Pizza is Fun!

 

I really like pizza, as I think most people do (I have a brother who won’t touch it, so I can’t say everyone likes it!).   It’s a staple at kids parties, creates long cafeteria lunch lines on pizza day at schools across the land, is a primary source of nutrition for teenagers and college students, and who can say getting with friends as an adult and ordering in or making your own pizza isn’t fun and easy?  There are even pizzas for special dietary needs, whether it is gluten free, vegan, or keto friendly they are readily available in restaurants and supermarkets as well as recipes on the internet if your area doesn’t have special ones easily attainable.  Some regions feature deep dish, some thick crust, some thin crust, and some ultra-thin crispy crust.  I prefer thin crust, as growing up in New Jersey in close proximity to New York City, our region is arguably where the best pizza can be found; it is what I grew up on and is my favorite to this day.

               When I was a kid our family had game night every Saturday and it always included pizza. I can vividly recall watching my mother munching away on a slice of cheesy, saucy goodness and laughing over something someone said or did. It was an important job for one or another of my brothers to go with my father to Dominick’s Pizzeria to pick up our order.  One time my brother Dan dropped the box as they exited the pizza place and so they had to wait while another one was made.  If I went on a sleepover at my friend Joan’s house, we’d have pizza for dinner and then munch on the cold leftover slices in the morning before her mother woke up and made us pancakes for breakfast.   When I moved out on my own, I survived mostly on pizza as it was cheap, delicious, and readily available in the strip mall where I worked at a donut shop.  Sometimes the boss would treat us all to pizza on a busy day, and sometimes we’d all go out for an evening on the weekend and start at Dino’s with what we referred to as a “garbage pie” because it had every topping available on it.  It was so much fun!  When my girls were young we had pizza and TV every Friday night, and they could earn a monthly pizza voucher from a national chain by reading books. When I worked as a lunch lady in an elementary school pizza day was the most popular day for the kids to buy hot lunch and we made trays and trays of square pizza slices.  Later when I worked at the high school cafeteria and pizza was offered every day it remained a popular item likely to sell out by the end of the day.  Now when we get together with friends and family we’re just as likely to order some pizzas as we are to cook for each other.  There’s just something uplifting about that tasty crust slathered with piping hot rich tomato sauce and ooey gooey strings of melted cheese hanging off the edges of each wedge shaped slice.  I’d have to say that it’s the one food I have many happy memories about.

               There are many foods that people associate with good times, but I think pizza is number one.  In fact, I think I might have to have some today, and I bet you want some now, too.  Hurray for pizza!!!

My hubby and me with our long time friends who we've shared many pizzas with over the years.

A tranquil scene from our local park where I went walking one recent morning. It has nothing to do with pizza, but the geese might enjoy some pieces of the crust to fuel their trip south.