Rouses Magazine - The Pizza Issue by Rouses Markets

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020

(llustrated titles to come)

Delizioso PRODUCT OF ITALY

Way to Geaux, Jeaux! by Donny Rouse, CEO, 3rd Generation

I can remember when LSU first signed Joe Burrow, a transfer quarterback from Ohio State. Over three seasons as backup in Ohio, Burrow had made just two touchdowns. But Coach O recognized talent when he saw it. I like to think we do that at Rouses, too — our VP of Operations started out as a service clerk stocker. 2019 was our first year as an official sponsor of LSU Athletics. LSU went undefeated in the toughest conference in all of college football. And Burrow threw an SEC-record 48 touchdown passes. In fact, he had one of the greatest passing seasons in college football history. It seemed like the whole country — yes, probably even you Alabama fans — was pulling for him to win the Heisman. It was the heart he showed during his Heisman acceptance speech that left Coach O and the rest of us crying like we’d been cutting onions all day. “I’m up here for all those kids in Athens County…who go home to not a lot of food on the table…” he said, inspiring donations to the Athens County Food Pantry from all over the country. Feeding the hungry is something we can all support, and we make it easy to help; you can join us in donating to our local food banks at any Rouses Market year-round. Just scan a coupon at the register to add to your bill, or purchase a pre-packed bag of canned goods for $10, which we will deliver for you. In his speech, Burrow gave credit to his LSU teammates for welcoming a kid from Ohio coming down to the bayou. That’s the Cajun spirit we talk about. A coach’s son himself,

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he teared up while thanking Coach O for “…taking a chance on me not knowing if I could play or not,” and introducing him to crawfish and gumbo. Coach O is just like the rest of us on the Gulf Coast; we love to share our local food — our seafood, gumbos, boudin and all the great food this area is known for. Speaking of sharing our food: We catered a lot of tailgates at LSU’s Oaks this season, including all of the ones for Robin and Jim Burrow, Joe’s parents. Robin told an interviewer that she “loves, loves, loves [our] boudin balls and jambalaya and gumbo.” We love, love, love Robin. We heard from our tailgate team in Baton Rouge that she and Joe are some of the nicest people you would ever want to meet. Watching them in interviews, it’s easy to see where Joe gets his humility. Burrow will likely be the number one pick in the NFL draft come April. But whether he’s number one in the draft or not, the adopted son of Louisiana — Jeaux Burreaux — will always be number one to us. Happy New Year, and thanks for a great 2019. I look forward to all the fun and food we’ll share in 2020.

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Table of Contents

RECIPES & COOKING TECHNIQUES

cover photo by romney caruso

IN EVERY ISSUE

Classic Italian Salad

Contributors

Apple, Gorgonzola & Arugula Pizza

Letter from the Editor

Letter from Ali Rouse Royster

Departments & Services

All You Knead Is Love

FEATURES

Dough & Cooking

White Sauce

survey, we rank pizza as our favorite food. (It’s also our favorite way to cheat on our diet). Each of us eats about 46 slices of pizza a year.

A Slice of History by Sarah Baird New York, New York by Robert Simonson

Pie in the Chi by Robert Simonson

The “Gratest” Thing Since Sliced Pizza by Liz Thorpe

In survey after

Classic Caesar Salad

Letter from Donny Rouse

When the Moon Hits Your Eye Like a Big Pizza Pie by Michael Tisserand

Pizzerias by Justin Nystrom

Frozen in Time by Sarah Baird

What Is Pepperoni? by Sarah Baird

To Dip or Not to Dip by David W. Brown

The Pineapple of My Pie by David W. Brown

Pitcher Perfect Beer by Ken Wells

Pizza Margherita

Why Pizza?

EXTRA SLICES

New York Style Pizza Chicago Pan Pizza

Red Sauce

Pesto Sauce

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Fathead Pizza

Boudin Calzone

Crawfish Calzone

Hazelnut & Strawberry Pizza

Mardi Gras Pizza

CHEERS to ROUSES 60th ANNIVERSA RY! From one family-owned company to another, congratulations on your 60th anniversary! •

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Contributors Sarah Baird

Sarah Baird is the author of multiple books including New Orleans Cocktails and Flask, which was released this summer. A 2019 Knight Visiting Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, her work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, Saveur, Eater, Food & Wine and The Guardian, among others. Previously, she served as restaurant critic for the New Orleans alt-weekly, Gambit Weekly, where she won Critic of the Year in 2015 for her dining reviews.

Romney Caruso

Romney is a Mandeville resident and has been a professional photographer for over 25 years. He has styled and photographed food for hundreds of local and national publications, and for several cookbooks. His portrait series of chefs and bartenders, titled “Shakers, Knives & Irons,” was displayed in New Orleans and Los Angeles. Justin A. Nystrom

Justin is the Peter J. Cangelosi/ BEGGARS Distinguished Professor of History at Loyola University New Orleans where he teaches American History, Foodways, and Oral History. He is the author of the James Beard nominated Creole Italian: Sicilian Immigrants and the Shaping of New Orleans Food Culture and New Orleans after the Civil War: Race, Politics, and a New Birth of Freedom. Robert Simonson

Robert writes about cocktails, spirits, bars, and bartenders for The New York Times. He is also a contributing editor and columnist at PUNCH. His books include The Old-Fashioned (2014), A Proper Drink (2016) and 3-Ingredient Cocktails (2017), which was nominated for a 2018 James Beard Award. He was also a primary contributor to The Essential New York Times Book of Cocktails (2015). Robert won the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s 2019 Spirited Award for Best Cocktail and Spirits Writer, and his work, which has also appeared in Saveur, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, New York magazine, and Lucky Peach, has been nominated for a total of 11 Spirited Awards and two IACP Awards. A native of Wisconsin, he lives in Brooklyn.

David W. Brown

Liz Thorpe

David is a regular contributor to The Atlantic, The Week and Mental Floss. His work also appears in Vox, The New York Times, Writer’s Digest and Foreign Policy magazine. He is a regular commentator for television and radio.

Liz Thorpe is a world-class cheese expert. A Yale graduate, she left a “normal” job in 2002 to work the counter at New York’s famed Murray’s Cheese. She is the founder of The People’s Cheese, and author of The Book of Cheese: The Essential Guide to Discovering Cheeses You’ll Love and The Cheese Chronicles.

J A N U A RY • F E B R U A RY 20 20

Michael Tisserand

Michael is a New Orleans-based author whose books include The Kingdom of Zydeco; Krazy: George Herriman, A Life in Black and White; and a post-Katrina memoir, Sugarcane Academy, about Tisserand and other parents persuading one of his children’s teachers, Paul Reynaud, to start a school among the sugarcane fields of New Iberia. Tisserand is a founding member of the Laissez Boys Social Aide and Leisure Club, a Mardi Gras parading organization. Ken Wells

Ken grew up on the banks of Bayou Black deep in South Louisiana’s Cajun belt. He got his first newspaper job as a 19-year-old college dropout, covering car wrecks and gator sightings for The Courier, a Houma, Louisiana weekly, while still helping out in his family’s snake-collecting business. Wells journalism career includes positions as senior writer and features editor for The Wall Street Journal’s Page One. His latest book, Gumbo Life: Tales from the Roux Bayou, is in stores now.

Marketing & Advertising Director Tim Acosta

Creative Director & Editor Marcy Nathan

Letter from the Editor

by Marcy Nathan, Creative Director

Art Director, Layout & Design Eliza Schulze

Illustrator Kacie Galtier

Production Manager McNally Sislo

Corporate Chef

We ate so much pizza for this issue you’d think I’d be sick of it, but I’m eating a cold slice as I write this. I have a terrible habit of eating at my computer even though I know I shouldn’t. When I took it to be repaired recently they degunked the keyboard and found a whole cat’s worth of fur and an entire bag of SmartPop!.

Marc Ardoin

Photo Director Romney Caruso

Copy Editor Patti Stallard

Advertising Amanda Kennedy Harley Breaux

Marketing Stephanie Hopkins Robert Barilleaux Nancy Besson Taryn Clement

JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020

(llustrated titles to come)

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I like popcorn. I love pizza. I honestly cannot count the number of Totino’s Party Pizzas and Stouffer’s French Bread Pizzas I bought from the 24-hour Munchie Mart at Vanderbilt, where I majored in drinking. There is a man — a fellow by the name of Dan Janssen — who claims that he has eaten pizza nearly every meal for the past 25 years. I’m not there yet, but I did spend a summer in New York during graduate school when I ate almost nothing but street-corner slices. Texas has hold ’em; New York has fold ’em. I quickly learned that the trick is to fold your slice in half lengthwise to make it portable. That keeps the runaway cheese, toppings and tomato sauce (mostly) on the crust as you walk and eat. Last year around this time, I was lucky enough to represent Rouses at a food show in Italy. You won’t be surprised to hear I squeezed a lifetime of eating pizza into one week. I ate thin and crispy Roman pizza; pizza al taglio — pizza by the cut, which resembles focaccia; and true Neapolitan pizza, which is made according to strict rules to ensure both quality and authenticity — it even has to be certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. I snuck a whole bell of Provolone cheese back to the United States in my suitcase. I’d have snuck the pizzaiolo from Pizzarium if he’d have fit in my bag. Food, as we’ve said before in these pages, is about people. Like pizzas, they can be thick or thin, but none are quite like the ones you grew up with. I will always have fond memories of Pizza Hut, because that’s where my parents took us when we were kids. Now, I know Pizza at the Hut has about as much resemblance to authentic Italian pizza as gumbo with carrots does to Dooky Chase’s, but back then it was one of the only pizza places in town. My sisters and I loved it. One particular visit stands out in my memory. We were enjoying a typical, kid-friendly pepperoni pizza. The couple a few tables away ordered what must have been a supreme pizza; it was covered with lots of exotic (to us kids) toppings. After they ate a few slices, they got up and left. The rest of the pizza was just sitting there, untouched. My father reached over and snatched it. My mother clutched her pearls. But just as Dad was finishing his first piece of “adult” pizza, the couple returned. FROM THE BATHROOM. My parents ended up buying them a whole pizza to replace the slice my dad ate. We tease my dad about it to this day. The moral of the story? No matter how serious the case of food envy, do not take leftover food off another table…unless you are absolutely certain the other party has departed the restaurant.

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Pizza Party

Departments & Products We started out in 1960 with a 7,000-squarefoot store and have grown to 64 locations across South Louisiana, Mississippi and Lower Alabama.

I’m proud of how varied my kids’ palates are, most of the time. They’ll try most things, sometimes with just a little coercion, and they each eat things that aren’t normal “kid” foods. My oldest loves sushi and soup; my middle used to eat chicken breast and green beans twice a day; and my youngest eats fruits like they’re going out of style — if you look in my search history from the last few months you’ll find me asking if a toddler can have too many bananas in a day, plus some inquiries about blueberries that I won’t go into here. But as with all kids, they’ve gone through picky phases too, when they’ll only eat what my friends and I refer to as “the tan diet”: bread, peanut butter, chicken nuggets and the archnemesis of all moms trying to get their children to eat nutritious foods, French fries. My darling middle child is going through this right now — she sometimes has peanut butter on toast for both lunch and supper when she’s having a particularly threenager-y day. The one food that isn’t completely tan — and therefore throws my whole cute-name scheme off balance — is pizza. My children have never rebelled against pizza. Why would they? It’s delicious. We always have the following items on hand for “uh-oh we have nothing to feed the children” nights: packs of ready-to-bake Mama Mary’s Pizza Crusts in the 7-inch personal pan size, jars of Rouses Italian Marinara Sauce, Hormel Turkey Pepperoni (they don’t know the difference!) and Kraft Pizza Blend shredded cheese. The kids love helping to “make” the pizzas; they don’t realize most of the work’s already been done. My husband taught them to prep the pizza crusts with olive oil using a basting brush (it’s like painting!) and to spread the marinara with the back of a spoon; I usually like to start with a letter shape and let them mess it up from there. Then they pick their toppings, which are usually very tame — mostly just cheese or pepperoni, but we’re trying to broaden their little minds to consider other options, too. Bell peppers and mushrooms are on my horizon! I know, I know, mushrooms are in the “tan” family, but as long as it’s not chicken nuggets, this mama is happy.

Wine, Spirits & Beer We have the Gulf Coast’s premier wine department, with wines at every price point, for both everyday and special occasions. We offer a range of bottle sizes of popular spirits, and an impressive selection of high-end and small-batch spirits and liqueurs, including gift-worthy bottles. And we get top honors for our craft beer selection, which includes cans, bottles and kegs from all over the Gulf Coast and the nation, plus import labels from around the world.

by Ali Rouse Royster, 3rd Generation

J A N U A RY • F E B R U A RY 20 20

Family Recipe Fried Chicken Besides king cake, what’s the most popular Carnival food? If you don’t know the answer, you’ve never been on the parade route early on Mardi Gras morning, when dozens of people in the waiting crowd are eating fried chicken for breakfast. We double-bread our chicken: It’s coated with a flour mixture, then a seasoned milk-based liquid, then coated again, so you get that nice crunch. Our chicken is fried in-store, all day, every day, in small batches. Please place large Mardi Gras orders in the deli. Helping the Gulf Coast Grow Our local produce roots run more than 90 years deep. J.P. Rouse founded the City Produce Company in 1923, bringing fruits and vegetables from local, independent farms to the rest of the state and eventually to stores around the country. When his son, Anthony J. Rouse, Sr., opened his first grocery store in 1960, he made supporting his farmer neighbors a priority. Generations later, we are more committed than ever to our local farmers and to bringing you the very best this region has to offer. Local Seafood Our Specialty! We can all agree that the best seafood in the world comes from right here on the Gulf Coast. We buy our Gulf fish, shrimp, crabs, crawfish and our wide range of oysters from dedicated, local fishermen with whom we have close personal and professional relationships. During crawfish season you can get our famous Louisiana crawfish hot from the pot, 11am to 7pm, every day.

An Old-Fashioned Butcher Shop We have full-service butcher shops in our stores, and trusted butchers available to answer your questions about cuts, grades and cooking techniques. Every steak is still cut by hand. Choose from steakhouse-quality USDA Prime beef and USDA Choice beef, or more affordable options. Most of our stores also have a dry-aged beef locker, in which the beef is aged at least 25 days. Authentic Cajun Specialties We’re proud to continue the South Louisiana tradition of crafting our own Cajun specialties and real Cajun food. Our authentic boudin, spicy andouille, sausages, hogshead cheese and stuffed meats are made with Rouse Family Recipes that go back three generations. Cooking and heating instructions are available at www.rouses.com. Prepared Foods You’ll always find something hot and delicious on our line. Depending on your location, you might find barbecue, pizzas or a Mongolian grill. All of our stores feature grab-and-go meals, including $5 daily deals, fresh sandwiches and salads, and heat-andeat dinners. Soup & Salad Bars Our make-your-own salad bars feature an ever-changing selection of prepared salads and fresh-cut vegetables and fruits. Our hot soup menu changes daily, though you’ll always find our famous gumbo — it’s a favorite year-round.

In Our Stores Private Label Products We know saving money is always first on your shopping list. That’s why we make it easy to save with store brands that are as good as national brands, and unique products developed in partnership with local producers. You’ll find hundreds of our Rouses Markets products throughout the store. Each food item has been personally taste-tested by the Rouse Family, and each product is guaranteed to deliver the best quality at the best price. Fresh Flower Shop Our licensed floral directors are as picky about the flowers we sell as our chefs are about the ingredients that go into the foods we make. Visit www.rouses.com to order flowers for delivery within specified areas. Fresh Sushi You’ve probably seen our professional in-store sushi chefs handcrafting sashimi and sushi rolls. We also offer a variety of sampler platters, and sides like edamame and seaweed salad. Special orders and sushi platters are also available. Grocery Delivery & Pickup Order online at www.rouses.com for sameday delivery to your home or office, or for curbside pickup.

Eat Right with Rouses Imagine having your own personal dietitian with you when you shop. Our Rouses registered dietitian, April, has handpicked more than 500 grocery items that have lower sodium, less saturated fat, healthier fats, and more fiber and less sugar. Just look for the Eat Right logo on the shelf tag or package. We also offer an extensive selection of organic, natural, gluten-free, sugar-free, paleo and special diet grocery items. Food from around the corner & around the world We travel the world to bring you new and interesting items, like authentic Italian olive oils and vinegars, and Thai coconut waters. King Cakes We bake more than 500,000 king cakes every carnival season. Our traditional king cake is made from a time-honored recipe, a soft and doughy cake with a cinnamon smear baked into the center. The final touch is the plastic baby. Our King Cake Krewe also makes filled king cakes in favorite flavors like strawberry cream cheese, Bavarian cream, praline and apple. Order online at www.rouses.com.

