What’s Your Favorite Style of Pizza?
November 30, 2011
•Le Cordon Bleu
•St. Louis
• 0 Comments
What’s Your Favorite Style of Pizza?
Making delicious pizza doesn’t require you to be a culinary school graduate. But with all of the different styles of pizza out there, you might need a culinary historian to help you sort them out. Despite the diversity of styles, it seems that most of us tend to choose one more often than the others.
Asking some people which is their favorite style of pizza is a little like asking them what their favorite religion is. No matter what their opinion, it’s guaranteed to be strongly held and passionate. Whether you’re a firm believer in one style over all others or you’re more of an agnostic who enjoys all equally, pizza is the quintessential American food. Each one of us eats more than 23 pounds of pizza of every style and variety in the U.S. each year. That’s a lot of pie. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular styles.
New York-Style
When most people think pizza, this is what comes to mind: large, thin, floppy slices that must be folded in half lengthwise to be enjoyed properly. Even if you live in the middle of country, you probably have a nearby pizza shop that specializes in New York-style pie.
Chicago-Style
Your average New Yorker may not think so, but Chicago-style pizza is delicious. Chicago-style pizza is thick and cooked in a deep dish with huge amounts of cheese, chunks of tomato, and other toppings. Try one with sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, and green pepper. Each piece is a meal by itself.
Sicilian
Originating in Palermo, Sicily, Sicilian pizza is usually over and inch thick and cut into squares. Traditional preparations call for large amounts of cheese, sauce, onions, and bits of anchovies. You may want to avoid the anchovies, but tradition is tradition for a reason: it just tastes good!
Neapolitan
If you have a pizzeria near you that touts their wood-fired pizza oven, then this is what they make. The thin crust is turned crispy and slightly charred in the high temperatures of the wood oven. One of the most popular versions of Neapolitan pizza is Margherita with slices of mozzarella cheese, ripe tomatoes, and whole basil leaves.
Lesser-Known Styles
These styles of pizza may be lesser known, but that doesn’t mean that they are any less popular with their fans than their more famous brothers above.
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California-Style – Typically a Neapolitan pie served with typical California toppings like guacamole, artichokes, roasted chicken, bean sprouts, carne asada, and any variety of fresh veggies.
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Colorado-Style – This combination of New York and Chicago styles is super thick with tons of toppings. The crust is usually braided and made of whole wheat. Pies are served with honey for dipping the crusts.
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Detroit-Style – Detroit’s version of Chicago pizza is also deep dish, but the crust is Sicilian and twice-baked so that it gets extra crispy. Be careful; it can be messy. The sauce is served on top of the rest of the toppings.
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St. Louis-Style – Have I saved the best for last? Maybe. St. Louis cooking school graduates and pizza aficionados alike know that it is thin crust pizza topped with local provel (a combination of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone) cheese. The round pies are then cut into squares not wedges.
After a list like this, maybe you want to rethink your allegiance to your favorite style of pizza? I know I do.
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