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Pizza: A Slice of American History
With liberty and pizza for all. There is no doubt that pizza is one of the most popular foods in the United States, cherished by everyone from Homer Simpson to the president. Americans reportedly eat a combined 350 slices every second! Although pizza has its origins overseas, it has come into full (ahem) flour here in the States. Pizza: A Slice of American History tells the story of how this beloved food became the apple of our collective eye—or, perhaps more precisely, the pepperoni of our pie. Pizza journalist Liz Barrett explores how it is that pizza came to and conquered North America and how it evolved into different forms across the continent. Each chapter investigates a different pie: Chicago’s famous deep-dish, New Haven’s white clam pie, California’s health-conscious varieties, New York’s Sicilian and Neapolitan, the various styles that have emerged in the Midwest, and many others. The components of each pie—crust, sauce, spices, and much more—are dissected and celebrated, and recipes from top pizzerias provide readers with the opportunity to make and sample the pies themselves. Illustrated throughout with modern and historical photographs, postcards, and memorabilia, Pizza: A Slice of American History is the most comprehensive and fun cultural history of pizza in the USA ever written.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2014
10 people are currently reading
1469 people want to read
About the author
Liz Barrett
2 books7 followersLiz Barrett has been a magazine journalist since 2004, focusing her efforts on food and beauty topics. She's the former editor-in-chief and current editor-at-large for PMQ Pizza Magazine, the nation's No. 1 pizza industry magazine, where she eats, breathes and writes about pizza on a daily basis. She also authors a weekly blog for the industry called The Pizza Insider, with the goal being to keep pizzeria operators one step ahead of the competition.
When not consumed with thoughts of pizza, Barrett runs EatingOxford.com, a local restaurant directory, informational website and place for locals to chat about food. The site, which launched in 2009, is consistently ranked No. 1 by Oxford, Mississippi, locals.
On a more personal note, Barrett is originally from Pontiac, Michigan, lived in Los Angeles for 19 years and has been enjoying laid-back southern living in Oxford, Mississippi, since 2006.
She recently wed William Benjamin Foster, III, on July, 24, 2014, in a small Oxford ceremony attended by all of their closest friends and family before celebrating with a honeymoon traveling throughout London and southern Ireland.
When not consumed with thoughts of pizza, Barrett runs EatingOxford.com, a local restaurant directory, informational website and place for locals to chat about food. The site, which launched in 2009, is consistently ranked No. 1 by Oxford, Mississippi, locals.
On a more personal note, Barrett is originally from Pontiac, Michigan, lived in Los Angeles for 19 years and has been enjoying laid-back southern living in Oxford, Mississippi, since 2006.
She recently wed William Benjamin Foster, III, on July, 24, 2014, in a small Oxford ceremony attended by all of their closest friends and family before celebrating with a honeymoon traveling throughout London and southern Ireland.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 14, 2015
Ok for what it aspires to be (which I'm guessing is a coffee table compendium on pizza history) but its jokesy writing and uneven photography rarely elevate this above a curiosity, a sort of pizza history textbook. I did learn that St.Louis and New Haven each have their own style of pizza: St.Louis' cheese blend evidently features liquid smoke to simulate smoked provolone flavor. Yum!
February 24, 2018
Pizza: A Slice of American History by Liz Barrett is a must read for anyone who loves pizza. Barrett takes us on a foodie journey and I kept drooling while dialing my pizza joint. lol! Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
My Rating: 5 stars
June 10, 2016
This book is a lot of fun! I like pizza--as do so many of us. This volume is the end result of the authors love and passion for pizza.
The book touches on a number of subjects. One that provides context. . . . The origins and history of pizza. How the dish began; its evolution over time; from simplicity to a wide variety of pies; the role of yeast. And so on.
The book begins with the major "families" of pizza. Discussed here is the Neapolitan/New York style, Sicilian pizza, deep dish (Chicago) style. Then, somewhat more specialized pizzas (some of which I had never heard of before): New Haven style, Detroit style, St. Louis style, California style, and quite a few others. One interesting element here is recipes that allow the reader to get a sense of the different ways of making pizza. The simple--such as Margherita--to more complex preparations.
