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Pizza

Ask any child what their favorite food is and a large majority will say pizza is their favorite food in all the world.. Kids seem to love it. Dough, tomato sauce, and cheese. So simple and yet kids go crazy over it. As we become adults we start to enjoy pizza with toppings. Some are traditional like pepperoni or sausage. Some are a little adventurous, such as ham & pineapple or lasagna. Some are just odd, like egg or shrimp. Regardless of your topping preference, chances are you love pizza.

A funny thing has happened as the years have gone by. I really don't love much pizza. Sure it's easy and convenient, but honestly, when was the last time you had a delicious slice of pizza? I live in a town where there are about 12 pizzerias within 2 miles of my home. Many are good, but I don't know if I'd classify any as great. Sure certain places have their specialties or their signature slice, but honestly, there aren't too many places I've been that are great across the board.

It seems to me as a child, when each neighborhood had one or two places, they were much better. I think it's because back then people took more pride in their product. Now don't get me wrong, if you travel to any other state in this nation and order a pizza, the best slice isn't going to compare to some of the lesser slices in the NYC area. It's all about our wonderful NY water. So why are pizza places in Yonkers, which is rated as the #1 water in NY so bad? I have no idea.

I don't go for all the hyped places. Johnny's thin slice in Mount Vernon is crap. Thin crispy crust which has no flavor topped with bland tomato sauce and barely enough cheese to taste. Sal's in Mamaroneck was good in the 80's, but last time I was in there I wouldn't even call it above average. Now while I haven't been to any of the world famous places in Brooklyn like DiFara's or Grimaldi's, I had Ray's Famous (the original one) back in the day and it was heaven. Today there are 50 Ray's pizzerias and they are all the same.

So what am I looking for? I want a nice crisp crust, but not thin. I want the dough to hold the toppings without flopping all over the place. I want to taste the sauce and be able to pick out the seasoning. I want the cheese to be perfectly melted and if the sauce is good, it doesn't have to be smothered in cheese. I want to be able to add just a bit of garlic and peppers and not have to mask the taste with these condiments.

I have many local places that make slices I enjoy. My friend's place Chubby's makes a simple sicilian slice called Barbara's Special that contains basically three ingredients; basil, tomato and fresh mozzarella. So simple, yet so delicious. I usually eat it cold at home with some oil and vinegar. Amore in Scarsdale makes the best chicken parm slice. I don't even love chicken parm, but this slice is delicious. Up near Westchester Community College on Virginia road there was a place that I believe is still there, but they made the best lasagna slice around. They also made a tuna salad slice that was odd, but wonderful. S&J on Garth Road, my old stomping grounds made the best salad pizza I ever tasted. To this day, I've yet to have one better. I have no idea why it was so good, it just was.

So what's my favorite slice. What's the one place I'd travel to for a slice. The slice I actually miss on occasion? Let me first say I don't like Sicilian slices. I actually hate them. I didn't even like the thought of ordering one. Then one day I tasted a Sicilian slice from a little bakery at 2240 31ST St in Astoria, Queens called Rose & Joe's Italian Bakery. It's a simple slice. Perfectly cooked, thinner crust than your traditional Sicilian slice. Nicely melted mozzarella and the sauce. The sauce is the pis de resistance. Every time you go, it tastes a little different, but the smell and the flavor of the rosemary and other Italian seasonings just pops in your mouth. Every bite is better than the previous one. It's so good that when I have a pie in the fridge. I will eat a cold slice while waiting for the others to warm. The first time I ever had it, I ate eight slices. While anyone reading this is screaming, Glutton! I dare you to stop eating this. My brother, who has much different taste buds than mine also loved it. So far, I've given it to a few people and nobody has disliked it. Maybe it's over hyped by the time I give it to them, but it's still loved by everyone who has it.

Only one thing beats having it at home. Having it there, while standing in the bakery. Smelling the fresh baked breads and cookies, the local women yelling their orders in Italian. The care that goes into the simple act of cutting your slice. The tastes of one slice while waiting for a pie. I've never been to Italy, but for a brief moment, I am someplace that is not Astoria. For a brief moment, I'm in a special place. Maybe a kid again, loving pizza for that moment. More than anything in the world.

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