The Brief

It’s the age-old question: Can you actually find good pizza in Los Angeles?

Ask any New Yorker, Chicagoan, Detroit-style lover, and the answer likely is no.

While we believe that L.A. is producing truly great pizza right now — some are calling it a "pizza renaissance" — there are still those who believe that New York retains the bragging rights for pie-making perfection.

It’s the decades-old deck ovens, the production process, the generational wisdom, the ingredients, they say.

Others say it’s the water, and that in California, we simply don’t have the “right” water to make “real” pizza.

But what if you could replicate the water from any of these cities right here in L.A.?

What's in the water?

It’s not just pizza either. Many have pointed to the region’s water for why the city’s bagels are also so good.

And while there are a lot of factors that contribute to the taste, there is something different about the water that comes out of the tap in the Big Apple.

Most of New York City’s tap water — which is said to be very similar to the tap water in Naples, Italy — is pumped in from the Catskills, which naturally creates a high mineral content and close to neutral pH levels. Some say this helps proteins in the flour bond together more tightly, making the dough stronger, more elastic, and have a quicker rise time.

In comparison, L.A.’s tap water is less mineralized, more chlorinated and much “harder” than N.Y.’s. Not only does this yield a different taste — one which some have deemed to be less superior — it also has a significant effect on the pizza-making process.

One New York-based company is betting on the water theory — and some L.A. pizzerias are, too.

New York WaterMaker is a water replication system that's able to reproduce water from any region in the world for pizza, baking, bagels and even coffee.

New York WaterMaker water replication system.

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Courtesy New Yokr WaterMaker

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A bagel shop uses water from New York WaterMaker.

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Courtesy of New York WaterMaker

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“New York water has ideal characteristics for flavor and gluten formation and yeast activity in dough,” says Paul Errigo, CEO of New York WaterMarker and of course, a homegrown New Yorker. “Which is critical for elasticity and texture and rise in baked products.”

To make dough is simple: flour, olive oil, salt, yeast and water.

But the water above all else, Errigo argues, significantly affects the texture, taste and consistency of it.

“You can use all the best yeast and flour, but at the end of the day, most of the product is water,” he says.

Recreating NYC tap

Errigo takes regular trips to see family in Florida. Prior to one of those visits in 2018, he, as usual, stocked up on Staten Island breads and bagels to bring to his relatives.

Errigo worked at a water filtration company at the time and was chatting about the subpar water in Florida with one of the company’s chemists, who had a thought: They could fix that problem.

And so the world’s first water replication system was born.

The process — which includes intensive filtering and mineralization to alter the molecular structure of the input water — can yield water that mimics source water from any region. The system also allows food service companies with multiple locations to ensure their water is consistent across the board.

Basically, you can make L.A.'s notoriously “hard” tap water mimic the soft water of the Swiss Alps — or N.Y.C.’s — by putting it through this system. “We’ve done video documented taste tests,” Errigo says. “It’s incredible how much better the NY water — or NY replicated water — really makes the dough taste.”

L.A. pizzerias don’t disagree.

A 'different' taste

As we noted, L.A. is experiencing a pizza renaissance in its own right, with several eateries getting high marks for their pies. But several pizzerias here are taking advantage of New York WaterMaker’s technology, in an attempt to bring New York-tasting pizza to our city.

At LBK in Studio City, pizza chef Ed Clemente uses the system to replicate Neapolitan-style N.Y. pizza.

“Our customers love it,” Clemente said. “No matter how good a pizza is out here, there’s a different flavor when it’s real NYC water.”

“It definitely makes a difference,” said Nick Grasu, one of the owners of Greco’s New York Pizzeria, which has been serving N.Y.-style pizza to Angelenos since 1979. “The dough comes out different, better texture, quality and taste.”

Other pizza spots that use the system include Prince Street Pizza — which hails from N.Y. originally — and Brooklyn Square.

Of course, water isn’t the only ingredient that can make or break a great dough: “It doesn’t guarantee it’s going to be the best pizza or bagel you’ve ever had,” Errigo says. “There’s tons of bad pizza in New York, of course.”

Grasu of Greco’s emphasized that the secret is not necessarily in the water, but in the second reheat, when the pie becomes firm, and the crust crispier, ideal for the iconic New York slice.

“Water is just one of the many factors that makes a high quality, N.Y. pizza,” he says.

New York mimicked tap water or not, Los Angeles is establishing itself as a real pizza city.

Hundreds of gourmet pizzerias have popped up around L.A. in recent years, taking advantage of the abundance of fresh produce in the region and marrying uniquely SoCal flavors and influences, like Quarantine Pizza Co’s “Al Pastor” pie, which uses blue corn in the dough.

But that’s the beauty of L.A. (and why our food editor claims L.A. is currently producing better pizza than any city across the globe). With so many cultural influences on our food scene — and a lack of specific standards for pizza — there is really something for everyone: a classic NY slice, or a “queso taco” tasting pie.

State and local lawmakers are joining immigrant rights groups in urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a bill that would bar California law enforcement from moonlighting for ICE.

Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, who represents Angelenos from South L.A. to Mar Vista, introduced AB 1537 in January. If implemented, the bill would ban California police, sheriffs and other law enforcement from taking on second jobs that involve “arresting, detaining, transporting, or deporting” people.

The bill has made its way through the state legislature and is now on the governor’s desk. Newsom has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto it.

At a press conference outside L.A. City Hall on Wednesday, José Madera, who directs the Pasadena Job Center, pointed to multiple deaths involving federal immigration agents in recent months — from Minneapolis to Houston — and to a recent shooting in Austin. “We don't need our local police to be part of that violence,” he said.

