Ihave written about pizza only a few times over more than 40 years of covering Triad restaurants. This column mainly focuses on “fine dining” establishments, but once in a while, I find a place in the value category that is doing something special, and I try to take note and let readers know about it.
Cugino Forno is definitely doing something special.
“Cugino Forno” translated literally means “cousin oven.” The name is derived from Joseph Ozbey and cousins Yilmaz Guver and Adam Adksoy, who came to the U.S. from Turkey. The website describes their time in Naples, studying the art of pizza among some of the world’s greatest pizza chefs. This place is located in the renovated and repurposed Revolution Mill complex. Seeing a once abandoned historic property come back to life is wonderful, from my former history teacher’s point of view. Cugino Forno occupies a building adjacent to one of the side entrances. Long tables, sort of picnic style, populate the open interior. You place your order at the entry desk and take a number. Walk back to the open kitchen and watch crusts being rolled out, stretched, and hand-tossed in the air. Once assembled with the appropriate toppings, they are placed into large, wood-fired ovens, imported from Naples, Italy, constructed in part with stone from Mount Vesuvius. Volcanic rock gets hot!
Once the pizza goes into the oven, it is cooked in about 90 seconds to maybe two minutes. Neapolitan-style pizza is characterized by a thin, fairly soft, chewy crust, with charring from the oven’s high heat around a raised rim. Cugino Forno o ers only one size — 16 inches. That exceptional crust is the first special quality of note in this establishment. I rank it with one other (in Winston-Salem) at the top of my pizza crust pyramid.
My first encounter here began with Margerita DOP. The DOP designation means that Protected Designation of Origin ingredients were used. This voluntary Italian food industry certification ensures quality and authenticity.
About 80 percent of all ingredients used here are imported from Italy, another element that makes Cugino Forno special.
In the Margerita, fresh garlic is incorporated into real San Marzano tomato sauce, which is characterized by a slightly sweetish, low acid flavor, subsequently decorated with real bufala (i.e., bu alo milk) mozzarella cheese, scattered with fresh basil, plus olive oil. An auspicious introduction, indeed. Note the colors — red, white, and green, which match the Italian flag. This pizza recipe was created in honor of Queen Margherita in 1889.
Funghi places cippolini onions and cremini mushrooms in bufala mozzarella cheese, swirled with white tru e oil, decorated with fresh basil leaves. Those two primary ingredients stand out, undergirded by the earthy tru e oil. I liked everything I tried here, but this turned out to be a personal favorite.
Several meat pizzas are o eredLivorno (Italian sausage), Americano (pepperoni), Porziano (roasted ham plus mushrooms and artichokes). All these use San Marzano tomato sauce. The Supremo Italiano, however, includes all these. I would be happy to order any of them, but why choose? Sample all the meats in this one pizza! I credit colleague Nick with selecting this one.
Bianca utilizes three cheeses — fior di latte, a light Italian cheese made from cow’s milk, plus ricotta and bufala mozzarella — all noteworthy for quality and depth of flavor, along with fresh
pizza, and a showcase provides several selections. Wine is available too, with attention focused on value Italian selections. I would like to see a primitivo or zinfandel (same varietal, the former Italian, the latter American) added. I just think that flavor goes exceptionally well with pizza.
A showcase of beautiful desserts is tempting. Gelato is imported from Italy. Cannolis are made in-house, fresh daily.
garlic. Fresh basil is scattered on top. One quibble — I would like to try this with the basil added after the pizza is cooked. That probably violates Neapolitan tradition and betrays American bias, but I just think the fresh herb flavor would be more evident than when the basil leaves are baked on top. Little matter. It’s great pizza as served. Calabrese is striking for unique flavor. To San Marzano tomato sauce, spicy Italian salami strips are added. Calabrian peppers are distributed on top. The salami exudes quality. You really can tell the di erence between this and other products used elsewhere. The peppers bear a unique flavor, but they will light you up if you take too big a bite. Nibble then expand as you become accustomed to the taste.
I found that, not surprisingly, eating in provides the most complete measure of this pizza experience. The crust loses just a little texture when transported, although I would still prefer it over any of the other takeout pizzas I have had in Greensboro. And the website provides excellent reheating instructions. (Do NOT microwave!) Frozen pizzas are also available to cook at home.