Order online and have it shipped to your door!

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P I Z Z A M A R H E R I TA R G

12 J A N U A RY â&#x20AC;¢ F E B R U A RY 20 20

ong-Arow-Alt-RightPA L ECIPE

6 GE 1

by sarah baird | photo by romney carus0

For anyone whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ever taken a mythology course, it becomes very clear, very quickly just how much the stories of Greco-Roman tradition used food as a means of storytelling. Long-Arrow-Alt-Right

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There’s Persephone, the kidnapped goddess of the underworld, who eats pomegranate seeds and dooms the earth to experience winter each year. There’s the infamously decadent (and lewd) feast of Trimalchio in Petronius’ Satyricon, where — among other things — guests are implored to eat from “a circular tray around which were displayed the signs of the zodiac, and upon each sign the caterer had placed the food best in keeping with it…a piece of beef on Taurus, kidneys and lamb’s fry on Gemini…a small seafish on Scorpio, a bull’s eye on Sagittarius, a sea lobster on Capricorn, a goose on Aquarius and two mullets on Pisces.”

pizza from ancient Roman times, the pinsa has become a hot topic lately with pinsa pizzerias popping up all around Europe,” Time Out Tokyo wrote of a recently opened pinsa restaurant. “Think of it in terms of Sean Connery — every James Bond that came after him has paled in comparison!” The cyclical nature of human tastes aside, what’s perhaps most telling about pizza’s inherent appeal as a dish — then, now and every time in between — is that it’s always been a meal of the people, even long before it became synonymous with American fast-casual comfort. While more formal dining settings require a host of tools and trappings for the enjoyment of a meal — plates and glasses, at least, plus a table on which to serve the dishes, and chairs for sitting — a large part of pizza’s appeal throughout history has been its inherent mobility and ease of enjoyment. Chicago deep dish pizza aside, it’s hard to imagine someone slicing up their pizza slice with a fork and knife and not being met with a few painful winces. But it was in translating a passage from the epic “We might call ancient flatbreads ‘pizzas’ poem The Aeneid during my years as a Latin buff because they embodied the basic concept of that I stumbled across a dish that seemed, well, having one’s meal on an edible plate or using curiously modern. Our hero Aeneas and his one’s bread as the plate and utensil,” writes Carol men devour a form of flatbread piled high with Helstosky in her 2008 book, Pizza: A History. toppings (without realizing the meal had been “The universality of flatbread-as-plate suggests cursed earlier in their journey by Celaeno, the that convenience, perhaps for the sake of mobility Harpy queen): or out of economic necessity, shaped ancient “Thin loaves of altar-bread Along the sward to eating habits…. We might also describe these bear their meats were laid (Such was the will of ancient flatbreads as the precursors to pizza Jove), and wilding fruits Rose heaping high, with because they were more than bread: topped with Ceres’ gift below.” herbs or mushrooms, or a sauce, they constituted And while this particular version of the dish an entire meal.” didn’t work out quite so well for the wandering Pizza is inextricably linked to a tale of both Trojans of ancient lore, it’s ended up serving convenience and economic necessity, particuus all pretty well since Virgil penned the tale In the United States larly when it comes to Naples, the birthplace of between 29 and 19 BC. That’s right: I’m talking today, Americans the dish as we recognize it today. By the 18th about pizza. eat roughly century, the bustling seaside Italian city was In the United States today, Americans packed with a working class in need of thrifty, eat roughly 350 slices of pizza per second on-the-go meals. Street vendors with wood(yes, really), scarfing down a dish that hasn’t fired ovens were more than happy to oblige in changed all that much in its basic concept since the form of a flatbread topped with herbs, lard Persian soldiers serving under Darius the Great and salt (similar to a “white pizza”) that could baked flatbreads with cheese and dates on be easily folded in one hand for chowing down their battle shields in the 6th century BC. while hustling back to work. Pizza quickly became the omnipresent The Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and Babylonians were all excepweekday meal of the working class. tional bakers, and used their dough-driven skills to create flatbreads Where’s the tomato sauce, you may ask? Even though tomatoes — that were cooked in outdoor ovens and then topped with herbs and a “New World” food — first made their way to Italy in 1519, it wasn’t oils. The Greek historian Herodotus noted that, in most Egyptian until a couple of decades later that Italians were wholly convinced households, the fermented dough used for baking was treated with that tomatoes weren’t poisonous. (Plants from the nightshade family, great reverence, and also included several recipes for flatbreads which also include eggplant and tobacco, had a particularly bad — which would eventually come to be referred to as “focaccia” in reputation back in the day as being toxic.) But by 1830, Naples had the Middle Ages —throughout his works. A first-generation pizza not only embraced the tomato, but pizza culture itself, wholeheartoven was even unearthed from the ruins of Pompeii (the ancient city edly. Several pizzerias, including the legendary Antica Pizzeria destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD) after having Port’Alba, had opened across the city, even introducing chairs for been preserved for centuries in volcanic ash. patrons to sit down in while they enjoyed their wood-fired slices. The word pizza most likely derives from the Latin pix, meaning In his work Le Corricolo, French writer Alexandre Dumas recorded “pitch,” which began as an adjective for describing how welljust how prevalent pizza was among the working class of Naples — cooked the flatbread base (the “pitch” of its color) was in the oven. particularly during the winter — and recalls the several options for Strangely enough, over the past few years, this Roman proto-pizza toppings that were popular during the time. “In Naples,” he writes, has come full circle, with pizza places across the world opening “pizza is flavored with oil, lard, tallow, cheese, tomato, or anchovies.” specifically to serve what they call pinsa: a style of pie made using While pizza certainly became a draw for tourists to Naples the more traditional Roman method for dough. Hailed as a healthier throughout the 1800s (as well as a favorite of Spanish soldiers), option and made using a technique and ingredients that produce a pizza stayed fairly localized in the city until royalty came calling. lighter, fluffier base for toppings (thanks to the inclusion of a spelt In 1889, Raffaele Esposito — the most famous pizza maker in all of or soy flour), this everything-old-is-new-again pizza style has even Naples and owner of Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba — was summoned reached as far as Japan. “Widely considered to be the original

350 slices of pizza per second

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of anchovies, strong sheep’s milk cheese like caciocavallo and a smattering of bread crumbs make frequent appearances on Sicilian pies. But even within the Sicilian region, there are hyperlocal differences in pizza styles. In the province of Catania, scacciata satisfies pizza cravings with a thin dough that has been folded over on itself several times and stuffed with a certain pairing of to make pizzas for King Umberto and Queen Margherita of Italy acceptable ingredients (ricotta cheese and onion or tomato and while they were staying at the Royal Palace of Capodimonte in eggplant, for example) to form a loaf-like treat that some refer to Naples. He (and his wife, Rosa Brandi) made three different as “lasagna bread.” In the province of Messina, a local cheese types of pies: one with lardo, cheese and basil; one with garlic, known as toma and endive reign supreme as toppings. And in the oil, oregano and tomato; and a final pizza topped with tomatoes, province of Siracusa, there’s the pizzolo, which involves stacking mozzarella and basil — the colors of the Italian flag. The queen two fairly plain, herb-dusted pizzas atop one another and was so enraptured with the final pie that it is said Esposito then stuffing a filling between the two. named it after her: pizza Margherita. This kind of malleability can also be seen in Of course, Esposito didn’t invent the pizza specifhow pizza has taken on numerous forms in cities ically for the queen — that part’s a false history. across the United States, bringing with it a heap What we now know as the pizza Margherita of contentiousness and some hotly contested had been produced at least as far back as 1796, rivalries. There are the thin, Neapolitan-influand even described by historian Francesco enced pies of the Northeast-at-large: from De Bourcard in an 1866 account of the most New York City’s “by the slice” culture, to New common pizzas of the day: “The most ordinary Haven’s coal-fired “apizza,” to clam-topped pizzas, called coll’aglio e l’olio (with garlic pies. There’s the almost casserole-like deep and oil), are dressed with oil…as well as salt, dish pizzas of Chicago — an All-American oregano and garlic cloves shredded minutely. construction if ever there was one. Detroit has Others are covered with grated cheese and its own chewy-meets-crispy spin on pizza crust, dressed with lard, and then they put over few while St. Louis pledges pizza allegiance to a crust leaves of basil. Over the firsts is often added some that’s cracker-thin. small seafish; on the seconds some thin slices of mozzaAbove all else, pizza’s simplicity and true timelessrella. Sometimes they use slices of prosciutto...” ness are qualities that make it infinitely open to Today, Neapolitan pizza is on UNESCO’s list interpretation. And whether you’re eating at of Intangible Cultural Heritage items, and the the latest high-end pizzeria with a gorgeously construction of “authentic” versions of the dish tiled, wood-fired pizza oven, or ordering is policed by the Associazione Verace Pizza of Italy delivery from an old standby neighborNapoletana. Among other super-strict guidelines, hood joint while watching Netflix true Neapolitan pizza dough must be formed by hand without the in your sweatpants, pizza will continue to strike help of a rolling pin or machine and baked for 60 to 90 seconds in the perfect balance between being an old a 905-degree wood-fire oven. friend and an ever-evolving form of ovenAnd while Queen Margherita didn’t exactly get a pizza made baked, edible art. just for her upper-crust taste buds, her affection for pizza saw its popularity flood every region of Italy in a fever pitch for an affordable working-class food that had suddenly received the royal stamp of approval. Seemingly overnight, almost every region of Italy was eager to offer their own spin on pizza, establishing regional traditions that continue to this day. In Rome, there’s pizza al taglio (“by the cut”), where pizzas bake in a large rectangular pan and are then sliced into whatever size the customer desires. (Much like in a fancy cheese shop, the pizza is weighed, paid for according to weight, and eaten as a to-go snack.) There’s also pizza Romana tonda in Rome — a round pie with a particularly crispy, thin crust — as well as an eclectic mix of pizzas categorized according to size or presentation, like pizza a metro (pizza by the meter) and pizza in pala (pizza served on a wooden paddle). And then there’s Sicilian pizza, which is known for its doughy, dense crust that’s closer to focaccia than the flexible-yet-thin Neapolitan style. In addition to its distinguishable bready base, this type of pizza is perhaps most recognizable for its emphasis on locally sourced toppings: lots

Neapolitan pizza is on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage items

Queen Margherita

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Pizza Margherita

Classic Caesar Salad

Makes 1 12-inch pizza Note: Fresh mozzarella holds a lot of moisture, so it can make your pizza watery. Instead of slicing the mozzarella and immediately placing it on the pizza, allow the slices to air-dry on a paper towel for about 15 minutes. This will absorb any excess moisture.

Makes 4 servings

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 12-inch round of pizza dough (recipe on page 29) 3 tablespoons Margherita sauce (recipe below) Extra virgin olive oil 3-oz fresh mozzarella ball, sliced into large pieces 5-6 basil leaves, roughly torn HOW TO PREP: Place a pizza stone, metal baking surface or sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven before you turn it on. Set the oven dial to 500°F, and let it heat it for a full hour before you intend to cook. On a lightly floured surface, with floured hands, softly pat down the ball of dough into a circle. Use your palms or a roller to stretch the dough into a thin circle around 12 inches in diameter. With the tips of your fingers, pinch and push down around the border of the dough, rotating it as you do, to create an edge. Lightly flour a pizza peel and gently slide it beneath the dough. Make sure that the dough can slide back and forth on the peel so it won’t stick when you put it in the oven. If it does, the pie is certified for topping. Add a little more flour to the surface beneath the pie if it does tend to stick. Spread the sauce out on the dough using the back of a spoon, stopping about ½ inch from the dough’s edges. Do not use too much; two or three tablespoons will be plenty. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the pizza. Place the cheese atop the sauce, then scatter the basil on top. Slide the pie onto the heated stone in the oven. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, around 6 minutes.

Margherita Sauce WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 cup puréed or crushed San Marzano canned tomatoes 2-3 fresh garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 pinches of kosher salt HOW TO PREP: In a small bowl, mix together the puréed tomatoes, minced garlic, olive oil, pepper, and salt. Keep leftover sauce refrigerated.

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APPLE, GORGONZOLA & ARUGULA PIZZA Makes 1 12-inch pizza

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 clove garlic, halved 2 eggs 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons minced anchovies Dash Worcestershire sauce 1 large head romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn into pieces ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese 1 cup Italian croutons Salt and pepper, to taste HOW TO PREP: Rub the inside of a salad bowl with the garlic clove; discard it. Crack the eggs into the salad bowl. Gradually add the lemon juice and olive oil, beating all the while. Stir in anchovies and Worcestershire. Taste and add salt, if needed, and lots of pepper. Toss well with lettuce, and top with parmesan and croutons. Toss again at table. Serve immediately.

Classic Italian Salad Makes 4 servings WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 garlic clove Pinch of salt 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons red- or white-wine vinegar 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning ½ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil Freshly ground pepper 1 large romaine heart, chopped ½ head of iceberg lettuce, coarsely chopped ½ small red onion, thinly sliced ¼ cup pitted Castelvetrano or green olives, sliced 8 whole pepperoncini peppers 20 croutons (garlic flavored) 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved HOW TO PREP: In a large bowl, mash the garlic clove to a paste with a generous pinch of salt. Whisk in the mayonnaise, vinegar, Italian seasoning and garlic powder, then whisk in the olive oil. Season with pepper. Add the lettuces, onions, olives, pepperoncini, croutons and cheese, and toss well. Serve immediately.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 12-inch round of pizza dough (recipe on page 29) 3 cloves garlic, peeled ¼ cup olive oil ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded ½ cup provolone cheese, shredded ½ Gala apple, sliced thin on a mandolin 5 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled 2 ounces teardrop-shaped sweet peppers ½ cup arugula 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar HOW TO PREP: Preheat the oven to 500°F. Place the garlic and olive oil into a small saucepan, and bring to a low simmer, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet. Brush the garlic oil onto the crust. Evenly scatter the mozzarella and provolone cheese over the oiled dough. Top with the apple slices, sweet peppers and gorgonzola cheese. Place the pizza into the oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the crust is crispy on the bottom and the cheese is starting to lightly brown. Remove from the oven, and let rest for about 5 minutes. Garnish with a sprinkling of the balsamic vinegar and the arugula. Cut and serve.

red sauce Few ingredients are as revered in Italian cuisine as the tomato. When making a sauce, do as the Italians do and keep it simple. This isn’t the time for lengthy reductions or fancy techniques. Just a few ingredients will do the trick. The varieties and types of tomatoes are endless, but Italian tomato varieties like the Roma, with its oval and almost feminine quality, and the San Marzano, a slender, pointed variety, are especially popular in Italian cuisine. Both lend a juicy, fruity quality to sauces. Authentic Italian tomato products — whether canned whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes, pastes or concentrates — use real Italian tomatoes and can also add a world of flavor to sauces.

