National Pizza Month
With its delicious melted cheese and tomato, mouth-watering toppings and a crispy golden crust, who can’t help but love pizza? Well the Americans absolutely love it, that’s for sure.
The infamous and ever-popular pizza may originally have been invented in Italy but Americans have a lot of passion for pizza it has become a big part of American culture. They take this food very seriously which is why every October they celebrate National Pizza Month and have done ever since 1987. Apparently, 350 slices of pizza are consumed by Americans each second and there are around 63,000 pizzerias so pizza is big business in the USA. Each US state has its own unique style of pizza:
Chicago
Deep-dish pizzas are Chicago’s speciality; these pizzas are deep and thick as the name suggests however recently Chicago pizzerias have started serving thin-crust pizzas. Deep-dish pizzas have a three-inch thick buttery crust topped with plenty of cheese and chunky tomato sauce. These pizzas are cut into square pieces instead of typical triangular shapes. Pan pizza can also be found served in Chicago which is practically similar to the deep-dish style. The only difference is that the toppings go on top of the tomato sauce rather than under them. Another unique Chicago style pizza is the stuffed-crust which is similar to deep-dish and pan pizzas apart from the added fact the crust is filled with cheese.
New York
The first pizzeria in the whole of the United States was opened in New York’s Little Italy back in 1905. This style of pizza is characterised by having a thin, chewy round base and crust which can be folded to make it easier to eat. Popular toppings found on these pizzas are mushrooms, pepperoni or sausage and are typically limited to two so the pizza base is crisp and easy to fold. These pizzas are commonly eaten as fast food or as a “street snack” due to its quick and easy to eat nature.
Detroit
Detroit style pizza – also known as the “Italian bakery style” – are usually square in shape. The deep-dish style crust is twice-baked with cheese first then cooked again with the tomato sauce and toppings so the end result is a chewy crust. The dough is brushed with butter to make a golden brown crust and the most frequently used toppings for these pizzas are mushrooms, pepperoni and olives.
New England
Often referred to as the New England Greek style, the main feature of this pizza is the thin but firm and oily crust. The tomato sauce topping is seasoned with oregano along with a thin layer of mozzarella or cheddar which is cooked long enough for the cheese to go rubbery and oily. Other ingredients used on this pizza include sliced onions, mushrooms, green peppers and thin pieces of sausage.
