According to a news report from www.suntimes.com, “The city known worldwide for its pizza is sinking its teeth into a tasty trend: designer crusts and flatbreads, eclectic ingredients and intriguing shapes that go beyond the traditional slice.”
“Though Chicagoans may never be able to say goodbye to deep-dish or to thin crust with cheese, sausage and/or pepperoni, they are saying hello to perfection-driven crusts and flatbreads with chef-inspired toppings, including roasted heirloom beets, rabbit sausage, clams, arugula, Vin Santo grapes, truffle oil and smoked Scarmorza cheese. It’s a trend that has prompted Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, the Chicago restaurant giant, to enter the pizza market for the first time with Frankie’s ‘Amous Pizza, opening in November,” said the story. “It led to Jonathan Fox’s year-long challenge to create the perfect texture for the pizza crust at his newly opened La Madia. And it spurred chef John Caputo to import flour from Naples to achieve the crispy, yet chewy wood-fired crust that is baked between 750 degrees and 800 degrees at his new A Mano.”
“Consumer infatuation with pizza prompted Chicago Pizza Co. in Rolling Meadows to create Chicago Pizza Bowls. Ceramic bowls are layered with cheese, tomato sauce and covered with white or wheat pizza dough that puffs “mushroom-like” while baking,” according to the article. “Connie’s has developed Pizza Cones — pizza ingredients stuffed into cone-shaped pizza dough for no-waste, one-hand eating at festivals, concerts and sporting events. And Erie Cafe makes Pizza Bread — half loaves of Sicilian-style bread, with the doughy inside scooped out and replaced with meat sauce, olive oil, garlic, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, a dusting of oregano and paprika and a drizzle of butter.”