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by Robert Simonson | photos by romney carus0

Last fall, my son Asher went off to college. And like any kid born and raised in New York, he ventured into the hinterlands with a few firmly held beliefs on what is acceptable in terms of certain kinds of food and drink. He knew what a good bagel should taste like, and the proper architecture of a cream-cheese schmear. He wanted seltzer, not club soda. And where pizza was concerned, he had standards. This made me proud. I felt I had done my job as a parent because, by the time he reached maturity, Asher had two favorite pizza places in New York — one for slices, and one for whole pies. It was right that he had two, for slice joints and pizzerias are not the same thing. They make different kinds of pies for different needs. Neither of his choices were marquee names, the kind that make best-of lists or appear in weighty tomes about the history of pizza. They were local businesses. This also struck me as apt for, no matter which pizzerias New Yorkers think are the best in town, everyone has their favorite neighborhood haunt. And at the end of the day, these are the places where, pound for pound, you spend the most time and eat the majority of your life’s allotment of pizza. Asher’s slice joint is the wonderfully named The House of Pizza & Calzone, in the neighborhood that used to be known as Red Hook, but has now been rechristened by real estate brokers as the Columbia Street Waterfront District. The House has been serving its waterfront community since 1952. They make a solid, consistent slice with a tangy sauce; not too thin, not too thick. For many years, the slice’s signature was a thin dust of cornmeal on the underside of the crust. Asher’s full-pie place is even older: Sam’s Pizzeria. In business since 1930, it is easily the oldest going concern in Brooklyn’s Cobble Hill neighborhood. The restaurant is the personal fiefdom of its gruff, completely non-PC owner, Lou, whose approach to hospitality is of the my-way-or-the-highway sort. But Lou likes kids, so Asher’s patronage has always been welcome. The pies at Sam’s are of the classic Neapolitan sort, with a sauce made of three tomato varieties. We always order green olives, a topping not often found and a specialty of the house. The pizza comes out within 10 minutes of ordering, and the piping-hot freshness of the pie can’t be beat. In a city like New York, of course, one isn’t limited to the pies within walking distance. So, as every Gotham parent should, I took my

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son to other celebrated pizzerias over it, “these are the four acknowledged prewar beyond the borders of their neighborhood. the years so he might experience the full pizza pillars in the city.” Perhaps the most celebrated and universally richness of the town’s offerings. By the time beloved is Joe’s Pizza. It opened in 1975 Patsy’s and John’s began to expand in he reached 18, he had visited most of the big on a picture-perfect corner in Greenwich the 1990s (amid endless internecine family ones: Patsy’s, Grimaldi’s, Totonno’s, Village and now operates just a few doors feuds), opening outposts in other parts of Lombardi’s, John’s, L&B Spumoni Gardens, down from its original location. Joe’s is the the city. Though the extensions weren’t bad, and Joe & Pat’s. Location is everything, and slice assembly line at its best. A queue forever none produced pies as good as the original my pizza-loving son was born in the right snakes out the door, and greedy customers locations. (The quirks of original ovens place. (I only failed to get him to the fabled devour all eight partitions of each pie within and the qualities they lend to pizza are Di Fara. It’s hard to convince a kid to wait in seconds of it emerging from the oven. The one of the more ineluctable mysteries that line for two hours, even if the slice at the pies are always hot and fresh because contribute to the character of heritage pizza other end is magical.) they never have a chance to cool down. If pies.) However, they helped to remind the How did Asher, and New York in general, anyone asks you what a slice of New York denizens of New York of the city’s rich pizza get so lucky pizza-wise? It’s not a terribly old style pizza tastes like, just send them to Joe’s. legacy, and inspired others to open their own story, the tale of how pizza came to the city The wedges are textbook. It could be that all contenders. The list of great modern New and became a part of its DNA; just about a slice joints could potentially be as good as York pizzerias — Kesté, Motorino, Roberta’s, century or so old. And, as such things go, the Joe’s if they enjoyed such turnover. The world the late Franny’s, Lucali, Paulie Gee’s and history is fairly easy to track. may never know. others that can stand tall beside their culinary The story usually begins in 1905 with ancestors — is now columns longer than the If Joe’s is New York’s most popular slice Gennaro Lombardi, whose Lombardi’s still old tally. joint, Di Fara, in the Brooklyn neighborhood stands on Spring Street in Little Italy. New of Midwood, is the city’s most hallowed. But those are all makers of complete York did not lack for Italian immigrants in From the outside, the shop looks as crummy pies. Slice joints are a different breed and the late 19th century, and Lombardi, from as crummy can be. Inside, the ancient have their own tale to tell. (Many of the Naples, was one of them. Recent research Dom De Marco fashions each pie by hand, older places still proudly post signs in the has revealed that other Italians sold pizza sprinkling each with grated Grana Padano window that declare, “No slices!”) The in New York before Lombardi, specifically cheese and a shower of fresh basil leaves, original pizzerias were all fueled by coal- or one Filippo Milone, hand-clipped into who may have been shreds with a scissors. The original pizzerias were all fueled by coal- or Lombardi’s employer. You’ll wait forever and wood-fired ovens, which lent the pies their Whoever dropped the pay a small fortune signature, bubbling, semi-blackened crust. The acorn on Spring Street, ($5) for a slice, but slice places used gas ovens, which had multiple, it was a fertile planting, you’ll barely be able rectangular heat chambers stacked one on and from Lombardi’s to fathom the robust top of the next, all with closeable doors. the mighty New York flavors that humble pizza oak grew. The slice holds. pizzeria had many apprentices and none wood-fired ovens, which lent the pies their There are other pizza storylines in New of them were particularly loyal, though they signature, bubbling, semi-blackened crust. York. Staten Island, the most neglected of the were considerate or smart enough to set up The slice places used gas ovens, which had five boroughs, has been quietly holding its their pie shops in other neighborhoods. multiple, rectangular heat chambers stacked own for decades. Joe & Pat’s (since 1960) There is John’s, supposedly founded by one on top of the next, all with closeable has a thin crust and sweet sauce like no other. John Sasso in 1929. (Milone, however, may doors. This transformational contraption Denino’s (since 1937) serves a great clam have opened what became John’s as well, in was devised by Frank Mastro, another pie, a New Haven tradition rarely offered 1915. Milone got around.) It is perhaps the Italian immigrant, in the 1930s. Gas ovens in New York. And Lee’s Tavern (since 1940) most visible of the city’s old-school pizzerias, were easier to operate, got hot more quickly, offers a fantastic example of that under-sung, owing to its prime location on Bleecker Street could handle many pies at once and, most thin-crust sub-category known as bar pizza. in the heart of Greenwich Village. Its interior, critically, allowed proprietors to serve a slice And then there are places like The made up of ceiling fans, worn wooden at a time, reheating each triangle as needed. House of Pizza & Calzone and Sam’s booths and tables, and old framed posters This changed everything. People no longer Pizzeria, the steady soldiers that serve their of bygone concerts, looks like what tourists had to sit down for a pizza dinner, or gather communities and stand by tradition while imagine every Village hangout should be. In enough diners to finish off a pie. They could only occasionally reaping a bit of press and East Harlem, once an Italian stronghold, there grab a slice and go, either eating it quickly at praise. They propel the pizza continuum too, is Patsy’s, begun in 1933 by Patsy Lancieri. the counter or while walking down the block. and they have their fans. My son is one. He It remains a lonely outpost of superior pie Pizza was now something everyone and probably won’t find great pizza at college. on First Avenue and, because of its remote anyone with a little pocket change could eat. But he is sure to find a place that says it serves location, is primarily a neighborhood place. They could eat pizza anywhere, any time of “New York pizza.” There’s one in every city. And then there’s Totonno’s, begun in 1924 by day. It became New York’s endlessly giving Those words aren’t an explanation. They’re a Anthony “Totonno” Pero. It once served pizza moveable feast. boast. The owners hope they communicate: to the throngs that visited the Coney Island good pizza. Every residential enclave in New York beach every summer, as well as the thriving boasts several slice joints, ranging from the community that lived there year-round, but indifferent to the excellent to the unavoidable now holds stubborn vigil among a sea of TURN THE PAGE FOR OUR NEW YORK outpost of the Ray’s chain. Of course, the STYLE PIZZA AND SAUCE RECIPES! auto-body shops. As one article recently put fame of a few slice specialists has spread

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New York Style Pizza Makes 3 pizzas Note: Low-moisture mozzarella is saltier and denser than fresh, so it releases less water, or whey, and can stretch without getting soggy during baking, so your pizza crust will stay intact. WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 12-inch round of pizza dough (recipe on page 29) 3 tablespoons New York style pizza sauce (recipe below) 4 cups shredded full-fat, low-moisture mozzarella HOW TO PREP: One hour before baking, adjust oven rack to middle position. Place pizza stone on rack, then preheat oven to 500°F. Carefully transfer the dough to a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal or flour. Gently slide the pie back and forth a few times to make sure that it does not stick; add a little more flour to the surface beneath the pie if it does. Spread the sauce out on the dough using the back of a spoon, stopping approximately ½ inch from the dough’s edges. Evenly spread cheese over sauce. Add your choice of toppings. Try not to overload the pie, particularly its center, which can lead to an undercooked crust. Slide the dough onto the hot pizza stone. Cook until the edges are a beautiful golden brown and puffed, and the cheese is bubbly, about 12 minutes. Slide the peel back under the baked pizza to remove it from the oven, and then slide the pizza onto a cutting board. Cut into slices.

New York Style Pizza Sauce WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 teaspoon dried oregano Pinch red pepper flakes Pinch kosher salt, plus more to taste 2 sprigs fresh basil 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and split in half 1 teaspoon sugar HOW TO PREP: Pulse tomatoes and their juice in food processor until puréed; set aside. Combine oil and butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Add garlic, oregano, pepper flakes and salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant but not yet browned, about 2-3 minutes. Add puréed tomatoes, basil, onion halves and sugar to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to lowest setting

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and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is reduced by half, about 1 hour. Remove onions and basil stems and discard. Season to taste with salt.

Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and proof until doubled in size, about 6 hours. Punch down and let dough settle for 15 more minutes.

Sauce may be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Lightly coat the bottom and sides of 12-inch castiron skillet with olive oil. Using your hands, spread out the dough across the bottom and up the sides of the pan

Chicago Pan Pizza Makes 6 servings Note: You don’t need to knead the dough as much as you do for a typical pizza; that will make this crust too chewy. WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 1 envelope (2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast 11 ounces room-temperature water 3½ cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons kosher salt ¹/₈ teaspoon cream of tartar ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for oiling the bowl Extra virgin olive oil, for the pan 12-oz whole milk mozzarella cheese ball, sliced and halved 1 pound raw Rouses Italian Sausage, casing removed 6 ounces thinly sliced pepperoni 6 ounces thinly sliced Italian salami 4 teaspoons of sauce, see recipe Grated parmesan, for topping and garnish HOW TO PREP: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450°F. Combine sugar, yeast and water in a bowl, and let “bloom” for 15 minutes. Blend flour, salt and cream of tartar in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Once yeast has bloomed, add to flour mixture along with vegetable oil. Gently mix with a rubber spatula until a rough ball is formed. Knead with your hands, or on the low speed of your stand mixer with the dough hook, for 90 seconds.

Cover the entire bottom with cheese, all the way up to the edge. Cover that with a thin, even layer of raw sausage. Top that with pepperoni and salami. Add 3-4 teaspoons of sauce, spread out to the edges. Sprinkle top evenly with grated parmesan. Bake, rotating halfway through, until golden around the edges, about 25 minutes. Let rest for about 5 minutes. Cut wedge slices out of the pan as you would with a pie.

Chicago Style Pizza Sauce WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 small-medium white onion, diced 2 teaspoons garlic, sliced thin 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasonings 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand 1 tablespoon sugar Kosher salt, to taste HOW TO PREP: Combine oil and butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and translucent. And garlic, Italian herbs and red pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is just golden, about 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and sugar to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to lowest setting and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is reduced by half, about 1 hour. Season to taste with salt. Sauce may be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

three squares a day SICILIAN PIZZA

This thick, chewy, square pizza, with its focaccia-like crust and crispy, fried-like underbelly, comes to us from Palermo, the capital of Sicily, where it is known as sfincione and sold as street food at local markets.

GRANDMA PIE

DETROIT PIZZA

Sheet Pan Pizza, also called Grandma Pizza or Grandma Pie, is, like meatballs and spaghetti, an ItalianAmerican invention; it’s often compared to Sicilian pizza. Both are cooked on oiled sheet pans and cut into squares, but Grandma Pizza’s crust has a thinner, doughier crust.

Yet another rectangular rather than round pizza, this offshoot of Sicilian pizza is made with cheddar cheese — typically Wisconsin white American brick cheese, layered edge to edge. A small bit of sauce is streaked on top.

by Robert Simonson | photo by romney carus0

A few years ago, I was in Chicago with no dinner plans. I decided to hit up Gino’s East, the iconic purveyor of the city’s famed deep-dish pizza. I hadn’t had a Gino’s pie since my college days at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, in the 1980s. Back then, my friends and I would occasionally take the L train down to The Loop for the decadent privilege of sinking our teeth into two hot, moist, savory, fragrant inches of crust, cheese, sauce and (usually) sausage. Long-Arrow-Alt-Right

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Long-Arrow-Alt-Right I took a seat at the clean, well-lit bar. Gino’s has since moved to roomier digs, and the original location’s cramped, graffiti-caked, old wooden booths were gone. I ordered a small pie and waited in giddy, gluttonous anticipation. And waited. And waited. Oh, yeah, I thought. This feels familiar. I had remembered only the glorious, pig-out part of those college jaunts and forgotten the bad part: the interminable wait. Deep-dish pizzas are like soufflés; they take forever. Sitting down and ordering a pie is only the beginning. Between that action and the actual meal yawns a 45-minute chasm of limbo during which you twiddle your thumbs, run out of conversation, and wonder if you’ve wasted the entire evening. There are appetizers on the menu, nibbles that might help you bide the time until dinner arrives. But any deep-dish veteran knows ordering them is a rookie move. You stupidly fill up on calamari or mozzarella sticks, and by the time the main attraction arrives — a gut-busting calorie bomb itself — you’ve blown your appetite. When my pizza finally came, however, all was forgiven. It always is. Deep-dish is one of the great pizza iterations of the world. It’s pizza on steroids, a pizza layer cake. And let’s get this straight right away: It is pizza. There is a large and vocal contingent out there among the pie purists who will tell you that deep-dish is not, in fact, pizza. Food writer Ed Levine, who wrote the seminal 2005 book Pizza: A Slice of Heaven, dismissed it as “a good casserole.” And, of course, there was comedian

Deep-dish is one of the great pizza iterations of the world. It’s pizza on steroids, a pizza layer cake. And let’s get this straight right away: It is pizza.

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Jon Stewart’s infamous 2013 takedown, when the New York pizza advocate called Chicago pie every name in the book, and some that aren’t, such as “tomato soup in a bread bowl” and “an aboveground marinara swimming pool for rats.” You really can’t trust the reasoning of people who get that worked up about food categories. My philosophy concerning hairsplitting food feuds is of the “If it looks like a duck…” variety. If it looks like the food in question, it is the food in question. A hot dog is a sandwich because it’s food between two pieces of bread; and Chicago deep-dish is pizza because it doesn’t resemble anything so much as it does pizza. It’s round; it has crust, cheese and tomato sauce; it’s cut into slices. Bingo. Deep-dish is part of Chicago’s fabled food trinity, along with the two styles of Chicago hot dog — the “dragged through the garden” version, in which the wiener is festooned with mustard, green relish, sport peppers, tomatoes and a pickle slice; and the Italian hot beef rendition, a fragrant variation of the French Dip served “au jus” and accented with giardiniera or sautéed sweet green peppers. Visitors should never leave Chicago without sampling all three, even if it does mean temporarily putting on a few pounds. Chicago food specialties are all about immediate gratification and stick-to-your-ribs comfort. There are subtleties to these dishes, but little delicacy. Winters are cold in Chicago; the summers are scorchers; the wind cuts through you; the Cubs lost for a long time; the Bears still do; and life is hard. Food should not be another sock on the jaw. As with New York pizza, Chicago has its long-standing titans. Gino’s is one. Giordano’s and Lou Malnati’s are others. All are chains that can be found all around the city. The city’s special style of pie reportedly began with Pizzeria Uno, which opened in Chicago’s Near North Side neighborhood in 1943. As with most food-and-drink origin stories, however, the conventional wisdom is disputed. The

argument here, however, doesn’t have to do with where, but who. Some stories credit Uno’s founder, a Texan named Ike Sewell. Others say the genius in question was Richard Novaretti, known as Ric Riccardo, who owned the restaurant Riccardo’s and was also Sewell’s partner. Still others point to Adolpho “Rudy” Malnati Sr., Riccardo’s former bartender who became a longtime Uno’s employee. One thing’s for sure. Pizzeria Uno, like Lombardi’s in New York, was a wellspring of pizza royalty. Lou Malnati, Rudy’s son, left Uno in 1971 to start his eponymous pizzeria empire in the North Chicago suburb of Lincolnwood. Rudy’s other son, Rudy Jr., founded the Pizano’s chain. And Uno’s one-time cook, Alice Mae Redmond, went on to work at Gino’s East, which opened in 1966. Each pizzeria does things a little differently, but the general format is largely the same. The process begins with a deep, round metal pan coated with olive oil, into which the dough, made of white and semolina flour, is pressed and shaped until it covers the bottom of the pan and creeps up the sides. The dough is then baked, resulting in a sturdy starch bowl that will soon hold the hefty remaining ingredients. The crust also comes out a distinct bright yellow. (Some say the color is due to the olive oil, others because of dye.) The filling is introduced in a particular order. First comes mozzarella cheese, sometimes as slices, sometimes grated; then any meats or vegetables that have been ordered; and, finally, it’s topped with a layer of raw crushed tomatoes. The latter will be cooked through during the mélange’s long stay in the oven. There are other quirks to the style. Whereas pepperoni prevails as the most popular meat topping in the rest of the United States, sausage is king in Chicago. And the meat is sometimes applied in the form of a single sausage patty, covering the entire circumference of the pie. Other times, it is lump sausage that is pressed into a layer. The finished pie is brought out via a unique piece of hardware, a pliers-like item called a pan gripper, making the arrival of a pie at your table seem a bit like a visit from the local blacksmith. Not every joint is part of a chain. There are independent practitioners as well. When I was at Northwestern, in Evanston there was Dave’s Italian Kitchen, a personal favorite of mine; and Carmen’s Pizza, which served a variation of deep-dish called stuffed pizza, in which the cheese sits between two layers of crust, the top layer of which is covered with sauce. Giordano’s is the most famous practitioner of the stuffed style. Both Dave’s and Carmen’s have now, sadly, vanished. (Dave’s technically exists, after two moves, but is a shadow of its former self, and the pizza is just not the same.) Unlike New York pizza, it is permissible to eat deep-dish pizza with a fork and knife. Really, it’s impossible to manage the task otherwise. The silverware makes a deep-dish experience seem more like a meal than a thin-crust pie. (So, for that matter, does the wait.) There’s no grab-and-go in the Chicago pizza universe, no foldable slice for the street. You’ve got to commit, and so does your party — to the evening, to the time, to the meal. It’s an investment of time, just as it is to the folks in the kitchen. And there’s always some left to take home. Which is good, for Chicago pizza tastes great later on, reheated as a late-night or next-day snack. In that single respect, it shares a brotherhood with New York pizza.