Other issues addressed--the development of the several major pizza chains, pizza and diet (ugh; there is a discussion of Atkins' Diet pizza).
At a any rate, if you enjoy a pizza now and then, this book would be a lot of fun for you to read!
The specialist aspects--crust, sauces and spices, and ovens.
The book touches on a number of subjects. One that provides context. . . . The origins and history of pizza. How the dish began; its evolution over time; from simplicity to a wide variety of pies; the role of yeast. And so on.
The book begins with the major "families" of pizza. Discussed here is the Neapolitan/New York style, Sicilian pizza, deep dish (Chicago) style. Then, somewhat more specialized pizzas (some of which I had never heard of before): New Haven style, Detroit style, St. Louis style, California style, and quite a few others. One interesting element here is recipes that allow the reader to get a sense of the different ways of making pizza. The simple--such as Margherita--to more complex preparations.
Other issues addressed--the development of the several major pizza chains, pizza and diet (ugh; there is a discussion of Atkins' Diet pizza).
At a any rate, if you enjoy a pizza now and then, this book would be a lot of fun for you to read!
The specialist aspects--crust, sauces and spices, and ovens.
December 2, 2015
Like others, I saw "Pizza" and failed to really pay attention to the subtitle of "a slice of American History". This is not a cookbook with some history thrown in, this is a history book with a few recipes thrown in. The parts I skimmed were fairly interesting and well written. But none of the recipes seemed that approachable for a home cook since they called for all different types of yeast ('fresh compressed yeast', instant yeast, dry yeast) with no real explanation for what the difference was not to mention where to find them. Then there were all the different types of flours, cheeses and toppings to track down; which might be worth the work if you could use them for more than one recipe but each had it's own scavenger list. I make my own pizza a couple of times a month and have even made my own Mozzarella but I can't say I'll be trying any of these recipes. At least the history was entertaining.
May 10, 2018
Liz Barrett, editor-at-large of PMQ Pizza Magazine, and blogger for PMQ's The Pizza Insider, has written a book covering the history of pizza in America; it's various types, creators, regional variations, ingredients, cooking methods, dough recipes, cheese and topping options, marketing and spread throughout the country. Lots of pictures of early bakers and their creations. Includes recipes, a bibliography of book sources and websites, as well as locations for purveyors of the various types. Interesting little book.
June 28, 2015
first of all i would like to thanks goodreads as I recieved the book as a part of giveaway.
Thank you so much goodreads
ABOUT THE BOOK
I received my signed hardcover copy today .
Well ,the book was awesome . it's about the pizza , its history
Here,in the book we are told about the types of pizza. The book also explore how to pizza came into the existence , Liz used to write for the column in a reputed newspaper or magazine. After introducing the divergent categories of pizza ,Ms. barret also tells us the recipe to make it.
Foodies are sure to like it .
NOTICE: DON'T FORGET TO GRAB A SLICE OF PIZZA WHILE READING IT .
Thank you so much goodreads
ABOUT THE BOOK
I received my signed hardcover copy today .
Well ,the book was awesome . it's about the pizza , its history
Here,in the book we are told about the types of pizza. The book also explore how to pizza came into the existence , Liz used to write for the column in a reputed newspaper or magazine. After introducing the divergent categories of pizza ,Ms. barret also tells us the recipe to make it.
Foodies are sure to like it .
NOTICE: DON'T FORGET TO GRAB A SLICE OF PIZZA WHILE READING IT .
January 16, 2017
The writing on the book seemed pretty amateur. The sections that described the different pizza styles were the main enjoyable parts of the book. After that, it went downhill.
January 1, 2019
Nice, formulaic book about...pizza! Different pizza types, the other aspects of pizza (spices, oven, crust, etc.), recipes, pictures, history and more.
