Different pizza styles?

[Hixski]

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.

Imo's would be our chain pizza place. There are alot of Italian restaurants in St. Louis that make much better pizza than Imo's IMHO. Imo's is good but others are better. We also use provelone cheese too. Different places use that or provel. Most people that grow up eating mozzarella cheese on their pizzas think ours are weird tasting. But we love our St. Louis pizzas. Even if we don't get any respect.

 

[gypsydoodlebug]

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.

No, you're right -- it is ... I amended my original explanation -- I think I had two trains of thought going on when I was posting. Both "Grandma" and Sicilian style are cut into squares, and usually both are rectangular. I've actually never had Grandma-style pizza (it's not all that common).

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.

There's a regional pizza and ice cream show there. Can't remember off the top of my head what I've heard about that region, though... I think Flyers, Mama Mimi's, Michael Angelo's (owned by World Pizza Champion Michael Shepherd), Donato's HQs, Marco's is based in Toledo, all hail from that area.

Most people that grow up eating mozzarella cheese on their pizzas think ours are weird tasting. But we love our St. Louis pizzas. Even if we don't get any respect.

I had a reader call and ask me if there was STL-style pizza anywhere outside of MO -- nothing came to our minds, so if anybody knows, please let me know so I can file it. I think he missed a taste of home.

 

[lesroi]

I had a reader call and ask me if there was STL-style pizza anywhere outside of MO -- nothing came to our minds, so if anybody knows, please let me know so I can file it. I think he missed a taste of home.

I moved away from St. Louis in 2001 and have lived several places. St. Louis style pizza is nowhere to be found outside of Missouri and Illinois.

I order mine from Imos. I am literally that desperate. They arrive the next day, half-baked, and I just pop them in the oven with a little extra cheese (that I also order from them) on top and they are almost as good as home!

Of course, the pizza goes much better when I make the toasted rav's for appetizers first!

It is worth every penny!!!

I have ordered from 2 places that ship, if you want to pm me, I will send you the other info. I should get myself a referral. Then I can have some free pizza!



Tracy

 

[Yzerbear19]

Here was our pizza from Gino's East in Chicago:

Yummy! Each time I look at the picture, makes me want to go back!

 

[Hixski]

I moved away from St. Louis in 2001 and have lived several places. St. Louis style pizza is nowhere to be found outside of Missouri and Illinois.

I order mine from Imos. I am literally that desperate. They arrive the next day, half-baked, and I just pop them in the oven with a little extra cheese (that I also order from them) on top and they are almost as good as home!

Of course, the pizza goes much better when I make the toasted rav's for appetizers first!

It is worth every penny!!!

I have ordered from 2 places that ship, if you want to pm me, I will send you the other info. I should get myself a referral. Then I can have some free pizza!



Tracy

You are making me hungry for pizza and toasted ravvies. If you have never had toasted canneloni, those are to die for too. We have friends that just moved back from Detroit. We went with them the other night because they were dying to have "REAL" St. Louis pizza. They said there was a place in Detroit that advertised St. Louis pizza but it was awful. They didn't even complain when the cheese burned the roof of their mouths off.

 

[Beth76]

OK, I just might have to have a Gino's delivered. That picture is making me hungry. Now funny thing, I hate tomatoes but like tomato sauce. So when I eat a chicago pizza i have to scrape all the tomatoes off the top.

 

[RadioNate]

Here was our pizza from Gino's East in Chicago:

Yummy! Each time I look at the picture, makes me want to go back!

That pizza looks WAY better to me than the other one posted. Yep...gonna have to have some Gino's East shipped. I should not have looked.

 

[Lachesis00]

OK, so my son found a pizza place in Tempe. Come to find out they will deliver to our house (like 20+ minute drive) if they are not busy. They are called Gus's New York Pizza Inc.

On their website they list:

* The Supreme
* Downtown
* Manhattan
* The Bronx Bomber
* Veggie Explosion
* The White Pie

I know what a supreme is, but what the heck are the others? Regional pizza types or ??

 

[dcgrumpy]

That pizza looks WAY better to me than the other one posted. Yep...gonna have to have some Gino's East shipped. I should not have looked.

I guess it's all what you're used to. That doesn't look appetizing to me at all.

 

[piglet too]

I love a "stuffed" pizza from Giordano's. There are some other places around here that are good too, but not as good.

