It's the Humidity

A bit of banter is not a bad thing. Small talk, much maligned, is often useful as a lubricant to get the wheels of social machinery turning. But there is a limit and there are things that are often repeated ad nauseum that are just too infuriatingly obvious. Like heat and humidity.

I recall one specific instance when a UPS driver entered my business premises on an extremely hot and humid summer day. I tried to show some compassion and in an offhanded way commented that is was really HOT out there. Being that this was just meant as sympathetic chit chat, I did not feel that I needed to expound on this with meteorological completeness. However, with tremendous gravitas and as if I was being told something I did not know for the first time he said "It's not the heat, it's the humidity."

The absurdly obvious statement was further compounded by the fact that my family, unbeknownst to him, has a morbid obsession with humidity (along with making sure shoes are not too big - see One Size Too Small here).

There are other refrains that are equally annoying, like any variant about thin crust pizza (along with brick oven). "Is their pizza thin crust?", "I love thin crust," or "Their pizza has a thin crust," typically followed by an explanation of what and why for all of us who have not heard about thin crust. Much like the No Honking horn law, perhaps New York City could pass a local ordinance: "It will be assumed all pizza is 'thin crust' unless otherwise specified. Any unnecessary use of the phrase 'thin crust' within the five boroughs will be subject to a fine."

On the other hand, we don't hear much about the desirability of thick crust. At one time I used to enjoy Sicilian styled pizza and Chicago deep pan pizza (a la Pizzeria Uno), both with thick crusts.

Sunday, after reading about Rosario's Pizzeria on the Lower East Side, I decided to make a short trip and sample the goods. Located at 173 Orchard Street and Stanton, the awning proclaims "The Best Pizza in Town" and "Since 1963." So, they get points for authenticity and longevity. However, I was not particularly pleased with their style. The crust was thick and somewhat cakey. Have you ever had thin crust pizza?

The reviews I have read range the gamut with 5 star reviews just as impassioned as the 1 star. The highlight of my excursion was an animated conversation in Italian between the shopkeeper and a customer about I don't know what. Perhaps the patron was informing the shopkeeper about thin crust pizza and the shopkeeper was explaining that the problem in the summer is that it's not the heat, it's the humidity :)