where: Hamilton, Ontario
Beer type: Citrus blonde ale

This is the perfect pizza pairing. Red Ember Common is now cooking up pizza in the Food Hall, and this beer is the one to wash it down. It's citrusy flavour is just zesty enough to be refreshing yet balanced enough that it doesn't overwhelm your palate. 


N°16 – Api-Hop

Made by: Les Verges de la Colline (Cidrerie Milton)
Where: Sainte-Cécile-de-Milton, Québec
Beer type: Cider

This is where cider meets beer. The apples are brewed with hops and fermented on lees (yeast left over after previous fermentation), to create a mature yet refreshing cider. 


N°17 – Bourbon Blood Orange



Made by: Bridge Brewing Company
Where: North Shore, Vancouver
Beer type: Wheat ale

Here we go again with the blood oranges, but this is a very different take on the citrus. The bourbon balances out the acidity to make it crisp, refreshing, and great to pair with nearly any food in The Market. We'd highly recommend the Shichimi fries from Kyu Grill to accompany this brew.


N°19 – O'Hara's Irish Stout

Made by: Carlow Brewing Company
Where: Carlow, Ireland
Beer type: Stout

What would winter beer drinking be without a classic stout? And this one is about as classic as it gets – smooth and full-bodied with subtle notes of coffee. Sip this Irish brew after a skate down the Red River Mutual Trail.

We think these few highlights of The Common's list of 20 beers might bring you a little extra winter cheer. Our beer list is curated by a contracted sommelier to have a great balance of brews. We aim to change up our five dedicated local taps monthly to feature the world-class brews coming out of the 'Peg, amongst the best of the rest nationally and internationally that you might not be able to find elsewhere in the city.  

Cheers! 🍻


Other posts that might interest you:

• Shoulder Season Solutions: Three Ways to be Active at the Forks This Month
• More Than Amore: Red Ember Common Open at The Forks
• Getting Cozy: Winter Prep in The Forks Market