“ICE is a lawless, rogue agency that is terrorizing our communities, separating our families and kidnapping our neighbors,” said Bruno Huizar, supervising policy manager at the California Immigrant Policy Center. “Governor Newsom must sign AB 1537 into law to protect Californians.”

L.A. City councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez, whose own parents were undocumented, said it pained him to see immigrant parents go to work and to church in fear of being separated from their children.

“If you’re a public servant, you should be serving the public — not helping ICE tear families apart,” he added in a follow-up email statement.

The bill, dubbed “No side jobs for ICE” by its proponents, would also require officers to report secondary employment offers relating to immigration to their employers.

“If a law enforcement agent gets a conditional offer from an immigration enforcement agency, that will be part of their employment records. And that will be subject to a public records act request,” said Shiu-Ming Cheer, a licensed attorney at the California Immigration Policy Center. “This is aimed at bringing transparency, so that we know how many officers are actually getting offers to work as an ICE agent or a Border Patrol agent.”

The Peace Officers Research Association of California, which represents officers across the state, has spoken out against the bill, arguing that “policies like this don’t improve public safety.” The Los Angeles Police Protective League did not immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment.

The bill is part of a growing effort to bar local law enforcement from engaging in the ongoing mass deportation effort. The L.A. City Council approved a motion in March, barring city employees from holding second jobs with federal immigration enforcement agencies.

In Santa Ana, the City Council recently adopted a policy that prohibits employees from obtaining outside work that involves federal immigration enforcement activities.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill aimed at protecting children who are abused.

The law, which went into effect this week, is named “Gabriel’s Law,” after Gabriel Fernandez — an 8-year-old boy in Palmdale who died in 2013 after being tortured and abused by his mother and her boyfriend.

“It devastated the community. Still has,” said State Assemblymember Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale), who worked on legislation related to Gabriel’s case for years. “It hasn't gone away, right? It’s something we still acknowledge.”

Since Fernandez’s death, the Antelope Valley has seen a number of high-profile child deaths at the hands of their parents.

The new law requires social workers to make sure a child gets emergency medical care when needed, and it makes it easier to prosecute social workers who knowingly falsify records.

Officials said there had been warning signs about Fernandez’s abuse, but social workers with the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services failed to follow up on them. The high-profile case prompted internal reforms in the agency.

What happened to Gabriel

Gabriel died in May 2013, after months of abuse from his mother and her boyfriend. He was found with a number of injuries, including a fractured skull, broken ribs and BB pellets lodged in his body. His mother and her boyfriend were both sentenced.

A teacher had reported signs of abuse to the county, but social workers did not remove him from the home. Then they ended the investigation. Prosecutors charged the social workers with child abuse, but the charges were later dismissed.

“He was literally tortured. And there were many, many, many documented events, and there are many encounters that he had with people that lacked follow-up,” Lackey said.

What does the law change?

Before this week, the law said that social workers may authorize care if a child needs immediate emergency care, but did not require it. Gabriel’s law requires a social worker to secure medical care for a child.

“ They call for an ambulance or escort the child to an emergency room— make sure a physician has the opportunity to provide some level of remedy and documentation of the injury,” Lackey said.

It also clarifies the law so that social workers who are guilty of falsifying or destroying public records can be imprisoned or fined.

Why did the law take so long to change?

Lackey’s previous legislative efforts related to Fernandez’s case failed over the years. He introduced at least five different pieces of legislation that failed to advance.

“I'm not even saying that I blame the pushback and the concern, because if you're too aggressive, there's a tendency to accuse people of wrongdoing when they are not guilty of wrongdoing, so we wanted to make sure that the balance was reasonable,” he said.

Lackey terms out this year. “We're trying to do something as a community to not only pay tribute to [Gabriel], but to prevent it from reoccurring,” he said.

The Los Angeles Fire Department has completed its investigation into the cause of the Lineage warehouse fire in Boyle Heights but was unable to determine what caused it. 

In a press release, LAFD said the June 17 fire was caused by an “electrical event” that occurred on the roof of the building, “adjacent to a section of solar panels.” Despite a “comprehensive investigation,” the department could not determine what caused the electrical event.

“The Department’s thoughts remain with all those impacted by this deeply tragic incident,” Arson and Fire Investigation Chief Thomas Raymond said in a release.

In response to the inconclusive investigation, District 14 Councilmember Ysabel Jurado said, “LAFD’s finding that the cause remains undetermined does nothing to alleviate what Boyle Heights residents have endured and are still carrying: months of health concerns and disruption, along with unanswered questions about whether this site can safely operate again.”

“The fact that we still cannot explain how this catastrophe began is yet another reason I will continue opposing any permits to rebuild this facility,” Jurado said.

Recently, the LA City Council voted to withhold rebuilding permits for the Lineage warehouse until after the Los Angeles Fire Department completed its investigation. Earlier this month, Lineage Chief Executive Officer Greg Lehmkuhl told Boyle Heights Beat and The LA Local that the company had not decided whether to rebuild, saying, “We’re still focused on holding the right people accountable here and making sure that we’re continuing to support the community.”

The CEO’s comments came after Lineage sued solar power provider Altus Power, Inc. and its contractor, blaming them for the fire. Altus Power and its contractor dispute those claims.

In a statement following the completed investigation, Lineage said, “Today’s report from the Los Angeles Fire Department validates what we have known all along: This was a solar fire.”

The fire and subsequent cleanup of millions of pounds of rotting food caused a flood of issues for residents living in Boyle Heights, East LA and surrounding communities, including an infestation of flies and pests, nausea and headaches, higher utility bills and other health concerns. 

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Boyle Heights Beat senior reporter Alejandra Molina and LA Local reporter Christopher Damien contributed to this report.

The post LAFD closes investigation into Lineage warehouse fire without determining a cause appeared first on LA Local.