Three salads — Caprese (tomatoes, bufala mozzarella cheese, basil, EVOO), Lecce (spring mix lettuces, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, chickpeas, carrots, and cucumbers with homemade ranch dressing), and Verona (spring mix, blue cheese, blueberries, honey glazed pecans, apricot dressing) — provide your vegetable accompaniment. Beer is an excellent pairing with
The Greensboro location opened in 2017, the cousin’s first. They opened a second installation two years later in Winston-Salem, and in 2020, they opened a third in Clemmons. Further expansions went to Durham, Greenville, S.C., and Frederick, Md. Another will be opening later this year in Wilmington. If you want to deepen the adventure, consider signing up for a pizza-making class. You will learn a bit about Italian history and culture, in addition to making your own pizza. The class lasts about 30 minutes, and you get to eat your homework. Classes and reserve spaces are available for birthday parties or any other gathering.
I am hoping to talk some real estate colleagues into scheduling a teambuilding pizza class. Whether that pans out or not, I will definitely be returning to Cugino Forno for pizza. !
JOHN BATCHELOR has been writing about eating and drinking since 1981. Over a thousand of his articles have been published. He is also author of two travel/cookbooks: Chefs of the Coast: Restaurants and Recipes from the North Carolina Coast, and Chefs of the Mountains: Restaurants and Recipes from Western North Carolina. Contact him at john.e.batchelor@ gmail.com or see his blog, johnbatchelordiningandtravel.blogspot.com.
WANNA go?
Cugino Forno 1160 Revolution Mill Drive
Greensboro
336-897-7920
cuginoforno.com
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. every day
Salads: $10.50-$11.50
Pizzas: $17.95-$23.95
Desserts: $3.95-$6.50
Most recent visit: April 29
Calabrese
Bianca
ACROSS
1 Spicy cured brisket
9 Competitive cowboy contests, informally 17 Roads: Abbr. 20 Trash-filled lots, e.g. 21 Distinctive feature of “DeVito”
Jillian of TV 32 High-end retail chain, informally 36 Shaq’s sport 37 2022 Marvel film with Chris Hemsworth 43 Last part of some plays 46 It’s close to Cedar Rapids 47 Ear: Prefix
2017 superhero film with Gal Gadot 52 Top of a “j”
Italian wine, for short
First-aid plants
— out a living
2013 superhero film with Henry Cavill 59 Goes bad
Navratilova of tennis
Texter’s hugs
Previous to
2015 sci-fi film with a dinosaur theme
NCIS airer
Rescued person’s cry
Like limes
fantasy film with Angelina Jolie
Brit.
In an era of political partisanship which is marked by vitriol and name-calling, Ted Budd is a breath of fresh air. He can discuss hot-button issues without getting hot under the collar. He is respectful of people who disagree with his positions, and he doesn’t mind sharing the spotlight if it means getting a bill passed that can help those in need. He is a quick study and a hard worker, and he is one of the most genuinely charming men you could ever meet. He is also loyal to a fault and his support for a law-breaking president is ba ing to me, yet if Ted himself ran for president tomorrow I would be the first in line to vote for him.
I first met Ted back in 2018 when he was a freshman congressman and since then he has appeared on Triad Today 10 times to discuss public policy and update our viewers about proposed legislation. Our latest exchange came during his spring break from the United States Senate. What follows are highlights from our conversation.
Jim: Recovery from hurricane flooding is still ongoing in western North Carolina. Talk about the federal response e orts that you were involved in.
Ted: Our o ce started before the storm actually hit. We were in touch with Duke Energy, the National Guard, and lots of others because we knew it was going to be a bad one, but we didn’t realize how bad. Remember there was already 10 inches of rain before the hurricane got there and this was a geological event like we’ve never seen in North Carolina. If you’ve been in this state long enough and you remember Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and Floyd in the northeast that was a Category 1 that dumped a ton of rain. If you combine those two together that’s what we had in western North Carolina.
We’ve been out there from the begin-
Catching Up With Ted Budd
ning just to o er support and see what was needed, and clear bureaucratic roadblocks so that these groups could do what they needed to do. Since then, we’ve been going out there to see what progress has been made and what still needs to be done, and toward that end, I recently secured a $1.4 billion dollar grant to help families recover from the devastation.
Jim: Let’s switch gears for a moment. What is the greatest security threat to our country? Is it Russia, China, AI?
Ted: They are all threats that we all have to keep our eye on.
But some of them are opportunities. If you look at artificial intelligence, for example, it’s an opportunity as well as a threat. That’s one of the things our o ce focuses on is to make sure that we use AI for the benefit of the American worker. It needs to be a servant to us and not a master of us.
