# Stick This on Your Pizza, and Eat It!



## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

From where it all began - Naples!


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

I didn't realize this until last year but for a pizzeria to claim that it makes Neopolitan style pizza it needs to be certified.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

SG_67 said:


> I didn't realize this until last year but for a pizzeria to claim that it makes Neopolitan style pizza it needs to be certified.


Interesting! :icon_scratch:

By whom? Bruno's loansharking, leg-breaking and Neapolitan Pizza Certification Guild? 

While in school, before the A&P would allow me to slice meat, I had to join the Amalgamated Meat Slicers Union for a $50 initiation fee. That is $381 in today's money. But the membership was a great benefit! It allowed me to slice meat! And make $1.35 an hour.


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

Flanderian said:


> Interesting! :icon_scratch:
> 
> By whom? Bruno's loansharking, leg-breaking and Neapolitan Pizza Certification Guild?
> 
> While in school, before the A&P would allow me to slice meat, I had to join the Amalgamated Meat Slicers Union for a $50 initiation fee. That is $381 in today's money. But the membership was a great benefit! It allowed me to slice meat! And make $1.35 an hour.


https://americas.pizzanapoletana.org/


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Flanderian said:


> From where it all began - Naples!


That looks so delicious.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

This thread is not helping my diet!


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

eagle2250 said:


> This thread is not helping my diet!


All the essential food groups are present. A glass of wine and gelato after the meal is all that's missing.


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## drlivingston (Jun 21, 2012)

I made the mistake of eating "American pizza" when I was in Naples one time. I had eaten many authentic pies that were absolutely delicious. So, for a lark, I decided to try their take on the American style. What has been eaten, cannot be untasted. They say that appetite is visual. Well, the American pizza was the culinary equivalent of seeing Roseann Barr in a thong. Instead of a standard base sauce, they used catsup. Just the memory evokes chills (and a little gag reflex). I can only hope that they were playing a joke on the straniero.


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

^ I'm sure it was their way of poking fun at Americans. 

Though Neapolitan pizza is different from what many of is equate as being pizza, there is excellent pizza to be had here. 

Personally I'm biased toward Chicago deep dish.


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## drlivingston (Jun 21, 2012)

SG_67 said:


> Personally I'm biased toward Chicago deep dish.


I am in complete agreement with that. While I have never eaten pizza while visiting The Windy City, we do have a place in Birmingham that was opened by a couple of Chicago transplants (she's from Birmingham and he is from Ecuador but they both lived in Chicago for years). It easily took over the pizza scene in our fair city.
https://www.tortugaspizza.com/


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

SG_67 said:


> https://americas.pizzanapoletana.org/


My cynicism knows no bounds!


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

eagle2250 said:


> This thread is not helping my diet!





SG_67 said:


> All the essential food groups are present. A glass of wine and gelato after the meal is all that's missing.


My wife is an RD. She says pizza is good for you.
Who am I to argue! :happy:


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^ Well, my friend,
my wife is "SWMBO" and she says I have to keep working my waist measure back to a svelte 36" and pizza just isn't going to make that happen! LOL.


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

Proper pizza is actually very good for one; indeed, most mediterranean foods are very good for one. 
A thin base to provide some carbs, fresh tomato, mozarella (a very low fat cheese) prosciutto, garlic, olive oil and basil, along with a glass of red wine will, as has been stated, provide a very healthy meal.


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

Flanderian said:


> My cynicism knows no bounds!


Of course that's only what they say on the website. What goes on behind the scenes? Well, you may well be onto something.



Chouan said:


> Proper pizza is actually very good for one; indeed, most mediterranean foods are very good for one.
> A thin base to provide some carbs, fresh tomato, mozarella (a very low fat cheese) prosciutto, garlic, olive oil and basil, along with a glass of red wine will, as has been stated, provide a very healthy meal.


Correct. It's only when one consumes an entire large pizza nightly, washes it down with a liter of sugary soda that the risks begin to add up.

