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From Slice

Openings: Varasano's Pizzeria, Atlanta

I have it on good authority that the opening is tonight, Wed, the 25th. Just hoping that not every human in Atlanta is expecting a slice tonight...

varasano at 10:34AM on 03/25/09

From Slice

Dear Slice: 'You Have Not Tasted the Best'

I think reading this hurt my brain too. I've gotten about 1500 emails, many recommending pizzerias not just from the 50 states but from around the world, but not one ever mentioned "Flying Pie". You'd think if it was really the best we'd have heard of it by now. And it's not location. I've probably gotten 15 recommendations for ApizzaScholls. The website of Flying Pie is one huge red flag. Zero photos of the food is red flag #1. The menu is red flag #2. Pardon me if I don't hop the next flight out.

varasano at 10:13PM on 07/30/08

From Slice

Why Can't You Get a Good Slice Outside New York City? 'Wired' Magazine Says It's the Water

FYI, NYC water now is way different than it was when I was a kid growing up in the Bronx. There's way more chlorine now and it just doesn't taste as good.

varasano at 1:05PM on 04/26/08

From Slice

Why Can't You Get a Good Slice Outside New York City? 'Wired' Magazine Says It's the Water

As I've been saying online for 4 years, the water thing is 100% myth. I get emails about this several times a week. According to Maggie Glazer, the myth that baked goods are better in NY because of the water goes all the way back to the 1700's when in the rest of the country people used well water and not municipal tap water. Half the time this wasn't too far from the latrine. In other words the original comparison was comparing NY water, which comes from a pretty good aquifer system upstate, to other systems that would be comparable to what the 3rd world uses today. This rumor says more about how rumors and 'common knowledge' are passed down through the ages than anything about your local water system's shortcomings today. As anyone who's read my recipe (http://slice.seriouseats.com/jvpizza/) or tasted my pizza here in Atlanta knows, it's not the water...

varasano at 1:03PM on 04/26/08

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Recent Comments | Response to Comments

From Slice

Openings: Varasano's Pizzeria, Atlanta

I have it on good authority that the opening is tonight, Wed, the 25th. Just hoping that not every human in Atlanta is expecting a slice tonight...

varasano at 10:34AM on 03/25/09

From Slice

Dear Slice: 'You Have Not Tasted the Best'

I think reading this hurt my brain too. I've gotten about 1500 emails, many recommending pizzerias not just from the 50 states but from around the world, but not one ever mentioned "Flying Pie". You'd think if it was really the best we'd have heard of it by now. And it's not location. I've probably gotten 15 recommendations for ApizzaScholls. The website of Flying Pie is one huge red flag. Zero photos of the food is red flag #1. The menu is red flag #2. Pardon me if I don't hop the next flight out.

varasano at 10:13PM on 07/30/08

From Slice

Why Can't You Get a Good Slice Outside New York City? 'Wired' Magazine Says It's the Water

FYI, NYC water now is way different than it was when I was a kid growing up in the Bronx. There's way more chlorine now and it just doesn't taste as good.

varasano at 1:05PM on 04/26/08

From Slice

Why Can't You Get a Good Slice Outside New York City? 'Wired' Magazine Says It's the Water

As I've been saying online for 4 years, the water thing is 100% myth. I get emails about this several times a week. According to Maggie Glazer, the myth that baked goods are better in NY because of the water goes all the way back to the 1700's when in the rest of the country people used well water and not municipal tap water. Half the time this wasn't too far from the latrine. In other words the original comparison was comparing NY water, which comes from a pretty good aquifer system upstate, to other systems that would be comparable to what the 3rd world uses today. This rumor says more about how rumors and 'common knowledge' are passed down through the ages than anything about your local water system's shortcomings today. As anyone who's read my recipe (http://slice.seriouseats.com/jvpizza/) or tasted my pizza here in Atlanta knows, it's not the water...

varasano at 1:03PM on 04/26/08

From Slice

Openings: Varasano's Pizzeria, Atlanta

hola gang ... i put up a brief commentary but the real gems are the pictures from my dining buddy! Check out the great photos of Varasano's Pizzeria over on SavoryExposure.

foodiebuddha at 2:41AM on 03/26/09

From Slice

Openings: Varasano's Pizzeria, Atlanta

@varasano Why not? There would certainly be worse ways to start. Best of luck tonight. Branch Rickey said luck is the residue of design and you've certainly done a good job laying the ground work. Knock 'em dead.

Ciao,

Paulie Gee

pauliegee at 10:51AM on 03/25/09

From Slice

Openings: Varasano's Pizzeria, Atlanta

^ That's Jeff himself just above. I think that "good authority" is actually the final authority on the opening date. Good luck, Jeff!

Adam Kuban at 10:45AM on 03/25/09

From Slice

Dear Slice: 'You Have Not Tasted the Best'

Thanks. I think I will take your advice as soon as lunchtime rolls around.

sloppy at 10:58AM on 08/05/08

From Slice

Dear Slice: 'You Have Not Tasted the Best'

Sorry. Eat two slices and call me in the morning.

Summerfield at 10:16AM on 08/05/08

From Slice

Dear Slice: 'You Have Not Tasted the Best'

This thread is starting to make my head hurt.....

sloppy at 4:23PM on 08/04/08

From Slice

Dear Slice: 'You Have Not Tasted the Best'

How many? Anyway, they're probably catering to Californians. Many Californians go to Italy every year. I don't know how many, exactly, but many.

