Pitruco Pizza: Food Truck Producing Restaurant-Quality Wood-Fired Pizzas

The Philadelphia food truck/cart scene has definitely taken leaps and bounds forward.  While it still has a ways to go to come close to the variety and quality of the New York, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon vendors, there’s been much progress.  Just a few short years ago, we were, more or less, limited to long-standing, stationary trucks parked in University City and Temple and relatively average carts in Center City.  There were no Twittering trucks announcing their location and presence to their followers.  Food trucks were notably absent from Center City.

Thankfully, things have gone up and up.  New food trucks and carts have popped up, including roving ones.  The variety and quality have vastly improved, with cupcake trucks, a taco truck from an Iron Chef, as well as other ethnic specialty foods.  Events such as the Night Market and Vendy Awards have also helped spotlight the scene.

And now, the next step in the evolution is the pizza food truck in Center City.  And not just any pizza, but wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizza.  Pitruco Pizza recently made its debut, with a current rotation of two days at Love Park in Center City and two days in University City.  Continue reading →

Hydration During a Marathon: Different Schools of Thought

Here’s the problem about advice regarding proper hydration during a marathon: there’s no one correct and accepted method. 

Instead, there are multiple schools of thought on how to properly stay hydrated without being overhydrated.  In a recent New York Times piece, there’s a focus on avoiding drinking too much water, which could lead to the condition called hyponatremia.  Ingesting more fluid than you lose through sweating or urination could dilute your blood’s sodium levels, which could lead to serious, even fatal conditions.  Instead, the article cites recent guidelines from the International Marathon Medical Directors Association to recommend drinking only when you’re thirsty.

This advice probably goes against everything marathoners of all levels have heard.  Indeed, a HealthDay article from this weekend offers differing thoughts from a registered dietitian.  The recommendation was to stay properly hydrated and consume 16 to 20 ounces of water about 2 hours before the race, drink another 7 to 10 ounces of water 10 to 20 minutes before exercise, and take in about 6 to 8 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise.  For activity of longer than an hour, there also should be consumption of a sports drink with 4 to 8 percent carbohydrates. 

In the end, it matters what works for you.  For me personally, I’ve tried drinking only when thirsty as well as drinking on a regular schedule and gotten dehydrated through both methods.  If anyone has a fail-safe method, I’m all ears.

Pennsylvania Beer Sale Laws Confound and Confuse

Today, a Sunday, I was looking to buy a six pack of beer before watching football.  Of course, here in Pennsylvania, it’s not as simple as just going to the neighborhood supermarket.

As is well known, most regular grocery stores, such as SuperFresh, Acme and Genuardi’s, in Pennsylvania are not permitted to sell beer or other alcohol.  The majority of beer is, of course, sold in cases through beer distributors.  Many of these beer distributors now are permitted to sell beer on Sundays, but only after 12 p.m.   Beer can also be purchased in smaller quantities and with more expensive prices at convenience stores and delis.   On Sundays, these stores, like restaurants, are permitted by the state to sell beer only after 11 a.m.

Needless to say, the state’s alcohol laws are unnecessarily confusing.  It’s tough to keep track of the restrictions.  Take a trip sometime though other states to see how much simpler  it is to purchase beer.