It's remarkable the portion sizes that are doled out at some restaurants in order to maintain the veneer of value. Over the years, I've come to appreciare quantity far more than quantity when it comes to food.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

Chouan said:


> Proper pizza is actually very good for one; indeed, most mediterranean foods are very good for one.
> A thin base to provide some carbs, fresh tomato, mozarella (a very low fat cheese) prosciutto, garlic, olive oil and basil, along with a glass of red wine will, as has been stated, provide a very healthy meal.


Gee, that makes me hungry!

IMHO, trully good pizza is all about the crust. It's really just bread, and needs to be truly delicious. While American pizza crust is a different thing, pizza such as what's pictured is thicker, crunchy, and simultaneously dense, light and chewy. While I don't know the details of the process, it's obviously the result of the right ingredients combined properly and baked correctly in the proper oven. The best I've encountered was in Philadelphia at a place called Pizza Rustica. The ovens were wood fired. But oddly the dough was being whipped up by typical kids without seeming great interest or skill. I'm sure that a lot of it comes down to the oven and ingredients. The requirement seems to be being extra demanding to get the best, as there's an entire industry dedicated to furnishing cheaper and cheaper ingredients at cheaper prices. Which is a process which eventually ends with the cardboard crust versions so typical.

Once you get the desired crust, placing truly delicious quality ingredients that harmonize on it, rather than slathering it in "ketchup" and "dairy product" such as the so-called American Pizza should guarantee something delicious. Looking at the beautiful prosciutto, fresh ricotta, fresh cherry tomatoes and basil, and undoubtedly a dollop of quality olive oil, I don't know how it could be anything but delicious.

I think most Italians would blanch at the stuff they see being put on a pizza in the U.S. IMO, if you're served poor food in Italy, it's not an accident.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

SG_67 said:


> It's remarkable the portion sizes that are doled out at some restaurants in order to maintain the veneer of value. Over the years, I've come to appreciare quantity far more than quantity when it comes to food.


Bad food, and lot's of it! Yum, yum! 

The first thing a chef learns in the U.S. is that the food doesn't have to be good, just abundant.

Fashion has reacted with micro-portions. How I miss the entirely adequate, right-sized portions that were ubiquitous in Europe. And the small number of quality American restaurants that served them, but which seem typically to wither on the vine due to skimpy patronage.


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## Tempest (Aug 16, 2012)

That stuff has leaves on it, and no pepperoni. I don't think one could eat that cold the next day either. :crazy:


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

Tempest said:


> That stuff has leaves on it, and no pepperoni. I don't think one could eat that cold the next day either. :crazy:


Well, boo-hoo!


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

SG_67 said:


> All the essential food groups are present. A glass of wine and gelato after the meal is all that's missing.


and a slice of cake and coffee for later, How about it SG?


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Flanderian said:


> My wife is an RD. She says pizza is good for you.
> Who am I to argue! :happy:


I could eat a couple of slices.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

Howard said:


> I could eat a couple of slices.


I don't know that you're going to find exactly what I've been describing, but I'm sure Bayside would be able to oblige with something pretty tasty. :beer:


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## adept (Jun 9, 2015)

SG_67 said:


> All the essential food groups are present. A glass of wine and gelato after the meal is all that's missing.


a little insalata mista would be a nice touch


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Flanderian said:


> I don't know that you're going to find exactly what I've been describing, but I'm sure Bayside would be able to oblige with something pretty tasty. :beer:


Then what are you describing?


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## Dhaller (Jan 20, 2008)

drlivingston said:


> I made the mistake of eating "American pizza" when I was in Naples one time. I had eaten many authentic pies that were absolutely delicious. So, for a lark, I decided to try their take on the American style. What has been eaten, cannot be untasted. They say that appetite is visual. Well, the American pizza was the culinary equivalent of seeing Roseann Barr in a thong. Instead of a standard base sauce, they used catsup. Just the memory evokes chills (and a little gag reflex). I can only hope that they were playing a joke on the straniero.