That's basically it. As it is, it's a slice of American history (meaning, pizza in the context of the US). The book isn't ground-breaking and it follows a standard pattern, so it does get a bit repetitive.
There are also other bits like pizza in entertainment, a bibliography, etc. All in all perhaps not an amazing book but a fun read for anyone who likes pizza.
It's not a traditional cookook but it's not quite a full-blown history of the food, either. Might be best for someone who is fond of pizza or an amateur chef, etc. but I don't know if it's something I'd necessarily want to keep permanently as a reference.
Library borrow is best.
That's basically it. As it is, it's a slice of American history (meaning, pizza in the context of the US). The book isn't ground-breaking and it follows a standard pattern, so it does get a bit repetitive.
There are also other bits like pizza in entertainment, a bibliography, etc. All in all perhaps not an amazing book but a fun read for anyone who likes pizza.
It's not a traditional cookook but it's not quite a full-blown history of the food, either. Might be best for someone who is fond of pizza or an amateur chef, etc. but I don't know if it's something I'd necessarily want to keep permanently as a reference.
Library borrow is best.
September 19, 2017
What a terrific read! If you're a pizza lover, read this book. If you are in the industry, read this book. If you enjoy exploring culinary history, read this book. If you enjoy historical snippets, anecdotes, and places with a "story", read this book. If you enjoy "secret" recipes with a back-story, read this book.
I couldn't put "Pizza: A Slice of American History" down. Liz Barrett does an extraordinary job weaving history, recipes, and mouth watering stories into a book full of delicious facts.
Well done Liz, what can we expect next from you?
I couldn't put "Pizza: A Slice of American History" down. Liz Barrett does an extraordinary job weaving history, recipes, and mouth watering stories into a book full of delicious facts.
Well done Liz, what can we expect next from you?
October 23, 2025
Although this book is a few years old now, it still holds up. Liz Barrett did a great job of covering the history of different pizzerias. The book also includes a lot of wonderful historic photos. Even though I am done reading it, I still enjoy flipping through the pages to look at the photos. Probably my favorite book on the history of pizza in the United States.
October 28, 2024
It’s about my favorite foood! That’s all I need to say! Learned a few things!
December 9, 2015
Pizza as a niche and then as a cultural and culinary mainstay
Given the ubiquitous nature of pizza in American life, it comes as a surprise to most people that this is generally a recent phenomenon. Even though something that we recognize as being the equivalent of pizza was around since the Persian Empire of Darius, it was not until after World War II that pizza started to expand out of the enclaves of Italian-Americans.
American soldiers serving in the Italian theater developed a taste for the local pizza and brought that desire back with them. People with an idea, a desire for their own business and often little money started their own pizzerias and quickly discovered that the American public had a taste for their products.
This book covers the (in)formal definitions of the various styles of pizza, the origins of many of the pizza franchise stores as well as some of the trivia about the food. For example, the slogan “Pizza! Pizza!” was coined to publicize a buy-one get-one-free promotion. One man worked for years before he found the exact formula for pizza crust that he was looking for.
A love of pizza or an interest in food is not necessary to enjoy this book, even historians and sociologists will find data of interest. Historians and sociologists will note the rapid spread of a cultural trend as what started as an ethnic food rapidly became a culinary mainstay in America and expanding around the world. Pizza is now an entrenched item of pop culture that continues to increase in popularity.
There are a few recipes included, the author openly states that they were included as a form of reinforcement of the explanations rather than an attempt to make it a cook book. Personally, I think the recipes was a very good idea. Foodies will find that one of the best features of the book.
This book was made available for free for review purposes and this review also appears on Amazon.
Given the ubiquitous nature of pizza in American life, it comes as a surprise to most people that this is generally a recent phenomenon. Even though something that we recognize as being the equivalent of pizza was around since the Persian Empire of Darius, it was not until after World War II that pizza started to expand out of the enclaves of Italian-Americans.
