Pizza Pizza

[jsglow]

This thread could just be renamed "my college experience" as it talks about crappy frozen pizza, discount liquor on Oklahoma, and dropping sh!ts

I grew up 6 blocks from Discount.  My old man visited every Friday when I was a kid right after grocery shopping with my mom down the street at Kohl's. I sometimes think he built our house on 57th because of the proximity.  His 7 year MU degree made him a very wise man.

[Benny B]

Check out Milwaukee Pizza Company. They have greatly increased in availability during the last year and can now be found at most of the locally owned grocery stores (Outpost, Groppi's, etc). You might also be able to find them at Metro Market - no luck so far on Pick and Save. I know a bar owner who sells their pizza and he vouches that they are good guys to work with.

http://www.milwaukeepizzacompany.com/

Really good stuff and more interesting flavors than the usual frozen brands.

That's the problem with the great frozen pizzas: distribution is local and limited.

My all-time frozen favorite is from Joe's Fox Hut in Fond du Lac... but living in IL, I can't get MPC - let alone something from Fondy - from the local food-o-rama.

[keefe]

  Reminds me of the "Thunder Box"  in Evelyn Waugh's  Men at Arms which they try to keep  Brigadeer commander Ritchie-Hook from using.  Pretty funny war satire

I like Waugh but have not read that piece. I shall give it a read.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

We order our frozen pizza from Lou Malnati's. Deep dish Chicago style and they usually have deals on 6-7 pizzas. that's when we stock up

[KenoshaWarrior]

Looks solid!!

[keefe]

Looks solid!!

So you launched a Ms Ideal as opposed to a Ms Runny?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

There is no good pizza in Milwaukee.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

There is no good pizza in Milwaukee.

Zaffiro's would beg to differ.

[source?]

There is no good pizza in Milwaukee.

Depends on what you're looking for in a pizza. I will say that from what I remember of my childhood in Waterbury there was some pretty decent pizza out there. Thursday night tradition in my family.

[CreightonWarrior]

Balisteri's?

[warriorchick]

Balisteri's?

+1

Served on the big cookie sheet with fried eggplant as an appetizer.

[keefe]

There is no good pizza in Milwaukee.

I think I mentioned that whenever I went back to CT from Asia during my GE Cap days my first meal was always some real east coast pizza. I would order the largest pie possible with everything on it. Nothing compares. (Especially not the stuff they call pizza in Chicago.)

[Spotcheck Billy]

There is no good pizza in Milwaukee.

ever try Marco's on 27th St just north of College Ave.?

[Coleman]

(Especially not the stuff they call pizza in Chicago.)

Watch yo self

Just finished a hangover curing meal of Lou Malnatis.

[keefe]

Watch yo self

Just finished a hangover curing meal of Lou Malnatis.

Pizza is pizza. I'm not saying the stuff in Chicago is bad. It's not pizza.

[Benny B]

Pizza is pizza. I'm not saying the stuff in Chicago is bad. It's not pizza.

There is only one correct way to make a pizza: charred, cracker-thin crust with San Marzano tomatoes and mozz di bufala in a 900 degree brick oven.  If you can't even replicate one component, then you're just not eating pizza.

But I'll still say it... Chicago-style pizza is bad.  If I wanted pizza to taste like bread, I would simply order cheese on my garlic bread and dip it in marinara.  Heck, I'd take Rocky Rococo's over Uno's, Malnati's, Giordano's, etc. three meals a day every single day of the week.  If I'm going to eat something fake, I might as well be at a place that will give me nacho cheese with my breadsticks.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

There is only one correct way to make a pizza: charred, cracker-thin crust with San Marzano tomatoes and mozz di bufala in a 900 degree brick oven.  If you can't even replicate one component, then you're just not eating pizza.

But I'll still say it... Chicago-style pizza is bad.  If I wanted pizza to taste like bread, I would simply order cheese on my garlic bread and dip it in marinara.  Heck, I'd take Rocky Rococo's over Uno's, Malnati's, Giordano's, etc. three meals a day every single day of the week.  If I'm going to eat something fake, I might as well be at a place that will give me nacho cheese with my breadsticks.

Benny, Then you'd love New Haven style pizza because you just described it excatly.  The brick ovens are coal fired.

[real chili 83]

Has anyone tried Neapolitan style pizza? 

My son works at a place called Punch Pizza in the Cities.  It's pizza that is cooked for 90 seconds in an extremely hot, woodfired oven.

My opinion, it is average at best.  However, I can't get over how busy this place is.  On any given weekend, there is a line out the door literally. 

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

A good New Haven vs. Chicago pizza story here as well as others on New Haven pizza from a documentry film.

http://www.nhregister.com/general-news/20110922/filmmaker-examines-new-havens-pizza-trinity



Filmmaker examines New Haven's pizza trinity
By Jordan Fenster, Entertainment Editor

Posted: 09/22/11, 12:00 AM EDT |
 
   
There's a story filmmaker Gorman Bechard says he heard from Rosa DeLauro. As the story goes, the congresswoman made a bet with Rahm Emanuel, when the Chicago mayor was a member of congress, that New Haven's pizza was better than pizza from Chicago.

So, DeLauro ships in a ton of pizzas from Sally's, and Emanuel sends for pizzas from his favorite spot in Chicago. They hand out the pizza, and congress actually votes on which is the best.

"Chicago only got two votes," Bechard said. And whatever his politics, Bechard agrees with that particular congressional vote. "I went to the three best pizza places in Chicago. I left there feeling pity."

It's because of stories like this, and "the passion about the pizza," Bechard said, that he decided to make a new, feature-length documentary called "Pizza: A Love Story," about New Haven's three best-known pizza joints -- Modern, Pepe's and Sally's -- and he needs your help.