TOP IT WHILE IT’S HOT Our butchers craft our fresh Italian sausage with pure ground pork, onions, peppers, and anise seed or fennel. It’s one of several kinds of fresh sausage made in house at Rouses. ROUSES

Alesi’s in Lafayette by Justin nystrom

When Mariano Alesi, Jr., opened his restaurant in Lafayette in 1957, local diners didn’t know what to make of this strange thing on the menu called “pizza.” Bread topped with cheese, tomato sauce, onions and olives certainly didn’t fit their concept of pie. Alesi eventually overcame their skepticism, and over 60 years later he’s remembered as the man who introduced pizza to the city. Unlike most Sicilian Americans living in Louisiana, the Alesi family did not arrive through the port of New Orleans. When blight destroyed the vineyards surrounding the Sicilian coastal town of Alcamo, it drove over 30,000 people from the region. Among them was Alesi’s father, Mariano, Sr., who passed through Ellis Island in 1912 and made his way to Detroit, where he found work in an automobile factory. Here, Mariano, Jr., was born in 1920. Like his father, young Alesi got a job at the auto plant, but enlisted soon after the start of World War II, hoping his Italian language would get him sent to Italy. Uncle Sam had other ideas, however, and stationed Mariano in Lafayette, where he met Bertha Mouton, his future wife. After a stint in San Diego, the young couple returned to Mouton’s hometown with their four sons and made the fateful decision to open a pizzeria. The idea wasn’t entirely out of the blue. In 1953, Alesi’s uncle, Angelo Nazione, himself a young war vet just four years older than his nephew, had opened Luigi’s Original Pizza in the Detroit suburb of Harrison Township, and it was from him that Mariano learned the business. Nazione had traveled to Naples as a teenager in the 1930s, and played a role in Detroit’s development of its own unique pizza style after World War II, one defined by Sicilian tradition, featuring a thick crust and baked in a rectangular pizza pan. Luigi’s remains in business today and, in 2009, noted food writer Alan Richman declared their Gourmet Veggie Pizza number 13 on his list of the best 25 pizzas in America. Despite its Motor City origins, however, the pizza served at Alesi’s today is of the popular hand-tossed variety. And while the menu here may emphasize the family’s Sicilian heritage, their story is unmistakably American. W W W. R O U S E S . C O M 2 5

Winter Sangria •

1 Bottle of Bold Fruity Red Wine

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Half a Cup of Brandy

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Half a Cup of Orange Juice

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Half a Cup of Cranberry Juice

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1 Cup of Lemon Lime Soda

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3 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary

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1 Large Naval Orange Cut Into Wheels

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1 Apple Cut Into Slices

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1 Cup Fresh Cranberries

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1 Cup Fresh Blackberries

Combine all ingredients an hour prior to serving. Serve over ice and garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

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CHICKEN & SAUSAGE GUMBO INGREDIENTS 9 (1-cup) Servings

ZATARAIN’S SAUSAGE

1 tablespoon oil 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes 7 ounces (1/2 package) or 1 link Zatarain’s® Andouille Smoked Sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 tablespoon minced garlic 6 cups water 1 package ZATARAIN'S® Gumbo Mix with Rice 1/4 cup chopped green onions

PREPARATION

Makes Every Salad Taste Great.

1. Heat oil in Dutch oven or large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add chicken and Sausage; cook and stir 8 to 10 minutes or until browned. Add celery, bell pepper, onion and garlic; cook and stir 3 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften.

2. Stir in water and Rice Mix. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low;

cover and simmer We’ve combined our unique Louisiana flavors25 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with green onions before serving. with the Best Selling Salad Dressing flavors to bring “Joie de vie” (the Joy of Life) back to salads.

Makes Every Salad Taste Great. We’ve combined our unique Louisiana flavors with the Best Selling Salad Dressing flavors to bring ”Joie de vie” (the Joy of Life) back to salads.

All seasoned with our Famous Creole Seasoning Blends.

All You Knead Is Love

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Easy Pizza Dough

Makes 2 12-inch pizzas

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1¾ cups warm water 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 tablespoon olive oil 4½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface 4 teaspoons kosher salt Cornmeal or flour, for sprinkling on pizza peel Kitchen towel or plastic wrap HOW TO PREP: In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together warm water and active dry yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes. Mix the olive oil in.

Add the all-purpose flour and kosher salt to the yeast mixture, stirring until blended.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour.

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Lightly dust your work surface with cornmeal. With floured hands, gently pat down the risen ball of dough into a circle, turning it as you do. With the tips of your fingers, tap down around the border of the pie to create the edge. Pick up the dough and gently pass it back and forth between your palms, rotating it each time you do, using gravity to help the dough stretch.

Spread the dough ball on a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal or flour. Repeat with the second dough ball. Top and bake.

Knead dough, re-flouring surface as needed, until dough is soft, slightly sticky and elastic, about 10 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl. Transfer dough into the bowl and turn to coat. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let rest until doubled in size, about 1½ hours. Cut into 2 equal pieces, and shape each into a ball.

cold-rise Pizza Dough

Stovetop skillet pizza

Makes 2 12-inch pizzas

Prepare the toppings for your pizza, and place them within easy reach of the stove. (Cook any raw toppings that you want to serve on the pizza ahead of time.) Take one half of a ball of risen pizza dough, and press it out into a circle slightly smaller than the 12-inch skillet you will be using. “Dock” the dough by pricking all over its surface with the tines of a fork (this helps it stay relatively flat), and set aside. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat, and lightly coat it with olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, place the dough in the pan and lower the heat a bit so it browns evenly without burning. Cook the dough until it is golden brown on the bottom, about 1-2 minutes; then, flip it over and cover with sauce, cheese and toppings. Reduce heat to medium, and cover the pan until the cheese is melted, about 4-5 minutes. For a crispier crust, run the pizza under the broiler for the last 1-2 minutes of cooking.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon “00” flour 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt Pinch of sugar Just under 1 cup of water ¾ teaspoon active dry yeast 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil HOW TO PREP: In a large mixing bowl, combine flours, salt and sugar. Heat water to 110°F. In a small mixing bowl, stir together water, yeast and olive oil, then add it to the flour mixture. Knead with your hands until there is no trace of dry ingredients, approximately 3 minutes, then let the mixture rest for 15 minutes. Knead rested dough for 3 minutes. Transfer to a heavily floured surface, cover loosely with a dampened cloth, and let rest and rise in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. (The chill slows down the activity of the yeast, and adds flavor and texture.) Remove the dough from the refrigerator 30 to 45 minutes before you begin to shape it for the pizza. Gently punch down the dough. Cut the dough in half and form each piece into a neat ball. Spread one dough ball on a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal or flour; repeat with second dough ball. When it is approximately 12 inches in diameter, the dough is ready to be topped and baked.

GRILLING PIZZA OUTDOORS Make sure you have the sauce, shredded cheese, and all your other toppings prepped and ready to go before you begin cooking. Light a grill and oil the grate. Allow a few minutes for it to heat. Slide the risen pizza dough from the peel directly onto the rack, and grill until it browns on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Use tongs to flip the pizza dough over. Spread some sauce on top of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Add cheese and toppings, and close the lid of the grill. Cook until the bottom of the dough is lightly charred and the cheese is beginning to melt. Remove from the grill, slice the pizza and serve.

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A hot pizza stone, metal baking surface or sheet pan is the secret to a perfectly browned, crisp-bottomed crust. Place your stone or pan on the middle rack of the oven before you turn it on, set the oven dial to 500°F, and let it heat it for a full hour before you intend to cook. how to reheat pizza Because the only thing better than cold leftover pizza is hot leftover pizza. IN THE OVEN: Place the cold slices on a rimmed baking sheet and cover tightly with aluminum foil — this traps in steam to keep the top of the pizza moist, plus it helps to re-melt the cheese. Place it on the lowest rack of a cold oven. Then, set the oven temperature to 275°F, and let the pizza warm for 25 to 30 minutes before serving. ON THE STOVETOP: Heat individual cold slices of pizza in a non-stick skillet large enough for the pieces to lie flat in the pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add a few drops of water to the pan, reduce the heat to low, and cover with a lid for 1 minute before serving. IN THE MICROWAVE: Place pizza on a microwave-safe plate. Place a microwave-safe glass of water in the microwave next to your pizza. The cup of water helps the base stay crispy, while still allowing the cheese to melt. Heat the pizza up for about 45 seconds. If it’s not hot enough yet, continue to heat in 10-second increments, checking for doneness after each additional 10 seconds of cooking. Serve.

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White Sauce Makes 2 cups WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 2 cups heavy cream ½ cup chopped basil ¼ cup chopped chives ¼ cup chopped fennel fronds 1½ teaspoons finely grated lemon zest 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 small garlic cloves, finely grated Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground pepper, to taste HOW TO PREP: Purée all of the ingredients except the salt and pepper in a food processor, or with an immersion blender, until thick and creamy, around 15-30 seconds. Season with the salt and pepper.

Red Sauce Makes 3 cups WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 28-ounce can San Marzano crushed tomatoes 2 garlic cloves, finely grated 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1½ teaspoons natural sea salt 1 teaspoon sugar HOW TO PREP: Pour tomatoes, garlic, oil, sea salt and sugar into a large bowl, and whisk to combine. Cover and chill 3 hours to let flavors meld before using.

photo by romney caruso

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Pesto Makes 2 cups WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 2 cups fresh basil leaves, stems removed 2 tablespoons pine nuts 2 large cloves garlic Â˝ cup extra virgin olive oil Â˝ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon salt HOW TO PREP: Combine basil leaves, pine nuts and garlic in a food processor, and pulse until very finely ground, about 1 minute. With the motor running add the oil in a slow and steady stream, and process until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Add the cheese and salt, and process just long enough to combine.

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&A RU GUL A PIZ E 16 G A P t h ZA RECIPE L g i R t l A w ong-Aro

The “Gratest” Thing Since Sliced Pizza by liz thorpe | photo by romney carus0

Having grown up in the Pizza Capital of the United States (that would be New Haven, Connecticut) I have long-standing opinions on what makes a proper pizza. Chief among these are the default assumptions that pizza means “red pie” (tomato sauce) and that cheese on pizza means an evenly melted, gloriously stretchy, ever so slightly browned layer of molten goodness, ensuring milky, salty flavor with every bite, at least until you reach the crust. It wasn’t until I was in my 20s, working in the food business and traveling to Europe, that I learned of differing expectations in the Pizza Capital of the World (that would be Naples, Italy). There, the pie was red but the cheese was delicately softened disks of fior di latte (flower of milk, aka fresh, hand-pulled cow milk) mozzarella, or, even better, gently softened rounds of mozzarella di bufala di Campagna (fresh mozzarella made from buffalo milk). People ate their pizza with a fork and knife, and the texture of the crust was soft and chewy, almost like Indian naan. The pizza of my childhood and the pizza of my travels both relied on mozzarella, but the mozzarellas were radically different and so, too, were the pizzas. You Have to Start with Mozzarella

To appreciate cheese on pizza, you have to start with mozzarella. It’s because of pizza that nearly half of the 30 pounds of cheese the average American eats each year is mozzarella. It’s the most consumed cheese in the U.S. — and that’s because it’s the cheese we put on our pizzas. But not all mozzarellas are created equal, and your pizza won’t be either. American pizza is typically made with low-moisture mozzarella. It’s sold in the dairy department of the supermarket. It’s available in whole-milk, part-skim and skim versions and often comes pre-shredded in bags. The best-known brands are Polly-O, Kraft and Sargento. Cheese people are quick to point out that low-moisture mozzarella is considered inferior to “real” or “fresh” mozzarella — the smooth, white, half-pound balls typically sold in deli departments under the brand names Rio Briati or Galbani. And for fresh, uncooked eating purposes, this is true. If you’re making a caprese salad or slicing mozzarella to enjoy alongside prosciutto and olives, there’s no comparison between the bland, salty chew of a low-moisture mozzarella cube and the delicate, milky freshness of a fresh mozzarella round. When it comes to heating and cooking, however, you have to consider more than ROUSES

flavor. Fresh mozzarella contains 60 percent water, versus low-moisture mozzarella’s 45-52 percent. Buffalo mozzarella looks and behaves a lot like fresh mozzarella. It’s typically sold in a container and packed in water, so the moisture content is even higher, as is the fat content. Buffalo milk is nearly twice as fatty as cow milk and has a stronger, grassier flavor. Which of these mozzarellas makes a better pizza really depends on the kind of pizza you prefer to eat. The qualities that make low-moisture mozzarella pretty boring to eat raw make it exceptional when heated. Less water and more age mean it grates and shreds easily, and melts into an even, stretchy layer that blankets an entire pizza. The higher salt content contrasts with the sweetness of tomato sauce, and the resulting slice is what most of us think of when we think of pizza. Fresh mozzarella, buffalo mozzarella and even the cream-enriched cheese burrata become smooth and oozy under heat, but they form individual moments of cheesiness across a pizza’s surface. Additionally, that high moisture content puts you at risk for soggy pizza. A soft, floppy center crust is part of what distinguishes Neapolitan-style pizza, and this is due in large part to the fresh mozzarella that’s used. But should you try to blanket your pizza with fresh mozzarella, you’ll wind up with a wet, soggy slice that can’t be picked up. I love the interlude of fresh mozzarella on pizza. When I go this route I keep my toppings extremely simple — a restrained smear of homemade sauce from in-season tomatoes and a sprinkling of shredded basil as the pizza comes out of the oven. To manage sogginess, I add the cheese halfway through the bake so the crust has time to establish itself. And most important, I prepare myself for a pizza that’s not going to have an even layer of cheese across every bite. The cheese is more like a topping and less like a foundational element of the pizza. But, truth be told, 90 percent of the time when I make pizza (and it’s become

a Friday night staple in our house) I use low-moisture mozzarella, because I want cheese on the whole darn thing. Fat carries flavor and it also ensures even, layered melting, so treat yourself to whole-milk mozzarella and skip the part-skim and skim versions. Also, though it’s a bit more work, I’m a big advocate for buying mozzarella by the block and grating it at home. Pre-shredded mozzarella is coated with starch-based anti-caking agents, and these tend to brown faster and form a crust on the pizza. Cheeses for Branching Out

An obvious question about making pizza is, “Since there’s no shortage of mozzarella pizza in the world, what can I branch out with?” And this is where making pizza at home can be really fun. You may not have a brick oven that cooks your pie perfectly in three minutes, but you can experiment with toppings and flavor combinations that aren’t readily available at restaurants. Varying the cheese is the easiest way to do this. Cheeses for Melting

Several styles of cheese will behave like low-moisture mozzarella and deliver a smooth, even layer of melted cheese, with the added benefits of more or different flavors. Provolone, like mozzarella, is what’s called a pasta filata cheese. When the cheese is being made the curd is dipped in hot water, and pulled and stretched to develop a smooth, elastic, even texture. Since provolone is aged for longer than fresh or low-moisture mozzarella, you get a first cousin in terms of texture but you also get a deeper, saltier, more developed flavor. Provolone often has beefy notes, and I find it pairs especially well with roasted red peppers and spice, be that a sprinkling of chili flakes or rounds of Calabrese salami. Taleggio is one of my favorite melting cheeses. I’ve written about using it for grilled cheese and mac and cheese. It’s my go-to for cheese grits. And I love it for pizza. When you grate the cheese, don’t cut the W W W. R O U S E S . C O M 3 3

You may not have a brick oven that cooks your pie perfectly in three minutes, but you can experiment with toppings and flavor combinations that aren’t readily available at restaurants. Varying the cheese is the easiest way to do this. rind off. That orange, brine-washed exterior imparts flavors of cured meat and added salt that make it such a great topper. This cheese pairs especially well with licorice-y flavors. One of my favorite combos is caramelized fennel and fennel-laced, Tuscan-style salami or crumbled breakfast sausage. Asiago comes in a younger, semisoft style and a hard, aged, grating style. For pizza, go with the younger version. Cut off the rind before grating and expect a fresh, milky flavor akin to fresh mozzarella but with better meltability. Another option in this flavor camp is Fontina. Both are delicate and do well with veggie pizza — I like spinach and black olive with Fontina. Cheeses for Dolloping

I described fresh mozzarella or buffalo mozzarella as being more about intermittent bites of cheese; several other fresh cheeses don’t melt well but are lovely in combination with low-moisture mozzarella or as dollops across the top of a pizza. Goat cheese, or chevre, won’t melt and go gooey but it will soften under heat. The cheese has bright, tart, citrus flavors. That makes it well-suited to pairing with strong and intense toppings, against which it offers a burst of clean, milky flavor for contrast. For people who don’t care for the lemony flavors of goat cheese, spoonfuls of high-moisture, full-fat ricotta work the same way. I love either one with figs, caramelized onion and bacon.

