In other news (apolitical thread)...

[Cincydawg]

What is the story behind Chicago deep dish pizza? | National Geographic

Riccardo named his restaurant Pizzeria Riccardo — but did he actually make the pizza? Possibly, but he was a businessman and an artist, not a cook. He’d also grown up in northern Italy, and pizza — at that time still a rarity in Chicago — was a southern Italian dish, the thin crust version originating in Naples and rustico, a hand pie stuffed with fillings including mozzarella and tomato, being a popular street food in Salento. Some sources credit Pizzeria Uno’s manager, Rudy Malnati Sr, or his son Lou, a bartender, with the deep dish’s invention, but Regas has found evidence that Malnati didn’t join the restaurant until a few years later. Meanwhile, Sewell, a Texan and a liquor distributor by trade, didn’t partner with Riccardo until early 1944, and his main contribution to the operation was money.

The first deep dish pizza, according to Regas, was about an inch tall — half the height of the modern product — and whoever was in Riccardo’s kitchen used standard pizza dough, made with flour, yeast, salt and water. The current fortified dough appeared in the 1950s courtesy of Alice Mae Redmond, a cook from Mississippi who thought the original wasn’t stretchy enough and incorporated elements from her recipe for Southern-style biscuits — namely oil.

[FearlessF]

[utee94]

Chicago deep dish is delicious.  People who don't like it are dumb.  The End.

[Mdot21]

Chicago deep dish is delicious.  People who don't like it are dumb.  The End.

[Cincydawg]

I'm not a big fan of deep dish, I don't hate them, but find them too greasy, at least the one's I've had.  I'm not a big fan of "thin crust" pizza either, it's OK.  

I've yet to have pizza in Italy though I've seen photos.  Spaghetti in Italy is usually a side dish, simple stuff.  Pizza there I understand is something one does with leftover stuff.

[847badgerfan]

Yeah, and we know that you NEVER express an opinion!

[847badgerfan]

I'm not a big fan of deep dish, I don't hate them, but find them too greasy, at least the one's I've had.  I'm not a big fan of "thin crust" pizza either, it's OK. 

I've yet to have pizza in Italy though I've seen photos.  Spaghetti in Italy is usually a side dish, simple stuff.  Pizza there I understand is something one does with leftover stuff.

No and no.

[utee94]

Well that's part of the history of pizza in Italy, but it's certainly not the current reality of pizza in Italy.

[Cincydawg]

How Do Italians Really Eat Pasta in Italy? - See Italy

I've only been to Italy once, and briefly, but we're headed back next month for four days, so I'll get to try more stuff.  All of our stay is in Rome, two days precruise and two after.  Some good friends who have never been to Europe are going with us.  I splurged the last two days on a room at the Waldorf which looks "nice".  And I know Rome is not "Italy" any more than NYC is the US.  

Italy is a fairly recent country (as is Germany).  Americans tend to think they are "old" for obvious reasons, but as countries they are fairly newish.  I know Italian wines are absurdly myriad, and their food and culture likely is similar.

[betarhoalphadelta]

If you're in Rome, I'd recommend seeking out cacio e pepe without a doubt, and if you enjoy anchovy, looking for pasta burro e alici. 

As you mention, Italy is quite varied and regional in its cuisine, and certain dishes are Roman specialties; those two fit that bill. 

[Riffraft]

My mom was a flight attendant whose regular route was between Phoenix and Boston. As soon as I heard they came out of Boston I was on the phone. She was off that day.

My wife ran the call center for Saks 5th Ave in Manhattan.  She was in her office that day.  Her stories both observing and trying to get out of the city are interesting.

[Cincydawg]

I signed up us for this excursion in Rome which sounds interesting.

Rome Food Tour: Hidden Gems of Trastevere with Dinner & Wine

[MrNubbz]

Were any of you flying on 9 11?

My Brother was on duty as ATC in the tower at Johnstown Pa. Airport 30 some miles from Shanksville(crash site). Flight 93 turned around over Cleveland here and headed east,Cleveland Tower had radioed forward to him the flight was headed that way,He radioed the flight but they had the transponder turned off.Crash happened shortly after RIP To All of them(except the 4 shit stains)

[Cincydawg]

The transponder wouldn't impact their ability to respond to a radio call, being on the right frequency would.  He'd have know the transponder was off from his radar returns, if he had any.  Commercial radar isn't powerful enough to 'paint' aircraft at much distance without the transponder being on.  I'd guess the loonies would have been trained how to turn off the transponder and ignore any radio calls, probably turned them off as well.  

That day generated a lot of hate and death and did us no good longer term at all.