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To onion… or not to onion, that is the question.

Eating my way through the mind-blowing gastronomy of Basque region, Spain; I discovered a raging debate about the deeply beloved Spanish staple: the tortilla. Now, what had these passionate people dragging out grandma’s old recipes and waving them about in triumphant proof that they were right and the other side was wrong?

Onions.

This humble, potent root had battle lines drawn and tensions high with some saying it was an absolute travesty to add onions to the simple recipe of egg and potato; while others contested that the tasty treat was simply incomplete without it. Myself, I was happy to chow down on either version with gleeful, mouth-watering gratitude.

Onions or not, this friendly, yet passionate, rivalry got me thinking about a national rivalry in the United States: New York City vs. Chicago-style pizza.

This longstanding battle between NYC and Chicago boils down to simply this: which is better?

You’d think this is a simple question, but it’s the word ‘better’ that has aficionados splitting hairs. We won’t get into the nitty gritty for the purpose of this blog post, but we will certainly slice into a few of the major differences between the two.

 

New York

Let’s start with New York. The pizza has about a 45cm diameter and is rolled out to make a thin crust which is then layered with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, maybe pepperoni, or other additions. The pizza takes a few minutes to cook in the oven after which it is cut into triangles, folded, and can be easily eaten on the go. Essentially, it’s street food. Which, in the bustle of NYC, is a cherished convenience.

 

Chicago

Now over in the Windy City, Chicago-style pizza is visually very different from New York’s. It has the traditional staples of tomato sauce, cheese, meats, and other toppings; but the similarities stop there. It’s round, yes, but significantly smaller in circumference and much, much deeper. Sometimes called a deep-dish pizza, the Chicago-style pie is more like a baked casserole that one has to sit down to eat- occasionally with a knife and fork. It’s not an on-the-go food.

 

Agree. Disagree. Eat what you love!

Some argue that the Chicago pie is no longer really pizza simply because of its thickness. Yummy though it may be, a pizza it is not. While others say that thick or thin, pizza is pizza. Good food is good food.

At the end of the day, whether it is the Spanish tortilla or the pizza battle royale in the US; it’s a matter of personal taste. We like what we like and no matter what side of the line we’re on; what is clear is that food can be a deep source of pride and an opportunity to share one’s culture.

 

Rumble, Rumble. Is that your stomach I hear? :)

All right, hungry friends. Which one do you want to sink your teeth into, NY’s or Chicago’s? Where do you fall on the tortilla debate? Go to the Practice Your English forum and tell us about a food rivalry. Share pictures, links or videos, too! We all want to drool over pictures of delicious food, right? :D  

I know I do. :)

 

Let’s eat!

Iya