Dining

Part III - Pizza and Pizzerias in America

Pizza Toppings and Ingredients

Share |
Published May 25, 2011

Pizzas are so versatile and there is a topping to suit almost everyone. Vegetarians and meat-lovers can all enjoy their favorite toppings. Children love the tasty slices, and they are easy to eat. Hot or cold, pizza comes in many shapes and styles. From individual size to 20 inches in diameter, baked at home or ordered to go, everybody loves pizza. Pizzas are one of the most popular party foods, especially among the younger adults. They are easy to order, serve and eat and one pizza will serve many guests.

Thick crust, or thin crust, some pizza bases are even stuffed with cheese around the edges. Thin crust pizzas are made by a circle of dough being twirled and tossed high in the air to stretch it to the required thinness. Thick crust pizzas are known as “Chicago Style”. Chef Wolfgang Puck developed many new recipes in pizzas during the 1980s and 90s.

All pizzas start with a tomato sauce spread over the base, and plenty of mozzarella cheese sprinkled over the top. It’s what’s in between that defines the pizza. The most popular topping is Pepperoni and the least favorite topping is anchovies. Mushrooms, onions, green peppers and sausage are all tasty additions. Basil is traditionally used for seasoning and taste. More modern toppings include roasted vegetables, seafood, ham, mini meatballs and pineapple chunks.

The perfect pizza today is quickly baked in a hot, stone-lined wood fired oven at a very high temperature. It is slid into the oven on a wooden paddle called a ‘peel’ and is baked on hot bricks or a mesh screen.


View more articles from this columnist »
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bobby Fitzgerald

Bobby Fitzgerald is a 20 year restaurant veteran and passionate foodie. He grew up in Washington, D.C. and began working at the legendary Dancing Crab as a teenager. After studying culinary arts and food management at Johnson & Wales University, Bobby was a chef in Napa Valley and spent six years with Houston's Restaurants opening restaurants in five U.S. cities. In 1999 he started his company which today has locations in four states under The White Chocolate Grill and Cinzetti's Italian Market brands, serving 25,000 meals a week in from-scratch kitchens. All-the-while Bobby has dined in more restaurants then most food critics and creating fresh recipe ideas is a big part of his life. Bobby lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his wife and three children and serves on the Board of Directors of The Arizona Restaurant Association as well as the Phoenix-Metro American Cancer Society. His current projects include Restaurants Against Cancer where Bobby is rallying the restaurant community to support camps for kids with cancer by donating the food and supplies needed to run the camps.  Bobby is the author of "The Customer First Manager" available at Amazon.com.