A German in America

[Villano]

There seems to be an ongoing religious war over here about what constitutes "real pizza". One of my flatmates, who comes from the Northeastern USA, favors Italian-style pizza, which is flat and has a strong crust - the type familiar to most Germans (thanks to a large Italian immigrant community). The other flatmate, who hails from further west, prefers American-style pizza, which is far thicker and has a more cake-like consistency.

I guess you're right about the "real pizza religious war". I was kind of shocked that you referred to deep dish, or Chicago style, pizza as "American style". If you say "pizza", most Americans think of the Italian kind.

So, when you are talking to Europeans about American pizza, be sure to say that we have real pizza and also a deep dish concoction that people in the midwest strangely call pizza (but those people are crazy!).

 

[kenobi65]

(as well as Ohio, I believe, though I really wouldn't call it Midwestern ordinarily)

I dunno; I've been a Midwesterner all my life (Wisconsin and Illinois), and I consider Ohio to be Midwestern -- it's the eastern most Midwestern state, true, but I definitely think it's Midwest.

Jurgen, you probably realize that you're in a city that's a bit atypical, because it's (a) a state capital, and (b) a big college town. College towns (especially the areas around campus, particuarly if it's an older campus) tend to be very pedestrian-friendly, and have a different feel from a town or city of comparable size that doesn't have a college campus in its midst.

 

[kenobi65]

I guess you're right about the "real pizza religious war". I was kind of shocked that you referred to deep dish, or Chicago style, pizza as "American style". If you say "pizza", most Americans think of the Italian kind.

So, when you are talking to Europeans about American pizza, be sure to say that we have real pizza and also a deep dish concoction that people in the midwest strangely call pizza (but those people are crazy!).

Hey!

Yes, there are some significant variations in pizza across the U.S., and people can get very, well, enthusiastic about the debate on the relative merits. (For more fun, get people from different areas to argue about what should be put on a hot dog, or what is the best kind of barbecue sauce.)

Most of the variation in pizza styles boils down to:
- How thick the crust is (and the consistency of it)
- What order the toppings are put on top of the crust
- What sort of toppings get put on

Deep dish is also called Chicago-style, and it certainly started here, although we have thin-crust pizza here, too (that's what I prefer, in fact). True Chicago-style deep-dish has the toppings put on (in "assembly order", from bottom to top) as cheese, then the meat and / or veggies, then the crushed tomatoes / tomato sauce.

New York style typically has a thin (but soft) crust, and the toppings (meat and / or veggies) are often put on on top of the cheese, whereas the thin-crust pizza in many other areas is done with the cheese on top of the meat / veggies.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

I guess you're right about the "real pizza religious war". I was kind of shocked that you referred to deep dish, or Chicago style, pizza as "American style". If you say "pizza", most Americans think of the Italian kind.

Well, when it is sold in Germany at all, it is almost always referred to as "American pizza", since the one almost all Germans are familiar with is the Italian kind (thanks to the large Italian immigrant population). The other variety is a much later import from the USA, hence the name.

 

[drothgery]

I dunno; I've been a Midwesterner all my life (Wisconsin and Illinois), and I consider Ohio to be Midwestern -- it's the eastern most Midwestern state, true, but I definitely think it's Midwest.

While true, parts of upstate NY and much of Pennsylvania is culturally rust belt (pretty much wrap around the great lakes from Buffalo to Milwaukee, with a splotch heading out to Pittsburgh), which I tend to think of a 'midwestern'. Of course, I'm originally from Cleveland suburbia...

 

[DarkKestral]

I dunno; I've been a Midwesterner all my life (Wisconsin and Illinois), and I consider Ohio to be Midwestern -- it's the eastern most Midwestern state, true, but I definitely think it's Midwest.

The problem is I'm from farther west, but it's an "edge" state, so I can see your point. The problem is trying to define the geographical boundaries of the region; Past the Rockies, certain cultural shifts happen to clearly define the "west", but it's a bit harder to define when you're talking about the region east of the Mississippi and west of the Appalachians. There's a sort of blending that occurs, with a bunch of different regions being all mashed up at times.

 

[smootrk]

The nomenclature on regions of the US is mind-boggling, especially to one who has lived on the west side of the Mississippi river most of his life.... everything over on the east side of that river constitutes 'east coast' to me... point being - as a German, don't try to analyze the regions, because they don't make much sense unless one studies the early migrations of the American settlers (from European descendants).

 

[MrFilthyIke]

The kitchen in this house also has a "food disposal unit", whose task it is to shred any food that ends up in the sink. I've never seen such devices back in Germany (where you are supposed to put such food leftovers into the bin for organic waste), and I'm looking forward to seeing this device in operation.

This comment made me laugh. I've never looked at that device from a "fresh" perspective...it is kinda fun to play with.

edit: Whole Foods is a great place to shop, I like it myself.

 

[Crothian]

This comment made me laugh. I've never looked at that device from a "fresh" perspective...it is kinda fun to play with.

The torture of it is going from growing up with it and then to a place where they aren't that common.

Welcome to Columbus Jürgen!!

 

[ssampier]

Love the blog. I like reading different perspectives on life (especially things we take for granted).

I knew a few foreigners that worked at Lake Powell marina with me. I think the foreigners gained a very skewed perspective of American life by working at a National Recreation Area; people are on their worst on vacation. Plus the area was quite remote, so some foreigners were confused why the U.S. is a technology leader, but yet there were no Internet Cafes for miles around.