Remember that old adage, ‘Eat to Live, and Not Live to Eat’. Well I heard it first when I was 7, and I misread it. Come on, I was 7.
I discovered at an early age that food gave me a lot of pleasure. It was comfortable and comforting, warming to the angsty adolescent soul, a journey into a new culture, a fire-side sojourn of someone telling you a story, their story, an intimate story. Imagine yourself on a roller coaster, an emotional roller coaster, from the first bite as you start ascending into the unknown, to that hit of umami somewhere in the middle, before you go back for more, and realize you have eaten more than your fair share, and regret it, temporarily, only to crave the ride in a mist of amnesia and nostalgia. Back to that adage. I misread it (perhaps intentionally) as Live to Eat.
Since an early age, whenever I heard the question, what would be your last meal on the planet? I always gravitated towards pizza. As an adult heading into the unknown of mid 30’s, I asked myself the same question, after having experienced gastronomic delights around the world. Does it still hold true? The answer was a unanimous yes.
After pizza pilgrimages to NYC, Italia, Thailand, India (ask me about it via a comment, email or breaking bread with me in or around SF), I wanted to recreate some of the magical pizzarrific experiences in my adopted city of San Francisco and the greater bay area. I was grateful to have tried some of the best classic NY slices (Di Fara anyone) to Chicago deep dish, to Roma thin crust (Roscioli to Bonci’s) to ethnic variants (Indian pizza, Thai Pizza)?
I started by asking my network of gourmet gourmands, Yelping, Google Localing & Mapping, assiduously reading top this or that pizza lists on SF Eater and other food discovery publications and blogs of note. And committing to using public transportation and biking my way on these calorific jaunts. Carbon neutral y’all.
I must have tried 50+ pizza places across the bay area, and discovered a few gems that can give serious competition to the best of NYC and Italia. I found my penchant for sourdough crust that’s easier to digest, and diving deeper into the art of the dough. Who uses fresh San Marzano tomatoes, and who uses the rather bland San Marzano tomatoes in a can. What about pesto as a topping? Or Pineapple (yuck)? I also found that a lot of true Pizzaiolos (artists in my mind) work in small, single location, artisan shops and truly love what they do. A commitment to dough that takes years to perfect (think sushi and rice) along with the freshest ingredients can transform bread, sauce and toppings to something magnificent. An homage to Italian chefs who prepared this perfect food to provide sustenance to roman armies on long jaunts to the east - a food that can last a journey and can provide enough variety and deliciousness to otherwise horrid conditions.
From Arizmendi, a worker cooperative that gets its recipes from the iconic Cheeseboard, to Benchmark, where the chef-owner has spent years perfecting the sourdough crust, to Tony’s who wowed the world and won the pizza championship in Italia to Mozzerria, where those with hearing challenges find a vocation and work in a certified artisan Neapolitan pizza joint that gives them dignity, to Gioia who is out to prove that NYC pizza can be made as well in the bay area, and many many more. Thank you to all the passionate artists who share their creations, and to my friends and strangers (who became friends) by indulging with me in my journey to appreciate good food and share it with the world.
Make food not war. This is my first post on Local Guides Connect. I truly appreciate this space and loved reading about your journeys and recommendations. Hit me up for a food buddy to share serendipitous experiences.
Contrary to population belief, I also eat food and drink beverages un-related to the pizza family