Sorry for another lowbrow post—I swear next time I’ll write about the friendship between Godard and Truffaut. But I just have to comment on Gothamist’s summation of a Wired piece about the brilliance of New York pizza. San Francisco is a “pizza backwater”? Hey!
NYC Pizza Rules, But Does Anyone Really Know Why?
Why New York City's Iconic Pizza Is So Tough to Replicate
Now, look. I have tried to be nice about the pizza here. I’ve eaten without complaint what locals consider the ultimate ‘pie’: tomato sauce and scarce cheese on a thin crust. And I’ve come to terms with the fact that the idea of pizza here is just different from that on the West Coast. There, we enjoy fresh, tasty toppings on our pizzas: artichoke hearts, red onions, feta or goat cheese, grilled chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, portabella mushrooms, garlic sauce. I enjoy getting an entire farmers’ market on a pizza or having a Thai-style or Southwestern slice. But since that’s not how it’s done here, I’m working at appreciating the finer points of NY pizza; apparently it’s all in the dough.
So why must this writer insist on bashing California pizza? Can’t we just agree it’s a matter of taste and let each coast enjoy its own version? There’s so much strife in this world, people. Let’s not let pizza come between us.
Photo of my absolute favorite pizza growing up: Chicken & Garlic Gourmet from Round Table. Mmmm….
NYC Pizza Rules, But Does Anyone Really Know Why?
Why New York City's Iconic Pizza Is So Tough to Replicate
Now, look. I have tried to be nice about the pizza here. I’ve eaten without complaint what locals consider the ultimate ‘pie’: tomato sauce and scarce cheese on a thin crust. And I’ve come to terms with the fact that the idea of pizza here is just different from that on the West Coast. There, we enjoy fresh, tasty toppings on our pizzas: artichoke hearts, red onions, feta or goat cheese, grilled chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, portabella mushrooms, garlic sauce. I enjoy getting an entire farmers’ market on a pizza or having a Thai-style or Southwestern slice. But since that’s not how it’s done here, I’m working at appreciating the finer points of NY pizza; apparently it’s all in the dough.So why must this writer insist on bashing California pizza? Can’t we just agree it’s a matter of taste and let each coast enjoy its own version? There’s so much strife in this world, people. Let’s not let pizza come between us.
Photo of my absolute favorite pizza growing up: Chicken & Garlic Gourmet from Round Table. Mmmm….
7 comments:
Next time you visit your brothers, have them take you to Ken's Artisan Pizza in SE. Holy crap is it good! It's just like what I had in Italy. Cool spot too.
http://www.kensartisan.com/pizza.html
Good timing on that post! It's lunchtime. Maybe I should go to Hot Lips for a slice of either squash, onions, and brie or potato bacon pizza.
Who am I kidding? I almost always choose the bacon and potato.
You know, New York is kind of like an annoying frat guy who insists on reasserting his primacy at every opportunity and will, after being sorely beaten at foosball, say things like, "Yeah, but remember that time I whupped your ass at ping-pong!"
New York pizza is better*, that's all. Just like In N Out is better than McDonalds. It's irrefutable. Don't get me started on that chicago-style casserole garbage. You can put toppings if you wish. The problem is that if you put too many or too much, the whole thing is weighed down and the balance is all off. Anyway, it IS all about the dough. Why is SF sourdough good? Why is an artisan ciabatta loaf better than wonder bread? I mean, some trashy southerner can argue they wonder bread is better. But they'd be incorrect.
*By categorically stating new york pizza is better, I really only mean that the average new york pizza is better. I'm sure you can find a perfectly great slice in california somewhere, just not as easily.
PS I think you wrote this blog entry just to get a prickly response out of me.
Speaking of pizza, check out the pizza I made a couple weeks ago:
pizza!
Actually, Andy, I did almost call upon you to comment as our resident pizza expert, or to tell us your impressions of Seattle pizza. But you are biased by growing up in New York! Maybe people just always like what they know. Or maybe New York pizza is superior. You should probably come back here and make me one.
I would just like to point out that Wonder Bread is no distributed in the South.
But it IS distributed in the Midwest and it is yummy. I like to eat a slice of it with my Ghetto Blaster while wearing a Kid Rock T-shirt and cut-off jean shorts sitting in the back of my pick-up truck.
With your shotgun beside you on the tailgate. :)
Post a Comment