Just because school’s out for the summer doesn’t mean class isn’t in session here in Pizzavania.

For this edition, I made like Rodney Dangerfield and went back to school—pizza school that is. I attended a class at Jim Mirabelli (aka the NEPA Pizza Review guy) and Jim Henry’s Virtual Pizza Academy. If you’ve been wanting to make your own pies at home but don’t know where to start, I can’t recommend this class highly enough. Read more about it below.

A few quick housekeeping notes:

🍕 Like what you’re seeing here in Pizzavania? Let all your pizza-loving friends know about us!

🍕Don’t like what you’re seeing here in Pizzavania and have some suggestions on things we could be doing differently/better? Let me know about it.

🍕If you missed our recent roundups of the best pizza at the Jersey Shore and the best pizza in The Poconos, or want to catch up on past Pizzavania content, you can find everything right here.

Since we’re thisclose to summer, in the last edition of Pizzavania, we asked, What’s your ideal summertime dessert to pair with pizza? 

No shocker here: ice cream came out on top in a big way with 62% of the vote, followed by water ice (16%), peach cobbler (8%), fresh blueberry pie (7%), key lime pie (5%), and strawberry-rhubarb pie (2%). 

For our latest poll question, let’s keep the summertime theme going:

This is an easy one for me: beer, specifically, a nice, crisp, Italian-style pilsner, the colder the better.

What’s your go-to beverage to pair with pizza in the summer? Select your favorite and we’ll run the results in our next edition.

Montgomery County’s Jim Henry (left) and NEPA’s Jim Mirabelli (right) started the Virtual Pizza Academy in 2025. (Contributed)

“We want to be like that magician that shows you all the tricks… We want people to walk away from our classes feeling like they can do it.” 

That’s NEPA-based pizza influencer Jim Mirabelli talking about the Virtual Pizza Academy, the online pizza-making series he started with fellow Pa. pizza enthusiast Jim Henry in 2025, where they show participants how to make their own pies at home, from dough prep to finished product.

The fast-paced classes include a PDF recipe book and the ability to view again on-demand. There’s also a lively chat component with participants asking the hosts questions like whether ghee or Crisco can be used instead of butter to grease a pan (it can) and best practices for freezing excess dough. 

Having recently attended a class on how to make Old Forge pizza (which included participants from as nearby as Dallas, Pa. and as far away as Australia), I can attest that the 90-minute session was well worth the $40 fee.

Learn more about the class and the “two dads with a pizza problem” behind it in this story.

🍕 The Italian pizzeria PizzaAut is the first pizzeria in Europe to employ only those on the autism spectrum. It was the brainchild of social worker Nico Acampora, who started the project to create jobs, dignity, and autonomy through work for autistic individuals after his own son was diagnosed with autism. Learn more about it in this story from the CBC.

🍕 Upper Darby native (and my hall pass) Tina Fey has expressed her love for Delaware County pizza institution Pica’s before, most notably on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon. In a new interview with The New York Times (part of the Times’ Pizza Interview, a Q&A video series where guests have to make pizza), Fey shouts out a few more of her favorite pizzerias. Check out the interview here.

🍕 Rock stars: they’re just like us! Watch the Rolling Stones eat pizza in a video teaser for a song that may or may not actually have the word pizza in the title right here. (Warning: salty language!)

🍕If you live in or near Centre County, you’ve probably noticed a fair amount of Brothers Pizza shops. If you’ve ever wondered why there’s so many of these independently owned and operated Brothers pizzerias in the region—and why some spell the name with an apostrophe and some don’t—check out this story from the Centre Daily Times.

Here’s your chance to tell us about your favorite Pa. pizzerias. Fire away!

“Revello’s in Old Forge. The broccoli white pie is the best white pie anywhere!”

— Eric Johns

“I fell in love with Faccia Luna when I was going to Penn State. Best ‘za in all of State College. I always make a point of eating there each fall when I go back for games. Still my favorite after all these years!”

— Benjamin H.

“Our family loves Napoli Pizza right here in Carlisle. Nothing fancy. Just great pies at great prices.”

— MaryBeth, Carlisle

“Pizzeria Beddia in Philly. Nothing in the Philly area comes close.”

— Evan

“Nono’s Alby’s in West Reading is my go-to. For anyone thinking that the Berks County pizza scene is lacking, you have to check out Nono Alby’s. Wood-fired pies with a crispy crust. Great stuff!” 

— Broderick Forrest (Editor’s note: I’ve heard good things from friends in that area. I’ll get there soon.)

**You can find plenty more reader recommendations right here.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Patrick Berkery. It was edited by Crystal Niforos.

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