Visiting Chicago and Don’t Know Which Pizzas to Try?

Checking Out Pizza with Chicago Pizza Tours

Chicago Pizza Tours Will Take Care of it for You!

Chicago’s Hottest New Pizza Tour Allows Participants to See Chicago One Slice at a Time!

Chicago, IL, May 21, 2010 -- The Windy City. Wrigley Field. The Bears. The Magnificent Mile. Chicago has its share of icons, but one of its most famous attractions – delicious world-famous pizza – is receiving special attention with the launch of Chicago Pizza Tours, LLC.

The brainchild of Chicagoland native Jon Porter, the concept for Chicago Pizza Tours began with a gourmet foods walking tour his wife participated in with coworkers. While the group sampled a number of items from the city’s various neighborhoods there was one specialty missing from the list: pizza. Porter quickly got the ball rolling, surveying dozens of friends, family and even strangers to identify their favorite pizza venues.


 “I felt it was important to get a wide array of feedback in order to provide a good variety on the tour. Chicago has so much great pizza and it’s not all deep dish - in fact, most Chicago natives gravitate toward and grew up eating mostly thin crust.”

Representing each of these types on a foot tour wasn’t viable and to conquer the distance between some of his favorite restaurants, Porter decided to put some power behind his tour and decided to host his tours via bus. “I really want folks to see the Chicago neighborhoods and not just what surrounds the concentration of hotels that most stay at when visiting.


There are a lot of popular pizzerias within a mile of each other in those areas, but those don’t always depict Chicago’s pizza culture with accuracy. The bus also allows me to give the tour year round. As anyone living here knows we can experience all four seasons in one day!”


The company’s three-hour tour now chauffeurs passengers in comfort via a fifteen passenger bus through at least five of Chicago’s most famous neighborhoods. Participating pizzerias include Pizano’s Pizza and Pasta, Gino’s East, Coalfire, Reggio’s, Frasca Pizzeria and Italian Fiesta Pizzeria, a favorite of President Obama and his family. In addition to their gastronomical journey, participants also learn about the neighborhoods, historical landmarks and, of course, about what makes each of the pizzerias visited unique.


Chicago Pizza Tours gives tours year round on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 2pm. Tour maximum is 15 people with at least a full slice at 4 pizzerias. Tickets are $55 each. For information or to purchase tickets go to http://www.chicagopizzatours.com/

You can find more great Chicago Pizza, at The Best Pizza in Chicago.

pizza all over chicago,
albert grande
The Pizza Promoter

 
 

Naples Pizzerias Using Coffin Wood?

Say it Ain't So...

Recent news out of Naples allege that some pizzerias in that city are using coffin wood to fuel their pizza ovens. This was reported in Il Giornale, a local Italian daily.

Police have been investigating reports that some of the smaller pizzerias may have used stolen coffin wood to keep their wood fired ovens going.

In recent years there has been a rash of grave robbers in the city of Naples. According to reports last year 50,000 flower pots were stolen.

As a pizza maker, I am in utter shock and disbelief. All of the pizzas made in Naples that are DOC certified are made to exact specifications.  For more information check out this resource: Associazione Verace Pizza Neapolitan .  Another pizza organization is: Verace Pizza Napoletana Americas

The idea that pizza made under such stringent conditions would get woods from coffins to me is outrageous.
I find it hard to believe that anyone would willingly violate the trust placed in these pizzerias to save a few dollars by using coffin wood.

I just don't believe it. Certainly stranger things have happened... More on this story as it develops.

 You can read the rest of this story here.

Pizza on Earth, and in Naples,

Albert Grande
The Pizza Therapy Pizza Promoter


You can discover  Peter Reinhart's quest to Naples in search of the perfect pizza in his book, American Pie. Reinhart also goes to many other locations on his journey... Read all about it here.