The Slice #25

What's up pizza people?!? This is The Slice, the newsletter hot enough to get you through the rest of the winter. This week, we're talking taverns, and their special style of pizza. Before we get crispy, we've got some sweet merch to give away again this week - the first five subscribers to email [email protected] with the subject "Tee Me Up" will win a Flourchild long sleeve tee!

ISN'T TAVERN JUST A FANCY WORD FOR A BAR?

Is there a difference between a tavern and a bar? We're honestly not sure! We could get all technical with the definitions, but when we think tavern, we generally think food as well as drinks. We think about a place where Wisconsinites (especially up north and out in "the boonies") gather to swap stories, and grab some grub and a glass of something strong. You expect a few things when you walk into a tavern:- Reasonably-priced (aka cheap) alcoholic beverages.- Old pictures of guys with their prize fish and/or bucks.- Video poker, darts, shuffleboard, maybe even pool or Golden Tee if you're lucky - something to pass the time on those long winter nights.- Barstools older than you are.- Food! The menus will vary quite a bit, but some of the hits include fried curds, weird pickled things (eggs, turkey gizzards, you name it), and PIZZA.- VIBES. You just can't recreate the ambience of an out-of-the-way local spot. Taverns have a long history, especially in this state, and they've spent all that time getting things juuuust right.

Not our first rodeo...

WHAT IS TAVERN-STYLE PIZZA?

It's pretty simple - tavern-style pizzas are thin as hell. Why? Because the thinner the pizza, the more room you have for beer! This is seriously the perfect drinking food - a little greasy, a little crispy, and a little salty. There are tavern pizzas everywhere, but a few of the local styles have risen above the rest:- Chicago: Not just a deep dish town! The Chi is a big drinking city, so it's no surprise that they lay claim to this pie, which is thin enough that you'll still have room for dinner!- New Jersey: Similar to Chicago, with a crispier crust than their New York neighbors' signature pie.- St. Louis: This is definitely not for everyone. Crispy, crackery crust, but with a very sweet sauce, and the pièce de résistance - Provel cheese. This processed block cheese is sticky, melty, and like we said, not for everyone.- Milwaukee: We definitely have our share of tavern-style spots, and Flourchild will soon be getting into the mix! We're working on our own version of a Tavern Style pie, so keep your eyes peeled!

Is this how you do it, or do you go with slices?

SQUARES OR SLICES?

This is a question that comes up with all styles of pizza, but the debate is ratcheted up around Tavern Style. Do you want the crapshoot of squares, where some slices might be cheesier than reality TV, and some slices seem like nothing but crust? Or do you want the reliability of slices, where you know exactly what you're getting every time?

REFERRAL

Tell your friends about The Slice! We're dishing out sick rewards for different referral milestones - spread the word to earn some sweet swag!

THAT CRUSTY MEME

You gotta use the pizza as a base for the beers!

That's a wrap for today - see ya next week!

Keep it cheesy, 

Andrew "Hot Sauce" Miller | Joe "Doughboy" Lowery | Kelsey "Slice Slice Baby" Herrera