call your pizza order in to _______ ???

Jstas

danger boy wrote: »

do you deliver?

No, it's DiGiorno

Fireman32

I miss all the real pizza joints in NJ. Here in Raleigh there is one place that is good but not close to what i am used to in jersey. People here think that papa johns is great pizza.

concealer404

Fireman32 wrote: »

I miss all the real pizza joints in NJ. Here in Raleigh there is one place that is good but not close to what i am used to in jersey. People here think that papa johns is great pizza.

At least you're on the East coast.

You want pizza hell? Come and visit.

I guess my saving grace is that my Pizza Hut calls are answered by a pimply 16 year old.

danger boy

ok all your east coast peeps.. what makes a good pizza pie to you? they say in the west here, we don't know what real pizza is>

enlighten me... make my mouth water.

Fireman32

danger boy wrote: »

ok all your east coast peeps.. what makes a good pizza pie to you? they say in the west here, we don't know what real pizza is>

enlighten me... make my mouth water.

Al, My opinion its the water used to make the dough that makes the NY/NJ pizza so good. When i lived in south florida years ago i always went to a pizza joint where the owner had water shipped down from brooklyn. Tasted just like the pizza up north.

concealer404

danger boy wrote: »

ok all your east coast peeps.. what makes a good pizza pie to you? they say in the west here, we don't know what real pizza is>

enlighten me... make my mouth water.

Chewy crust, huge limp foldable slices, tons of cheese, and none of this whole wheat dough ****.

In my case, if there's a nice layer of grease over the top, AWESOME.


Out here, you get tomato paste on crackers and some imitation cheese, or even Cheddar (WTF?!?!) and whatever dog food they happen to have lying around, or the most hideous characterature of Chicago Deep Dish style pizza that it's more like a farkin' casserole. WHO PUTS CORN AND POTATO ON PIZZA?!?!?!?! REALLY?!@?!?!? ****.


Yes. I'm from NY.

hearingimpared

concealer404 wrote: »

Chewy crust, huge limp foldable slices, tons of cheese, and none of this whole wheat dough ****.

In my case, if there's a nice layer of grease over the top, AWESOME.


Out here, you get ketchup on crackers and some imitation cheese, or even Cheddar (WTF?!?!) and whatever dog food they happen to have lying around, or the most hideous characterature of Chicago Deep Dish style pizza that it's more like a farkin' casserole. WHO PUTS CORN AND POTATO ON PIZZA?!?!?!?! REALLY?!@?!?!? ****.


Yes. I'm from NY.

Fixed it for you

zombie boy 2000

My dad is a Jew from Jersey. Needless to say, he has spent his last thirty years in Atlanta mournfully opining the veritable non-existence of either a proper slice or bagel in the area.
To hear him tell it, a small part of him died the day he left Newark for Dixie. Some nights, I can hear him whispering - oh so softly - "It's in the water... it's in the water...".

danger boy

ok so does Chicago or NY have the better pizza? I don't see anyone from Chicago chiming in here.

Demiurge

There is great pizza of every variety all over the country. You just have to look for it.

concealer404

danger boy wrote: »

ok so does Chicago or NY have the better pizza? I don't see anyone from Chicago chiming in here.

I've had both, and i'm more likely to get chicago style than NY around here.

NY hands down. That's not to say that i don't like a good Chicago pizza, but it's not pizza to me. Tasty, but not the same.

hearingimpaired wrote:

Fixed it for you

Yes. You certainly did.

concealer404

Demiurge wrote: »

There is great pizza of every variety all over the country. You just have to look for it.

You're probably right. The problem is that you get so used to, and the taste of wherever you're from gets so engrained, that nothing else will satiate you.

The best form of Midwest "Pizza" is the two local places, Jack's, and Bob's To Your Door.

It's very tasty. But it's got that cracker crust, and just. Isn't. Right.

Jstas

danger boy wrote: »

ok all your east coast peeps.. what makes a good pizza pie to you? they say in the west here, we don't know what real pizza is>

enlighten me... make my mouth water.

I'm not a pizza maker, just a pizza eater!

But here's a recipe on how to make a NY style pizza.

http://www.pizzamaking.com/newyorkstyle.php

Here is a step by step on assembly:

http://www.pizzamaking.com/nystepbystep.php

You're not going to get the Brooklyn thin-crust exactly like what most of us NY/NJ people rave about but it will be close. Most of the joints in South Jersey use a slightly thicker crust than what an authentic Brooklyn joint would use but due to the Italian heritage in the area here it's easy to find affordable, top quality ingredients for your pizza.

bobman1235

Demiurge wrote: »

There is great pizza of every variety all over the country. You just have to look for it.

May be true, but you certainly have to look a lot harder outside of the Northeast / Chicago areas.

In NY, NJ and New England you can walk into any pizza place and have a pretty good chance of at least a DECENT pizza. You do that out west and you have a decent chance of vomiting.

