Pizza Tangent - Best you've had ANYWHERE.

interesting

Here is a link to photo of something very similar to what I mentioned.

http://picasaweb.google.com/happenstanc ... 5946267522

Need I say more?

This is not meant to be argumentative, Jon, just an observation about pizza styles: I have never seen a pizza piled high with toppings like that in Italy. I wonder if maybe the good folks at Settobello are doing a great job of "fusing" the best of Naples with American tastes in pizza.

Robin, you are correct. They offer both traditional Neapolitan pizzas and the fusion pie I showed in the picture. I picked that one because I wanted to work in the mention of how their meats are from Salumi as an example of their fanaticism. I mean, they fly their meat from Seattle to Salt Lake. Their Neapolitan style pies have earned the Verace Pizza Napoletana certification from the Italian government. To earn the VPN designation, a pizzeria must only hand-work its dough, and not use any type of rolling device. It must bake it directly on the floor of a wood-burning pizza oven. And there are various guidelines as to what ingredients may be used. Here is their Margherita straight from the floor of the 800 oven. The picture doesn't do it justice. Usually the edges have that terrific charred smoky pieces.

[Robin Garr]

an example of their fanaticism.

In case I didn't make myself clear, I want to go out there and I want to eat their pizza. Right ... this ... minute.

Yeesss, must surrender to the power of pizza.

Yeesss, must surrender to the power of pizza.

One pie to rule them all and with melted cheese to bind them.

or

It was the best of pies, it was the worst of pies.

Sorry. Been re-reading the classics again.

This thread about pizza is similar to sex...........

Most of the time pizza is really, really good. But there are other times, when you are in an odd location or enjoying a trip or vacation that it is really, really GREAT!

I am a fan of pizza and could eat it 7 days a week. But sometimes the food ia all about the experience.........

Guy's Pizza brings back fond memories, although I doubt many people would include it in their "best ever" category. But the memories that it invokes are worth a thousand words. The pizza was pretty darn good too!

The Andy Warhol @ Escape from NY is thin sliced red potato and roasted garlic cloves (whole) w/ pesto instead of red sauce. Big 'ol slices beats anything here hands down! (we'd add sausage 'cause we needed the protein!)

Grilled Pizza at Al Forno in Providence, RI

DiFara's is in a league of its own. I haven't been in a couple of years, but when I did, I preferred it just plain. He used to grow basil in his dirty, disgusting window. The artichoke there is also great.

The best pizza I've had anytime, anywhere is in a little place just around the corner from the Grand Hotel in Siracusa, Sicily. It's run by what may well be the only fat family in Italy, and their pizza is extraordinary. A very thin yet still a little chewy crust cooked in a super-hot oven. On top, the ingredients are soft and hot, and the crust has just a hint of char on it. I like the plain best there too, but it's also great with freshly picked Sicilian peppers (from the market just down the road by the bridge) to add a bit of spiciness.

DiFara's is in a league of its own. I haven't been in a couple of years, but when I did, I preferred it just plain. He used to grow basil in his dirty, disgusting window. The artichoke there is also great.

It's not just the window that is dirty and disgusting . . . the place has never been known for cleanliness. The artichoke is outstanding.

It's been five years since I have been and it's possible my tastes have changed, but I say Mother Bear's Pizza in Bloomington. That stuff was so tasty.

i agree Mother Bear's in Bloomington is awesome

The grilled pizza at Al Forno is amazing. It's my second favorite after Nono Risorto.

I was the Registrar for 5,000 attendees and vendors at the 1990 international Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. A group of vendors had a cooperative series of booths (pizza crust, sauce, toppings, ovens, packaging, etc.).

The guys brought pizzas out to us in the registration booth because we couldn't get inside to the vending floor to get samples.

The best pizza I *ever* had was from this group of vendors. It was an Old California Sourdough Pizza Crust with a piquante sauce, chorizo sausage and, after baking, it was swirled with ranch dressing. Awesome!

My second favorite is grilled chicken with BBQ sauce and pineapple.

Lois

DiFara's is in a league of its own. I haven't been in a couple of years, but when I did, I preferred it just plain. He used to grow basil in his dirty, disgusting window. The artichoke there is also great.

I just saw where Time Out New York just named DiFara's artichoke pizza as one of its best dishes of 2007.