You Baked That Pizza in What?!

If there is one thing that unites Americans, it is our love affair with pizza. The indefatigable desire for bread, tomato sauce, and gooey cheese is so ubiquitous in the United States that it has led to multiple regional varieties. Having been born and raised in Michigan, Detroit-style pizza holds a special place in my heart and seems to be gaining popularity throughout the rest of the country.

The history of Motor City has had a profound and surprising impact on the beloved dish. To be a true square pizza, it must be baked in steel pans that were originally intended to catch oil drippings or hold small parts in automobile factories. Another necessity is the use of Wisconsin brick cheese, similar to cheddar though with a slightly higher fat content and just a little sharper. Brick cheese is what gives the lacy, crispy edges along the crust, and the higher fat helps to crisp the focaccia-like crust that characterizes the dish.

While Jet’s Pizza is readily available as well as nostalgic for me, I set out to find local pizzerias that could accomplish a truly great Detroit-style pie. Fortunately, the options here in Colorado are fantastic and worthy of celebration.

On a sunny day in the warming weather, I meandered down South Public Road here in Lafayette to Ghost Box Pizza, a cute and modern pizzeria owned by the producers of Stem Ciders. The bright, inviting colors in the dining room make one feel immediately welcome. I met with the general manager Taylor Baeza and marketing manager Morgan McGahen as my liaisons for Ghost Box.

I settled at a table near the bar and while my pizza was baking, conversed with my contacts to find out a little more. I asked about the connection of Ghost Box to Detroit-style, and Morgan said, “Our founders and owners are both from Michigan.”

Taylor shared more about their pizza-making process. Most interesting is the bulk fermentation time, where the dough sits to develop flavor. Taylor said their fermentation time is about an hour and a half.

The love from the Mitten can truly be tasted in its pizza. It wasn’t long before the OG Pepperoni pie had come out of the kitchen. The crispy-edged crust had shown the brick cheese had done its work, and a tangy tomato sauce was poured in racing stripes on top of the pie to keep the crust crispy. Dollops of ricotta garnished each piece and gave a nice, creamy contrast to the airy, bready crust and lacy cheese around the edge. I washed down a couple of slices with a Stem Cider flight showcasing what Morgan appropriately called the “Michigan apple love.”

The following day with the sun still shining, I made a short drive to Broomfield to Rock City Pie and Ice to meet with Chef and owner Jason Dascoli and his wife Grace. We spoke while he made pizzas for us to enjoy. In a small, unassuming location comes big flavor. When I asked about what sets Rock City Pie apart from the big chains or New York spots, he said, “not only the ingredients that I use,” but also, “It’s all about the technique.” He said the 48-hour bulk ferment time makes a difference in his crusts.

Rock City Pie and Ice Owner and chef Jason Dascoli

The pies came out of the oven sizzling audibly, and Chef Dascoli let them wait and settle for a moment before he knocked them out of the blue steel pans. As he grabbed the wide-blade cutter and sliced up the pizza, the crunch of the crust could be heard throughout the restaurant.

We tasted Chef Dascoli’s classic cheese, the Calabrian topped with pepperoni, capicola, jalapenos, and his thirteen-cheese blend and the Arthur, an artichoke, leeks, chicken, and bacon delight. The crispy edges and springy, porous crust brought my tastebuds back to Michigan. Chef Dascoli’s pies are topped with his own delicious tomato sauce in the traditional racing stripe fashion as well.

With Chef Dascoli’s pizza I drank a can of Vernors, a Michigan-made ginger ale that is somewhat difficult to find in Colorado.

The nostalgia I felt while eating at both Ghost Box Pizza and Rock City Pie and Ice was immeasurable. It’s worth noting that both restaurants truly showcase their love and pride for making delicious pizza. Interestingly, they exhibit the two schools of thought when it comes to the crust. Whether a shorter fermentation time or longer, both produce fantastic results. I’ll be back to both restaurants soon to enjoy the taste of Michigan out here in the mountains.