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A History of Pizza

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Re: A History of Pizza

#71

Post by auiya »

mackey wrote: post #60
izietto wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe the best pizza in the United States . I'm Italian, the classic United States pizza could hardly be called "pizza" here, since it's not risen enough for being a pizza.

Pizza quality varies wildly in America. There are a lot of places where the only "fresh pizza" you will find is something from one of the big chains. And there are a lot of places that serve pizza that just serve terrible quick food in general, so not surprising the pizza will be bad too. Having said that, there is a lot of good Pizza in the US, especially in areas with heavy Italian immigrations like the north east.…

> Having said that, there is a lot of good Pizza in the US

Northeast region pizzerias are a given. Varasano's down south in Atlanta is pretty fantastic however.

Re: A History of Pizza

#72

Post by SideburnsOfDoom »

ThePadawan wrote: post #25
lordnacho wrote: post #19

The abomination created by putting pineapple on pizza is either Canadian or German: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_pizza Dig a bit more and it seems the German claim is a bit stronger. The postwar years were difficult in Europe.

I'm sorely disappointed about the English language Wikipedia article on Toast Hawaii. Yes, it was a post-war German invention, but it was also so much more than that. Just the fact that the German-language article [0] has a three-paragraph section "Reception" should tell you that. It's a symbol of post-war economic growth that a household could afford both ham and cheese and exotic fruit for a single meal. It didn't…

> ihn 1955 in Deutschland erstmals vorstellte.

So it would be an anachronism in scene set in 1953 Germany?

Re: A History of Pizza

#73

Post by [deleted] »

wirrbel wrote: post #59

There is a lot of mysticism over the origin of Pizza. In fact, it's probably a very straightforward kind of dish that probably has been invented multiple times, of course with varying toppings and maybe a few other differing ideals. Basically if you have a wooden oven to bake bread, baking is risky. If the oven is too hot, the bread will become burnt before being thoroughly baked within, if you put it in too late, th…

[deleted]

Re: A History of Pizza

#74

Post by mackey »

auiya wrote: post #71
mackey wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pizza quality varies wildly in America. There are a lot of places where the only "fresh pizza" you will find is something from one of the big chains. And there are a lot of places that serve pizza that just serve terrible quick food in general, so not surprising the pizza will be bad too. Having said that, there is a lot of good Pizza in the US, especially in areas with heavy Italian immigrations like the north east.…

> Having said that, there is a lot of good Pizza in the US Northeast region pizzerias are a given. Varasano's down south in Atlanta is pretty fantastic however.

Looks like a neapolitan style, which is maybe the third wave of pizza in the US. Lots of neapolitan style places have opened in in the last 15 years. I like that style, but I wouldn't say its my favorite.

I would probably put a well done Regina's pizza (Boston) or a Prince Street (NYC) spicy pepperoni square slice ahead of any neapolitan pizza, and I say that as someone who owns a pizza oven and makes a lot of neapolitan style pizza.

Re: A History of Pizza

#75

Post by dfxm12 »

fmajid wrote: post #23

In Lee Iacocca's memoirs, he recalls how kids in school bullied him and taunted him for eating pizza, calling it "Dago food". Now it's America's #1 food, but the change was within living memory.

Were they taunting him because he was eating pizza or because he was part of the "other" group with a funny name?

Re: A History of Pizza

#76

Post by dfxm12 »

izietto wrote: post #13
dr_dshiv wrote: post #8

Boo, no mention of New Haven's early contribution. Not that I'm biased (I am, they have the best pizza in the world, objectively speaking, of course) http://www.ctvisit.com/articles/new-haven-apizza-history

Maybe the best pizza in the United States . I'm Italian, the classic United States pizza could hardly be called "pizza" here, since it's not risen enough for being a pizza.

Where in Italy are you from? I've spent quite a bit of time there. I've had pizza in Florence, pizza in Rome, pizza in Sorrento, pizza in Palermo and at a few Autogrills in between. I can't comment on the pizza in New Haven, but I can say for sure there's no standard dough in Italy.

Re: A History of Pizza

#77

Post by ryanbrunner »

bryanlarsen wrote: post #16
dr_dshiv wrote: post #8

Boo, no mention of New Haven's early contribution. Not that I'm biased (I am, they have the best pizza in the world, objectively speaking, of course) http://www.ctvisit.com/articles/new-haven-apizza-history

If we're comparing regional variations, I defy anybody to exceed Regina-style, as taken to it's extreme by Vern's: https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x531c1ec8469aabe... Truly an abomination.

Hamilton, Ontario has a pizza style that I haven't seen anywhere else - it's similar but not quite the same as Sicilian pizza.

The pizza is rectangular, incredibly thick (almost a cake-like consistency and crumb), with tomato sauce on top and usually nothing else.

I like it, but probably more due to it being comfort food from when I was a kid at parties than the pizza actually being particularly good.

https://s3-media1.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/JkEI-lNlRm-ELKgV2keU...

Re: A History of Pizza

#79

Post by goatinaboat »

Here in Wales pizza was originally known as “Italian rarebit” and some still call it that.

The best pizza I’ve ever had was from a van in a lay-by off the A470, the “Route 66” of Wales.

Re: A History of Pizza

#80

Post by buckminster »

lqet wrote: post #46
lordnacho wrote: post #19

The abomination created by putting pineapple on pizza is either Canadian or German: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_pizza Dig a bit more and it seems the German claim is a bit stronger. The postwar years were difficult in Europe.

Afaik this goes back to the Toast Hawaii, which was invented by Clemens Wilmenrod, a TV cook in 1950ies Germany, and quite an interesting figure. He had no training as a cook at all, but presented his strange creations as an exotic culinary experience. Basically, when you put cooked ham, pineapple, cheap cheese and a cherry on toast in the 50ies and 60ies in Germany, you presented yourself as a cosmopolitan. He welco…

Hawaiian pizza in Bolivia has pineapple, ham, cheese and glacé cherry. I always thought the cherry was a weird local innovation so it's interesting to learn it's "traditional".
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