Cheeses for Finishing

Several styles of cheese make amazing finishers for pizza. They’re best when combined with mozzarella or other good melters and used for an additional burst of flavor and complexity. I recommend adding them for the last three-four minutes of cooking so they have a chance to soften and meld with the other toppings. Parmesan or aged Pecorino Romano are so dry and low moisture that they won’t go gooey, but they will soften into the other cheese and toppings, giving you a beautiful dimension of nutty, sharper flavors. For people who are looking to cut fat, I strongly encourage a sprinkling of one of these at the end of baking in lieu of a pizza blanketed in fat-free mozzarella. The bit of fat and flavor hits from these cheeses are much more satisfying and delicious. These hard grating cheeses also pair well with toppings such as prosciutto or arugula, that are also best added at the last minute, or even as the pizza is coming out of the oven. Blue cheese is another unexpected finisher that can add a massive flavor pop from a restrained sprinkling of chunks. Blue’s high salt and acid content can become metallic-tasting with too much exposure to heat, so a few minutes is plenty. I balance the intensity of the cheese with caramelized onion, bacon or cruciferous vegetables like broccoli.

Cheese Cheat Sheet “Fresh” Mozzarella; Buffalo Mozzarella; Burrata SHOPPING NOTES: Sold in the deli department; half-pound balls to one-pound logs BRANDS: Galbani COOKING NOTES: Highmoisture will melt smoothly but use sparingly; too much makes wet, soggy pizza FLAVOR: Mild, milky, fresh

Lowmoisture Mozzarella SHOPPING NOTES: Sold in the dairy department; whole milk and not pre-shredded are best BRANDS: Polly-O, Sargento, Kraft COOKING NOTES: Always grate before using; smooth, even melt blankets the crust FLAVOR: Neutral, milky, salty TOPPINGS: Any

TOPPINGS: Fresh tomato sauce, basil, oregano

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Provolone SHOPPING NOTES: Sold in the deli department; requires grating BRANDS: Kraft, Sargento COOKING NOTES: Always grate before using; smooth, even melt blankets the crust FLAVOR: Like lowmoisture mozzarella but fuller, saltier TOPPINGS: Roasted red peppers, chili flakes, spicy salami

Young Asiago or Fontina SHOPPING NOTES: Sold in the deli department; requires grating

Goat Cheese, Ricotta SHOPPING NOTES: Sold in the deli department BRANDS: La Bonne Vie, Galbani

BRANDS: Rio Briati COOKING NOTES: Always grate before using; smooth, even melt blankets the crust FLAVOR: Like fresh mozzarella, milky and fresh TOPPINGS: Spinach, black olives

COOKING NOTES: Small spoonfuls or dollops across the pizza; consider combining with low-moisture mozzarella FLAVOR: Tart, lemony, milky TOPPINGS: Fig, caramelized onion, bacon

Parmesan, aged Pecorino SHOPPING NOTES: Sold in the deli department; requires grating BRANDS: ParmigianoReggiano, Pecorino Romano COOKING NOTES: Finely grate and add in the last 3-4 minutes of cooking FLAVOR: Nutty, sharp TOPPINGS: Prosciutto, arugula

Blue Cheese SHOPPING NOTES: Sold in the deli department BRANDS: Mountain Gorgonzola, Statesboro Blue Cheese COOKING NOTES: Crumble with a fork into penny-sized chunks; add in the last 3-4 minutes of cooking FLAVOR: Salty, mushroomy, intense TOPPINGS: Caramelized onion, bacon, broccoli

What Is Pepperoni? by Sarah Baird | photo by romney carus0

Exposure to pepperoni comes early and often if you’re growing up in the United States. High-octane commercials where pepperonis glisten and crunch atop the elastic cheese of a delivery pizza hardwire our brains to love it. Most of us stuffed our faces with it at skating rink birthday parties and family trips to Chuck E. Cheese, or at the occasional school celebration, where a “pizza party” meant being rewarded with a little bit of crust and a smattering of sauce, but mostly with those delicious meaty polka dots: pepperoni. If pepperoni sounds like an American tradition, that’s because it’s the rare type of cured meat that (surprise!) actually is American. Contrary to the popular belief that pepperoni hails from Italy, this fine-grained, air-dried pizza topping that we know and love dates back only to around 1919 in New York City, when pizza parlors were on the rise and chefs needed to re-create the sausages of the homeland in a more shelf-stable fashion. Drawing inspiration from the red-tinged sausages of Calabria and Apulia, Italy — and taking the Italian word for “large pepper” to describe the new creation — Italian-Americans did a little tweaking of the spice blend here, a balancing of fat content there and, behold, the pepperoni was born. Today, pepperoni remains far and away the most popular pizza topping in the United States, decorating roughly 1.08 billion pies a year. One of its primary strengths as an ingredient (outside of sheer deliciousness, of course) is its ability to be kept on pizzeria shelves for a significant amount of time. Anthony Panichelli, pizza toppings brand manager at Hormel, told NPR earlier this year that pepperoni, “…can last on the shelf for up to 180 days, almost half a year, as opposed to, say, sausage, the second most popular pizza topping, which goes bad in a week.” This long shelf life helps contribute to the typically high profit margins seen by pizza parlors. And this doesn’t even begin to include the myriad other ways that pepperonis show up in our cuisine. There are calzones, of course, which some believe to be simply folded-over pizzas (a debate for another day), but there are also chunks of pepperoni in pasta salads and sitting alongside other charcuterie as part of antipasto platters. In West Virginia, a beloved local dish known as the “pepperoni roll” can be found at every state fair and gas station as you weave through the mountains; it’s a dense stack of

pepperoni baked inside a yeasty roll to form a perfectly greasy handheld snack. (There’s even a festival devoted to them each year, as well as a history book written on the über-specific topic.) I’ve also been known to buy a snack-sized bag of pepperoni before long road trips, and pop slices into my mouth as I cruise down the highway. Pepperoni is definitely no one trick pony. It is, though, perhaps in its most glorious form as a pizza topping, when the edges of the pepperoni slices begin to slightly curl to form pools of spicy fat that splash onto the cheese with each ravenous bite. That’s why I’ve always been a little skeptical of anyone who shuns such a staple of the pizza canon. In 2011, Michael Ruhlman, author of — among other books — Salumi: The Craft of Italian Dry Curing, told The New York Times that pepperoni was a “bastard” dish, and that, “Bread, cheese and salami is a good idea. But America has a way of taking a good idea, mass-producing it to the point of profound mediocrity, then losing our sense of where the idea comes from.” And, sure, I’m never going to turn down a top-tier pizza with hot soppressata or a delicate, coal-fired creation covered in prosciutto. But when the craving for classic, grab-a-slice-and-go pizza calls, it’s pepperoni — in all its quintessential American glory — that’ll be sure to satisfy.

peperoni vs pepperoni In Italy, if you order a pizza with peperoni, you’ll likely be disappointed. Peperoni — with two p’s instead of three — means pepper in Italian. What we call pepperoni pizza is called salami pizza in Italy. There are nearly as many types of salame as regions in Italy, but the type closest to our American-made pepperoni is probably salame piccante, a spicy, dry-cured salami with red peppers. Other great choices for pizza include calabrese, a ruby-red, spicy, Southern Italian salami made from whole cuts of pork, crushed ROUSES

red pepper and red bell peppers, and sopressata, which is made with garlic, fennel, oregano and basil, and has a pepperoni-like flavor. Genoa salami, like pepperoni, is an American creation. The meat and fat are finely ground, and there are less flecks of fat than in most Italian salame.

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When the Moon Hits Your Eye Like a Big Pizza Pie by Michael Tisserand

Joe stumbles into his own surprise party, wearing a sport coat and boxer shorts. “Ma, will you sew a button on for me?” he asks, not yet aware that the room is filled with family and friends. The lights switch on. There is food on the table, bottles of wine on the counters, wide-brimmed hats hanging from nails on the walls. Laughter surrounds the beloved and still pants-less son of Italian immigrants. “Hurry up with the cake,” says Joe’s father, and a skinny younger man in a comically oversized chef’s hat — he’s apparently the only non-Italian here — trips into the room. “Hey, what’s going on here?” asks Joe with a smile, his pants finally on. The skinny friend points to the cake and emits a sort of nasal squeak: “It says, ‘Welcome home, Joe. Amore.’ That means… ” “Love,” says Joe. The friend looks at Joe. “It’s Italian,” he says in that same squeak, “how’d you know?” Replies Joe in a practiced deadpan, “I used to work here.” The scene is from the 1953 Dean Martin-Jerry Lewis comedy The Caddy, with Martin playing Joe Anthony, a tournament golf player, and Lewis playing his friend Harvey Miller, who taught Joe the game but gets brushed aside while Joe pursues fame and romance, until an inevitable final-reel reunion. As with all Martin and Lewis comedies, such a homecoming moment requires a song. Joe — like so many children of immigrants — carries his family’s hopes wherever he goes, and he lets the weight of that burden show for a moment when he’s asked to sing for his own party. The request comes from his mother. “Like old time, you sing a song for mama, si?” she begs, and when Joe protests that he can’t perform in front of so many people, his father looks at him sharply

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under raised eyebrows. “You sing-a for mama,” he commands. Joe hits a glass with a breadstick. Right on cue, family members appear at his side with an accordion, guitar and violin. The song that follows will be “That’s Amore,” and it will become an Academy Award-nominated tune and Dean Martin’s first hit recording. Of the many Italian-accented songs to appear on the pop charts in the 1950s — including Louis Prima’s “Buona Sera,” Rosemary Clooney’s “Mambo Italiano” and Domenico Modugno’s “Volare” (later recorded by Martin) — “That’s Amore” will endure the longest, in no small part due to the irresistible, sing-along simile that starts things off: When the moon hits your eye Like a big pizza pie That’s amore In what would be the first of countless performances of this song, Martin croons the lines in The Caddy as if they are an incantation of his family’s culinary joys, each line seemingly inspired by the food being set before him. It begins with the “Amore” in the cake decoration, then

moves onto pizza pie and finishes with pasta e fagioli, or “pasta fazool,” which Martin sings just as Joe’s mother emerges from the kitchen carrying a large bowl of the traditional pasta-and-bean soup. It’s a scene of great sentiment, but as we are in a Martin and Lewis picture, it doesn’t remain sentimental for long. Before Martin croons his final note, Lewis jumps in with an instant parody, singing: If you still kiss your goil After garlic and oil and

If you call her your pet Though she’s shaped like spaghet’ This, ultimately, is the story of “That’s Amore,” a song with contradictions baked right into its crust. It is a tale of both ethnic pride and self-ridicule, of sentiment and satire, and of a hit song that its singer didn’t really care for. Along with other Italian pop songs of the decade, “That’s Amore” also helped to fog over wartime images of Benito Mussolini with more benign images of steam rising from pots of pasta and pans of bubbling tomato sauce. Finally, this song of love also contained the seeds of one of the severest breakups

in history — not of star-crossed lovers but of a comedy team. MARTIN & LEWIS

Premiering in 1953, The Caddy was the 10th of 17 movies that the team of Martin and Lewis made over their 10 remarkable years together. Their act had started on stage seven years earlier, based — like many comedy acts — on the premise that the duo made an unlikely pair. Martin, nearly 10 years Lewis’ senior, was the child of Italian immigrants from Steubenville, Ohio. He quit school in 10th grade during the Depression. Before he began singing professionally, he worked in a steel mill, dealt cards, ran whiskey and fought as a welterweight boxer. The gangly, rubber-faced Lewis was the New Jersey son of vaudeville performers. Like Martin, he came from an immigrant family, and like Martin, part of his process of Americanization included adopting a new stage name. (Martin was born Dino Paul Crocetti; Lewis was Joseph Levitch.) When they met, Lewis’ act was mainly performing funny lip-synching routines to popular records. They struck up a friendship and started goofing around at each other’s shows — Lewis might show up dressed like a busboy during Martin’s act, dropping dishes everywhere. Their first date as an actual comedy team was in Atlantic City in the summer of 1946. It didn’t take long for the performers to click. The manic nightclub show found an audience with a post-war America looking to let its hair down and order another round. Martin played the straight man; comic bits often revolved around Lewis conducting the orchestra behind Martin, making grotesque faces behind the debonair older crooner. Lewis would later say, “I thought, my God, there hasn’t been a comedy team where one is a handsome man and the other a monkey.” Martin and Lewis next helped to pioneer comedy on television when they took a cleaned-up version of their act to Ed Sullivan’s first show, Toast of the Town, in 1948. They made their first movie the following year. It was a remarkable merging of two great currents in American entertainment: Italian-inflected popular music and Jewish comedy. Martin embodied what writer Mark Rotella, in his affectionate book Amore: The Story of Italian American Song, identified as la sprezzatura, a centuriesold Italian practice of making hard work look easy. Martin, drink in hand (on stage it was usually apple juice), nonchalantly crooning about love and pizza, was pure ROUSES

la sprezzatura. And for the 10 years they were together, it was Lewis’ job to litter Martin’s path with banana peels, while slipping on many of them himself. Accounts differ on just how “That’s Amore” came to Dean Martin. “We just gave him a song to sing, he’d look it over and start to sing,” one Capitol Records executive told Dean Martin biographer Michael Freedland. But years after Dean Martin’s death, Jerry Lewis took credit for

appeared, newspapers announced that “Pizza popularity in America is at an all-time high!” — in part due to returning soldiers hungry for the food they’d enjoyed while stationed in Italy. The other dish referenced in Warren and Brooks’ song — pasta e fagioli or “pasta fazool” — might have been chosen for the rhyme with “drool,” but the meal would also play a special part in Dean Martin’s own family. His daughter, Deana

the idea, saying he’d noticed his partner was getting restless in the act, and he thought a hit song might help. “So I went to the great Harry Warren, the Oscarwinning writer of such songs as ‘42nd Street,’ ‘You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby’ and ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo,’ and his lyricist Jack Brooks, and paid them $30,000 out of my own pocket,” Lewis wrote in his autobiography. “I didn’t want Dean to know I hired them, and I never told him. But I knew that Harry Warren could write hits, and I said to Harry, ‘I want a hit for Dean.’ And he wrote one.” Although Brooks, born in Liverpool, is credited as lyricist, it seems more than likely that Warren was responsible for some of the song’s evocations of Italian food and romance. Growing up in Brooklyn as Salvatore Antonio Guaragna (his father was an Italian bootmaker), Warren would have been served pizza long before much of America discovered the dish. By the time “That’s Amore”

Martin, recalled in her memoir how her grandmother taught her to make Dean’s favorite: “I remember vividly her taking me into the kitchen and tying an apron around me,” she wrote. “‘I’m going to teach you something very special, Deana — your father’s favorite dish, which was given to me by my grandmother,’ she told me. ‘I’m not going to write it down. You’ll have to remember it and the secret ingredient, and you must not tell anyone, not even your sisters. One day, when I’m gone, you can make it for your Dad and you will make him very happy.’” Despite this family culinary connection — and despite “That’s Amore” becoming his first million-selling record — Dean Martin didn’t care much for the song, at least at first. Maybe the jokey references to his Italian heritage rubbed him the wrong way — after all, this was a kid whose first language was Italian, and who was beaten up by other kids in school for his halting English. But joking about such

