Food: Levine on Pizza in America

Fresh Air | By Terry Gross

Published March 2, 2005 at 12:00 AM EST

Levine's book includes contributors ranging from Calvin Trillin and Ruth Reichl to Roy Blount, Jr., and Nora Ephron.

New York City's Lombardi's Pizza opened its doors in 1905, marking a special centennial for a food that has become an American staple.

Food writer Ed Levine is a regular contributor to the Dining pages of The New York Times and is the author of New York Eats and New York Eats More. His new book is Pizza, a Slice of Heaven: The Ultimate Guide and Companion.

Levine and a host of other writers weigh in on questions that liven up tables of pizza eaters daily. From style distinctions -- New York vs. Chicago vs. gourmet -- to comparing the U.S. version to pizza's Italian roots, Pizza dishes facts and opinions of a cultural force.

Terry Gross

Combine an intelligent interviewer with a roster of guests that, according to the Chicago Tribune, would be prized by any talk-show host, and you're bound to get an interesting conversation. Fresh Air interviews, though, are in a category by themselves, distinguished by the unique approach of host and executive producer Terry Gross. "A remarkable blend of empathy and warmth, genuine curiosity and sharp intelligence," says the San Francisco Chronicle.

See stories by Terry Gross