 

[desertgirl]

and a little place called Mario's in Albuquerque, NM, of all places, are awesome, too.[/QUOTE]


Hey, I'm in Albuquerque. I'd love to check out Mario's. What should I order? Green chile is the topping of choice here in NM, for everything from burgers to pizza.

Thanks for the find!

Kerry

 

[crazyme5kids]

Another New Yorker here. Neapolitan (sp?) pizza is round, Sicilian rectangle, but you don't order Neapolitan, it is assumed you want the round one unless you specify Sicilian. Olive oil is key to a really good slice of pizza.

I loved the pizza in Chicago. I lived in Crystal Lake, IL and the best place for pizza was a place called Giordano's or something like that. I will admit though, the first time I got a pie and opened the box I thought, "What the heck is this!?". A round pie with tiny little square pieces? They also made the best stuffed pizza, my favorite was one with sausage and jalapeño peppers. Man that was tasty stuffed pie!

 

[Aimeedyan]

This thread has been so fascinating to me - I've learned more about pizza than I ever cared to!

I have learned 3 things:
- I never desire to taste Chicago style pizza, doesn't appeal to me at all
- I will be hitting one of those pizza spots in NYC when we go in June for some real NY style pizza
- I really want to order some St Louis style pizza and have it shipped to me because it sounds delicious!

We have a Papa Murphy take and bake up the road and I really like it! Cheaper than Pizza Hut and healthier, too. Glad to hear pizza professionals think highly of it too.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Here was our pizza from Gino's East in Chicago:

Now, that's a pizza I might eat with a knife and fork! A little bit more sauce than I care for, but it looks delicious!!

 

[SandraVB79]

Thank you for all the replies. I didn't know about the Chicago pizza, it's the first time i've seen pictures of it. And I don't think I would like it... (sorry)
Whenever I'm in the US, I go to Pizza Hut or get one of those pizzas on the airport, and I would just sell my soul for one of those shrimp pizzas from the Rainforest Cafe at DTD in Anaheim!!!! As a matter of fact, in august, I almost fell asleep with my nose into my pizza. I was so tired because of jetlag, but I needed that pizza on arrival day

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.

"Italian pizza" is a thin crust, with some tomato sauce, mozarella and some toppings. Usually, the toppings are used in small amounts. The pizza is then put in an authentic charcoal oven. The crust is good as long as the pizza comes right out of the oven, once it cools off a little, it usually becomes rather hard.

"American pizza" is the Pizza Hut kind. The crust is thicker and softer, toppings are used in large amounts, and they are never put into the authentic ovens.

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 always use knife and fork for a pizza. Over here, people eat about everything with knife and fork (except sandwiches)

 

[cybrkitn]

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?

It was the owners response to the girls request that gave us a good chuckle. The girls had that "eww, you eat pizza with your hands" kind of attitude. Our pizza is thin and can easily be folded to be held and eaten that way. It's kind of hard to do that with thick crust pizza even though it can be done (I tried to do it when we visited California).

 

[cybrkitn]

Here was our pizza from Gino's East in Chicago:

Yummy! Each time I look at the picture, makes me want to go back!

I'm not used to seeing that type of pizza. I prefer having the tomato sauce under the mozarella. But I can definately see why you need a fork and knife for a Chicago pizza.

Looks like I'll have to give DH a "heads-up" when he goes to Chicago in a few months on a business trip. I wonder if he knows what he's in for

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I always use knife and fork for a pizza. Over here, people eat about everything with knife and fork (except sandwiches)

I know. My dad was born and raised in Italy and he's the only person I've known that used a knife and fork for Pizza Hut type pizza. Heck, he used to eat apples and pears with a knife and fork! My brother and I used to give him a hard time about his aversion to touching food with his fingers.

It certainly depends on what you're used to. I find it easier to eat Pizza Hut pizza with my hands than NY pizza, because it's thick enough I don't have to fold it to get a good grip on it.

Can you tell I'm fascinated by these regional differences?

 

[SandraVB79]

We are always amazed when we're in the US that so many people eat so many things without forks and knifes, or just with a fork. That would be considered a total lack of table manners over here, but I guess it's just the way it happens in the US
However, I'm still disgusted when I think about someone I know in TX who eats her spaghetti with her hands, ewwwwwwww

 

[Mrs.Toad]

However, I'm still disgusted when I think about someone I know in TX who eats her spaghetti with her hands, ewwwwwwww

Yuuuuckk! OK, that is definitely not the norm in the U.S.! Well, unless you're eating it from a high chair.