Pizza thread, 2009.

**divegirl** · 03-05-2009, 11:19 AM

Hahaha - Iceman.
Hey - frozen pizza is still pizza, and can be damn good. Personally I'm a fan of Freschetta frozen pizzas (if I have to go frozen).

However if I think of pizza, the first one I think about is Klondike pizza in Arroyo Grande, CA. "Pizza restaurant with Alaskan atmosphere." They even have reindeer pizza, but I think it's actually moose. It's not a folding kinda pizza, but the crust is just thick enough not to want to fold it. I'm not a pizza snob.....pizza is pizza and however you do it it's damn good.

**grrrr** · 03-05-2009, 11:23 AM

You fools and your pizza. there are 3 places in the world to get good pizza. NYC and immediate environs. Italy. My house.

I will give to the cali style pizza shown that it is marginally better than chicago style. Marginally.

Back to the question at hand. Yes, NY pizza should be folded. In Italy, usually the pies are smaller. Anyone with any other opinion about pizza is a toothless asshat and should stick to eating jello.

**grrrr** · 03-05-2009, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by divegirl

Hahaha - Iceman.
Hey - frozen pizza is still pizza, and can be damn good. Personally I'm a fan of Freschetta frozen pizzas (if I have to go frozen).

However if I think of pizza, the first one I think about is Klondike pizza in Arroyo Grande, CA. "Pizza restaurant with Alaskan atmosphere." They even have reindeer pizza, but I think it's actually moose. It's not a folding kinda pizza, but the crust is just thick enough not to want to fold it. I'm not a pizza snob.....pizza is pizza and however you do it it's damn good.

Freschetta is an abomination. And they farm reindeer but not moose. It's illegal to sell moose meat from Alaska.

**rideit** · 03-05-2009, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by divegirl

Hahaha - Iceman.
Hey - frozen pizza is still pizza, and can be damn good. Personally I'm a fan of Freschetta frozen pizzas (if I have to go frozen).

However if I think of pizza, the first one I think about is Klondike pizza in Arroyo Grande, CA. "Pizza restaurant with Alaskan atmosphere." They even have reindeer pizza, but I think it's actually moose. It's not a folding kinda pizza, but the crust is just thick enough not to want to fold it. I'm not a pizza snob.....pizza is pizza and however you do it it's damn good.

Wow.
This post is wrong on so, so, so many levels.

**RootSkier** · 03-05-2009, 11:42 AM

This thread is seriously underproducing.

**dumpy** · 03-05-2009, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by divegirl

Hahaha - Iceman.
Hey - frozen pizza is still pizza, and can be damn good. Personally I'm a fan of Freschetta frozen pizzas (if I have to go frozen).

However if I think of pizza, the first one I think about is Klondike pizza in Arroyo Grande, CA. "Pizza restaurant with Alaskan atmosphere." They even have reindeer pizza, but I think it's actually moose. It's not a folding kinda pizza, but the crust is just thick enough not to want to fold it. I'm not a pizza snob.....pizza is pizza and however you do it it's damn good.

Yup completely wrong.

Ever had pizza east of the Mississippi and North of the Mason/Dixon line?

Didn't think so.

Actually make that East of Erie PA, North of the Mason Dixon line, excluding most of Northern Vermont.

You are now on the list right next to the guy who said he didn't like Social Distortion and anyone that likes to snowlerblade.

**iceman** · 03-05-2009, 11:48 AM

In a thread years ago we decided the pizza line went from Buffalo to the Jersey shore, passing just south of Trenton. I don't think we remembered that VT pizza is generally not so good. NH pizza is excellent though.

**rideit** · 03-05-2009, 11:51 AM

And we have to drag Ct. Pizza into the conversation, of course.

(EDIT:I could just feel it coming...)

**Steven S. Dallas** · 03-05-2009, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by iceman

In a thread years ago we decided the pizza line went from Buffalo to the Jersey shore, passing just south of Trenton.

I personally decided that the "pizza line" is in New Haven, CT and extends from one end of Wooster Street to the other. And that's about it.

**MCLC** · 03-05-2009, 11:53 AM

Best pizza in the country is Sally's in New Haven. Second best is Pepe's just down the block. Neither is foldable because they cut narrow slices. And neither should be folded because it's too damn good.

Large slices of NY-style pizza can be folded - in part to protect the roof of your mouth from burning. Yesterday, I had two mediocre Denver NY-style slices from Anthony's for lunch. I folded the first. I didn't fold the second.

Chicago "pizza" shouldn't be mentioned in pizza conversations. California pizza shouldn't ever be mentioned at all.

**MCLC** · 03-05-2009, 11:54 AM

I personally decided that the "pizza line" is in New Haven, CT and extends from one end of Wooster Street to the other. And that's about it.

We were typing at the same time. So true.

**dumpy** · 03-05-2009, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by iceman

In a thread years ago we decided the pizza line went from Buffalo to the Jersey shore, passing just south of Trenton. I don't think we remembered that VT pizza is generally not so good. NH pizza is excellent though.

I used Erie as a demarcation point to imply that Buffalo just makes it. Gotta love me some Sal's, but most B-lo pizza is a hair too thick, but still enjoyable. I haven't had too much S. PA/MD/S. NJ pizza, but I can't imagine its that bad, considering it's close proximity to good pizza.

