American pizza

[GoogaMooga]

You spoon the tomatoes over the pizza base and sprinkle with the grated cheese, preferably Mozzarella. Slide it into the oven, set the timer, and wait for the outcome.

Quite different from authentic Neapolitan pizza, the American pizza base is thick, soft, and loaded with toppings. Whichever style you prefer, the pizza is the world's most popular food, with over 3 billion consumed in America alone, per annum. It's a whole science getting it just right. And to deliver it hot.

The round meal was first popularized in America in the 1950s, when cars became more common. Suddenly, Americans were traveling and driving around a lot more. That brought about a whole new food culture, fast food. Perfect and easy meal if you are on the go. Pizza arrived in the US in the late 19th century with the first wave of Italian immigrants. It was an inexpensive peasant food, made casalinga by southern Italian immigrant women in their kitchens. By 1900, adverse economic conditions back home had forced four million southern Italians to leave their country and come to the US.

It was not before 1905, that Gennaro Lombardi applied to the New York City government for the first license to make and sell pizza in the country, at his grocery store on Spring Street in what was then a thriving Italian-American neighborhood. Pizza at this point was very much an ethnic, poor person's food eaten by Italians in the urban enclaves in which they had settled.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

What differentiates “American Pizza” (for purposes of the poll) and Dominos and Pizza Hut?

Are you referring to so-called “deep dish pizza,” as available in Chicago?

[GoogaMooga]

Domino's and Pizza Hut were the first to popularize pizza in 1950s America. I gave them separate entries because they have a bad reputation - at least what I have heard. So it was meant as a joke, but never mind, people aren't voting anyway.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

Domino's and Pizza Hut were the first to popularize pizza in 1950s America.

I did not know that!

[souphound]

Well, I'd like to tell a little story that involves my favourite pizza of all time.

Think 1982 or so. A segment of a small street in an artsy area of town has gone pedestrian-only and features all sorts of restaurants, mostly small independents. One of these places is called Pizza Mella (down at the end, I've linked a strange little videoclip of one of the early ads - not crazy about the pizza they show, too gooey by far). The two or three wood burning ovens as you see in the ad are set in to the sides and the eating areas are all around them. They prepare the pizzas right there, not out back somewhere. You can see everything.

The street now looks something like this. Same, but 40 years later.



My then girlfriend and I would go for supper there about twice a week. We were 22 years old, in uni, and a bike ride through the downtown area, where we lived, was no problem. It was affordable too (good thing since we were students) and one of the first bring-your-own-wine restos in the city. We'd usually bring a couple of beer with us.

There were about 29 types of pizza on the menu, but we both got addicted pizza #17, the Shrimp Calzone. I can hardly describe it. Think of a folded crust, slightly crispy on the outside, with the everpresent but not overwhelming essence of the wood, burning, their wonderful homemade tomato sauce, shrimp (not fancy ones, but we didn't know any better), a few veggie bits, and loads and loads of freshly shredded mozzarella.

Meanwhile, out in the street (the front of the place is wide open since it's a beautiful summer's eve), a few feet away, there's a busker busking away.

Aaaaaaaaaaaah. I can still taste that pizza and relive those moments if I close my eyes.

[GoogaMooga]

Domino's and Pizza Hut were the first to popularize pizza in 1950s America.

I did not know that!

If you read newspaper articles from the 1950s about the new fast food, the pizza is explained and described to the readers.

[never/ever]

I miss the 'home made '-option.
I make my own pizza- just standard dough with freshly made tomato base salsa and lots of ingredients and lots less salt than they throw on takeaway pizza.
Wish I had a wood burn oven though.

[GoogaMooga]

I miss the 'home made '-option.
I make my own pizza- just standard dough with freshly made tomato base salsa and lots of ingredients and lots less salt than they throw on takeaway pizza.
Wish I had a wood burn oven though.

Well if you enjoy making them, if it is therapeutic, that is good for you. I wouldn't even think to attempt it, being very much against any sort of cooking from scratch. I know that can make life more difficult, but I am just too plain lazy.

[never/ever]

It's not therapeutic but I don't do takeaway so I have to cook. A lot of that stuff is too salty for my taste. Besides, I love a lot of different toppings on my pizza so I don't have to add/subtract anything on a readymade pizza.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

Domino's and Pizza Hut were the first to popularize pizza in 1950s America.

I did not know that!

If you read newspaper articles from the 1950s about the new fast food, the pizza is explained and described to the readers.

I am not surprised to learn that. I am surprised to learn that Domino’s and Pizza Hut were the first to popularize pizza, and that they did it 70 years ago.

[GoogaMooga]

I am not surprised to learn that. I am surprised to learn that Domino’s and Pizza Hut were the first to popularize pizza, and that they did it 70 years ago.

Yeah, I was too. I thought that the two chains came later, and that pizza was popularized earlier. Pizza Hut never really caught on in Denmark, but we have got a few Domino's.

[souphound]

It's not therapeutic but I don't do takeaway so I have to cook. A lot of that stuff is too salty for my taste. Besides, I love a lot of different toppings on my pizza so I don't have to add/subtract anything on a readymade pizza.

My position exactly. Other than a work lunch a couple of months ago I can't recall the last time I had any take-out food at all. Must be at the very least 2-3 years, likely more than that.

It's even easier to understand with pizza. Being lactose intolerent and hating pills, when I make my own, I can use lactose-free cheese. Not perfect but I prefer that to taking six huge Lactaid pills for the pleasure of a couple of slices.