Jim: Over the past couple of years, the Biden administration allowed over 20 million illegal immigrants to enter our country. What are you and the administration doing to abate that problem?
Ted: When I go down and talk to border patrol agents and ask them what they need, they say, “What we really need is policy.” What President Trump has done is enforce the law which has lowered the amount of illegal entries by 94%, and that’s just by enforcing the laws that are already on the books, and if Biden had done that we wouldn’t have the problem that we have now.
Jim: How do you stand on tari s?
Ted: Tari s are a tool to level the playing field. When I talk to individuals whether they are a small business owner, a big business leader, or an individual they understand what President Trump is trying to do and level the playing field. I think people are willing to pay a shortterm price for our long-term economic health, not just for their country, but for themselves.
Jim: You introduced a bill to provide support for families of substance abuse
victims. Tell me about that.
Ted: You and I have talked about this since 2017 when I first came into o ce. It’s been a major concern of mine, and we don’t want families to not have the resources they need to deal with those who are addicted. It’s about providing resources so they don’t have to go through this alone.
This is a bipartisan bill. It’s one of those few areas where you can reach across the aisle and say, “Would you help me on this?” A Democratic senator from New Mexico helped me on this bill and we introduced it together.
Jim: A lot of us older folks keep hearing from Washington that Social Security is going to be cut.
Ted: I think that’s a political threat. I
know President Trump and I don’t see that. I think he’s caring for seniors, and all of the cuts that you see they’re not cuts on Social Security. They are things we’re doing to shore up our federal spending so that we have the money to pay for Social Security and Medicare. You’ve got to cut out the waste fraud and abuse and you’ve got to cut out unnecessary programs that don’t serve us that tend to get in the way economically in providing those key services. We want to protect those key services and that’s what President Trump is working on and that’s what I’m supporting.
Jim: Who or what led you to give your life to public service?
Ted: I’ve always been in the business of service, growing up in a family business that did janitorial and landscaping, or just helping your neighbor growing up on a farm in Davie County. So, I sort of had that city world and I had that agricultural world as well, and there’s nothing more rewarding than helping your neighbor. Look, this is a tough job and there are a lot of tough days where you feel like you’re getting your ribs kicked in, but at the same time, there is nothing more rewarding than being able to help people. I get to help a lot of people on this job, and it’s certainly rewarding, and I’m honored to do it. !
JIM LONGWORTH is the host of Triad Today, airing on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. on ABC45 (cable channel 7) and Sundays at 11 a.m. on WMYV (cable channel 15).
Jim Longworth Longworth at Large
Ted Budd
Natalie Garcia
[ WEEKLY ARTS ROUNDUP] POTTERY IN THE PIEDMONT
SUBMITTED BY CHARLOTTE MARCELLUS
Deep in the Piedmont, trees and craft share common ground — they are both rooted in clay. This region has a rich legacy of ceramics, beginning with Indigenous pottery traditions that date back centuries. Today, Seagrove — incorporated in 1913 and named after Edward Seagrove — is recognized as the Handmade Pottery Capital of the United States. It is home to dozens of potters who continue both traditional and contemporary practices.
“North Carolina is really kind of a potter’s paradise,” says Anne Pärtna, Artist Support Grantee. “Especially living in Seagrove — there’s our wonderful community of clay people, the abundance of local materials, and customers who are well educated about pottery, especially wood-fired pottery.”
Pärtna creates whimsical, wood-fired tableware and sculptural work inspired by the natural world. “I hope that my pots bring joy and pleasure into people’s lives,” she says. Her work can be found in person at her Seagrove shop or online via Etsy at Blue Hen Pottery.
Guilford County-based Artist Support Grantee Max Saunders creates large, coil-built pots using the Korean Onggi method. “My work is inspired by archaeology and geology,” he says. “This slow process is meditative and rewarding.” Saunders fires his pieces in long-duration wood kilns, which allow ash to settle and form a natural glaze. “It organically highlights the curves and textures of a pot.”
Though he takes a less traditional approach, Saunders values the history around him. “Being surrounded by this traditional pottery-producing region has allowed for easy access to materials, such as local clays from STARworks and kiln bricks purchased from older Seagrove area potters.”
