A long one, so keep reading, it’ll eventually be about pizza…
We decided to make a bike trip starting in Pittsburgh’s Little Italy and meandering westward to some of Ohio’s old Italian neighborhoods in Weirton, WV, Steubenville, Youngstown, Akron, and Cleveland, OH (PA-WV-OH). And, of course, check out some historical Post Office Art, and, with luck, we’ll run into an Italian Bakery and some pizza!
Trip Day 1 – Drive to Pittsburgh, Mercurio’s Pizza
Day 1 was our drive to Pittsburgh to visit Mercurio’s Pizza and Gelato. Mercurio’s was named as one of the best by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette (see link). We’d first heard of Mercurio’s from the cousin of our daughter-in-law who is one of the owners. BTW – I love using the word daughter-in-law because she’s really great! She’ll make a great Ma!
I pretty much have a “love, hate” relationship with Pittsburgh; but really, the ratio strongly favors hate as a “near Cleveland” native. But truth be told, having gone to both Allegheny College where nearly every football teammate was from Pittsburgh and Youngstown State where the influence seemed to be more Pittsburgh than Cleveland, as a result, I have a microscopic soft spot for Pittsburgh. 😊
Frankly, some of my better friends are from Pittsburgh, except two Sundays per year! I mention this in one of my early blog posts over two years ago (see here).
Yins! Oh, Yous Guys!?
My first experience with a Burgher (my word) was as a child. My Ma (Grandma Joanne) was friends with Rose Mc. from Aliquippa just north of Pittsburgh. Rose was a first generation Southern Italian-American. Rose’s parents were immigrants with her father emigrating to work in the steel mills.
Rose called Ma frequently. We had a party line back then; you don’t know what a party line is (see this)? Rose had a loud voice. I guess she learned to talk loud because her poor father lost some hearing from the deafening loud noises in the mills.
Ma would hold her phone away from her ear when Rose talked. I could hear Rose from across the room as she spoke. BTW – Ma was no wilted flower while talking on the phone either. We could hear her on the phone from down the street.
Invariably, Rose would shout, “Yins should stop over for coffee.” With some haste, not wanting the coffee to cool, Ma would pack us up and we’d walk the two blocks to Rose’s house. We’d always stop by Joanne M’s house who was also Ma’s friend as well as Rose’s next door neighbor (future story on Joanne M. coming!).
At Rose’s house I’d hear many more “yins” and also there’d be a couple of “don taans” (pronounced don taan!). I thought it was another language.
It wasn’t until 10 years later, as a freshman at Allegheny that I learned the translations. My roommate James C. H. was from upper crust in the Burgh (his uncle would be governor of PA while we’re at Allegheny, then eventually on Ronnie Reagan’s cabinet).
Jim explained, yins was lower crust Burgh language for “you” (both singular and plural) and don taan was “downtown”.
“Oh,” I remember replying, “yinz is like yous guys!” At which, Jim looked perplexed while wondering “what the heck is yous guys.” (See Time magazine article…).
Our son also had many college football teammates from the Burgh. His friends left Pittsburgh in droves to go to college in THE LAND…not a surprise for me! In any event, I could tell the Burgh burbs from which they originated by their use of “yinz versus you”!
SO, YINZ BETTER KEEP READING OR I MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE YOUS GUYS DON TAAN TO SEE MY COUSIN GUIDO!
Review – Mercurio’s Pizza, Fox Chapel, Pittsburgh, PA
Our first stop, before starting the bike trip was just outside of don taan Pittsburgh to Mercurio’s Pizzeria and Gelato (see link). There are two locations, We chose the one further outside of don taan in Fox Chapel. The owners are related…sort of…they’re the cousin of our daughter-in-law…BUT WHEN IT’S PIZZA, WE’RE ALL RELATED!
Date -8/31/22 – Pizzeria – Mercurio’s
City – Pittsburgh – Neighborhood – Fox Chapel, O’Hara
Beverage Pairing – house red
Style – Neapolitan
Toppings – the Margarita – Cheese, Sauce, Fresh Basil, and add Pepperoni & crushed red pepper on the Diavola
Cheese – Stringy, Smokey (likely from the fire char from the oven), Salty
Sauce – Tangy, Medium body (neither thick or too thin) Fresh, Spicy on Diavola
Cheese to Sauce Ratio – Sauce=Medium to Cheese=Medium (very well balanced)
Crust – Thin with Buttery but Tangy/Sourdough type of Flavor, Spongy/airy, Chewy with a Cornicione that was Bubbly, lots of Leopard Spotting and wood fire char
Comments – Right off the top, MERCURIO’S IS THE BEST NEAPOLTAN STYLE PIZZA THAT I’VE EATEN IN NORTH AMERICA to this point. Some of my own, out of my Ooni come close, but THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL GOING ON WITH THEIR DOUGH THAT CAUSES A UNIQUE FLAVOR PROFILE. For lack of better terms, it’s a “smooth bite.”
Now, let me add, the moozedell is fresh made in house! Holy Crap!
If I were to criticize anything, it is the sauce, although very fresh tasting, it lacked a little body and boldness. But, I’m really splitting hairs (and that’s coming from a bald guy!)
To finish, why don’t all pizzerias have gelato? What a way to end a great pizza?! Holy CRAP!
Overall Rating – GREAT
Would I Go Back? – In a Minute!
You must be logged in to post a comment.