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Posted on 01/06/2022 11:44:54 AM PST by mylife
We all know the two great pizza quotes, right? The first is Sam Sifton's Pizza Cognition Theory, which goes like this: "The first slice of pizza a child sees and tastes...becomes, for him, pizza." The second is the old chestnut about pizza and sex: even when it's bad, it's still pretty good.
Then we get to the St. Louis-style pizza made popular by their local chain, Imo's , which seems to buck both of these statements. Of the myriad styles of pizza we've got in this country, it's got to be the most maligned.* Its thin, unleavened cracker crust bears no resemblance to the real dough that great pizza is built on. It gets loaded high with toppings that span all the way from edge to edge. It's so unbalanced that it has to be cut into squares just to be able to support its own weight. And let's not get started on that Provel cheese—if it can even be called cheese, am I right?
And yet, ever since tasting it for the first time, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. And I've finally figured out why I love it so much. St. Louis-style pizza is not pizza. It's a big, pizza-flavored nacho. Hear me out.
My wife Adri and I ate a lot of things last summer when we were driving from New York to San Francisco. A LOT of things. Many of them hyper-regional,
(Excerpt) Read more at seriouseats.com ...
“flower”? Flour.
So these are near the deli area at Aldi’s (not in frozen food cases)? I don’t go to Aldi’s often, but will try to remember to look.
no sauce, they put olive oil on mine, a fried egg, a hunk of artichoke...
;)
Dude, hot Italian beef... :P
and not on cracker...
Yeah—You’d remember. It’s nothing like Mozzarella.
Truer words were never spoken.
The worst pizza I ever had was from a “pizzeria” in Virginia Beach. The crust was a soda bread indistinguishable from the old style strawberry shortcake biscuits. I grew upon New Haven pizza, undeniably the best in the world and an abomination like the VB offering should be illegal.
I’ve read about Japanese versions of American food.
So long as they stay on that side of the Pacific, I’m fine with ‘em.
Otherwise, agreed, but I would have turned and ran at the sight of it.
Yep, great pizza. I’ll take Frank Pepe’s and Sally’s. No bad pizza in New Haven.
Actually it is leavened, and it is tossed to stretch it, it is just very thin and crispy..
Yes, Im calling it the deli case, I dont know what they call it in store. Its the refrigerated case that also holds all the lunch meat and (fake modernized) German sausages. In my stores its right next to the fresh meat case, I dont know that thats a Aldis wide layout though.
Grew up in St Louis and now live out of state. Every time I go to visit family, Imo’s is a the top of the list. Love that pizza! Cracker style crust is the best!
I loved Shakey’s when I was growing up- liked how they had a viewing window to watch it being tossed and prepared- but then one day they were gone, don’t know what happened to it but maybe the area it was in just went down. We missed it very much.
Did you ever have Vito & Nick’s pizza? They are located on the southwest side of Chicago. They had a place at 79th and Carpenter in the late 30’s and opened their 84th and Pulaski location in the early 60’s. Great thin crust pizza, probably similar to the St. Louis style pizza.
anyone ever had a potato pizza? a depression era thing, liked scalloped potato’s and onions in a béchamel and cheese on top...
Yow
Until I looked just now, I didn’t know it was a California chain. I was looking for an article I recalled seeing on why they left Oregon.
I wonder if the pizza is still remotely close to what it was...next time I drive through NCal to see family, it will be a pit stop!
https://www.shakeys.com/restaurant-locations/
Here’s a summary of what I recall reading years ago:
https://www.liquisearch.com/shakeys_pizza/history
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