There's no lack of content. Bechard has spoken to numerous local dignitaries on the subject, and he intends to speak with some high-level Yale graduates, as well.

"I want the two Clintons to talk together," he said. "I'd like to get the Bush twins."

And it might be possible. Another story: Then-president Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore are in New Haven, and decide they want some pizza. An aide calls up Sally's and tells the proprietor, Flo Consiglio, that the president would like to come in before the shop opens, for a slice.

As Bechard relates the story, the aide was told, "We don't open early for anybody," so Clinton went to Pepe's instead.

But despite the diplomats, world leaders and other notables who could conceivably be interviewed for the film, there's a small piece missing. Bechard said his "holy grail" is a photo of Modern, pre-1954, when it was known by a different name.

"I would kill for a photo of State Street Pizza," he said.

Bechard -- a five-time novelist and award-winning filmmaker (last week was the New Haven screening for "Color Me Obsessed," his movie about the band The Replacements) -- is adamant that New Haven's pizza is the best in the world, and that the city is known throughout the nation as the place for the best pie.

"I've had pizza everywhere," he said. "Nothing even comes close. Ten-thousand years from now, we will be remembered as the pizza capital of the universe.

"What is it that makes presidents come back to Yale? What is it that makes Steven Spielberg get pizzas from Modern?"

He even offers an explanation. "It's all about the water," he said. Oh, yeah, and the ovens.

"You can't make ovens like that any more. It's not even legal," Bechard said. "You have three ovens with 80 years of pizza crud on them."

As a novelist, Bechard knows that good stories contain an element of conflict, and "Pizza: A Love Story" -- now about a third of the way through filming -- has its share. But, if he can be believed, there's little disagreement among the trifecta.

"They all respect each other. They all have lines out the door," Bechard said. "The conflict is in the people. New Haven is polarized. Not by politics, not by religion, but by which pizza place is better."

And, before you even ask, I'll tell you -- Bechard has his preference, and he's not shy about sharing it.

"If I was on on death row, my last meal would be Sally's," he said.

If you've got a photo of Modern Apizza, or State Street Pizza as it was known, from between 1934 and 1954, send an email to pizzaalovestory@gmail.com. For more information on the film, log on to pizzaalovestory.com.

Jordan Fenster is the entertainment editor at the New Haven Register. He can be reached by email at jfenster@nhregister.com. Follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/NHRegBuzz or find us at Facebook.com/NHRegBuzz. To receive breaking news first - simply text the word nhnews to 22700. Standard msg+data rates may apply.

[Coleman]

There is only one correct way to make a pizza: charred, cracker-thin crust with San Marzano tomatoes and mozz di bufala in a 900 degree brick oven.  If you can't even replicate one component, then you're just not eating pizza.

But I'll still say it... Chicago-style pizza is bad.  If I wanted pizza to taste like bread, I would simply order cheese on my garlic bread and dip it in marinara.  Heck, I'd take Rocky Rococo's over Uno's, Malnati's, Giordano's, etc. three meals a day every single day of the week.  If I'm going to eat something fake, I might as well be at a place that will give me nacho cheese with my breadsticks.

Haha Rocky Rococo's...tastes like my childhood

[Benny B]

Has anyone tried Neapolitan style pizza? 

My son works at a place called Punch Pizza in the Cities.  It's pizza that is cooked for 90 seconds in an extremely hot, woodfired oven.

My opinion, it is average at best.  However, I can't get over how busy this place is.  On any given weekend, there is a line out the door literally. 

This is exactly what I was describing above.  I was actually at Punch with the family this past Friday night (Highland location)... bear in mind that most of their menu doesn't use the di bufala cheese, although it's available as an "upgrade" to any item.  I ordered a doppio funghi y salame pizza for myself, and I will admit that it did seem average compared to what I made at home a few nights prior (recently discovered that Costco carries di bufala and San Marzanos); however, I still left with a happy face and stomach.  It's the best pizza in Mpls, even when they're off.

Neo pizza may take some getting used to... the same way people have to get used to authentic Mexican cuisine after growing up with Chi-Chis and Taco Bell.

[only a warrior]

This is fantastic. There isn't another site on the planet with the plethora of info Scoopers come up with. And some say this forum is in decline, bullsheet.

So this must make you a pooper scooper then?

[real chili 83]

This is exactly what I was describing above.  I was actually at Punch with the family this past Friday night (Highland location)... bear in mind that most of their menu doesn't use the di bufala cheese, although it's available as an "upgrade" to any item.  I ordered a doppio funghi y salame pizza for myself, and I will admit that it did seem average compared to what I made at home a few nights prior (recently discovered that Costco carries di bufala and San Marzanos); however, I still left with a happy face and stomach.  It's the best pizza in Mpls, even when they're off.

Neo pizza may take some getting used to... the same way people have to get used to authentic Mexican cuisine after growing up with Chi-Chis and Taco Bell.

Didn't realize you lived in the cities.  We will have to include you in our game watching activities this year.

[Benny B]

Didn't realize you lived in the cities.  We will have to include you in our game watching activities this year.

Was just visiting... business takes me up there about once a month, but this weekend was an MOA trip for the kids.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

I have had pizza all over the US and Italy and nobody has the "best pizza" some are better than others and some are drech. . On occasion I like the greasy, oily New Yawk style but on others  the wood fired crispy crusted is what I have the jones for. I buy Malnatti's because it is the best frozen I have found and does have San Marzanos on it .
The worst pizza I ever had was in Nebraska where it came out with American cheese all over the top. No buffalo there I guess or at least not water buffalo.