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things was a mainstay of the act. Martin never explained his reasons, whatever they were. Two performances of “That’s Amore” just a few months apart offer perhaps the best indication of Martin’s conflicted reaction to the song and the role it played in the history of Martin and Lewis. The first broadcast was in late 1953, when “That’s Amore” was just hitting the charts. Martin is the picture of la sprezzatura, smiling easily and gesturing to his audience as if he’s a maitre’d at the world’s coolest Italian cafe. At the end of that song, he calls Lewis out to the stage. “You know what you’re going to do for me now,” Martin tells Lewis. “You’re going to conduct the band.” Lewis dances around in excitement. “What number, Dean?” he asks eagerly. “Do you happen to know what kind of number it is?” Martin asks, just as eagerly. “No.” “Italian.” “It figures." Martin then launches into the Tony Martin hit recording “There’s No Tomorrow,” based on the 19th-century Neapolitan song “O Sole Mio,” with Lewis creating chaos behind him, landing with a crash in the orchestra’s woodwinds, then getting back up to cry out, “Get your pizzas here!” By song’s end, the two partners collapse in each other’s arms, the fitting end of a letter-perfect routine. Things are not so harmonious the following year on the same program. After presenting Martin with a gold record for “That’s Amore,” Lewis bursts in 4 0 J A N U A RY • F E B R U A RY 20 20

unannounced while Martin is performing the song. “You can stop warming up now,” Lewis squeaks. The bit soon goes off the rails. While Martin sings, Lewis waves stacks of cash at the camera operators so they will wheel their rigs right up into Martin’s face. By the end, Martin is pinned by a circle of cameras with Lewis on top of him, slapping him in the head and shouting, “I’ve conquered him! All mine!” “You’re overacting, Jerry!” shouts Martin at one point, breaking character with momentary fury as Lewis grabs his thick hair and boxes him in the ears. It would be two years before the final dissolution of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis’ lucrative comedy partnership — as well as their friendship — but the dynamics behind the breakup were all starkly visible and right on stage, played out for a television audience as Martin tried to sing about the moon and Napoli. MOONSTRUCK

For the next 40 years, Dean Martin continued to perform “That’s Amore” as one of his signature songs. In 1988, Frank Sinatra, hoping to revive Martin’s spirits following a tragic plane crash that killed Martin’s son, launched a “Together Again” tour. Martin only performed six shows before quitting the tour, but he always closed his sets with “That’s Amore.” At the show in Oakland, California, he introduced the song with a joke: “Here’s a song that started me and I hope it don’t finish me.” “That’s Amore” would also enjoy a varied life beyond Dean Martin, including in movies. Most prominently, the song opened the 1987 comedy Moonstruck,

establishing the movie’s setting in an Italian-American community in Brooklyn Heights, New York. “That’s Amore” also showed up in the Disney movie Enchanted, where it was used, not surprisingly, in a pizza parlor scene. Perhaps the most unexpected appearance was in Alfred Hitchock’s 1954 voyeuristic thriller Rear Window, where it can be heard while Jimmy Stewart gazes into the window of neighboring newlyweds. The self-parody that is baked into “That’s Amore” can be heard in other versions, from a typically frantic, circa1950s Spike Jones performance to a polka version warbled by John C. Reilly in the 2007 comedy Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. It has been a particular favorite in the animated television show The Simpsons, where it’s been sung by a gondola operator as well as by Homer Simpson himself, while playing “chair gondola” in his workplace. Dean Martin’s original version shows up in a memorable show-opening “couch gag” about Homer Simpson’s undying love for his own couch. In her memoir, Deana Martin describes the most unforgettable performance of her father’s hit song. In 2002, the state of Ohio declared that Dean Martin’s birthday, June 7, should be “Dean Martin Day.” When the resolution came to the state’s House of Representatives, lyrics were passed around the chambers. After the bill passed, the entire body stood up, and voices joined to sing of the old country, of pizza pie and pasta fazool, and of the Italian ways of love.

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Pizzerias by Justin nystrom

It is hard to believe that something as ubiquitous as pizza was virtually unknown anywhere in the United States before 1900. Historians generally agree that the Neapolitan slice made its debut in New York at the start of the 20th century but, thereafter, consensus quickly melts. Recent findings by Chicago writer Peter Regas assert that all the early names like Lombardi’s, Pop’s and John’s were actually started by a mysterious Neapolitan baker by the name of Filippo Milone, the “Johnny Appleseed” of pizza in this country. And so, as with most food creation stories, the elusive truth may lay somewhere between the bold marketing claims of the present and a sparsely documented past. The first pizza in New Orleans is slightly less challenging to uncover than those in New York, a circumstance that has everything to do with the sorts of Italians who turned up here in the 19th century. Indeed, because very few Napolitano came to New Orleans, thin slices of pizza were almost unheard of here until after World War II. Early “pizza” here instead meant sfincione, a thick, pizzastyle bread that, like the vast majority of the city’s “Italians,” traces its origins to Sicily. Nick LoGiudice, who once owned a series of popular pizza places in the early 1970s, described going to Italian Hall on Esplanade Avenue with his grandfather for meetings or parties, where he first came into contact with the dish. “When I tell you about the Sicilian pizza, it’s not pizza, it’s sfincione,” he notes. Pronounced “sfin-JZHO-nee” in Italy and a little closer to “spin-GOH-nee” by the oldschool Italians here in New Orleans, sfincione comes to the table on a bread that can be an inch or more thick. It’s topped with a sauce that’s more onions than tomatoes and is sprinkled with fried bread crumbs. “That’s what holds the sauce together,” describes LoGiudice, along with some grated parmesan or romano cheese. “You think they got mozzarella layin’ around?” The older gener- Early “pizza” here instead ation died off before he could learn firsthand meant sfincione, a thick, how to make it, but LoGiudice later worked pizza-style bread that, like up a version for his cousin who pronounced: the vast majority of the “You got it right…. yeah, that’s it.” city’s “Italians,” traces Perhaps the earliest place to serve its origins to Sicily. modern pizza in New Orleans was Segreto’s at 809 St. Louis, near Bourbon Roosevelt Hotel’s Blue Room. When Joe Street. “At last the dish you have been Segreto took it over in 1944, 809 St. Louis waiting for,” announced an ad in 1945, and was already a well-known destination for “…servicemen from all parts of the country visitors, so it’s not too surprising for such a have repeatedly asked for it.” Started by cosmopolitan place to home in early on a the Masera brothers, the location had national food trend. By 1948, Segreto had been an oyster saloon as far back as the moved on to found the 500 Club with Leon late 1870s, became a speakeasy serving Prima, and 809 St. Louis became the site of Italian American food in the 1920s, and “Diamond Jim” Moran’s first restaurant. by the 1930s was one of the city’s hottest As fancy as Segreto’s was, it would have night spots called “Masera’s Nut Club,” been difficult to equate it with a modest often mentioned in the same breath as the 4 2 J A N U A RY • F E B R U A RY 20 20

pizzeria, the earliest of which most certainly was Sam Domino’s namesake restaurant that opened in 1946, just four blocks away from Segreto’s at 501 Decatur Street. Not to be confused with the later delivery chain headquartered in Michigan that advertises heavily on television during sporting events, Sam Domino’s Pizza served many Italian specialties but became identified with its version of the Neapolitan classic. The scene must have been colorful indeed, a time when out of the restaurant’s windows one could watch longshoremen hauling cargo along the busy riverfront. Diners from that very different era in the Quarter remember a particular “singing waiter” who delivered food to their table. In 1952, Domino’s moved to 701 St. Charles Avenue, the present-day location of Donald Link’s Herbsaint. For the next 20 years they hand-tossed crusts — until 1972 when the business relocated to Airline Highway. We take for granted the appeal of pizza today, a time when our children learn to eat and ask for it almost from the time they start cutting their first teeth. But as late as 1950, the newspaper felt it necessary to describe the “latest dining thrill” and the places one might typically find it. “A Pizzeria, for the uninformed, is a place where Pizza is sold,” explained an article about the Original Chicago Pizza, a short-lived operation located at 1007 Decatur. “And what is Pizza? It’s a kind of pie with anchovies, crabmeat, mushrooms, pimientos, and all manner of mysterious ingredients on the inside of the pastry… ...Pizza is pronounced ‘Peet-zah’ and Pizzeria comes out as ‘Peetza-ree-ah,’ with the accent on the ‘ree.’” One long-running pizza place still remembered today that emerged during pizza’s early years in the French Quarter was Bill Rizzo’s “King of Pizza” restaurant, which opened in 1950 on Bourbon Street. The proprietor claimed to have learned his trade while stationed in Naples during World War II from the very originators of

Nostalgia by Justin nystrom

the art. We’ll never know for sure, but it is probable that the movie star Errol Flynn ate there in 1951, a reporter having found him walking down Bourbon Street “looking for a place that served pizza pie.” In the early years Rizzo cut his Neapolitan pie with a scissors (perhaps adding substance to his claim of having learned the trade in Naples) and, although he did not sell it by weight, it brings to mind the recent arrival in New Orleans of the Italian chain Bonci Pizza and the ensuing debate on social media about the propriety of using scissors instead of a rolling cutter or knife to divvy up the goods. (This practice is common in Rome.) Rizzo moved to 440 Bourbon, where he operated for many years until closing in 1974. Customers missed the King of Pizza so much that, by 1978, a new restaurant called “Doc’s King of Pizza” opened in Metairie promising to sell “Rizzo style food.” ROUSES

Pizza was only one cultural force dragging New Orleans into the national mainstream in the 1950s, and it was aided — or at least abetted — by a series of syndicated newspaper food columns that encouraged homemakers to try their hand at the national craze. As early as 1935, one such article promised to lead cooks to the culinary terrain of Naples through a recipe that under the most optimal conditions would have yielded miniature quiches rather than anything resembling pizza. A particularly severe culinary misdemeanor proffered in 1951 suggested making “Maine sardine pizza” by topping English muffins with American cheese, onions and tinned fish. And then there was the Chef Boyardee box pizza mix, which led one columnist to joke that it was the source of Recovered Childhood Lunch Trauma. One forgets how far we’ve come.

The trajectory of Artista Pizza in Gentilly was reflective of not only a changing pizza business, but of a city that changed along with it. Walter Forschler started Artista in 1958, when Gentilly remained a heavily Sicilian-American suburb of New Orleans. Located next to the Tiger movie theater, it was a popular family destination. In the late 1960s, Forschler moved on to run his growing Tower of Pizza operation (of which a Metairie location remains open and quite popular today), selling the operation to Nick LoGiudice, who in turn sold it to his brother Sal in the early 1970s. Then the neighborhood changed over a relatively short period of time. The Tiger theater jumbled its letters and became the “Riget” and later the “Grit,” both iterations screening adult films instead of mainstream fare, until one day the movies stopped entirely. In 1986, Alex Martin, a feature reporter for The Times-Picayune, visited Artista for a “last supper” held for a group of old regular customers who crowded into its small L-shaped dining room. “I’m really operating out of the past,” observed LoGiudice, “that’s part of my problem.” Sal went on to take over United Bakery on St. Claude from his father Dominick, once famous for its unique St. Joseph’s Bread. Despite the demise of Artista and dozens of neighborhood pizza places like it, many others continue to persist into our own era, and even thrive. None have done so longer than Venezia Restaurant, whose landmark neon sign has greeted diners since 1957. Started by Anthony Carollo, the son of famed crime boss “Silver Dollar” Sam, and his chef Camillo D’Anna, the kitchen has turned out a variety of Italian-American specialties at its North Carrollton location ever since. Anthony Bologna bought the place in 1987, and has kept much of it the same — one of the essences of its appeal. But as important as nostalgia is to its formula, Venezia’s dining room needed some refreshing, and Bologna made a tasteful renovation to the dining room two years ago. At over 60 years into its run, it remains wise to make reservations at Venezia if you want a table on a Saturday night. W W W. R O U S E S . C O M 4 3

To dip or not to dip, that is the question ... by David W. Brown

The first time I heard that people dipped their pizza in ranch dressing I became immediately disillusioned with humankind, and began searching the sky for some apocalyptic meteor that might wipe the Earth clean and allow life to begin anew. I’m not even sure what else to say on the subject. What in the world are you people thinking? “Hmm. You know what this flat disc of bread slathered with tomato sauce, cheese and pepperoni needs? A thick coating of hideous, buttermilk-based salad dressing.” Do I even need to point out that it’s called salad dressing, and that pizza is not a salad? That alone should both clear up the confusion here and make you ranch hounds feel like horrible humans indeed. I’m not here to judge, but somebody has to, and court is now in session. The flavor profile of a pizza is one of saltiness with a hint of acidity from the tomato sauce. The bread levels off those heightened taste sensations. Veggie toppings give you different textures and pops of flavor, and meat is just all-around delicious and a fine source of protein (if you’re really reaching for some heathy aspect of meat lovers pizza). So that’s great, but then here comes ranch sauce, and suddenly you have this topping — this liquid with the consistency of Pepto-Bismol — and it just doesn’t belong. The thing about ranch dressing is that, yes, it’s delicious, but it is almost as though someone saw a salad — the low calorie count, the healthy fibers, the vitamins and general nutrition — and said, “How can we undo all of that? How can we make a tomato less healthy than a Snickers bar?” And everything else proceeded from there. Moreover, ranch is not a complement to any flavor on the planet; ranch is the flavor. Now, I’ll grant you, ranch is great on bar food because you are totally wasted and nothing tastes right anyway and, look, have you ever seen the kitchen in some bars? And ranch is great on buffalo wings because buffalo sauce is disgusting. (Save your hate mail. It is — otherwise, you wouldn’t soak those wings with ranch or blue cheese.) So that’s the unkind take on this ranch business, but there is a flip side. The story of ranch dressing is quite the American success story. The dressing was invented by a plumber named Steve Henson while he was working in Alaska. For that reason alone, ranch has a warm place in my heart. (But not too warm, because when it goes bad, it goes bad.) When he got home, he and his wife opened a dude ranch in California that they named Hidden Valley Ranch. They served the dressing on food they prepared for customers, and it boomed in popularity. They were soon selling the dressing separately. It eventually became a Southwestern staple, and after nearly 20 years of making and marketing their dressing, they sold the brand to Clorox (yes, Clorox) for $8 million. But the story gets more interesting because, as you’ve probably noticed, Hidden Valley Ranch isn’t the only ranch dressing in town. There are all sorts of ranch dressings out there, and, oh yes, there has been many a lawsuit over this fact. Ultimately, though, the ubiquity of “ranch-style” dressings led to ranch becoming a generic for any herb-buttermilk dressing, the way a French 4 4 J A N U A RY • F E B R U A RY 20 20

dressing of any brand is called French dressing and any brand of Thousand Island is called Thousand Island. (Fun fact: Thousand Island dressing is named for the Thousand Islands archipelago that sits in the Northeast between the U.S. and Canada. Some say it was invented by a woman who lived there named Sofia LaLonde.) If ranch’s most famous achievement is hiding the horror that is buffalo sauce, its greatest achievement by far is being applied to a corn chip, giving birth to Cool Ranch Doritos in 1986, and I remember when they were new and…look, if you weren’t there, you will never know how dark and hopeless life was before Cool Ranch Doritos brightened grocery store shelves. But about the pizza: I recognize that I am in the no-ranch-onpizza minority. Food site The Greatist says there are only two kinds of people in this world: “dippers,” and those who have never dipped a pizza crust in ranch. Fifty-seven percent of pizza eaters dip. But I have never been one to bow to the majority — especially when I’m so right. Pizza crust is its own sort of goodness. One of the best parts of having a child is that they never eat the crusts — which means more for me. And you won’t see me using them to soak up salad dressing, either, no matter how beautifully American the ranch story is.

Are YOU in that number? FOOD SITE THE GREATIST SAYS THERE ARE ONLY TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD: “DIPPERS,” AND THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER DIPPED A PIZZA CRUST IN RANCH. FIFTY-SEVEN PERCENT OF PIZZA EATERS DIP.

Do you dip your pizza in ranch?

WHAT DO YOU THINK? DO YOU DIP YOUR PIZZA IN RANCH? SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON INSTAGRAM @ROUSESMARKETS.

