The first pizzeria may have been founded in Italy, but the pie itself has come of age in America. Nowadays the pizza is arguably more popular than the apple pie in the United States and the many different variations of them that are defined by specific regions of the country make it a national food.
Pizza has many distinctive and consistent characteristics: It has a crust made of dough,
it is covered with sauce and other toppings and it is cut into slices. From there; however, any type of conventional thinking goes out the window.
Pizza is one of the most popular foods in America and can be found in big cities and small towns from coast to coast. It is also one of the most improvised forms of cuisines, as varying locales around the nation have put their own spin on this popular dish over the years.
Getting creative with pizzas has helped increase their popularity over the past several decades. While millions of people still enjoy a simple pie with a basic crust, red sauce and cheese on top, various substitutes, variations and add-ons can really spice things up. Many pizzerias today remain loyal to one form or another, although having multiple choices for a customer to choose from is common.
New York style is one of the most popular pizzas in the United States. It typically features a thin, flexible crust and a moderate amount of sauce, cheese and toppings. It is commonly sold in large slices that can be folded in order to eat.
Arguably the second most popular form is Chicago deep dish. The crust of this pie is built up around the sides of a deep pan and the cheese makes up the bottom layer, which is then covered by toppings and a generous amount of sauce. Because of its breadth, it is commonly eaten with a knife and fork rather than by hand.
California style pizza is a newer variation that is common on the west coast of the U.S. It often utilizes California’s abundance of fresh produce, such as artichokes and other less-common vegetables. Other uncommon ingredients and toppings that are popular with California’s various immigrant populations are also commonly used.
New Haven style, locally known as “apizza,” is less common nationally, but is quite popular in Connecticut and around the Northeast. The crust tends to be thinner and more chewy and it is commonly served “white” or without tomato sauce. Instead, garlic and cheeses other than mozzarella are used as the primary toppings.
Americans have also popularized the frozen pizza, which comes in a number of various types. Pies made on French bread, English muffins and bagels are some of the most popular forms found in the freezers of grocery stores.
While the pizza market has grown considerably over time, it continues to expand even to this day. New forms and variations are popularized quite often and unique ways to cater to consumers’ taste buds seemingly pop up on a daily basis. Because of this, Americans have more choices than ever when they visit their neighborhood pizzeria.
