Pizza Baking
Origins Of Gourmet Pizza
Gourmet pizza is a delicacy enjoyed by many nationwide. But how did pizza come about in the United States? Where did it originate? How did it grow so fast in popularity? Here is an inside look at pizza and its history.
Pizza started in Ancient Greece. It was created as a piece of bread topped with oils, rosemary, basil, sage and cheese. Then, around the 18th century, Italy started to add tomatoes, mozzarella and resembled a similar form to the modern pizza. However, pizza was not widely served in restaurants yet. Instead, outdoor street carts served up the food as a cheap alternative to eating out. You would buy pizza as a cheap snack to satisfy hunger while working, shopping, socializing and going about your business. It did not evolve into sit down pizzerias until the late turn of the century.
Italian immigrants brought pizza creations with them to the United States. They would sell pizzas in local groceries and bakeries. It was not until 1905 when the first pizzeria opened in New York by Gennaro Lombardi. Shortly thereafter, another New York pizza joint opened up featuring pizza baked in a coal-oven. It changed the flavor of the pizza, brought competition to this nouveau, delicious, mouth-watering, piping hot, melting cheese entrée. Thus, pizza restaurants started popping up all over town.
The pizza did not have much variety in the beginning. It started changing in correlation with people migrating to various parts of the country. By doing so, each region of America tweaked the pizza idea and made it his/her own. This was the birth of the various styles of pizza found around The States.
Chicago style pizza is named after the manner the crust forms on the sides of a deep-dish pan. It literally shapes around a pan providing that specific Chicago deep-dish style pizza taste, look, and design. There is also the infamous California pizza. A California pizza tends to utilize non-traditional ingredients and an abundance of fresh produce. Many California pizza style pizzas are served with Thai inspired flavors, bean sprouts, carrots, and barbecue chicken. It takes pizza to an entirely different level. The legendary Wolfgang Puck took this concept and ran with it launching the concept of gourmet pizza.
The gourmet pizza took the idea of the California pizza but turned it up a notch. The thought of mixing non-traditional ingredients, spices, toppings and cheeses put all together defined the gourmet pizza. For example, have you ever tasted a clam seafood lover’s dream pizza? It is something you may see on a gourmet pizza menu. In addition, how many times did you wish there was a pistachio pizza? I love pistachio but I am a terrible cook. So I could not configure how to use this on a pizza. However, there are gourmet pizza restaurants with it on the menu. I think it is simply brilliant. For I have no idea how to cook and this will resolve that issue real quick.
Gourmet pizza restaurants are increasing throughout the nation. There are Indian, Greek, Southwestern-American, Asian and Italian inspired gourmet pizzas found at a local gourmet pizza restaurant near you.
About the Author
Check out Phoenix pizza and a Scottsdale pizza restaurant today.
Homemade pizza baked on a baking stone; Special pizza making technique
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