Frozen in Time by Sarah Baird

As with so many other ultra-convenient foods — instant oatmeal, for example, or canned soup — it’s easy to take frozen pizza for granted. Never necessarily anyone’s first choice when craving a pie, but always reliable and at the ready, frozen pizza delivers satisfaction with simplicity: Pluck your pizza of choice from the freezer aisle and you’re already halfway to a slice of cheesy, saucy deliciousness. (No waiting for dough to rise — or a deliveryman to find your house — required.) It might be hard to believe, but inside every tiny, frozen, pepperoni-and-bell-pepper icicle atop your yet-to-thaw pie is a complex history of frozen pizza innovation. There’s the science behind how the pies are able to be frozen in the first place — a method known as “flash-freezing,” which was created by Clarence Birdseye in 1924. There’s a long-standing debate over who first tried to freeze a pizza for greater public consumption. On one side, there’s Joe Bucci, who applied for a patent for a a method for freezing dough in 1950 that would make it less soggy and, thus, ideal for frozen pizza. Another claimant to the “frozen pizza originator” title is Chicagoan Emil De Salvi, who was described in The Chicago Tribune in 1951 as having “…perfected a frozen pizza pie, six fanciful fillings, for the television viewing home trade.” There are still others who believe that frozen pizza was their brainchild, but at some point, it’s not about who was first — it’s about who refined the practice. Below is the story of four crucial moments in frozen pizza history that you can read in less time than it takes to cook a pie — and certainly faster than any delivery pizza could arrive. (I timed it, I swear.) So set your clocks, and let’s get started.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees: The First Lady of Frozen Pizza, Rose Totino It’s difficult, sometimes, to imagine that our favorite brands have actual, down-to-the-letter namesakes: Walt Disney, for instance, or Ben & Jerry founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield. But the next time you’re microwaving a plate of Totino’s Pizza Rolls as a midnight snack or scarfing down an entire Totino’s Party Pizza in lieu of a proper dinner (no shame), give a little shout-out to nonna Rose Totino between bites.

A second-generation Italian-American from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Rose Totino (nee Cruciani) was earning 37 cents an hour at a local candy store when she met her future husband, a baker named Jim Totino. Totino quickly showed a knack for baking herself, and after the kind of thin crust pizzas she had grown up eating became a hit with her children and fellow local parents, she and Jim opened a restaurant known as Totino’s Italian Kitchen in 1951. (According to legend, pizza was so rare in those days that she baked a pizza for their loan officer because he had never eaten one.) By 1962, unable to keep up with the demand for pizzas at their brick-and-mortar establishment, the Totinos expanded with full gusto into the frozen pizza business, and by the end of the decade, had become the top-selling frozen pizza in the United States. Eventually, Pillsbury came calling, and in 1975, the Totinos sold their business for a whopping 20-million-dollar deal (which is said to have been negotiated up from $16 million by Rose, who told Pillsbury that “$20 million is God’s will”). The sale, though, 4 6 J A N U A RY • F E B R U A RY 20 20

didn’t stop Rose — who had quickly proven herself to have serious business acumen — from being involved in all facets of the frozen pizza business. She became the first female corporate vice president at Pillsbury and worked diligently to help patent the “crisp crust” for Totino’s (the patent was granted in 1979). When Pillsbury acquired the business of fellow Minnesotan Jeno Paulucci — which used an egg roll machine to stuff each piece of dough with, yes, pizza fillings — Rose was quick to help premier this new food — the pizza roll — under the Totino’s brand name. She dressed up in stereotypical nonna Italian garb and appeared in commercials for the company. She was the first woman to be inducted into the Frozen Food Hall of Fame. Both publicly and behind the scenes, Rose Totino was a force to be reckoned with. “I remember my mother traveling from city to city introducing crisp crust nationally on TV and radio. Even though she was petite and stood only 4 feet tall, she would hold her hands high and often repeat her own words on the new pizza carton, ‘Be the best and be generous!’” Rose’s daughter, Bonnie Totino Brenny, told the crowd at her mother’s induction into the Minnesota Inventor’s Hall of Fame in 2008. Today, Totino’s is the second highest grossing frozen pizza company in the United States, selling approximately $380 million worth of pies a year. A particularly hilarious glimpse into Totino’s personality is found in her 1994 obituary, which recalls an invocation Rose delivered at the Pillsbury annual company meeting in 1980: “A deeply religious woman, she thanked the Lord for a long list of things and then stepped away from the lectern. But she had one last thought, and grabbed the microphone to say, ‘Oh, and Lord, I forgot to thank you for crisp crust.’”

Set the timer to 20 minutes: Schwan’s and the frozen pizza on wheels New York and Chicago might be the cities that initially come to mind when someone mentions locations known for their classic pizza styles, but if frozen pizza had a historical home base, it would be — of all places — Minnesota.

After Rose Totino helped to jump-start a national frozen pizza craze, another Minnesota company, Schwan’s, decided to take its convenience a step further by delivering frozen pizzas directly to the consumer’s home. Originally a door-to-door ice cream delivery business that was — and is — known for their distinctive yellow trucks (a muted mustard hue that’s now been trademarked), Schwan’s leapt onto the frozen pizza bandwagon in 1970 by taking out an ad in The Wall Street Journal that read, “Wanted: Frozen Pizza Manufacturer.” This led to the purchase of Schwan’s first toe-dip into the world of frozen pizza, Tony’s, which remains mostly recognizable, to this day, not for its memorable pizza, but

for the silly drawing on each box of an Italian chef doing “chef’s kiss” fingers and (one can only imagine) exclaiming, “Mamma mia!” Schwan’s frozen pizza portfolio would eventually expand to include Freschetta (which recently received a health-focused makeover) and the biggest pizza prize of them all — Red Baron. How invested was Schwan’s in Red Baron, you might ask? In 1979, as part of a seriously committed marketing campaign, the company formed the “Red Baron Squadron” of World War II-era biplanes. Over the course of 28 years, these stunt — and, presumably, pizzaloving — planes carried more than 80,000 passengers and became the longest-serving civilian aerobatic team in the United States. Today, Red Baron remains Schwan’s most popular frozen pizza. Red Baron might still be flying high, but for me, it was the company’s least famous — and now extinct — brand of frozen pizza that launched my love affair with grabbing a pie from the freezer. Created in 1983 under the (somewhat unfortunate) brand name Little Charlies, these 5-inch, deep dish pizzas were perfectly childsized and made an ideal, do-it-yourself after-school snack for a ravenous little critter like myself. Whenever the “Schwan’s man” (as I called him, though of course he had a real name) would come by our house, I would ensure that, alongside the orange sherbet, my beloved pint-sized pizzas were on our order. And while I might’ve graduated to more thoughtfully topped, quasi-artisanal frozen pies now (and pizza rolls, which I still unabashedly adore), I’d be lying if I said I didn’t squeal with glee when I discovered an ancient Little Charlies pepperoni pizza in the back of my parent’s freezer several years ago. Time — and freezer burn — might’ve done a number on it, but I heated it up and attempted to eat it anyway. (What can I say? My commitment to nostalgia is strong.) Schwan’s also cornered the market on selling frozen pizzas to schools in the 1970s, using the federal subsidies for cheese and tomato sauce (which, famously, counted as a vegetable for quite some time) to make those little carpet-square-shaped slabs of pizza, something that millions of schoolchildren would wistfully reflect on years later. Even to this day, 70 percent of all school pizzas are from Schwan’s. (And if you’re a nostalgia-lover like me, yes, the “school lunch” pizza of your youth can be purchased on the Schwan’s website. You’re welcome.)

Place the frozen pizza directly on the oven rack and cook until golden brown: DiGiorno “In strictly frozen-pizza terms, the year 1995 was every bit as momentous as 1066 or 1492,” wrote Brendan Koerner for The New York Times in 2004. “Before that date, frozen pizzas were a ROUSES

New York and Chicago might be the cities that initially come to mind when someone mentions destination locations known for their classic pizza styles, but if frozen pizza had a historical home base, it would be—of all places—Minnesota. W W W. R O U S E S . C O M 47

gourmand’s worst nightmare: overly chewy crusts topped with bland sauce, rubbery cheese and meat specks tougher than jerky. Then came Kraft Foods’ first pie sold under the DiGiorno brand name, and the industry was reborn.” Unnecessary slander of frozen pizza’s dignity aside, Koerner was right: DiGiorno changed the frozen pizza game. And the specific innovation that DiGiorno brought to the table? A rising crust — just like in a real pizzeria. Of course, they also benefited from a pretty catchy tagline. “It’s not delivery. It’s DiGiorno.” has been seared into the consciousness of several TV-watching generations, piquing curiosity as to whether or not this frozen pie is really just like your favorite takeout joint — and boosting sales along the way. The rising crust company has held steady as the top frozen pizza brand in the country for the past five years, with over 1.01 billion sales in 2017.

Remove the pizza from the oven and enjoy:

From cauliflower crust to Bagel Bites and everything in between While heavy hitters like Totino’s, Red Baron and DiGiorno may continue to be among the brands most often tossed into a shopping cart, a stroll through the frozen food section will quickly reveal that, these days, there’s a little bit of something for everyone — even the frozen pizza skeptic.

There are frozen pizzas with cauliflower crusts, and there are gluten-free pies. You can opt for Atkins-diet-approved frozen pizzas or organic pizzas of all stripes, and even pick up frozen versions of pizzas from national restaurant chains like California Pizza Kitchen. You can go old-school with some Bagel Bites, or try not to singe your mouth (nearly an impossible feat!) on a pizza-stuffed Hot Pocket. Even Oprah has her own line of frozen pizzas! But no matter what version pairs up best with your mood the next time you have the desire to gobble up a slice, have a little bit of reverence for your freezer aisle pie: That pizza carries plenty of history in its frosty, cheesy bits.

PIZZA ROLLS

BAGEL BITES

HOT POCKETS

FRENCH BREAD PIZZA

Luigino “Jeno” Francesco Paulucci invented Jeno’s Pizza Rolls, a combination pizza and egg roll, in 1968. The name was later changed to Totino’s after Paulucci sold the company to Pillsbury in 1985. The food pioneer also created the Chun King brand of frozen foods, as well as the Michelina’s line of frozen meals, named after his Italian mother.

“Pizza in the morning, pizza in the evening, pizza at suppertime...” These frozen, microwavable pizza snacks — miniature bagels topped with cheese, diced pepperoni and other pizza toppings — were invented in 1985 by Bob Mosher and Stanley Garczynski in Fort Meyers, Florida.

Hot Pockets were invented by Paul and David Merage in 1983 with pepperoni, sausage, ham and cheese, and Sloppy Joe versions. It’s the little cardboard sleeve called a “susceptor” that makes this calzone-like sandwich crisp in the microwave oven.

French Bread Pizza was the brainchild of Bob Petrillose, founder of the famous Hot Truck that parked on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Petrillose, who later licensed the idea to Stouffer’s, christened his combination of pizza sauce, cheese and toppings on French bread the “Poor Man’s Pizza,” or “PMP.”

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The Pineapple of My Pie

As for Hawaiian pizza, you need to know one awful truth that perhaps should be discussed, though never in polite company: Hawaiian pizza was born in Canada, invented by a GreekCanadian named Sam Panopoulos, whose experience making Chinese food led him to experiment. Does that make Hawaiian pizza a lie? No. The name comes from the brand of pineapples by David W. Brown that Panopoulos used when experimenting with his masterpiece. Hawaiian pizza was borne of worldly cultures from the East and When Marcy Nathan — editor extraordinaire behind West — it is truly the United Nations of pizzas. Panopoulos died in Rouses magazine — emailed me this morning, it was 2017, but his gift to the world endures. two in the afternoon her time, and I had just crawled Still, there are those who get so wrapped up in pineapple hate, out of bed. It’s not that I’m lazy (well...) I have to wonder: What did life do to you? Is it that you hate fruit? Happiness? Normalcy and but I am on the other side of the planet, goodness? I’m sure there are good people who in Tasmania, preparing to leave for hate pineapple on pizza, but…well, no. There are an expedition to Antarctica, where I no good people who hate pineapple on pizza. will spend the next few months. We But those of us who have seen the light must not I’M SURE THERE ARE are a week late in departing thanks be unkind to these benighted souls. We must win GOOD PEOPLE WHO HATE them one slice at a time (preferably with Tabasco PINEAPPLE ON PIZZA, BUT… to severe weather “on the ice,” as WELL, NO. THERE ARE NO sauce). experienced expeditioners call it, and GOOD PEOPLE WHO HATE As for the qualities of the pizza itself, if you PINEAPPLE ON PIZZA. I’ve spent that time bumming around don’t believe me, take the word of the Tasmanian the city of Hobart — a quirky place owners of the coffee shop where this is being written. In that case, with a great art scene and one of the more serious there were no meat lovers mini pizzas or — and I am gagging even coffee cultures I’ve ever run across. (Perth, Australia, as I type this — barbecue pizzas or veggie pizzas, but a singular where I was last week, is another such coffee capital.) pizza world, festooned with pineapple and enjoyed by refined palates all the way on the other side of the world. Marcy wanted to know my opinion of pineapple as a pizza topping: What did I think of it? And although in my career I’ve covered war, politics, religion and more, writing about pineapple on pizza was an intimidating assignment. Because people care about the future of this country, but people break beer bottles and threaten strangers when they start talking about what is considered an acceptable pizza topping. So I ambled down the main thoroughfare near the University of Tasmania and found a coffee shop with both free Wi-Fi and a good heater (it is freezing down here). Reader, as I gawked at the pastry display, with its selections both sweet and savory, at the top, first thing, was a miniature Hawaiian pizza: ham and pineapple on tomato sauce and cheese. It was then that I knew I had to plant my flag proudly: I am stridently pro-pineapple on pizza. The typical Hawaiian pizza, however, is not how I like it best. The ideal pizza for me is as such: thin crust, extra sauce, extra cheese, pineapple and pepperoni. That is only the start though. The real power of the thing happens when the pizza arrives, and it’s piping hot. It is then that I break out a bottle of Tabasco sauce and liberally drench each slice as I eat it. That, dear reader, is when pineapple is able to shine fully. Because with each salty, tangy bite of a Tabasco-enhanced pepperoni pizza, the pineapple acts as a sort of explosion of sweetness that turns a mere dinner into an out-ofcontrol party in your mouth. The only culinary analog I can think of is when you go to the movies and buy a giant bucket of popcorn (don’t ruin it with that disgusting fake butter, though I’m not here to judge — well, not your popcorn choices, anyway — I’ll judge the use of ranch dressing on pizzas in a different story in this issue). Before you eat that movie theatre popcorn, it is imperative that you buy one of those family-sized boxes of Peanut M&Ms, pour the entire contents into the bucket, and shake it about until everything is mixed properly. When the lights go down and every handful of movie theater popcorn becomes a mystery, it’s salt-crunch-salt-crunch-saltcrunch deliciousness is sublime — OH MY GOODNESS! WHAT IS THIS SWEET, CHOCOLATE, CANDY-COATED SENSATION?! ARE YOU FOR OR AGAINST PINEAPPLE ON PIZZA? SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON INSTAGRAM @ROUSESMARKETS. But I digress…

How do you feel about pineapple on pizza?

