A lot of us here love pizza . But... what exactly is it? We all know it when we see it - but, if we were asked on the spot to give a definition of it - then, I doubt many of us could give a clear and consistent answer.
If you look at a dictionary, then you'll get a definition like the following, from the OED:
The thing is, that's quite wordy... and it's arguably more a description of a typical pizza, than a strict and precise definition. If I showed you a dish that was pizza-like, would it be possible to use this definition to say with 100% certainty whether this dish was 'pizza' or 'not pizza'? I think it'd be quite difficult for some of the edge-cases.
The following definition, from the website "Definition Mining", is rather different:
This is a lot easier to work with. It still includes most of the things that we would describe as 'pizza' - and it does so far more concisely than the OED definition did. Furthermore, given an example of a pizza-like dish, it's far easier to tell under this definition whether that dish is 'pizza' or 'not pizza' (for example, you don't need to know whether or not the dish is Italian in origin!)
However, I think this definition is too restrictive - in that it requires both cheese and some kind of savoury sauce. However, you'll also get such things as 'pizza rossa' (pizza without cheese), and 'pizza bianca' (pizza without tomato sauce, or any other kind of savoury sauce). Indeed, I went to a Neapolitan pizza restaurant a couple of days ago, and they had examples of both for sale (and I myself had an example of the latter). It was very yummy... but, under this definition, it would not be classed as 'pizza', because it lacks a savoury sauce. And frankly, if the webmaster of Definition Mining wants to go into that restaurant, and tell the Italian owner that what he served me was not 'pizza'... then, that webmaster is a braver person than I am.
So, at the very least, I would relax that definition to "Stretched dough topped with a savoury sauce and/or cheese", which would accommodate both 'pizza rossa' and 'pizza bianca'. However, this would still exclude 'dessert pizzas', which tend to be topped which chocolate sauce or other sweet toppings, as opposed to savoury ones (and indeed, the OED definition excludes these too, on the same basis). Of course, one can argue either way on these: perhaps they should be included in the definition, because they have the same basic structure - or perhaps they should be excluded, because being sweet instead of savoury makes them too far removed from what we would think of as 'pizza'. But, I'll leave that question to other people .
So, how would you define 'pizza'?
If you look at a dictionary, then you'll get a definition like the following, from the OED:
Oxford English Dictionary Wrote:pizza, n.
A savoury dish of Italian origin, consisting of a flat, usually round base of dough, baked with a topping of tomatoes, cheese, and any of various other ingredients, such as meat, anchovies, or olives.
The thing is, that's quite wordy... and it's arguably more a description of a typical pizza, than a strict and precise definition. If I showed you a dish that was pizza-like, would it be possible to use this definition to say with 100% certainty whether this dish was 'pizza' or 'not pizza'? I think it'd be quite difficult for some of the edge-cases.
The following definition, from the website "Definition Mining", is rather different:
Quote:Pizza
Stretched dough topped with a savoury sauce and cheese.
This is a lot easier to work with. It still includes most of the things that we would describe as 'pizza' - and it does so far more concisely than the OED definition did. Furthermore, given an example of a pizza-like dish, it's far easier to tell under this definition whether that dish is 'pizza' or 'not pizza' (for example, you don't need to know whether or not the dish is Italian in origin!)
However, I think this definition is too restrictive - in that it requires both cheese and some kind of savoury sauce. However, you'll also get such things as 'pizza rossa' (pizza without cheese), and 'pizza bianca' (pizza without tomato sauce, or any other kind of savoury sauce). Indeed, I went to a Neapolitan pizza restaurant a couple of days ago, and they had examples of both for sale (and I myself had an example of the latter). It was very yummy... but, under this definition, it would not be classed as 'pizza', because it lacks a savoury sauce. And frankly, if the webmaster of Definition Mining wants to go into that restaurant, and tell the Italian owner that what he served me was not 'pizza'... then, that webmaster is a braver person than I am.
So, at the very least, I would relax that definition to "Stretched dough topped with a savoury sauce and/or cheese", which would accommodate both 'pizza rossa' and 'pizza bianca'. However, this would still exclude 'dessert pizzas', which tend to be topped which chocolate sauce or other sweet toppings, as opposed to savoury ones (and indeed, the OED definition excludes these too, on the same basis). Of course, one can argue either way on these: perhaps they should be included in the definition, because they have the same basic structure - or perhaps they should be excluded, because being sweet instead of savoury makes them too far removed from what we would think of as 'pizza'. But, I'll leave that question to other people .
So, how would you define 'pizza'?
Board Information and Policies
Affiliation | Coffee Credits | Ranks and Awards | Name Changes
Account Deletion | BBCode Reference
Moonface (in 'Woman runs 49 red lights in ex's car')' Wrote: If only she had ran another 20 lights.
(Thanks to Nilla for the avatar, and Detective Osprey for the sig!)
My Items