It's a bit of fun-poking, yes.

There's a lot of that in the world, generally well-deserved.

Example: in Japan if you order "American coffee" you're ordering coffee which is diluted with more hot water after brewing, since everyone knows Americans drink weak coffee.

It galls me every time!

DH


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## 16412 (Apr 1, 2005)

SG_67 said:


> It's only when one consumes an entire large pizza nightly, washes it down with a liter of sugary soda that the risks begin to add up.


Yes! I used to hike up mountains. Now, I am the mountain. I now know what glutening is. Gotta eat another piece or two. Repeat until all pizza is all gone. The problem is it tastes to good to quit. A little humor. Not that fat. But, not slim either. Some tastes so good it is hard to quit. I cut back on pizzas. Maybe now I'll win the battle of the bulge.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

WA said:


> Yes! I used to hike up mountains. Now, I am the mountain. I now know what glutening is. Gotta eat another piece or two. Repeat until all pizza is all gone. The problem is it tastes to good to quit. A little humor. Not that fat. But, not slim either. Some tastes so good it is hard to quit. I cut back on pizzas. Maybe now I'll win the battle of the bulge.


As a kid, I'd eat a whole pie as dinner and still be hungry.

Now, two slices does it.


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

What's even worse are the pies that are cut into little squares. Easy to lose track and eat an entire pizza without realizing.


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## 16412 (Apr 1, 2005)

Didn't grow up with pizzas. The ones at school stunk and were dreadfully awful looking. I wouldn't touch them. A few years out of high school fishing up in Alaska the crew decided to eat at a pizza place. Of course, I ordered something else. They were lucky to get me in that building. When I finally saw what a real pizza looks like and smells like, and they let me have a piece, the first time impossible happened. I wanted to try it. The rest is history.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

SG_67 said:


> What's even worse are the pies that are cut into little squares. Easy to lose track and eat an entire pizza without realizing.


Here they're wedges.



WA said:


> Didn't grow up with pizzas. The ones at school stunk and were dreadfully awful looking. I wouldn't touch them. A few years out of high school fishing up in Alaska the crew decided to eat at a pizza place. Of course, I ordered something else. They were lucky to get me in that building. When I finally saw what a real pizza looks like and smells like, and they let me have a piece, the first time impossible happened. I wanted to try it. The rest is history.


My reaction was similar walking the streets of Manhattan when pizza was still something of a novelty food. Walked into a pizzeria on a frigid night and got a slice from a pie baked in a coal fired oven. Ah . . . ! Need that coal dust for flavor!

And some "craft" pizzas are actually returning to them! :thumbs-up:


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## 16412 (Apr 1, 2005)

Crust sure makes a difference. It needs to be as good as the rest of the pizza. A brother likes the cracker crust, because he is only interested in the toppings. Another crust was sorta like oven pancakes. Friend thought that was great. It even made the toppings taste terrible. True yeast bread is the only way. One time I brought blueberries and asked them to put them on. They were way to sweet for that pizza. Lately, I've had pizza where the pepperoni and the little fish had no flavor. It seems like there are many new ideas about pizza toppings. Sometimes I wonder if they should be called pizza.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Flanderian said:


> As a kid, I'd eat a whole pie as dinner and still be hungry.
> 
> Now, two slices does it.


If I was really hungry I'd eat about 4 slices.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

I like a pizza that has a nice crispy crust, nice toppings like sausage, meatball or pepperoni and oil that doesn't drip a lot.


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## Dhaller (Jan 20, 2008)

With this thread in mind, I gently suggested that my daughter and her friend make pizza for lunch this afternoon, here at the house: prosciutto, mushrooms, black olives, banana peppers, basil, fresh mozzarella, marinara sauce (modified with a little extra garlic).

Power of suggestion.

(I made a "pizza oven" here at the house, simply by laying clay tiles out on an oven rack as a "brick oven" surface - works quite well.)

DH


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