For this passion blog, I am going to stick with New York Food, and I am going to talk about New York pizza. In my opinion, there is no debate that New York has the best pizza in all of America, and arguably in the entire world. Throughout various parts of Italy, there are definitely pizzas that top the ones we have in New York, but other than that we probably have the best pizza in the entire world. 
There is not one specific reason to why New York’s pizza is so good, but there are a number of theories. The number 1 theory is that it is in our water, and that our water is the only reason our pizza is so much better than everyone else. Food scientist Chris Loss explains in a Wired article (https://kottke.org/08/04/why-is-new-yorkstyle-pizza-so-difficult) that the minerals and chemicals within the water contribute to the New York City pizza dough’s flavor by affecting the chemical reactions during the pizza-making process. So water from NYC can really create a different flavor than water from another area. Village Pizzeria in California believes in the water so much that it pays $10,000 a year to bring New York City water to its restaurant for its pizza dough. The restaurant even did blind taste tests, which came to the conclusion that New York City water made dough better than San Diego water. Of course many people will never accept that this is the true reason New York’s pizza is so good, but there is definitely some solid evidence to back it up.
In the Wired article, Chef Mario Batali and Food-Development Consultant David Tisi both support an idea that the older ovens many New York pizzerias use add flavor to their pizzas. Just like a steel pan gains flavor from each time you cook in it, these old pizza ovens have captured particles from the many pizzas cooked in them over the years. They then add some of that flavor to each new pizza cooked. Pizzerias who have newer ovens simply miss this flavor. Since New York City has a long history of pizza, they have a leg up over other states that are newer to the pizza world.
Of course, the pizza of New York has a certain type of crust, which is mimicked in “New York-style” pizza around the country. This crust is thin and tossed by hand, for an ideal ratio of crust to sauce and cheese, as well as the perfect crisp texture to every bite. That’s just another characteristic that makes New York pizza so great.
Many New York pizzerias make their pies with top-notch ingredients straight from Italy — that’s got to contribute to the quality. You can find some cheaper pies in New York that don’t have imported ingredients, but many of the best spots use them. Some pizzerias even use real Naples pizza ovens to create amazing pizza.
As you can see, a lot of different factors contribute to making New York pizza as special as it is. That’s why other states may never be able to replicate the unique consistency and flavor that you can get in a NY pizzeria. 
Great post! I just had dinner (and dessert), and this post made me really want a slice of New York-water-made pizza. Keep up the good work:) – VP