When I opened the store, my partner's name was Farina. My name is DeMarco. So when the lawyer made the paper, he put the two names together. Di Fara. Di for me, and Fara for him. I bought my partner out in 1978, I think. I kept the same name; I didn't bother changing it.
It was all Jewish then, but they weren't that religious. Then, little by little, it became very Orthodox. People, they got scared, and they all sold out their restaurants. I was left alone. And it was the best thing that could have happened.
Nobody taught me to make the pizza. You gotta pick it up for yourself. All of these 40 years, I keep experimenting. My pizza is good, because I use fresh tomatoes. They come from Italy, from Salerno. Then I started to get mozzarella from Italy, from my hometown in the province of Caserta. It's $8 a pound, and this parmesan, it's $12. It comes twice a week. This might have been made two days ago, or three days ago.
I do this as an art. I don't look to make big money. If somebody comes over here and offers me a price for the store, there's no price. There's no money in the world they could pay me for it. I'm very proud of what I do. I don't have any employees; I use my kids.
Other revelations: That David Blaine is a frequent Di Fara patron, that Mr. DeMarco once had a gun pointed at him, that Mr. De Marco eats exactly one slice a day (quality control), that Dom doesn't take the shortcuts: "Pizza has become considered a fast food. This one is slow food. Anything you do, when you do it too fast, it's no good. The way I make a pizza takes a lot of work. And I don't mind work."
Wow. This piece is for all those novices that impatiently hover over the counter and shake their heads in confoundment at Dom as they wait for their pies.
after reading this last evening, i was very disappointed that it was too late and too far at that point to run out and get a Di Fara pie. i've really got to get over there pronto.
this is making me a bit homesick. have i told you lately how smart i think you are. i miss the orthodox. in fact i understand Dom's sentiment. Once my old neighborhood went orthodox i felt like i had the place to myself- especially friday nights walking up kings highway to J & R Pizza for a slice and a stroll. Have you beeen there yet? I am interested in what you might say of it. More than the pies- which are good - but i think "not as good as they used to be" it is about seeing the same family running the place for flipping ever. i haven't seen the dad in a while- i can't even think abut the fact that he might have passed away. there is something about how the men in that family always wore white undershirts and never had a spot on them and how the son who is still there is impossibly tall - and maybe a bit grumpy. and that he still sweeps the sidewalk sometimes.
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5 Comments:
It really was a beautiful interview with DeMarco. I love his strategy and outlook on making delicious food.
Slice Jen at 12:30PM on 07/19/04
Wow. This piece is for all those novices that impatiently hover over the counter and shake their heads in confoundment at Dom as they wait for their pies.
Slice Nancy at 2:54PM on 07/19/04
after reading this last evening, i was very disappointed that it was too late and too far at that point to run out and get a Di Fara pie. i've really got to get over there pronto.
Slice jamie at 3:21PM on 07/19/04
Oh, wow. Now I'm hungry for Dom's. I'd settle for good pie. But here in Cleveland, that just isn't happening.
Slice Melissa at 9:42AM on 07/20/04
this is making me a bit homesick. have i told you lately how smart i think you are. i miss the orthodox. in fact i understand Dom's sentiment. Once my old neighborhood went orthodox i felt like i had the place to myself- especially friday nights walking up kings highway to J & R Pizza for a slice and a stroll. Have you beeen there yet? I am interested in what you might say of it. More than the pies- which are good - but i think "not as good as they used to be" it is about seeing the same family running the place for flipping ever. i haven't seen the dad in a while- i can't even think abut the fact that he might have passed away. there is something about how the men in that family always wore white undershirts and never had a spot on them and how the son who is still there is impossibly tall - and maybe a bit grumpy. and that he still sweeps the sidewalk sometimes.
ok pie.
lets talk soon,
Kristan
kk
Slice Kristan at 11:24AM on 07/20/04