This access is part of what keeps the local pottery scene active for newcomers. Several organizations in the Greater
Greensboro area o er opportunities to get started in clay or develop advanced skills. Here’s what’s coming up:
POTTERY CLASSES
Creative Aging Network–NC o ers four-to-six-week pottery sessions with small class sizes and one-on-one instruction.
Forge Greensboro hosts a variety of pottery courses, including two-part Monday morning pottery classes. Upcoming sessions: May 12 and June 9.
The Art Gallery at Congdon Yards (High Point) o ers six-week pottery classes starting in June and July.
Art Alliance in Greensboro o ers ongoing adult pottery classes throughout the year.
POTTERY EVENTS
• May 10, 2-5 p.m. — CVA hosts Bridging Cultures Through Art, a TalaveraInspired Decorative Tiles Workshop with Casa Azul, free and open to the public.
• May 10 & June 7 — Raku Socials at Forge Greensboro.
• May 18 — Leaf Plate Workshop at The Art Gallery at Congdon Yards
• May 22–25 — Sustain: Woodfire N.C. 2025 Conference at STARworks, including pre-conference firings in Seagrove.
“I’ll be sharing my 13 years of experience firing a Bourry-box style wood kiln with participants,” says Partna.
• June 1 — Casserole Dish Workshop at The Art Gallery at Congdon Yards.
• June 7 — A Potter’s Journey at Art Alliance, featuring Peter Strafaci’s nine-month process behind a traveling exhibit.
• June 7–8 — Seagrove Woodfire Studio Tour, with local potters opening their studios to visitors.
“I feel incredibly lucky to be here,” says Pärtna. “I’m so grateful to the North Carolina Arts Council for granting me funds this year to help with some much-needed upgrades in the studio and for the wood kiln. I appreciate it so much.” !
[1. U.S. STATES: Which state is last, alphabetically?
[2. MOVIES: What does the acronym S.H.I.E.L.D. stand for in movies about Marvel characters?
[3. LITERATURE: Who wrote the short story “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”?
[4. GAMES: How many cards are in a standard deck?
[5. TELEVISION: On which sitcom did the character Harry the Hat appear?
[6. BUSINESS: When did the first Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise open?
[7. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: How many Nobel prizes are awarded every year?
[8. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president was the shortest at 5 foot 4 inches tall?
[9. ASTRONOMY: Who was the first woman to travel into space?
[10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a baby platypus called?
[SALOME’S STARS]
Week of May 12, 2025
[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Untangling personal problems might take more time than the impatient Lamb expected. But it’s important to hang in there until all those knotty situations are straightened out.
[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You still need to work out last-minute snags in your dealings with a rival. Hold your ground despite a perceived lack of support. Things should turn around before you know it.
[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) It’s best not to delay preparing for an upcoming family event. The sooner you get things started, the better chance you have of finding potential problems and making needed changes.
“purr-suasion” to get you to agree to a workplace change, make sure that you can distinguish the fine line between facts and flattery.
[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Your positive attitude in the workplace helps to get you noticed by the right people. Now go ahead and use some of this new self-confidence to help shore up a personal relationship.
[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Although you might still have to work out some problems with a business partner, things go more smoothly on the home front. Meanwhile, an investment opportunity might need more study.
10. A platypup or puggle.
6. 1952 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 7. Six. 8. James Madison. 9. Valentina Tereshkova.
[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) The romantic Moon Child might be reluctant to see the reality behind an “ideal” situation. But by midweek, the practical Crab emerges to help clear away the moonbeams.
[LEO (July 23 to August 22) Although the Big Cat might be receptive to more
[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Don’t be reluctant to act on your suspicions. Even if others see nothing wrong, the astute SCORPIO could sense an underlying problem that isn’t always obvious on the surface.
[sAGITTArIus (November 22 to December 21) A new opportunity presents some obstacles that need to be dealt with as soon as possible. Delaying action in hopes that the problems will go away could be counterproductive.
[cAPrIcorN (December 22 to January 19) A friend or family member’s request might carry some hidden factors that could later create problems. Be sure you know all the facts before you make your decision.
[AQuArIus (January 20 to February 18) A setback in implementing a plan could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Use the downtime to rework your original concepts and see where changes could be made.
[PIsces (February 19 to March 20) You might not be consciously fishing for compliments, but admit it — won’t you feel great when your efforts are noticed? Accept the praise gracefully. You’ve earned it!
[BorN THIs week: Your love of beauty in your personal life extends to your efforts to protect and preserve the natural world around you.
