Different pizza styles?

[Beth76]

St. Louis lays claim to it's own style of pizza (although it's often discounted in the industry), which uses a special cheese called Provel instead of traditional mozzarella, and often lots of oregano with a sweeter sauce. It's often cut into squares, although the pizza is round. Imo's is a biggie in St. Louis.

Why would St. Louis style be discounted by the industry but CPK is ok? A little factoid about Imo's: The guy who kidnapped those two boys who were just found worked at Imo's. Very good pizza though. I just love the gooey provel cheese.

but the third trip we tried Gino's East and LOVED it! That was amazing!

I LOVE Gino's!!!! I've had Uno's, Due's and I *think* Giordano's. All good, but Gino's by far left me with the lasting impression. I can't wait to get back to Chicago and get me some Gino's. I've even toyed with the idea of having it shipped.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

OP, I'm curious as to how you would define "American" pizza or "Italian" pizza, over there in Europe. I find that people here have vastly different impressions of what food is like in European countries.

To me, Italian pizza is what's usually referred to as Sicilian pizza here in the states (but I saw it in every part of Italy when I was there). Thick, bready crust, baked in a rectangular pan and cut into squares. Although I recall they put much less cheese on it than we do here.

As others have said, American pizza varies so much, from Chicago to New York to California and everywhere in between. One that hasn't been mentioned yet is "Colorado style" pizza, which basically comes from just one chain, called Beau Jo's (I think they just made up the term). It's a thin crust, but it's rolled over several times at the edges, so you get a big soft doughy edge crust on your thin pizza. They put bottles of honey on the tables, and after eating the cheesey, topped center, people will put honey on the bready crust before eating. Not my favorite pizza, but pretty good.

Of course, pizza is like sex. Even when it's bad, it's still good. (I hope I can say that on the DIS!)

 

[gypsydoodlebug]

Why would St. Louis style be discounted by the industry but CPK is ok? A little factoid about Imo's: The guy who kidnapped those two boys who were just found worked at Imo's. Very good pizza though. I just love the gooey provel cheese.

Y' know, that's a good question ... I think it's because that style is regional and not mainstream (yet). STL Franchises haven't really hit it big yet with that particular style. OTOH, CPK posts sales of $479 million and is one of the top 10 pizza chains in the country. It's mainstreamed the BBQ chicken pizza, for instance.

I can't wait to get back to Chicago and get me some Gino's. I've even toyed with the idea of having it shipped.

We've had Giordano's and Mangia (Austin, Texas pizza chain) shipped to the office. I remember Giordano's being good, but Mangia was awesome. I had Giordano's shipped to DH once, too, and he said it was good.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

My kind of pizza

Damn. that looks good.

 

[disneyjunkie]

My kind of pizza

I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow--a slice with extra cheese

 

[Lachesis00]

We watched a pizza special on food network in the past month. VERY interesting to learn about the different pizzas.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_sp/episode/0,1976,FOOD_9994_37204,00.html

Isn't traditional Italian pizza, the crust cooked first, toppings added and then recooked/heated?

I love Chicago style, but give me a pepperoni and cheese or pineapple and cheese 'NY' style any day.

Papa Murphy's is really good take n bake.
My son found some place in Tempe (a bit too far to go to unless we're in the area) that made amazing thin crust pizza.

 

[lesroi]

new york is thin while chicago is thick. A chicago pizza can weigh several pounds! The food network is always having shows about the differences.

I love them both, so I am not a good judge!

You haven't met "thin" until you've had St. Louis style pizza. Soooo good! Now I miss home!



Tracy

 

[minnieandme]

My kind of pizza

that looks sooooooooo good. I'll take NY style over Chicago anytime. It's very hard to find a good pizza place outside of NYC. I've searched high and low for a good pizza place and the best one I found so far is Johnny's Pizza.

 

[buzzlady]

Damn. that looks good.

It was! The reason that I have a picture of pizza is because I have a friend that moved to MO and they just can't get pizza like "home" so I "sent" them one by e-mail.

 

[cybrkitn]

Here's NY style... all thin and big.

They're both good!

Oh man! My mouth is just watering for two slices of that pizza right now! Us native New Yorkers will fold it and eat it with our hands. No forks and knives here!

When DH and I went to visit our friend in the city (over 5 years ago), we went to a pizza place on Bleeker Street (in Little Italy). There were two girls (early 20's) who ordered a slice and asked for a fork and knife. The owner said to them, "This is New York! You eat pizza with your hands!"

 

[cybrkitn]

Taking it a bit further, New York pizza is different from "New York" pizza. Once you get, say, 40 miles outside the NYC area it changes. I can't really explain it other than it's not the same. Again, it all depends on what you're used to.

