Two Boots Brooklyn [Photograph: Mike G]
- After 24 years, the Park Slope outpost of Two Boots will be closing this weekend, reopening in January as a new Southern spot hoping to appeal to a hipper crowd, with a focus on live music and an expanded bar. According to the Brooklyn Paper, co-owners Andy and Piper Wandzilak are taking over from retiring owner John Touhey, and plan on losing the pizza and focusing on the Louisianan side of the menu. Touhey is sad to see the spot go, but is making the choice for personal, not financial reasons. Furthermore, the Two Boots spinoffs that his former business partner began—currently 13 locations nationwide with a new outlet planned for Williamsburg—will continue on. This Saturday, November 9th, Two Boots Brooklyn will host an informal send-off with weekend regular Jonny Meyers Trio, and will sling their last slices on Sunday.
- Pepperoni is certainly a favorite topping for many pizza eaters...but do preferences vary by state? Business Insider asked advisor Brian Roemmele to gather data from hundreds of pizza retailers in the U.S. on the most commonly ordered toppings. Would states and regions differ? Would California's produce reign supreme for local slice lovers? BBQ in the Midwest? Seafood along the coast? Cheese in Wisconsin? Apparently, the answer is no! Regional specialties and favorites aside, after plain cheese, it's pepperoni that's the national favorite (with sausage coming in second). Check out the article for the full breakdown of toppings (for example, my personal favorite—olives—gets a measly 3%).
- In international pizza news, a team of UK nutritionists and physicians went to work on an undertaking we can all appreciate: engineering a healthier pizza. The goal was to tackle conventional, mass market pies—typically full of refined carbs, unhealthy fats, and sodium—and transform them into something a little better for us. The pies the team came up with contained 30% of the daily recommended nutrient levels per serving. The tricks used: reducing salt, adding some whole wheat flour, red peppers for vitamin C, Scottish seaweed for vitamin B12, iron, vitamin A and iodine, and using a little less mozzarella. How did it taste? Apparently, the majority of kids and adults rated it "as good as" or "better than" their usual choice. Will it revolutionize the pizza world? Probably not, but sure, I'd give it a try.
About the author:Kate Andersen is a Contributing Editor for Slice.