Pizza

I love pizza. The question is, who doesn't? Cheese baked all over some delicious bread, some salted meats, maybe some spices if you're adventurous. Yesterday, after I got off from work, Marieta and I headed over to the famed Monterrey Market. Being as it was 2.15 and neither of us had eaten lunch we decided to hit up the delish pizza joint just up the street Gioia Pizzeria. Now we've been there before but this place tugs at our hearts in the battle of Best pizza place in town.

Pizza has changed man. Up until I was probably 22 or 23 I wanted my pizza to be classic (I grew up in the midwest. In 90's Iowa's best pizza was toss up between Pizza Hut and Little Ceaser's. Don't get me wrong I still love a pan pizza from pizza hut but it is fast food (oh that reminds me of a topic for a future post.) Chicago is pretty much the mecca for pizza of that genre. Deep Dish, greasy floppy slices, large new york style, etc. It's all in the windy city. California style? now this is something to embrace and explore. Two examples are Gioia and Cheese Board.

I think pizza can kind of display American history in a sense. New York style is let's make a lot with the little we have. Giant slices of super thin pizza with the classic pepperoni or cheese topping. One slice holds you all day. A whole pie and can feed 8 people. Back when immigrants poured into Ellis Island I can envision them starving for something to eat and finding these kite sized slices as something to hold them over for a day or two until they find out where they are and whats goin on.

Now after the Civil War and Chicago started turning into an industrial city (meat packing plants, boats sailing into ports, and former slaves migrating up for work) I think Chicago Style could find a natural home. Long hard work - thick layered hearty pizza. Have you had true Chicago Style pizza? If you have two slices you've probably had 12 or 1300 calories and you find yourself considering unbuttoning your pants in a public place. Today a lot of these places are in a battle for who can put the most cheese on the pizza (something I think ruins the pizza). Maybe after working hard and preparing to voyage out west cooks were thinking I better load these men (and ladies) up with food to check em going. Another possibility is that the winters in Chicago are close to impossible unless you have heat and a steaming mother of a pie that can substitute for your spare tire will warm the house and warm your belly. Either way thin to thick, it's a natural evolution.

So the west coast. California style food has a lot to do with Fusion. People probably consider all the different cultures and some people also think of California as young with no history; however people were here around the same time as the revolutionary war setting up missions. California style food is about fusion because there are so many fresh ingredients out here that if you don't make something tasty and original each time you are really missing out on the fun of cooking.

So Gioia Pizza has that at heart. My pizza was Fennel Sausage and Olive (Olives are evil but take the bad with the great) and the other slice was Cremini Mushrooms and spinach. That is tasty. The toppings are only half of the charm. Now I will leave you with some videos.

Welcome to Gioia Pizzeria.



Stroll into Gioia's

and if that isn't enough, watch him make a pie (for those who hate free handing pizza cheese, look away.)



Guying makes Gioia pizza