When we moved to Florida we thought we'd never have decent pizza again. There are a lot of places that claim to have "New York style pizza," but other than the thickness of the crust, they are not, at least to someone from anywhere in or around NYC. We were lucky enough to find one place right near us that does live up to that claim, but the rest usually aren't even close on their best day. The same goes for deli claims.

I haven't noticed any difference. I have family that lives in up-state NY 45 minutes from Albany and we've gotten pizza there. Pretty much tastes the same to me.

When my family (Ddad, Dmom, Dbrother and me) went on our last family Disney trip, we stayed in Deltona (co-worker of my dad owned a condo at the time). There was one pizza place there that did have authentic "New York" style pizza. Of course the owner was from New York and knew just how to make it

 

[Yzerbear19]

Am I the only one who thinks that the NY Style doesn't look that good? I'm sure it probably is, but I rather have a thick, golden slice of Chicago style pizza from Gino's East. Yum! I'll have to post some pictures from our pizza at Gino's when I get home.

 

[cybrkitn]

For Chicago-style 'za, you'll find Giordano's, Connie's, Pizzeria Uno and DUE and Gino's East among the most popular. In NYC, there's tons of good places (even the Sbarros seem to be better), but Long Island has awesome 'za. Some of the most esteemed places are now running on legend and history rather than good food. Totonno's, Lombardi's, John's, Patsy's L & B Spumoni Gardens are all classics. Expect long lines and lots of tourists. Hole-in-the-wall/ off beat places are often fun finds, too: Pinch–Pizza by the Inch, Slice (a vegan place), Sullivan Street Bakery.

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We do have great pizza places here. Our favorite is Sayville Pizza in Sayville, followed by Aegean Pizza in Holbrook. It's the moz. cheese they use. It definately makes the pizza!

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Am I the only one who thinks that the NY Style doesn't look that good? I'm sure it probably is, but I rather have a thick, golden slice of Chicago style pizza from Gino's East. Yum! I'll have to post some pictures from our pizza at Gino's when I get home.

I prefer thicker pizzas as well, and yes, I've had NY pizza in NYC. As someone said, I think it depends on what you grow up with. Although I do think NYC bagels taste better than the average bagel.

I don't get the knife and fork comments, either. I have never seen an American eat pizza with a knife and fork (unless it was so huge and gooey that they resorted to knife and fork only after being unsuccessful picking it up with their hands). Where do people regularly eat pizza with a knife and fork?

 

[Yzerbear19]

I don't get the knife and fork comments, either. I have never seen an American eat pizza with a knife and fork (unless it was so huge and gooey that they resorted to knife and fork only after being unsuccessful picking it up with their hands). Where do people regularly eat pizza with a knife and fork?

I know a lot of people who use knives and forks to eat pizza. We used a fork and knife in Chicago to eat our Ginos pizza because it was so thick and lots of sauce on top.

 

[lesroi]

I don't get the knife and fork comments, either. I have never seen an American eat pizza with a knife and fork (unless it was so huge and gooey that they resorted to knife and fork only after being unsuccessful picking it up with their hands). Where do people regularly eat pizza with a knife and fork?

I occasionally use a knife and fork for pizza, if it is not thin crust St. Louis style. Color me a weirdo!


Tracy

 

[dcgrumpy]

"Grandma pizza" is aka Sicilian-style thick crust, usually cut into squares. There's a big debate here in the office about the way 'za is cut -- our publisher, who hails from Long Island, gets irate if somebody cuts a round pizza into squares (which we do just to tick him off!.)

cutting a round pizza into squares is just silly


Around here a "grandma pizza" isn't the same as Sicilian. it's shaped like Sicilian, but it has a thin crust and it's made with mozzerella, crushed tomatoes, chopped garlic, olive oil and crushed red pepper.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I occasionally use a knife and fork for pizza, if it is not thin crust St. Louis style. Color me a weirdo!


Tracy

Sorry, didn't mean to imply only wierdos use a knife and fork. I was just surprised that some seemed to think it was a New York thing to use your hands. The folding part definitely seems to be a NY thing, though.

cutting a round pizza into squares is just silly

pizza sacrilege if you ask me!

 

[lesroi]

cutting a round pizza into squares is just silly

I just want you all reading this to know ahead of time that Friday night, when the pizza that I ordered all the way from St. Louis arrives, I will bake it and then....


cut it into squares!!! It's the only way, people!!!


Tracy

 

[nsyncraider17]

Columbus, Ohio, is also garnering attention for it's pizza scene...

Really? Why?

It seems like pretty much all we have around here are chains, except for on campus, where everything is delicious, but I can't think of any style that would be unique to here.