3 ms·

At this point American pizza isn't an Italian food, it's American/global. No one thinks "pizza" when you say, "lets's get some Italian".

samatman 4y ago
In the more populous parts of America, Italian pizza is one of six or seven varieties one can find, generally (though not on the West Coast) dominated by the local take. I've had pizza margherita in Italy, and at least three large US cities: the one in Rome was better, but frankly, that's probably because I was in Rome when I ate it. It was the same sort of pizza you get from Italian pizza joints in the States.
- jaclaz 4y ago
  Once said that not necessarily all pizza in Italy is good, when it is good it is simply another thing from "international" pizza, I believe mainly because of the ingredients used that - generally speaking - are simply not available (at the same level of freshness/taste) outside Italy and in some cases not even everywhere in Italy. A typical example is "mozzarella di bufala" that is easily available all over Italy, but if/when you taste the fresh one in the area around Caserta and Naples you will understand how it is different.
  - samatman 4y ago
    I'm sure I didn't have the best possible Italian pizza, it was good but hardly my most memorable meal in my (alas, quite brief) time in Italy. All I'm saying is that a pizza margherita at an 'Italian style pizza joint' in the States is the same recipe, wood-fired oven, buffalo mozzarella, and so on. One would need to pay extra for the bufala, but the low-moisture cheese we Americans call 'mozzarella' is never used, it would be fresh ball mozarella. Whereas a good New York slice can't be had in Italy for love nor money! (I suspect this isn't actually true; I found a Mission burrito in Guanajuato Mexico, good food has a way of getting around). Now, you can say that's like trying to find a General Tso's Chicken in Hong Kong, but I enjoy that dish as well.

samatman 4y ago

In the more populous parts of America, Italian pizza is one of six or seven varieties one can find, generally (though not on the West Coast) dominated by the local take. I've had pizza margherita in Italy, and at least three large US cities: the one in Rome was better, but frankly, that's probably because I was in Rome when I ate it. It was the same sort of pizza you get from Italian pizza joints in the States.

jaclaz 4y ago
Once said that not necessarily all pizza in Italy is good, when it is good it is simply another thing from "international" pizza, I believe mainly because of the ingredients used that - generally speaking - are simply not available (at the same level of freshness/taste) outside Italy and in some cases not even everywhere in Italy. A typical example is "mozzarella di bufala" that is easily available all over Italy, but if/when you taste the fresh one in the area around Caserta and Naples you will understand how it is different.
- samatman 4y ago
  I'm sure I didn't have the best possible Italian pizza, it was good but hardly my most memorable meal in my (alas, quite brief) time in Italy. All I'm saying is that a pizza margherita at an 'Italian style pizza joint' in the States is the same recipe, wood-fired oven, buffalo mozzarella, and so on. One would need to pay extra for the bufala, but the low-moisture cheese we Americans call 'mozzarella' is never used, it would be fresh ball mozarella. Whereas a good New York slice can't be had in Italy for love nor money! (I suspect this isn't actually true; I found a Mission burrito in Guanajuato Mexico, good food has a way of getting around). Now, you can say that's like trying to find a General Tso's Chicken in Hong Kong, but I enjoy that dish as well.