johnnyhongkong says…

While we were in New York, we stopped by for a drink (or two) at Stout NYC on 33rd street, one of those industrial, Irish theme park bars. After a few Brooklyn Lagers, hunger pains set in and Mary Milan and I checked the menu for something to nosh on and much to our surprise, among the bangers and mash, fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, and something called Wisconsin style thin crust pizza.

Not mama Siobahn’s typical Irish fare and nor mama Milan’s typical Wisconsin fare.

In regional culinary traditions, there is a such thing as St. Louis style thin crust pizza, which resembles the cardboard-like Domino’s Thin Crust pizza (which I kind of prefer to thier thick crust, carb monstrosity), but Wisconsin? Not unless you consider cheese a thin crust pizza.

The only thing I can come up with is that since Illinois (Chicago) is known for their deep dish pizza, Wisconsin, being the anti-Illinois, must be the origin of the anti-deep dish.

Whatever. What I want to know is that if Stout NYC is going to coin a brand new style of thin crust pizza, why not just call it something Irish? Dublin Style Thin Crust? Kilkenny Style Thin Crust?

Speaking of Domino’s and infelicitous appellations, what’s the deal with their “Brooklyn style” pizza? When did Brooklyn secede from the New York style of pizza? And if it hadn’t, why isn’t Domino’s claiming that their new pizza is New York style pizza, the accepted Rolls Royce of rinky-dink, on every corner, grab a slice, pizzeria style pizzas?

I’m guessing it’s because Domino’s isn’t making all of their new crusts with bottled water.

You see, the reason we all love New York Style pizza is because New York City tap water is far better than your city’s tap water. And why is that important? Because as we know, water is the most important ingredient in bread (and beer) making. Carbs. Yummy.

Anyway, as a marketing term, Brooklyn is close enough to recall the New York style of pizza without actually laying claim the quality of dough. In essence, Domino’s new pizza has about as much to do with New York or Brooklyn as Stout NYC’s thin crust has anything to do with Wisconsin.