Pizza has always been America's favorite food. It's been the subject of movies, books, and songs. This is not sustenance, but for some has become an obsessive delight. And for many Fans, this dish is a sheer and utter passion. The debate brings on an endless thirst and quest for argument, that cannot be easily quenched with just a slice or two.

People discuss their favorite pizzerias with the same emotionally charged energy as they would discuss politics or their favorite sports team. Pizza has become so entrenched into the culture that it is easy to forget, pizza was once simply peasant food. It was for many years, enjoyed by the lower echelons of society, who could afford little else.

For most of the long and romantic history, this was a regional dish. The great pies in New York stayed in New York. The inside secrets of the best New York pizza remained in the boroughs and neighborhoods where it was created. There would be an occasional newspaper or magazine article. Television and radio reporters would sporadically discuss slices on regional and local venues. However, unless you visited New York and knew where to look, these inside secrets remained mysteries to the rest of the country.