American soldiers serving in the Italian theater developed a taste for the local pizza and brought that desire back with them. People with an idea, a desire for their own business and often little money started their own pizzerias and quickly discovered that the American public had a taste for their products.
This book covers the (in)formal definitions of the various styles of pizza, the origins of many of the pizza franchise stores as well as some of the trivia about the food. For example, the slogan “Pizza! Pizza!” was coined to publicize a buy-one get-one-free promotion. One man worked for years before he found the exact formula for pizza crust that he was looking for.
A love of pizza or an interest in food is not necessary to enjoy this book, even historians and sociologists will find data of interest. Historians and sociologists will note the rapid spread of a cultural trend as what started as an ethnic food rapidly became a culinary mainstay in America and expanding around the world. Pizza is now an entrenched item of pop culture that continues to increase in popularity.
There are a few recipes included, the author openly states that they were included as a form of reinforcement of the explanations rather than an attempt to make it a cook book. Personally, I think the recipes was a very good idea. Foodies will find that one of the best features of the book.
This book was made available for free for review purposes and this review also appears on Amazon.
October 23, 2014
I was a First Read Winner of this book, and boy did it make me hungry for Pizza. So read it at your own risk, but lets just say I want to be able to got to all the different places described in the book and have a taste test. Now I just have to win the lottery to make that dream come true. I found the book very informative, with great back stories, recipes and lots of wonderful pictures. I think anybody who loves pizza would enjoy this book. Just don't be cruel and give it to somebody that is on a diet. Loved it.
May 31, 2016
This book was awful. At first I thought perhaps it was misplaced in the adult nonfiction collection, but then I realized it isn't good for young people, either. It's terribly written, with gigantic font, copious amounts of pictures and repetitive backgrounds, and in dire, dire need of an editor. Honestly, I could go into greater detail, but I already feel a bit mean. Anyway, I feel great shame that I asked my library to purchase this title. It is so bad. Pizza deserves better.
April 24, 2015
I was a First Read Winner of this book, so thank you, Goodreads and Liz Barrett.
If this book did nothing else, it made me want to eat pizza, but it did do more than that. I enjoyed reading it, and the amount of information given was just right. I learned new things, but I didn't read anything that wasn't interesting. If you like pizza, or food in general, you should consider checking this book out. The recipes included look promising as well, and I look forward to trying them!
If this book did nothing else, it made me want to eat pizza, but it did do more than that. I enjoyed reading it, and the amount of information given was just right. I learned new things, but I didn't read anything that wasn't interesting. If you like pizza, or food in general, you should consider checking this book out. The recipes included look promising as well, and I look forward to trying them!
July 23, 2015
More a history book than a cookbook, Pizza leads you through the world of American pizza. It covers regional differences, ingredients, and the range from grocery store frozen pizza to artisan pizza with flour and cheese flown in daily from Italy. Although some recipes are included, you are more likely to want to visit the restaurants named in the book. A pizza in the movies trivia quiz and restaurants that serve regional specialties in other parts of the country are bonuses.
May 22, 2015
First of all I would like to say thank you to Liz Barrett for the opportunity to win a free copy. This book is definitely for pizza lovers and fanatics out there. More or less everything you need to know about pizza and learn new things along the way. Very good read with some pictures to go with it! :)
November 25, 2015
**NOTE: This is a book that I won through a Goodreads giveaway**
It took me a while to finally finish this book but, it was very enjoyable. I learned a lot about pizza and the history behind it.
It took me a while to finally finish this book but, it was very enjoyable. I learned a lot about pizza and the history behind it.
Want to read
March 27, 2015I love cookbooks and this book is gonna be a good book. Hope I win this book :D
January 23, 2016
It's a lot of information about pizza, as far as Americans have learned it to be. Not really my thing, but quick and interesting. Got a couple ideas from it.
August 18, 2016
a fun, very light read more a catalog of styles then a history. interested to try dinner if the styles I had never heard of. Detroit pizza sounds good and maybe st. Louis.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews