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Pizza!!??
- Thread starter bobwhite
- Start date
I would rate Lou Malnati's as the best for deep dish. But people shouldn't think that that is all we eat here. The vast majority of pizza served up here in Chicago is thin crust pizza. My Mom and Dad, who frequented Uno's and Due's when they were new on the scene around 1950, raised me on Vito and Nick's, a very thin pizza (85th & Pulaski, they were featured on Triple D).
Being impoverished, I typically make my own, with dough and sauce from scratch, a blend of cheeses, whatever veggies I'm in the mood for, and Johnsonville Italian sausage. It's better than most pizzerias.
Being impoverished, I typically make my own, with dough and sauce from scratch, a blend of cheeses, whatever veggies I'm in the mood for, and Johnsonville Italian sausage. It's better than most pizzerias.
I abandoned carbohydrates. Now I fry up some bacon, pepperoni, mushroom, onions and hot peppers, and cheese and sauce, get it all melty and dig in.
In other words:
pizza toppings > pizza
In other words:
pizza toppings > pizza
That's what wimps do: fold under pressure
In my neighborhood, most of the thin crust pizzas were cut into smaller squares. I can dodge bullets without flapping, or folding.
I dare say it because I find it to be true.
Chicago > NY for thin crust.
Spoken like some one from Virginia.
oh man, don't get me started on bagels. how i miss ny bagels.
btw, it was haight street, rite, nothin wrong with a little good organic sand is there?!?!
and i gotta say, i knew that if i mentioned napoli's, somebody would respond!
Your comment seems to be the case. Regional food preferences are what they are.
Lots of Yanks put macaroni in chili--never done down here, where we know what chili is supposed to be. The best chili has beer, brisket, chili powder, and a number of peppers. No beans. Simple as that.
Yanks know next-to-nothing about barbecue--to them it is cooking burgers on a grill, or another name for a summer outdoor party with grilled food. To any self-respecting Southerner, it is a specific food: a quality pork shoulder, smoked with hardwoods for hours upon hours, pulled or sliced carefully so as to afford time to remove any gristle, and then treated with one of the many very localized types of sauces whose recipe is generally secret. And to a Texan, it is smoked beef brisket--and we forgive them for this slight failing, as we all know real barbecue is made from PORK, even though good smoked brisket is fine.
Smoked ribs are not barbecue--they are barbecued (verbal) ribs, but they rate at the highest level of the art. I am from Memphis, and Memphis dry ribs are one of the signature rib styles. Again, real barbecued ribs are pork, not beef....
Grilled burgers, dogs, chicken, etc., are not barbecue at all.
You can be as snooty as you want about local food styles.
Well, I agree with one of the prior posters who said there is no such thing as "bad" pizza--just good pizza and better pizza because it jibes with what you grew up liking and find acceptable to your palate.
Oh, and in my experience, people from New Orleans think food from anywhere else (possibly with the exception of a few others parts of Louisiana) is barely edible.
Viva la difference.
you sir, would be shocked, SHOCKED at what passes for "spicy" in the upper mississippi valley
have you been to zelda's on N st? unbelievable pizza. and,you get big city attitude compliments of the house! you better know what you are ordering when they ask....
(Disclaimer: I take Pizza entirely too seriously).
None of these comments apply to Chicago style, which as has been mentioned, is not Pizza. It is a bread/pudding/casserole thing with similar ingredients to Pizza.
The geographic differences all boil down to (no pun intended) the differences in water. NY doesn't have some kind of crazy Pizza technology hook up.
Personally, I like a medium thick crust, hand tossed (I toss/spin but others disagree and only slap/stretch) with a thick breadstick like crust. Three toppings MAXIMUM (otherwise it doesn't matter which toppings you use as you can't taste them anyway).
Toppings should be UNDER the Cheese. Use care to arrange pepperoni, tomato slices, or similar so that they align with the slices.
Red sauce is the ONLY acceptable sauce (the more 'kick' the better- reheated marianara that has a little thickness to it is perfect).
And here is the most important thing:
Only use half of the cheese you think is necessary. People use ENTIRELY too much cheese on their pizzas. Extra cheese should have never even been an option. Also, use feta or gorg to liven in up. I love cheese, make no mistake. But the trick is not using too much with Pizza. When you apply the cheese only apply it to the inner edge of the crust.
