Pizza

I was having a conversation with a friend of mine and the talk turned to pizza. The talk of good pizza made me think of when I was young. Pizza in our house was a special thing. It was a several hour process that ended in one of the best meals ever eaten. Usually, I knew we were having pizza the day before it actually happened and I would be quite excited.

Around mid-morning, preparations were started for dinner. This was the time that the pizza dough would be made. The pizza dough Dad and Mom made was a glorious thing. It was almost like bread when it was finished. The dough was a yeast dough and was treated like any good bread should be. It was mixed up and allowed to rise. After rising, it was punched down and given a second rise. By this time, the whole house would have a wonderful aroma.

While the dough was being prepared, my parents would begin the sauce. This had a base made with both tomato sauce and tomato paste. Then, all kinds of seasoning were added. I remember the sound and smell of the herbs as they were ground with a mortar and pestle. When the sauce was put together, it was allowed to simmer for hours. Between the crust and sauce, the smells would drive me crazy. Most times, I would sneak into the kitchen and dip slices of pepperoni into the sauce and eat that. This only served to heighten my anticipation.

Finally, the dough was ready. The crust would go into the oven to bake until it was brown, then the toppings were added. The sauce was the first thong to go on. Pepperoni was the second ingredient; fortunately, my parents liked pepperoni, so they didn’t skimp on this. Mushrooms and green peppers were the vegetables. Everything was covered with a thick layer of mozzarella cheese. After the toppings baked, it was finally time to eat.

Pizza night also meant salad and a Coke. The salad was usually a green salad with tomatoes, mushrooms and cucumbers. Having a Coke with dinner was a pretty big deal. These days, my kids think that access to soda is a basic right.. For me, as a kid, soda was a big deal and it was a real treat. I would get my can of soda and drink it slowly, making sure there was enough for my entire dinner.

Sometimes, there was enough pizza left for lunch the next day. This was a double treat. I thought I was king of the world when I could bring a couple of slices of pizza for lunch. This is where I developed my love of cold pizza. I know some people who only like their pizza hot. My opinion is that pizza is good whether it is cold, hot, or room temperature.

Remembering the whole experience that surrounded having pizza for dinner is a great childhood memory.