Demiurge

concealer404 wrote: »

You're probably right. The problem is that you get so used to, and the taste of wherever you're from gets so engrained, that nothing else will satiate you.

The best form of Midwest "Pizza" is the two local places, Jack's, and Bob's To Your Door.

It's very tasty. But it's got that cracker crust, and just. Isn't. Right.

You're absolutely right. There's no doubt about that, man. We are creatures of habit and always love the tastes of stuff we're used to the most from home.

I don't discriminate. I love the true NY style offerings I have had as well as the Chicago style stuff when I visit there. I also have 4 local joints that are top notch here in WI that I go to within 45 minutes of me...one of them is 2 blocks away.

The best pizza I have ever had? My dad makes it. It's thin crust, spicy sauce, and all of the freshest ingredients including buffalo mozzarella. I had never had it until I was an adult (because he'd never made it prior ), and I swear to God it's the best damn pizza I have ever had.

LessisNevermore

Jstas wrote: »

I'm not a pizza maker, just a pizza eater!

But here's a recipe on how to make a NY style pizza.

http://www.pizzamaking.com/newyorkstyle.php

Here is a step by step on assembly:

http://www.pizzamaking.com/nystepbystep.php

You're not going to get the Brooklyn thin-crust exactly like what most of us NY/NJ people rave about but it will be close. Most of the joints in South Jersey use a slightly thicker crust than what an authentic Brooklyn joint would use but due to the Italian heritage in the area here it's easy to find affordable, top quality ingredients for your pizza.

Yes, but the difference is supposed to be in the water. NY has some of the best quality water in the country. I watched some show on Food Network, where they used exactly the same ingredients, sourced from the same places, the only variable being, the water. The NY crust was consistently judged the best....if nothing else, it was interesting.

Myself, I'm a Chicago deep dish fan. The thin stuff that has an equal chance at landing in your lap, as it does your mouth, just isn't very filling.

concealer404

LessisNevermore wrote: »

Myself, I'm a Chicago deep dish fan. The thin stuff that has an equal chance at landing in your lap, as it does your mouth, just isn't very filling.

That's part of the fun! You've got a greater chance of beating your chest around your buddies saying "Man, i ate a WHOLE FREAKING PIZZA by myself!"

But also, i think the larger pies tend to make up for it. I've seen NY pizza slices bigger than some of the entire pizzas out here.

Demiurge

bobman1235 wrote: »

May be true, but you certainly have to look a lot harder outside of the Northeast / Chicago areas.

In NY, NJ and New England you can walk into any pizza place and have a pretty good chance of at least a DECENT pizza. You do that out west and you have a decent chance of vomiting.

I'd agree that's all true. There's certainly a better concentration of better pizza places than there is someplace like where I live.

My overall point, beyond just pizza, is that food has largely become pretty "universal," especially within the United States. Aside from a few oddities where your physical location on a map would matter (and there aren't many), there isn't much I can't make here the same as some guy in any other part of the country. Hell, people are apparently shipping in NY water for their crusts.

George Grand

Fireman32 wrote: »

I miss all the real pizza joints in NJ. Here in Raleigh there is one place that is good but not close to what i am used to in jersey. People here think that papa johns is great pizza.

Maybe up in North Jersey. Down around here the people eat like dogs. Too close to Philly and too far from NY. Down here, these jerks rate any pie that comes with a free 2 liter bottle of Coke as outstanding pizza. Mutts.

average_guy

tx_polkhead wrote: »

pizza is best when it is DIY!

That's what I'm talkin' about!

Jstas

Demiurge wrote: »

I'd agree that's all true. There's certainly a better concentration of better pizza places than there is someplace like where I live.

My overall point, beyond just pizza, is that food has largely become pretty "universal," especially within the United States. Aside from a few oddities where your physical location on a map would matter (and there aren't many), there isn't much I can't make here the same as some guy in any other part of the country. Hell, people are apparently shipping in NY water for their crusts.

Ummmm....no.

I will hold up the venerable Philly Cheesesteak as proof that what you say is inaccurate at best. For further reference, I will put forth the Philly Soft Pretzel. It can be argued that a Hoagie is also unduplicated outside of the Greater Philadelphia Area. I will offer Primo's as the reference sammich for a bar marker.

When you can find me one of any of them somewhere else in the world outside of the Greater Philadelphia Area, I will then tell you that you are correct. However, I am eternally doubtful that you will ever be able to accomplish such a task.

Good luck.

Jstas

George Grand wrote: »

Maybe up in North Jersey. Down around here the people eat like dogs. Too close to Philly and too far from NY. Down here, these jerks rate any pie that comes with a free 2 liter bottle of Coke as outstanding pizza. Mutts.

I gotta agree there too. Not many are great and just by the sheer preponderance of the pizza shops in the South Jersey area does not speak to the quality of those shops. Maybe 1 in 10 is worth speaking of while 1 in 20 is truly of the great variety. The reference of Russo's certainly sets the bar quite high but there are others on par as well. Not many but they do exist.

