Dear Slice: Check Out My Research Paper on NE Pennsylvania Pizza!
Posted by Adam Kuban, December 1, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got some scholarly research to delve into. (Emphasis mine.) ...
I'm in the American Studies graduate program at Penn State-Harrisburg. A link on your blog about Northeastern Pennsylvania being the Pizza Capital of the U.S. led me to a short research paper last spring, so I thought I'd share it. Most of this is nothing new to you experts, but you may find some of the info I found in mid-century city directories interesting.
Thank you! I love the research on the directories. That was a really smart way to look at historical pizza data and one that I would have never thought of doing. It would be cool to do that with NYC pizzerias, but I bet it would get hairy!
Hey, would you mind if I offered up this paper as a PDF for Slice readers to download and read? I totally understand if you wouldn't be into that, but I think it would be fun.
Excellent paper. I was pleased to see that you started off with a tale of Revello's. My parents have been going there for the past 35 years or so and I make a point to get their pie every time I am close by, which is not nearly often enough nowadays. The crust is light and airy and crunchy with a unique sauce and the most unique and delicious cheese to ever be placed on a pizza, IMO.
On an unrelated note, I will admit that I was very disappointed at Slice's initial review of "Old Forge Style" pizza.
You guys went to Harrisburg to get Old Forge pie? That is akin to going to Pittsburgh for a Cheesesteak, or going to Syracuse for Buffalo Wing. If you are going to review Old Forge Style pizza - you must go to Old Forge.
It's ok though - I still read the site pretty much every day. Thanks for the good work!
For what it's worth, Jigsy's has it's roots, literally, in Old Forge...
Before Jigsy's appeared in Enola, its proprietors - Migsy and Robin Ardoline - opened "Joe Shag's" in Pittston, PA in 1990. (Pittston is just southwest of Old Forge.) Like many people from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area who moved away, customers who returned to northeast PA on visits would always order Jigsy's to take back to their home. (Many Scranton pizzerias even now routinely ship their pizzas across the nation!)
A large number of customers reported that Jigsy's pizza was being brought to the Harrisburg area. Eventually, so many customers suggested that Migsy and Robin open a pizzeria in this area that they relocated Jigsy's to their current Enola location on August 11, 1999. "Joe Shag's" is still up and running in Pittston; however, it is operated by Migsy's parents.
Since then, Jigsy's has been the only Old Forge style pizzeria in the entire south-central Pennsylvania area and -- more importantly -- has been bringing a little-known treasure from northeast PA to our area! You can have complete confidence in knowing that Jigsy's is true Old Forge style pizza.
I still maintain that regardless of the veracity of the Pizza at Jigsy's - if one is to review Old Forge pizza, it really should be done in Old Forge.
Nothing personal against Jigsy's, I apologize if it came across that way. It's just a geography issue. However - next time I travel thru Harrisburg (which is somewhat often) your testimony has encouraged a visit! Thanks.
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I'm in the American Studies graduate program at Penn State-Harrisburg. A link on your blog about Northeastern Pennsylvania being the Pizza Capital of the U.S. led me to a short research paper last spring, so I thought I'd share it. Most of this is nothing new to you experts, but you may find some of the info I found in mid-century city directories interesting.
3 Comments:
Excellent paper. I was pleased to see that you started off with a tale of Revello's. My parents have been going there for the past 35 years or so and I make a point to get their pie every time I am close by, which is not nearly often enough nowadays. The crust is light and airy and crunchy with a unique sauce and the most unique and delicious cheese to ever be placed on a pizza, IMO.
On an unrelated note, I will admit that I was very disappointed at Slice's initial review of "Old Forge Style" pizza.
http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2008/04/jigsys-old-forgestyle-pizza.html
You guys went to Harrisburg to get Old Forge pie? That is akin to going to Pittsburgh for a Cheesesteak, or going to Syracuse for Buffalo Wing. If you are going to review Old Forge Style pizza - you must go to Old Forge.
It's ok though - I still read the site pretty much every day. Thanks for the good work!
cxg231 at 6:30PM on 12/01/08
@cxg231: Ouch.
For what it's worth, Jigsy's has it's roots, literally, in Old Forge...
Before Jigsy's appeared in Enola, its proprietors - Migsy and Robin Ardoline - opened "Joe Shag's" in Pittston, PA in 1990. (Pittston is just southwest of Old Forge.) Like many people from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area who moved away, customers who returned to northeast PA on visits would always order Jigsy's to take back to their home. (Many Scranton pizzerias even now routinely ship their pizzas across the nation!)
A large number of customers reported that Jigsy's pizza was being brought to the Harrisburg area. Eventually, so many customers suggested that Migsy and Robin open a pizzeria in this area that they relocated Jigsy's to their current Enola location on August 11, 1999. "Joe Shag's" is still up and running in Pittston; however, it is operated by Migsy's parents.
Since then, Jigsy's has been the only Old Forge style pizzeria in the entire south-central Pennsylvania area and -- more importantly -- has been bringing a little-known treasure from northeast PA to our area! You can have complete confidence in knowing that Jigsy's is true Old Forge style pizza.
Prairie at 7:06PM on 12/01/08
@ Prairie
I stand (somewhat) corrected. =P
I still maintain that regardless of the veracity of the Pizza at Jigsy's - if one is to review Old Forge pizza, it really should be done in Old Forge.
Nothing personal against Jigsy's, I apologize if it came across that way. It's just a geography issue. However - next time I travel thru Harrisburg (which is somewhat often) your testimony has encouraged a visit! Thanks.
cxg231 at 7:47PM on 12/01/08