Iggies may not be the full-on, completely hand-crafted artisanal pizza that drives many hardcore pizza enthusiasts crazy late into the night, and that's OK. What it offers is one of the finer examples of thin-crust pizza I have tried. These thin disks topped with good combinations of fresh, bright flavors, are executed more competently than most of the other Baltimore pizzerias offering the same style. They're examples of what can happen when quality ingredients, pride, and care are put into a pizza. More

Speaking of pizza blogs, one that I've been enjoying immensely as of late is Baltimore-based Pizza Blogger. And this interview with Joe Squared's Joe Edwardsen (above) illustrates what I like about the site. "Pizza Blogger," as the anonymous author prefers to be known, asks Edwardsen a series of knowledgeable questions about Joe Squared's coal oven and the dough-making process. The questions are obviously informed by PB's experience working at D.C.-area bakery Uptown Bakers. PB's knowledge and passion shines through in all his posts. I come away from the site with the feeling that the entries are well-researched and trustworthy.... More

Coal-oven slice seekers in the Baltimore 'burbs, take note: Coal Fire has opened in Ellicott City. The blog HowChow has some details. Coal Fire: 5725 Richard's Valley Road, Ellicott City MD 21043 (map); 410-480-2625... More

Editor's note: And our roving pizza correspondent, Philip G., checks in from the Old Line State, good ol' Maryland. Buon appetito, ladies and gents! —Kuban Ask any Baltimorean about what makes the Baltimore food scene special, and there is sure to be one answer: Crabs. Crap. This is a pizza site. When I thought about doing a series on Baltimore pizza, I knew exactly where I had to start: Pizza John's. I have been reading about Pizza John's for a few years now. It always seems to break into the top 5 of AOL Cityguide's Best Pizza in Baltimore, and... More

It might be high in antioxidants, but this pizza crust, developed at the University of Maryland, seems like it would be low in deliciousness: University of Maryland food chemists said on Monday they had found ways to enhance the antioxidant content of whole-grain wheat pizza dough by baking it longer at higher temperatures and giving the dough lots of time to rise. It actually turns out that the "higher temperatures" cited were between 400 and 550°F, which isn't all that out of the ordinary for most pizza ovens. What's interesting here is whether this effect occurs in whole-wheat pies cooked... More