In Search of the Perfect Pie

As any newcomer to DC must, Megan McArdle bemoans the relative lack of decent pizza in Washington:

To a lifelong New Yorker, there is no other sort of pizza than the large, thin, New York slice. We may disagree amongst ourselves about the theological details--crispy or floppy, thick border or thin, sweet sauce or spicy, and how much grease is too much? But basically, we're all in the same church, and it's a highly localized one. Chicago pizza may be a fine foodstuff, as long as one consumes it without trying to imagine that it is actual pizza. But it is no substitute for the One True Faith.

Well, sure, the Chicago Deep Pan is a different kettle of poisson indeed, just as the Provencale pissalidiere is a cousin of the classic Neapolitan pizza.

That in turn reminds me that I've long been puzzled by the description of "New York style" pizza (or "New Haven style" for that matter) as though it were some sort of mysterious treasure, only available in the five boroughs or the tri-state area. After all, when you're talking about a good, thin pizza you're not talkin' about "New York" you're talking about the traditional Neapolitan pizza.

There's lots of very good pizza in New York, but to hear north-eastern folk go on about it you'd think that pizza - a cheap, artisan food after all - can't be made properly anywhere else. I don't know if it's controversial or heretical to say this, but the best - and most consistently excellent - pizza I've eaten has been consumed in, well, Italy.

Comments

[Megan McArdle]

AFAIK, pizza was invented in America, in NYC to be exact, by Italian immigrants. So the New York pie--which has a slightly thicker and less crispy crust--is, in fact, the "Traditional" pie; the Neopolitans are upstarts. :)

[mike]

Needing a break from local food, I was pleasantly surprised to find good neapolitan-style pizza in siem reap, cambodia a couple weeks ago. all you really seem to need is a brick oven and a will to pizza.

[Sri]

No question Italian's the best! Even the one's they serve in the airports are awesome - & Paris is not far behind. Here in Detroit Buddy's have come out with a Vegan version using Soy cheese - totally rocks! Btw, I am curious if you have read John Wright's 'Indian Summer' & a mini review if you have pls- looking forward to more than the monthly cricket piece & without warnings at the beginning- dont be apologetic!

[Tim Worstall]

Please stop. I spent part of my childhood in Naples and I still remember the taste. Never had anything quite like it since (must be a pine wood fired oven for example).

[Chris]

Two Amy's on Wisconsin Avenue is by far the best in town.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Two Amy's on Wisconsin Avenue is by far the best in town.

Amen. But it's not really New York pizza. Too thin.