ROUSES

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Pitcher Perfect Pizza by Ken Wells

Pizza without beer is a little bit like…gumbo without rice (or potato salad, depending on which part of the Gulf Coast you call home). It’s just not right! But I’ve found that some beers go better with pizza than others. As a serious student of beer — I spent two years researching my beer book, Travels with Barley: The Quest for the Perfect Beer Joint — I have long pondered this question. For starters, I’m no beer snob, so feel free to eat your pizza with your favorite beer, whether that’s Miller Lite, Bud, Louisiana favorite Abita Amber or something more exotic. But you might want to pause long enough to consider how America’s beer production — and beer palate — have changed since the so-called “craft beer revolution” began in earnest in the 1970s. For the more adventurous pizza and beer lover, the multitude of beers available these days present some adventurous pairing opportunities. But first, a little backstory on the beverage. Beer has two major categories: lagers, which are brewed with yeast that ferments at low temperatures; and ales, which are brewed with yeast that ferments at room temperature. Lagers tend to be golden, clear and smooth to drink. Ales tend to have earthier flavors and a wide color spectrum. All beer is supposed to contain barley, a grain; hops, a flower cone that serves as a bittering agent; yeast for fermentation; and water. The process is simple. Barley is roasted and turned into what’s call malt. The malt is mixed with water, hops and yeast, and left to ferment into beer. Malt is the soul of the beer; hops are the spice. Before the craft beer revolution, America was a middleof-the-road lager nation with Budweiser at the top and a couple dozen national and regional competitors, all churning out beer that was essentially in the same place

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on the taste spectrum. Lagers are of German and Czech origin but we Americanized them, sometimes substituting rice and corn for barley to lighten their tastes. Sure, zealous beer drinkers swore they could tell their Bud from Schlitz or Falstaff, and I don’t doubt that they could. But in truth, a great deal of brand loyalty was more the result of clever marketing than taste. How things have changed. When I published Travels with Barley in 2004, craft beer represented about 10 percent of American beer sales. These days, it’s up to 24 percent, with total revenues approaching $28 billion annually. The big guys, Bud and Miller, are still around (albeit with foreign owners) but they now compete with more than 7,300 brewpubs and microbreweries that churn out a dizzying array of beer styles. Some historical styles, like British bitters and porters that had been disappearing in their native countries, have been resurrected by U.S. microbrewers. And what we’ve done here with Belgian-style beers (in my opinion) rivals in taste and essence the best of the breweries in Belgium. This revolution hasn’t skipped the Gulf Coast or my home state of Louisiana. If you check out the website of the Louisiana Craft Brewers Guild, it lists around 30 craft brewery or brewpub members scattered throughout the state. There could be another dozen small brewpubs that aren’t members. That’s a huge change from my Travels with Barley researching journey through the state in late 2001 and early 2002. Back then, there was Abita Brewing Co. on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, Crescent City Brewhouse (locally owned) in New Orleans’ French Quarter and Gordon Biersch (part of a brewpub restaurant chain) in Downtown New Orleans, and nothing else. And these contemporary breweries are cranking out an impressive array of styles: pale ales, hoppy IPAs, Belgianstyle blonde ales, märzens (an often dark, malty German lager) stouts (think Guinness) and Imperial stouts and, of course, lagers. My hometown of Houma and my college town of Thibodaux both now support very good brewpubs. For pizza lovers, this is both a bonus and a challenge. Over the years, I’ve eaten a lot of pizza (always with beer) and done quite a bit of experimenting in terms of pairing. What follows are my opinions and observations based upon beers that I’ve tried; feel free to take my recommendations, or experiment for yourself.

Cheese, gooey cheese.

Mushroom and Sausage

Crawfish and Shrimp Pizza

Sometimes I’m in the mood for something simple, and that’s when I’ll order a gooey cheese pizza with no adornment. (Well, maybe I’ll sprinkle a little Tony Chachere’s on it at the table, but that’s it.) I could just go for a lager but I think you need hops — which have a floral quality — to bring out the zest of the tomato sauce and the complexity of the cheese. A pale ale is usually my choice. Happily, we have some terrific Louisianabrewed pale ales: LA-31 Bière Pâle Ale by Bayou Teche Brewing is one; Envie American Pale Ale by Parish Brewing Co. is another. My national favorite: Dale’s Pale Ale by Oskar Blues Brewery of Longmont, Colorado.

I would go for a stout or brown ale here (though some people might argue that a heavy Guinness-like beer is overkill with pizza). Still, when you combine typically spicy sausage with the earthy tastes of mushrooms in a hearty pizza, I think you need a big beer to stand up to it. A Louisiana favorite of mine: Turbodog by Abita Brewing Co. of Abita Springs. My national favorite: Guinness Stout by St. James‘s Gate Brewery of Dublin, Ireland.

Depending on where you live, you might not find this in your favorite pizza restaurant, but nowadays shellfish on pizza is becoming more common. Up North and in Chicago, where I live, clams often show up on restaurant pizzas (but not on mine, thank you.) Of course, in my home state of Louisiana as well as Mississippi and Alabama, it wouldn’t be difficult to find such a pie. Shellfish bring a natural earthiness and saltiness to any dish, including pizza. A good old-fashioned lager would provide a nice counterpoint and palate cleanser for a seafood pizza. My Louisiana favorites: Abita Brewing Co.’s Amber and Cinco de Bayou by Bayou Teche Brewing. My national favorite: Heineken by Heineken N.V. of Amsterdam. LOCAL CRAFT BREWERIES ARE GETTING A PIZZA THE ACTION

Pepperoni

Pizza Margherita

This is one of my all-time favorite pizzas, and it cries out for pairing with a lager, but not just any lager. Pilsners — a smoothdrinking style of lagers that originated in the Pilsen region of Germany and Czechoslovakia — are perfect with this pizza. They are light and crisp, with a floral zestiness and a hint of hops that bring out the herbal essence of the basil and the salty-sweet taste of the mozzarella without being overbearing. One Louisiana option: Paradise Park by Urban South Brewery of New Orleans. My national favorite: It’s hard to beat Pilsner Urquell, the Czech brew that was first produced in 1842. ROUSES

Who doesn’t love pepperoni pizza? I imagine vegetarians might not, but pretty much everyone else has a soft spot for pepperoni pizza. For this pizza, I recommend my favorite beer style, the hoppy IPA or India Pale Ale. Hops (which, by the way, are first cousins to the marijuana plant) do to beer what Tabasco does to gumbo — they spice things up. The IPA was invented and popularized by the British who, after living in 19th-century Colonial India, needed something to pair with those fiery Indian curries they’d come to love, while also cleansing their palates. Pepperoni is more savory than fiery, but it still needs a beer with a big presence to cut through the spice and grease. My Louisiana favorite: Big Easy IPA from Abita Brewing Co. My national favorite: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA by Dogfish Head Brewery in Delaware.

The Gulf Coast has made quite a name for itself in the craft beer community with longtime favorites like Abita Brewing — which pioneered craft brewing in Louisiana — being joined by heavyweights like Parish Brewing, now the second-largest brewery in Louisiana. Around a dozen other Gulf Coast breweries, including 2016 upstart Urban South out of New Orleans, and Chandeleur Island Brewing Company in Gulfport, Mississippi, produce local craft beers worthy of national attention. No matter what kind of pizza you want, chances are there’s a local beer to go with it.

W W W. R O U S E S . C O M 51

THE ART OF ITALIAN FLAVORÂŽ From the tomato farms of Italy straight to your table, we bring the taste of homemade-style pasta sauce to the Botticelli line of products. Using 100% Italian tomatoes of the highest quality, we produce our pasta sauces from scratch in small batches, mixing in our special blend of spices to ensure a rich, homemade-style flavor.

Starting a low carb diet as your New Year’s Resolution? Get our keto diet food list at www.rouses.com/keto.

Low Carb Pizza Sauce Makes 4 cups

Cauliflower Pizza Crust Makes 1 12-inch crust

HOW TO PREP: Preheat oven to 425°F.

Note: You can make your own pizza crust using your own riced cauliflower. A homemade cauliflower crust pizza involves combining steamed cauliflower florets with oregano, salt, garlic powder, eggs and parmesan cheese for the crust.

In a large skillet, bring about ¼ inch of water to a boil. Add chopped cauliflower in one even layer and cook until crisp-tender, around 3 to 4 minutes.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 head cauliflower, stalk removed, roughly chopped 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 cup shredded mozzarella ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or parmesan cheese ½ teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Add drained cauliflower to food processor and pulse until grated. Drain excess water again in paper towels.

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Transfer to a clean dish towel (or paper towels). Wrap it up and squeeze to drain the water out of the cauliflower.

Transfer drained cauliflower to a large bowl and add egg, mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano (or parmesan), then season with oregano, salt and garlic powder. Mix into a dough consistency. Transfer dough to a baking sheet misted with cooking spray and pat into a crust shape, in your choice of circular or rectangular. Bake until golden and dry, around 20 minutes.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 28-ounce can San Marzano peeled tomatoes 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 teaspoons dried basil 2 teaspoons oregano 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon parsley 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper HOW TO PREP: In a blender, combine all ingredients and pulse until mixture forms a sauce. Serve on your favorite low-carb pizza crust, or enjoy with other dishes that call for pizza sauce.

Fathead Pizza Makes 1 12-inch pizza Note: If you just can’t bring yourself to eat one more bite of cauliflower, fathead pizza is another great low-carb, high-protein, glutenfree, keto pizza option you can make at home. WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 3½ cups shredded mozzarella, divided 2 tablespoons cream cheese ¾ cup almond flour 1 egg 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1 ⁄₃ cup Low Carb Pizza Sauce (recipe on left) Your choice of toppings

HOW TO PREP: Preheat oven to 425◦F.

transfer the bottom sheet with the dough on it to a pizza pan.

Add 2 cups of the mozzarella and the 2 tablespoons of cream cheese to a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for 1 minute. Stir to combine and return to microwave, cooking until cheese has melted, about 30 more seconds.

Bake for 10 minutes or until crust is lightly golden. Carefully flip the crust over and bake for 3 more minutes.

Stir in the almond flour, egg and Italian seasoning and combine, mixing to form a dough. Place the dough on a large sheet of parchment paper. Top dough with a second sheet of parchment. Roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle.

Remove crust from the oven. Spread the Low Carb Pizza Sauce over the crust, and sprinkle with the remaining 1½ cups of mozzarella. Arrange your choice of toppings evenly over the pizza. Bake the pizza for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Remove the top piece of parchment paper, and

Slice the Carbs Maybe you’re trying to eat fewer carbs, or maybe you’ve gone gluten free. In any case, you’ve probably heard about cauliflower “rice.” That’s simply a mix of cauliflower florets and stems, which have been shredded or chopped, that you can use like rice. We sell fresh and frozen versions at Rouses. We carry cauliflower frozen pizzas, pizza crusts and tortillas, as well as frozen chicken tenders with a cauliflower coating. We also offer a variety of Quest Thin Crust Pizzas, which are prepared with crusts that are very rich in protein. And if you’re just watching gluten intake (not watching carbs so much), Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour, which offers a cup-to-cup ratio with regular wheat flour, is made with garbanzo bean flour, potato flour and fava bean flour for protein and body, that you can substitute for wheat flour in any recipe. ROUSES

Canadian Bacon, Eh? Canadian bacon has more in common with ham than with American bacon. American bacon is fatty pork belly, typically cut into strips (butchers call these “streaks” because of the alternating layers of meat and fat). Canadian bacon is a center cut pork loin. It’s leaner and therefore has less fat and fewer calories. American bacon is cured,

then smoked, which gives it its distinctive flavor. Canadian bacon is simply cured. Just like they don’t call it a New Orleans po-boy in New Orleans, a Philly cheesesteak in Philadelphia, or a Buffalo wing in Buffalo, they don’t call it Canadian bacon in Canada. There, it’s known mostly as “back bacon.” W W W. R O U S E S . C O M 5 5

Boudin Calzone Makes 1 large calzone Rouses Boudin is made from a family recipe that goes back to the store’s founder, Anthony Rouse, which means its flavor has stood the test of time. It is made in Louisiana in the heart of boudin country. We used Rouses Pepper Jack Boudin, which features Jack cheese in addition to the traditional boudin ingredients. WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 12 ounces Rouses Pepper Jack Boudin, removed from the casing 4 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded Pizza dough (recipe on page 29)

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HOW TO PREP: Remove the boudin filling from the casing by slicing the link lengthwise down the center. Mix the filling well with the pepper jack cheese, and set aside until you are ready to fill the calzone. Lightly flour your work surface, and stretch the dough to a 12-inch circle. Spoon the boudin and pepper jack mixture onto one side of the dough, leaving a ½-inch border all around edge.

Brush the edge of the dough with water and fold the dough in half. Pinch the edges to seal the dough. (Use a pizza cutter to trim the very edge of the dough to get a perfect seal.) Transfer the calzone to a baking sheet, and brush it with olive oil. Bake until the crust is golden brown and firm, around 15 to 20 minutes. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Think of the Italian calzone, which originated in Naples, as a portable pizza.

They’re made with pizza dough, and typically filled with ricotta and pizza toppings such as mozzarella, cured meat and vegetables, though we made ours with local ingredients like boudin and Louisiana crawfish). The word calzone means “trouser” or “pant leg” in Italian, and it’s created by folding the dough into a halfmoon shape and sealing the ingredients inside by crimping the edges.

Calzones are baked. A smaller, fried version is called a panzerotti. Similar to a calzone, a stromboli is a rolledup pizza (or turnover) with meat and cheese that is then baked. While the calzone is stuffed with sauce, the stromboli is rolled up without any sauce inside to prevent it from becoming soggy. The sauce is served on the side.

Crawfish Calzone Makes 1 large calzone WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 medium white onion, diced ½ green bell pepper, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound Louisiana crawfish tails, rinsed 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 pint half-and-half 3 tablespoons Creole seasoning 1 cup mozzarella and provolone cheese, shredded ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated 3 tablespoons green onions, chopped Pizza dough (recipe on page 29) HOW TO PREP: Heat the oven to 500°F. Heat the canola oil in a pan over medium-high heat, and sauté the onion and bell pepper in it until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and crawfish ROUSES

tails, and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add the flour to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan with your spoon to remove any flour that might have stuck to the pan. Add the half-and-half and Creole seasoning; reduce the heat to medium and stir. Chill the mixture, then add the cheese and green onions. Set aside until you are ready to fill the calzone. Lightly flour your work surface, and stretch the dough to a 12-inch circle. Spoon the chilled crawfish mixture onto one side of the dough, leaving a ½-inch border all around edge. Brush the edge of the dough with water and fold the dough in half. Pinch the edges to seal the dough.

(Use a pizza cutter to trim the very edge of the dough to get a perfect seal.) Transfer the calzone to a baking sheet, and brush it with olive oil. Bake until the crust is golden brown and firm, around 15 to 20 minutes. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

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Take Another Little Pizza My Heart VALENTINE’S DAY HAZELNUT & STRAWBERRY PIZZA Makes 1 12-inch pizza WHAT YOU WILL NEED: Pizza dough (recipe on page 29) 1 jar Rouses Hazelnut Spread 1 dozen large strawberries, washed and stems removed Red, pink and white decorative sprinkles

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HOW TO PREP: Roll out the pizza dough into a circle (extra points, guys, if you can make it into a heart shape). Heart Bake the pizza dough at 375°F with nothing on it, for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Heart Remove the pizza crust from the oven, and allow it to cool slightly. Heart Lightly warm the hazelnut spread in the microwave, and spread it evenly over the crust. Heart With a paring knife, cut the strawberries in half and trim the tops of them to the shape of a heart. Heart Distribute the strawberries and sprinkles atop the hazelnut spread, and serve.

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MORE THAN 30,000 PEOPLE GATHER ALONG THE TWO-MILE STRETCH OF PERDIDO BEACH BOULEVARD IN ORANGE BEACH TO CATCH BEADS AND MOON PIES EVERY CARNIVAL SEASON.

SPANISH TOWN IS THE LARGEST MARDI GRAS PARADE IN BATON ROUGE. THE MANTRA OF THIS THOROUGHLY PINK-FLAMINGOED COMMUNITY IS: “BAD TASTE IS BETTER THAN NO TASTE AT ALL .”

Mardi Gras Pizza Makes 1 12-inch pizza WHAT YOU WILL NEED FOR DOUGH: 1 cup milk ¼ cup butter 2 ¾-ounce packs active dry yeast ²/₃ cup warm water ½ cup white sugar 2 eggs 1½ teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 5½ cups all-purpose flour FOR FROSTING: 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 1 tablespoon water

FOR GARNISH: 1 plastic baby Colored purple, green and yellow granulated sugar HOW TO PREP: Scald milk; remove from heat and stir in the butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture, 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

THE KREWE OF BILGE ON THE CANALS OF EDEN ISLES IN SLIDELL AND THE KREWE OF TCHEFUNCTE ON THE TCHEFUNCTE RIVER IN MADISONVILLE ARE FLOATING PARADES. KREWE MEMBERS DECORATE BOATS AND WATERCRAFT IN MARDI GRAS COLORS AND HURL THROWS TO THRONGS OF PARADEGOERS ALONG THE BANKS.

Lightly oil a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. When it has risen, punch down the dough. Preheat oven and a pizza stone to 375°F. Roll dough into one large circle, to ½-inch thickness. Carefully remove hot stone from oven, and place pizza on it. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven. Stuff the baby into the bottom of the dough, and spread the frosting over the top while the dough is still warm. Sprinkle purple, green and yellow colored sugars atop the frosting.

Spicy Cajun Crawtators

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Celebrate

with the best

Get the Best King Cake on the Gulf Coast Shipped Right to your Door! For 60 years, the Gulf Coast has celebrated Mardi Gras with our handcrafted, gourmet cinnamon dough king cakes. Choose traditional or your favorite filling, shipped anywhere in the

on the Gulf Coast

Order online at www.rouses.com

continental U.S. Order online at www.rouses.com.

Rouses Magazine - The Pizza Issue

Articles inside

When the Moon Hits Your Eye Like a Big Pizza Pie

A Slice of History