WaPo Best Pizza by state

[aaronatthedoublef]

Hello,

It's been a long summer. Hope you all are doing well. Been doing some baking but not as much as I would like.

Came across this from the WaPo. It does not appear to be behind a paywall.

It's interesting that tavern style pizza is being recognized as being as worthy of the "Chicago Style" label as Deep Dish.

It is disappointing that Stuffed has become a "subset" of Deep Dish.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/interactive/2023/best-pizza-map-style-near-you/

Spread the word

      

  

  

[Mike Nolan]

Back in the 70's it was said that there were 5 different style of Chicago-Style pizza. (Some people said 7.)

Stuffed pizza has always been a sub-specialty, even the places that claim to have invented it never made them the star of the menu.

Chicago-style thin was always the odd duck, it is similar to tavern style but different in some subtle ways. I haven't found a thin/tavern style crust recipe I'm happy with yet.

Pasquale Bruno Jr's book, "The Great Chicago-Style Pizza Cookbook" is still IMHO the definitive text on them, but it gave short shrift to thin/tavern style.

[skeptic7]

Aaron;
Welcome back. Missed your voice particularly when the topic turned to Challah. I glanced at WaPo on pizza and I think I'd like it if they defined different types before trying for "best of". Now I want to know the difference between bar and tavern pizza, stuffed and Chicago. I remember when ages ago I knew of only thin and round, and square and pan, and a novel item was a white pizza.
I've drove past a place that sold coal fired Bronx pizza but don't know what distinguishes that from wood fired pizza.

[Mike Nolan]

I've only had coal-fired pizza once, and it was pretty good.

Coal-fired pizza ovens are hotter and drier than wood-fired pizza ovens, the crust is crisper and usually a bit charred on the bottom, though the center is chewy. They're said to be harder for pizziaolos to learn to use, possibly because there just aren't that many around.

[aaronatthedoublef]

We have a lot of coal-fired here in CT of course. It is considered New Haven even though I think it now is considered to have started in NYC.

I've been tinkering a lot trying to make tavern style. It seems for home cooks technique may be as important as the recipe.

For example, I start mine on the stone and finish it on a baking rack on the top oven shelf. It might be better on the lower shelf.

Then I let it rest for about five minutes on a baking rack after I take it out.

I have that pizza book I just haven't tried his dough yet. I think I will have to do that soon.

As for challah I'm starting my project up again.

[Mike Nolan]

The Modernist Pizza book talks about several different crust styles, one of them is Brazilian thin-crust, but I can't find a Brazilian dough recipe anywhere and I'm not sure I'm ready to spend that much on a pizza cookbook set.

This sounds like an interesting recipe to try: https://www.atbbq.com/blogs/recipes/chicago-thin-crust-tavern-style-pizza

[aaronatthedoublef]

There is another element to Chicago style pizza which is too often ignored but is true regardless of the crust - sausage cooks on the pizza! This may be true for some other styles but nothing that I've found on the East Coast.

Also, the WaPo left out Greek pizza which, at least in the Northeast is its own, distinctive style. The closest I've found to it is frozen, grocery store Homerun Inn pizza. That was another childhood favorite that never makes anyone's list, sadly.

[aaronatthedoublef]

Another interesting pizza story... https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/unusual-pizza-around-the-world?utm_source=Atlas+Obscura+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=7412ac2f29-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_09_11&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-7412ac2f29-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=7412ac2f29&mc_eid=584974d195

[Mike Nolan]

The volcano-fired pizza sure ranks as interesting.

[skeptic7]

KAF has a section just for pizza in its recipe section. I am surprised at the variety.

[navlys]

BRAZILIAN-STYLE PIZZA DOUGH AND TOMATO SAUCE
Adapted by DIANE UNGER

If you try hard enough you can bring up this milk st recipe!

[Author]

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