Food: Levine on Pizza in America

Fresh Air | By Terry Gross

Published March 2, 2005 at 12:00 AM EST

Levine's book includes contributors ranging from Calvin Trillin and Ruth Reichl to Roy Blount, Jr., and Nora Ephron.

New York City's Lombardi's Pizza opened its doors in 1905, marking a special centennial for a food that has become an American staple.

Food writer Ed Levine is a regular contributor to the Dining pages of The New York Times and is the author of New York Eats and New York Eats More. His new book is Pizza, a Slice of Heaven: The Ultimate Guide and Companion.

Levine and a host of other writers weigh in on questions that liven up tables of pizza eaters daily. From style distinctions -- New York vs. Chicago vs. gourmet -- to comparing the U.S. version to pizza's Italian roots, Pizza dishes facts and opinions of a cultural force.

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