There is a magical force that causes all toppings to gravitate towards the center of the circle when cooked.
Cook in a big hot oven, finishing in a brick if you have the fireplace.
Remove.
COOL before cutting (thus lessening cheese slippage).
Garlic oil crust LIGHTLY.
Dust w/ parm.
I hate Basil, but it is an acceptable garnish. Use sparingly, potent little herb it is.
Consume, with hands, WITHOUT folding and turning your beautiful pie into a sammich.
Again, my apologies, but I had to get this out, as I said, I take Pizza entirely too seriously.
Edit: Hillarious- Domino's add at the top.
None of these comments apply to Chicago style, which as has been mentioned, is not Pizza. It is a bread/pudding/casserole thing with similar ingredients to Pizza.
The geographic differences all boil down to (no pun intended) the differences in water. NY doesn't have some kind of crazy Pizza technology hook up.
Personally, I like a medium thick crust, hand tossed (I toss/spin but others disagree and only slap/stretch) with a thick breadstick like crust. Three toppings MAXIMUM (otherwise it doesn't matter which toppings you use as you can't taste them anyway).
Toppings should be UNDER the Cheese. Use care to arrange pepperoni, tomato slices, or similar so that they align with the slices.
Red sauce is the ONLY acceptable sauce (the more 'kick' the better- reheated marianara that has a little thickness to it is perfect).
And here is the most important thing:
Only use half of the cheese you think is necessary. People use ENTIRELY too much cheese on their pizzas. Extra cheese should have never even been an option. Also, use feta or gorg to liven in up. I love cheese, make no mistake. But the trick is not using too much with Pizza. When you apply the cheese only apply it to the inner edge of the crust.
There is a magical force that causes all toppings to gravitate towards the center of the circle when cooked.
Cook in a big hot oven, finishing in a brick if you have the fireplace.
Remove.
COOL before cutting (thus lessening cheese slippage).
Garlic oil crust LIGHTLY.
Dust w/ parm.
I hate Basil, but it is an acceptable garnish. Use sparingly, potent little herb it is.
Consume, with hands, WITHOUT folding and turning your beautiful pie into a sammich.
Again, my apologies, but I had to get this out, as I said, I take Pizza entirely too seriously.
Edit: Hillarious- Domino's add at the top.
chondro: you, sir, have just made me really hungry. And clearly you understand the facts about pizza. None of this "deep dish" nonsense. The base should be thin or medium at most.
But I have to disagree with one point - maximum three toppings. You can have more, you just reduce the amount of each one slightly so that you get to taste them as you work your way around.
My own topping choice... red sauce (duh), black olives, green peppers, mushrooms, pepperoni or salami (don't reduce the quantity of this particular topping on my pizza or we will have words) and anchovies. Then the cheese, and maybe some parmesan (very fine grated from an actual piece of CHEESE, btw - the "dust" stuff in the little plastic pots is an offence against all creation and should be banned) . Touch of basil, okay (you're dead right on this, it's very potent stuff). Plenty of black pepper. Mmmmmm....
But I have to disagree with one point - maximum three toppings. You can have more, you just reduce the amount of each one slightly so that you get to taste them as you work your way around.
My own topping choice... red sauce (duh), black olives, green peppers, mushrooms, pepperoni or salami (don't reduce the quantity of this particular topping on my pizza or we will have words) and anchovies. Then the cheese, and maybe some parmesan (very fine grated from an actual piece of CHEESE, btw - the "dust" stuff in the little plastic pots is an offence against all creation and should be banned) . Touch of basil, okay (you're dead right on this, it's very potent stuff). Plenty of black pepper. Mmmmmm....
I agree NY pizzas are great -- doesn't really even matter where, any old dive will make a pretty good pizza. But the best pizza I ever ate was from a place in Los Angeles (now closed, unfortunately) called La Barberra's. They remain the benchmark for me. Chicago pizza seems to doughy for me.
Thats the $3.99 crust right there! Crisp on the outside, bready on the inside, you can pull it apart and tear out the fluff! I actually do find their pizza to be pretty great! It definitely beats a Pizza Hut or Domino's any day. Probably the only place I know of where you can get a vegan pizza (though Im sure theres others). I dont venture into Diamond Bar much, do you know the crosstreets? Barro's sounds familiar to me.
