Emmy Squared

Carbaphobes, Begone!

As your teeth sink into bubbling, cheesy deliciousness with a signature crispy-chewy crust, you may ask yourself: Detroit Pizza, where have you been all my life?

The undisputed birthplace of the car-country classic is the former speakeasy (aka “blind pig”) Buddy’s.  Having decided to serve food to liquor-soaked patrons, owner Gus Guerra tossed his mother-in-law’s dough into an industrial blue-steel pan, crafted from scrap metal and formerly used for hauling auto parts.  Out came history: a square pie whose pan got so hot, the cheese melted into a unique carmelized, blackened edging.

Die-hards insist that a real Detroit slice must have the following characteristics: 1. twice-baked crust, for the perfect buttery crunch; 2. a square, industrial blue steel pan; 3. Wisconsin brick cheese melted over what we would normally call toppings.  That said, the die-hards have their own special rules: the square pan might be rectangular; the blue steel pan is not actually blue; the brick cheese may be from somewhere other than Wisconsin these days.  But who are we to argue with pizza perfection?  And if you can’t find your pepperoni, look under the cheese.