Demiurge

Jstas wrote: »

Ummmm....no.

I will hold up the venerable Philly Cheesesteak as proof that what you say is inaccurate at best. For further reference, I will put forth the Philly Soft Pretzel. It can be argued that a Hoagie is also unduplicated outside of the Greater Philadelphia Area. I will offer Primo's as the reference sammich for a bar marker.

When you can find me one of any of them somewhere else in the world outside of the Greater Philadelphia Area, I will then tell you that you are correct. However, I am eternally doubtful that you will ever be able to accomplish such a task.

Good luck.

You really don't understand the folly of trying to argue that geographic location makes your food tase better? Aside from altitude, which has no bearing (no pun intended) on Philly Cheesesteaks, there's not a single reason any of those guys couldn't open up a shop in Florida and offer up the same stuff. None.

There's really no luck needed, Jstas. If you didn't know before hand, I could give you an "authentic" Philly Cheesesteak from your favorite joint, claim it wasn't from there, presented differently, and I will damn near guarantee you'd say it wasn't as good.

KASR

Pizza is bad for you anyways....but OH so goooood. I just go and pick mine up anymore...although it was 15 degrees today....maybe I will order out!

danger boy

people are very passionate about their pizza from what I can gather.

danger boy

KASR wrote: »

although it was 15 degrees today....maybe I will order out!

that's a heat wave for what we're having right now.. we are in the single digits.. and that's the highs. :eek:

Jstas

Demiurge wrote: »

You really don't understand the folly of trying to argue that geographic location makes your food tase better? Aside from altitude, which has no bearing (no pun intended) on Philly Cheesesteaks, there's not a single reason any of those guys couldn't open up a shop in Florida and offer up the same stuff. None.

There's really no luck needed, Jstas. If you didn't know before hand, I could give you an "authentic" Philly Cheesesteak from your favorite joint, claim it wasn't from there, presented differently, and I will damn near guarantee you'd say it wasn't as good.

BAH!

I have had Cheesesteaks in other places that do muster up. But after some research, it is discovered that the proprietor of the establishment that provided said Cheesesteak was actually a displaced Philly native who long suffered not having a decent sammich in the new area they lived and chose to bless the well-meaning but sadly mistake folks of that area with the real deal.

I never said geographical location had anything to do with the ingredients but it has alot to do with the creation of certain dishes. I could get all I need to make a cheesesteak correctly, anywhere. But I would never expect a guy from, say, Vancouver, to make a cheesesteak and do it right let alone know what cut of meat he needs or even what kind of cheese or roll. It's just something ingrained in the minds of people in there area.


But I will offer you one twist that I know for a fact. Sourdough Bread. You will not find the same Sourdough you can get in San Francisco anywhere else in the world and that is because of the effects the regional climate has on the yeast used to make the Sourdough bread. Believe me or not, there have been actual scientific studies on it. Just like true Pilsners can only really be made in Pilsn.

zombie boy 2000

I think Demi and Jstas may on more of the same page than they're letting on. It ultimately comes down to competition. And if a particular food item is well-known, well-liked and a obvious seller in a given region, there are going to be restaurants and stands that make it bigger, faster, stronger, tastier than others in order to get a larger slice of the pie (pun ABSOLUTELY intended). Sink or swim.

Such an approach in an area with less competition would most certainly cut into a profit percentage - where one could just half-**** it and still come out on top. Though I imagine a certain amount of pride goes into food preparation, the almighty dollar will almost ALWAYS have the final say.

average_guy

Even pizza can have unique varieties.

There is a small chain in West Virginia and Ohio that bakes the crust with sauce, and then after the crust is properly baked, they put the cheese and any toppings on and very briefly put the pie back in the oven. It is called DiCarlo's Pizza.

I'm not saying that it is better or worse than anyone else's favorite on here, but it does have a unique taste, one that I like a lot.

Could it be made that way anywhere? Of course!

There is a street vendor that I used to go to who I believe was from Philly and he made cheesesteak sandwiches the way he learned to in Philly, and they were different than the local restaurants, and better IMHO. I've never been to Philly so that's all I can say about that.

One of the best things about traveling is to ask the locals what is really good to eat in the area. Sometimes you do get a transplant that seems true to the original though.

Demiurge

In the interest of not taking up too much space, I'll spare quoting you two. Anyhow, Jason's about right in that we're not too far off, Jstas.

I'm not saying me, living here in WI, is going to know much about creating a proper cheesesteak, let alone a decent one. However, a guy from Philly who may have had a great shop there could open it up here, run it, and you'd be as close as you can be, ambiance aside, to the same damn thing.

I did mention that things like altitude can play a significant role in how stuff turns out, especially in baking, but by and large geographic location is utterly meaningless. It's the ingredients and the person(s) who prepare them to make a final product that really matter.

Various locations on the globe are recognized for things they do well, and that's an awesome thing. Know what's even better? That we can have that taste of another part of the world or country close to home and have a very similar experience.

Who knew this would be such a lively discussion?