Some pizza in VT is good. I've had some good pizza in the Rutland area (which resembles NJ anyway and as much as I hate NJ, they do have good pizza) and in the Stowe area, but the NEK is Utah/California/Washington bad for pizza.
In 2 years of living there I only found one pizza I could eat and it was kind of an odd ball pie that had corn meal on the crust, good, but not in the way pizza should be good. Couldn't find a place selling it by the slice to save my life.

And why the fuck is every pizza place in VT called "___Insert town name here___ House of Pizza"? I've heard that Maine is the same way. WTF?? Can't think of a more original name? I've never seen a pizza joint called "house of pizza" outside of VT, but its everywhere there.

**Jax** · 03-05-2009, 12:02 PM

There is a Protos in my neck of the woods, sometimes they can be a little stingy with the meat. I just request extra. I do like the thin crust, their dough is fresh. The more simple they keep the pizza, the better, IMO.

**dumpy** · 03-05-2009, 12:07 PM

thanks to this thread, in about 10 minutes, I'm gonna go grab me some pizza for lunch.

CNY style, which means NY style pizza, eaten with blue cheese dressing on the side to dip into. FKNA only way to do it. Usually have to fold to get it into the blue cheese

So suck on that all of you stuck in the land of great skiing and crappy pizza

(^^^seriously fucked up priorities^^^)

**toast2266** · 03-05-2009, 12:18 PM

This thread makes me miss papa gino's. That is the best chain of pizza restaurants ever.

The only truly good pizza place that I've found out west is Boriello Brothers in Colorado Springs. That place is awesome. Every other pizza place out here is, at best, edible.

**grrrr** · 03-05-2009, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by toast2266

"the best chain of pizza restaurants"

That is both oxymoronic and moronic at the same time.

I'ma gunna maka the pizza tomorrow nowa too. Ima gunna goa homa ata luncha and starta the dougha.

I'll have to run up to Van after work and get some san marzano and some nice proscuitto. Then I'll be set.

**FrankZappa** · 03-05-2009, 12:30 PM

This all raises the question... Could a really great pizza maker from NY/Chi/NE make a decent pizza at altitude? I see no other explaination for the lack of good pizza in the west.

**Jax** · 03-05-2009, 12:33 PM

maybe?

Speaking of local places T, I ate at a small place in your neck of the woods not too long ago. It gave me bloat

**rideit** · 03-05-2009, 12:33 PM

Some say it's the chemical makeup of the water in the NE.
It is very, very hard to get the dough 'correct' at altitude...it either rises too much, or not enough.
Club soda and beer help, but are not 100%.
I have been experimenting for 20 years now.
Curiously, I managed to make some pretty damn good pizza near Huaraz at 14,000 ft...

Oh, and the Guido factor...out west, people are just happy to be served at all. In the NYC/CT/ETC areas, people know their Pizza, and don't put up with shitty Pizza for long.

**Steven S. Dallas** · 03-05-2009, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by toast2266

This thread makes me miss papa gino's.

I just threw up in my mouth and started crying, simultaneously.

RideIt- have you tried Sprite? There is a very good CT pizzeria that uses Sprite instead of water (or maybe it's a mix).

**FrankZappa** · 03-05-2009, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by Jax

I ate at a small place in your neck of the woods not too long ago. It gave me bloat

Like this???
Bloat:...a distention of the rumen or paunch or of the large colon by gases of fermentation, caused by eating ravenously of green forage, esp. legumes.

Originally Posted by rideit

...
Curiously, I managed to make some pretty damn good pizza near Huaraz at 14,000 ft...

Unpossible

**Jax** · 03-05-2009, 12:47 PM

heh, ok, not bloat. But it felt like a balloon was getting blown up in my stomach. Do you know the place I'm talking about? Nice enough folks in there, but man did that pizza give me a tummy ache!

**rideit** · 03-05-2009, 12:48 PM

I'm not gonna say it was NY good, but it was honestly better than i would have ever thunk. Turns out there is a Jesuit compound there, filled with Italians who train campesinos to make cathedral ornamentation. We stayed at the monastary, and I got to talking with one of the bakers (they make perhaps the best bread in the country) about Pizza dough at altitude, and he suggested I try their bread dough. They had Italian canned tomatoes, made their own mozzerella and proscuitto, and imported their own olive oil. It was cool.
I'll try to remeber the name of the town...

**acostiga** · 03-05-2009, 12:48 PM

mmm... pizza thread. what to say, what to say?

styles?

i've had pizza in CT (new haven) that was very much like what i enjoyed while doing my little study abroad (vacation) in italy. they're a one-size-fits-all sort of pizza. light on the sauce, light on the toppings. usually from a wood-fired oven. that style is more about the crust than anything else... it's almost like a bread variation, with a crispy and cracker-like texture. i vote for vino rosso della casa with this sort of stuff instead of beer.

there are some PS/WV mags who probably wouldn't want to bring this style of pizza into such a thread, but dicarlo's is unique. they bake a huge slab of pizza, and serve the toppings cold. it's very popular, and franchises are spreading through the ohio valley region. this is to be consumed with beer, for sure.

i'm not really down with the non-round pizza thing. i wouldn't legislate against it, but i think pizza should be round.