[Six String]

Not a fan of those classic American pizzas with thick crusts and mounds of ingredients. I prefer the thin crust with far fewer ingredients and prefer white sauce over red ffor the most part. Fortunately we have several pizza restaurants in town so I don’t have to go to the American chains which are closer to my house (but not by much). Much like a really good hamburger I get a craving for them every couple of months. My local butcher/food store usually has pizza dough I can purchase if I’m in the mood so I “make” my own from time to time. The original Shakey’s Pizza started here in Sacramento though the building is now a restaurant of a different type.

[GoogaMooga]

so I “make” my own from time to time.

quora.com:

You do both- while you bake it, it cooks, and when you cook a pizza, it bakes. Kinda trippy, if you ask me.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

When I was a kid, our small town in South Texas had a Pizza Hut and a Mr. Gatti's. Gatti's was a Texas chain (and still exists, I suppose) and the local restaurant was incredible. They had two dining rooms, each with big screen TVs (like, small movie screens). It was weird, because it was in the day when there were only four or five TV stations, so whatever was on at the time was on, but it was a novelty. But the truly incredible thing was that it was done out sort of like an old west saloon with these incredible booths enshrouded in rich red curtains. So strange.

The old Pizza Huts were a certain style building with low, red roofs. Like old Kentucky Fried Chickens, they were purpose built for the restaurant. Most of them are abandoned now and have been taken over by different restaurants (often taco joints in my part of the world). It's always a little strange being in a place that was so distinctive or so long, and now serves a different purpose.

Of the two, I preferred Mr. Gatti's pizza, though Pizza Hut was wonderfully buttery and salty. Very strange. By the late 80s, Dominos arrived in our town. It was always cheap, but the pizza wasn't great then and it's gone downhill since. I wouldn't pay for any of that stuff now. Like everything else, the quality and choice of pizza is galaxies better now than it was 30 years ago.

[Six String]

so I “make” my own from time to time.

quora.com:

You do both- while you bake it, it cooks, and when you cook a pizza, it bakes. Kinda trippy, if you ask me.

The dough comes in a ball so it has to be rolled out. I didn’t say bake or cook.

[Six String]

When I was a kid, our small town in South Texas had a Pizza Hut and a Mr. Gatti's. Gatti's was a Texas chain (and still exists, I suppose) and the local restaurant was incredible. They had two dining rooms, each with big screen TVs (like, small movie screens). It was weird, because it was in the day when there were only four or five TV stations, so whatever was on at the time was on, but it was a novelty. But the truly incredible thing was that it was done out sort of like an old west saloon with these incredible booths enshrouded in rich red curtains. So strange.

The old Pizza Huts were a certain style building with low, red roofs. Like old Kentucky Fried Chickens, they were purpose built for the restaurant. Most of them are abandoned now and have been taken over by different restaurants (often taco joints in my part of the world). It's always a little strange being in a place that was so distinctive or so long, and now serves a different purpose.

Of the two, I preferred Mr. Gatti's pizza, though Pizza Hut was wonderfully buttery and salty. Very strange. By the late 80s, Dominos arrived in our town. It was always cheap, but the pizza wasn't great then and it's gone downhill since. I wouldn't pay for any of that stuff now. Like everything else, the quality and choice of pizza is galaxies better now than it was 30 years ago.

There was a Mr. Gatti’s in Waco where my mom lives. The inside was the same.

[GoogaMooga]

so I “make” my own from time to time.

quora.com:

You do both- while you bake it, it cooks, and when you cook a pizza, it bakes. Kinda trippy, if you ask me.

The dough comes in a ball so it has to be rolled out. I didn’t say bake or cook.

Sorry, I found it funny that you put the word make in quotation marks. I got confused, so I looked it up and found the quote, which I thought was funny.

TBH, I was a little confused. In Danish, I believe you can say either make or bake.

[GoogaMooga]

The old Pizza Huts were a certain style building with low, red roofs. Like old Kentucky Fried Chickens, they were purpose built for the restaurant.

I remember those. Think there were a few of them in London in the 80s, which is when I ate there. I like the iconography and design of fast food restaurants - the uniformity, the distinct signs and architecture. It would be good to compile a photo book of all that, the history of fast food restaurants. It's probably already been done, I'll have to check.

[BARON CORNY DOG]

When I was a teenager one of my school friends was from Chicago and found himself exiled with his mother to our part of the world. They were both rightfully bitter about that and of course everything about Chicago was magical, including the pizza from Gino’s East. He talked about it for years. Then one day I drove to San Antonio to pick him up from the airport and he brought several slices of pizza with him on the plane to give me for picking him up. This day old pizza was absolute magic. I can’t explain it. Sensational.

Of course, this is the illegitime Chicago-style “deep dish pizza,” which is the sort of thing I used to enjoy having mock arguments about on the internet.

At the (frankly, insane) Chicago Jolly Up, loveless, phenomenal cat and myself broke away to drink pitchers of beer and eat Chicago pizza. It was incredible but there’s only so much room (even in a fat man’s stomach) for pitchers of beer and very rich deep dish pizza. I ate and drank far more than I should’ve and it became a bit uncomfortable.

I was in Chicago with Min a year or two ago and I insisted on going to Gino’s East. Alas, there are several locations. Maybe we went to the wrong one or at the wrong time or it’s not what it was 30 years ago or whatever but it wasn’t that great.

Like other things, Chicago pizza is only good in Chicago.