It could be argued that if a politician truly wants to steer clear of controversy on the campaign trail, they probably shouldn’t eat at all. For the road is laden with food rivalries, and to eat one is to distinctly not eat another. The Pat’s/Geno’s rivalry is the Everest of all this, and we were heartened to find no news stories about Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama sharing a whiz-wit with Joey Vento, idiotic drum-beating be damned. But Clinton did play unwittingly into a local rivalry on Monday in Scranton — the, uh, Pizza Capital Of The Word — when she orded up an “Old Forge”-style pizza at Revello’s Café. What’s an Old Forge, you ask? Says Joe Student at Philly Edge:
The pizza isn’t like any other pizza you’ve tried – and not everyone will tell you that’s a good thing. It comes in rectangular trays (not pans or pies) and cuts (not pieces or slices). The cheese used is also this unique blend that sometimes gets stuck in your teeth, to the roof of your mouth, etc.
Be warned: People who live within 15 miles of Old Forge are compelled to argue that this style is the Best. Pizza. Ever. In short, Old Forge Pizza isn’t made for Chuck Norris, Chuck Norris would be stronger if he were made out of Old Forge Pizza.
As people raised on Tacconelli’s and Pica’s, even we take offense at this — although, to be fair, we’d totally try it if drunk. Oh well, Hillz, ya can’t win ‘em all. At least you didn’t order a salad.
PhillyEdge: That’s-A Nice-A Pizza
Northeastern Pennsylvania’s obsession with Old Forge pizza is just the tip of the iceberg.
Anyone who grew up in or around the Scranton / Wilkes-Barre area will pontificate for hours about the superiority of their local pizza. Superior to all other metropolitan areas. New York, Philadelphia, Chicago? No way.
And don’t you dare criticize local frozen favorite, Nardone’s.
I’ve been told by more than one Wilkes-Barrian that the pizza of Philadelphia “sucks.”
But then again I’ve also been told by more than one Wilkes-Barrian that “no region has better food than NEPA.” Keeping in mind that The Olive Garden and TGI Fridays show up in a search of fine dining.
As for Old Forge style pizza, I’ve managed to avoid it on my many trips north. But based on my non-scientific research, unless you are from the area, your body is not genetically wired to enjoy it.
As someone who has grown up in WB-Scranton, I must say that there is a lot of hype about Old Forge pizza, but I don’t understand why. The cheese is reminiscent of Kraft slices–you know the plastic cheese that can stand up to years in the fridge– and it is LAVA hot It, as Joe Student has said, does stick to the roof of your mouth and gives you a really nasty burn.
I ate at Revellos and I just don’t understand why people go apeshit for it. WB-Scranton has better unhealthy choices to offer like Victory Pig Pizza, Sizzl-Pi–deep fried Sicilian or potato pancakes. At one time, potato pancakes were so popular that at the mall, in the food court, was a place called Grate Potato Pancakes catty cornered from Arby’s, but I don’t know if that is really something to talk about….
Nardone’s Pizza is another phenomenon that really mystifies me. It is refrigerated pizza that sort of resembles the dryness of a not used Always overnight pad (no wings) with ketchup and Kraft slices on it. It also has the strange woody aftertaste/smell of pencil shavings and mold. I would not advise eating it.
I am sorry to inform you, but Old Forge style pizza is, in fact, the greatest pizza invented by mankind. This has been empirically proven in numerous stides the world over. If you disagree, then you deserve to die, and I will personally execute you. Thank you and have a good day.