Pizza, part II

I sort of expected this. Peoples' opinions about pizza can oftentimes be more hard-line than political ones. Jaquandor writes:

Seriously, though: why is it that people who grow up on NYC-style pizza hate all other forms of pizza, but people who don't grow up on NYC-style pizza simply adopt NYC-style pizza into their overall view of All Things Pizza? This is something I've always noticed. I've never met anyone who didn't love NYC-style pizza, but those who ate it first, before any other styles of pizza, loathe everything else. It's weird. Anyway, I love Uno's Chicago-style product. I also love Just Pizza. And even though you'll probably hate them too, you should at least try Pizza Plant in Williamsville once.

I went to Pizza Plant to try a pod a while back. It was ok, but not as good as a regular, ricotta-stuffed calzone. Pizza as we know it originated in Naples. There is actually an organization based out of Naples that will certify your pizza to be authentic Neapolitan. That's hardcore. It's the Verace Pizza Napolitana, which has a US office. The first pizzeria in the United States was opened in 1905 (! 100 years of pizza in America!) in New York City by a Neapolitan immigrant. That pizzeria is called Lombardi's. It uses a coal oven to make the best pizza I've ever had in my life. It's still open, and is located on Spring Street near Little Italy. Think about it - Lombardi's was the pioneer. From it sprung all pizza in the US. Its origins, and its location are arguments #1 and 2 as to why New York pizza is the best, and why New Yorkers are so rabid about their loyalty to thin-crust NY pizza. NY introduced pizza to the US. It is the original, and the best. To be authentic Neapolitan pizza;

The dough must be hand pressed with Italian flour and the precise amount of water. The tomatoes are always Italian, usually San Marzano style. And the mozzarella cheese (bufala Mozzarella) is that from water buffalo in the region between Napoli and Roma. These are the ingredients with practiced hands and the special high temperature wood burning oven that make vera pizza Napoletana.

So you see, that's why to native New Yorkers (tri-staters) who grew up on NY-style pizza, the stuff at Bocce and Just Pizza (and countless others around here) are, at best, merely adequate. The thin-crust New York stuff is it. It's the original.