The stars are aligned today! I accidentally posted that cat movie earlier because I didn’t know it was officially National Pizza Month until I was researching further sources for famous Italians and a cool header. Sure it’s a stereotype but pizza is a well-loved food in America which has obviously been heavily modified to suit our tastes, resources and lazy nature. Same goes with Chinese, German and Mexican cuisine.
Above in the header are pictures showing my two favorite brands of pizza in Austin. There are few things I miss about the Midwest and good pizza is one. Texans don’t know crap about it. Hamburgers, steak, BBQ and Tex-Mex, they got it nailed. Looking for Chinese, Japanese Thai or Indian? Austin has good choices. Pizza is often a choice between the terrible chains: Domino’s, Crappa Johns, Little Caesar’s, Cicis, Chuck E Cheese or Pizza Hut; adequate local chains: Mr. Gatti’s (they use a unique cheese), Conan’s, Double Daves; and Hipster fare which is OK yet it’s the overrated New York style: Home Slice, Hoboken Pie.
Within a couple years, I was making enough money to enjoy Mangia. Its founder was trained in Chicago to make deep dish correctly. He still fiddled with the recipes to accommodate the junk Texans must have…jalapeños, avocados or brisket. Sadly, Mangia is no more. It recently arose from the ashes in a couple locations to become The Pizza Bistro. We’ve been there several times and the location near us has remained mostly faithful to what Mangia offered. There were some menu modifications but more often they changed the names. On the header’s left is a standard pie from TPB.
Whenever we have pizza on a regular basis, it’s the brand on the right, Austin’s Pizza. Introduced to it for my 39th birthday party via Jeremy then gradually hooked on it as a local branch was re-opened near the house. The local chain isn’t necessarily the cheapest yet I feel it’s worth the little extra money because it helps support a local business. AP isn’t liked by children neither due to some wine being in the sauce. Pictured is a recent addition to the menu through a vote, the Haole, a tweaked take on the Hawaiian-style pizza.
Now on to check out Italians past and present who have helped shape the world we live in today. They even assisted in creating my vacation destination of Las Vegas with America’s Central European Jews.