Summerfield at 1:53PM on 08/04/08

From Slice

Dear Slice: 'You Have Not Tasted the Best'

Well, then I guess spaghetti and meatballs is also an abomination. As well as manicotti.....not to mention pasta y fagiole reheated before eating...... How about dumping tomatoes all together from ANY recipe italian, as well as peppers, get rid of polenta while your at it too, THAT is not originally Italian, so in some way, get rid of that too...............


Oh by the way, pineapple is served IN MANY TAVOLA CALDAS and pizzerias in NAPLES, the amalfi coast, as well as ROME.

Pizza is Pizza REGARDLESS of the toppings, NO MATTER HOW SILLY.
It may not float your boat, but new toppings are introduced everyday.
Kinda like when the first Italian did the utterly nauseating, placing the NEW WORD TOMATO on a pizza......Can you imagine the audacity??

gabagool at 10:08AM on 08/02/08

From Slice

Dear Slice: 'You Have Not Tasted the Best'

what?! adam, you haven't tried good pizza until you've also been to my favorite place in guam if it's still open they have a different special pie every day i liked the roasted veggie one back then i was vegetarian. hope you make it coz you'd really be missing out if you don't.

fileunderk at 4:01PM on 08/01/08

From Slice

Dear Slice: 'You Have Not Tasted the Best'

Yeah, millions love McDonald's too. That doesn't make it good. Perhaps I should replace the pineapple in my next pina colada with pepperoni, eh? Hey! How about cherries on pizza? Maybe blackberries? Pizza is still sort of, you know, Italian-based. So no, American pizza makers shouldn't have the same opportunities. I guess it...is...possible to invent a wholey American flatbread that could conceivably have pineapple on it. Get goin'.

Summerfield at 3:51PM on 08/01/08

From Slice

Dear Slice: 'You Have Not Tasted the Best'

I'm not much for pineapple either, but just as Italian pizza makers utilize ANY italian topping THEY consider appropriate such as baby eels, cured strips of pork fat, rendered pork lard, sauteed dandelions, even tripe; I think American pizza makers should have the same opportunities. And since the USA is so diverse, so should be their choice of toppings. I can't stand Hawaiin pizzas, but MILLIONS love them. With so much snobbery involved in the food industry, it would be nice if pizza was exempt.

PS: IMPORTED tomatos are NOT superior in every case. In fact, I find it hard to believe that important san maranzano tomatoes would win a taste test if the names were hidden. American tomatoes, especially canned are FAR SUPERIOR, IMO, than imported Italian. Crafted italian food products such as cold cuts are still superior to their american counterparts but raw food products, such as tomatoes, flour,etc are ever bit as good in america as they are in Italy, I I have worked in both places over the last 40 years.

gabagool at 1:05PM on 08/01/08

From Slice

Dear Slice: 'You Have Not Tasted the Best'

I teach college and grade lab reports on a weekly basis. Her command of the English language is now commonplace. It's amazing to me that people can write something on paper and not realize that if they read it out loud, it would sound like jibberish.

benlee at 1:19PM on 07/31/08

From Slice

Why Can't You Get a Good Slice Outside New York City? 'Wired' Magazine Says It's the Water

I disagree with the water theory. The best pizza I have had outside of NYC was in North Carolina - two brothers who moved down from the bronx to open up a place. It's how you make it as well as the ingredients.

exvaxman at 1:22PM on 05/04/08

From Slice

Why Can't You Get a Good Slice Outside New York City? 'Wired' Magazine Says It's the Water

It may help those engaged in this melee to know that there is no one "NYC" water. Upper Manhattan and the Bronx get it from one source and reservoir system. Manhattan south of 110th St or so (I'm not sure where the boundary line is exactly) get it largely untreated from the Delaware River and southern Catskills through a different reservoir system. Brooklyn and Queens get it from another source, and I don't know where Staten Island gets theirs from. As many have pointed out, you can get good pizza from places other than the lower 2/3 of Manhattan and outside NY City. I'm sure there is water so bad that you can't make good pizza from it, but it's clear that you can do fine with lots of different kinds of water. For what it's worth, Phoenix gets its water from the Colorado River, the source of a lot of Southern California's water. The City of L.A. gets theirs from the Owens Valley, east of the Sierras.

gustoct at 3:09PM on 04/28/08

From Slice

Why Can't You Get a Good Slice Outside New York City? 'Wired' Magazine Says It's the Water

Slightly OT...but when I was in NYC for my first wedding anniversary 10 years ago, I had a pretzel from a street vendor that I could swear tasted like smog. Not exactly a good thing, not exactly a bad thing...but distinct and unforgettable. So I don't know if you can rule the water thing out...though I agree that bad pizza is probably due more to user error than bad water. =)

akk328 at 2:43PM on 04/28/08

From Slice

Why Can't You Get a Good Slice Outside New York City? 'Wired' Magazine Says It's the Water

h2o? maybe-I think it's a northeast us thing: I've traveled all over the US and there's nothing like NY/NJ/PA ( I live in Central PA) pizza. California pizza just doesn't have the sauce flavor or the great foldable crust.

benlee: FYI-San Fran's great sourdough is from a decades-old starter, but there are also specific cultures/spores present in the air out there. They've even been named for the city!

foodiemama at 2:08PM on 04/28/08

From Slice

Why Can't You Get a Good Slice Outside New York City? 'Wired' Magazine Says It's the Water

i'd say it's the italians.
that and all the tough customers in ny.

norman at 8:23AM on 04/28/08

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