What was the name of this place? Was it right next to a Hostel and a bar called Knoc Knoc (or something similar?) I ate slices there everyday the last time I took a trip to SF, though it might not be the same place (I think the address was 554 Haight St. as the Hostel we stayed at was 555).
Whatever that place was, they had some great slices.
Bassy- You know, it is funny. Right after I wrote that, I went to the fridge to indulge. Turns out, I had a 4 topping concoction in there (Pepperoni, Feta, Roasted Red Peppers, Spinach).
The combo is important as well. Here are a few good trios:
Chicken/Spinach/Onions
Bannana Peppers/Bacon/Black Olives
Pepperoni, Green Peppers, Black Olives (Beautiful looking pie, if you use big green pepper rings- otherwise go w/ spinach).
In general, I want something that will crisp (Usually Pepperoni), something green (for color if nothing else) and a wild card.
Also, for when you are feeling a little crazy- I have on occasion been known to make a Ricotta pie. Using Ricotta (maybe cut w/ a little oil) as a 'sauce' then finish as required. Very delicious, but that is a BURLY slice o' pie.
The combo is important as well. Here are a few good trios:
Chicken/Spinach/Onions
Bannana Peppers/Bacon/Black Olives
Pepperoni, Green Peppers, Black Olives (Beautiful looking pie, if you use big green pepper rings- otherwise go w/ spinach).
In general, I want something that will crisp (Usually Pepperoni), something green (for color if nothing else) and a wild card.
Also, for when you are feeling a little crazy- I have on occasion been known to make a Ricotta pie. Using Ricotta (maybe cut w/ a little oil) as a 'sauce' then finish as required. Very delicious, but that is a BURLY slice o' pie.
The Noc Noc is in the lower Haight...which has much more hipster cred than the "Upper Haight," which is where this departed Pizza/Italian Restaurant was....
You're talking about Mythic Pizza which does, indeed, have good slices.
...I can't remember the name of the place, actually....but it was Italian.
Escape From New York in the Upper Haight does pretty good slices. Sometimes burned though...
Escape From New York in the Upper Haight does pretty good slices. Sometimes burned though...
Right off the 60 at Golden Springs Dr (aka Colima) and Brea Canyon...same shopping center as the Bob's Big Boy. The old one was at Valley & Nogales, behind the Tastee Freez
Ah, that is exactly it! Both Mythic Pizza and Noc Noc are very fine establishments, I would recommend either to all.
Thats just down the freeway from me, Im off of the 60 @ Hacienda. I know the shopping center, but havent really been by there but to go to Bob's.
We made our Texas Red chili for a Superbowl party once.
The basic recipe was to pour several cans of any good Texas or Mexican brew into a crock, put in a ton of beef brisket, and simmer covered for a good while. Then you add more beer and lots of chili powder, plus chopped jalapenos, habaneros, some cayenne and maybe some serrano, and add some salt and black pepper, to taste. Simmer for another number of hours.
At some point, you have this reddish stew with soft, pliable beef all through it.
At this party, people ate hearty and loved the taste, but then some did suffer, uh, fire in certain areas for probably 36 hours.
I have really enjoyed the pizza discussions. Great to see all the variations in taste.
You nailed it right there. Nicely spicy is the way I like it as well.
There's a Brothers Pizza here in T-town that has fantastic pizza. I wonder if it's the same guys? They have pictures of their family all over the walls. We don't go there often, though, since we prefer Hideaway Pizza, which opened in Stillwater, OK (where I was born) in 1957 and is now franchised all across Oklahoma. Their sauce and dough are the best IMO. There is a new place called Savastano's that serves Chicago-style pizza which is really good also.
Those all sound good to me. Yum!
On the combo thing (agreed about the colours, btw), it's also good to get a range of textures in there, too. Something meaty (say, pepperoni), something soft (mushrooms), something crunchy (green peppper) and so on.
Being Vegetarian my prefered toppings are: Green Peppers, Onions, Garlic, & I'll throw on some Mushrooms sometime. Or the classic Margherita.
