Those of us who weren't raised on Chicago deep-dish often dismiss it derisively: it doesn't look like pizza, it doesn't taste like pizza, maybe it shouldn't be called pizza. The crust, the filling, the ratios ... I, for one, found it hard to comprehend the allure. But this year I've been working on a project which has involved me baking a few dozen batches of different variations of this Chicago specialty. And you know what? Whatever you want to call it, this thing is really good. Different, but very, very good and getting better.
So the challenge this month is primarily for those who aren't (yet) fans of Chicago-style deep dish to give it a chance. Drop all of your preconceptions and focus on making the best deep dish you can. Experts are welcome to join the fray and provide guidance for the uninitiated. There's a few years of reading you can do on this site's Chicago forum.