Michael Androw never imagined he would be asked for autographs at his E & D Pizza Company restaurant, yet there he was after one of his specialty pizza recipes was featured in a book by the industry’s elite.
His now famous pie, “The Positano” is a thin crusted white pizza topped with goat cheese (aka chevre), black mission figs, red onion, finished with a drizzle of pepper infused hot honey.
“I chose that one because I wanted something to stand out,” Androw said “It’s unique, special and popular. It’s become a smashing success.”
Positano is named after a, “beautiful village on the Amalfi coast that is known for growing figs,” he said.
The pizza born at his restaurant in Avon appears in the colorful, hard covered book, “The Pursuit of Pizza: Recipes from the World Pizza Champions,” which includes easy to follow recipes modified to work in a home oven.
“We know people don’t have commercial ovens,” Androw said.
The philanthropic, non-profit World Pizza Champions is a group of 50 who consider themselves among the pizza elite.
Androw, recently named vice-president of the group, said the book sold hundreds of copies when it debuted two weeks ago at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas.
To his surprise, hundreds at the expo lined up for autographs from he and the other authors.
Even more surprising, Androw said, is that when he went to open the restaurant that next Monday there were two people who had been at the expo waiting with the book to get his autograph, one from Connecticut and another who drove all the way from Boston.
“I was shocked to say the least. I never would have imagined someone would want an autograph,” Androw said.
He is the only restaurant owner/pizza maker from all of New England to have a recipe and profile featured in the book.
A large portion of the proceeds go to Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The book was a major undertaking, he said, and includes bios, photographs and recipes.
Although Androw personally prefers a simple pepperoni pie, he’s apparently a whiz at creating specialty pizzas. The key to those pies is finding a good combination of flavors, he said.
Other specialty pizzas he offers at the Avon restaurant include a white chicken florentine with grilled chicken, fresh baby spinach, white onion, olive oil, and garlic.
They also have “The Vesuvius” (as in the volcano in Italy), a red pie topped with hot cherry peppers, fresh mozzarella, chopped basil and spicy cured Italian sausage.
He said “The Positano” featured in the book works well because goat cheese is creamy and “it’s a nice complement to the sweet figs and the tang of the onion.”
Androw loves that the book will support Make-A-Wish, an organization that grants wishes to children who are seriously ill.
“How rewarding to raise such large amounts of money for grateful children,” he said.
And he also loves the kind of food pizza is, for more than the taste.
“It’s family, it’s community, everyone shares,” he said of the food. “Not to mention it’s so darn good.”
The book is sold online including at Amazon where it was recently their #1 best seller in the pizza-making category, Androw said.
The founder of World Pizza Champions is Tony Gemignani who has restaurants all over California and Las Vegas, Androw said.
Another legendary member of the group is John Arena, owner of numerous restaurants in and around Las Vegas, whom Androw described as a “wise old sage.”
“He is the person in the industry everyone looks up to,” Androw said of Arena, calling him, “the most kind-hearted guy.”
Androw, who will become president of the organization in the future said he was “extremely honored” to be named vice president.
“I was totally blown away and honored,” he said, noting he didn’t lobby for the position.
The restaurant in Avon is named for the initials of Androw’s children, Enzo, 13 and Dario, 10.
Androw said he started making pizzas at 15, beginning in his grandparents’ famous “Downtown Bakery” in New London.
Androw began as an official pizza maker in 1986 and worked his way through the restaurant industry before returning to his pizza roots, opening E & D Pizza Company in 2014.
Androw is known for using high-quality ingredients even if it cuts his profit margin.
For instance, the chicken tenders he serves in the restaurant aren’t frozen, but rather made from fresh chicken that is hand breaded.
“There are people in this industry making more money,” on products they sell, he said. “I’d rather do it right, make less and be proud of it.”
Androw said he wouldn’t serve anything in the restaurant that he wouldn’t feed to his own children.
Androw was part of the World Pizza Champions team that last year set a Guinness World Record for the “World’s Largest Pizza Party.”
