The Guys Taste-Test A 'Manly' Pizza

                                                              JOHN'S 'JUST PIZZA' PIZZA

John loves the simple things in life…sipping a cup of coffee on the dock as the sun rises, fishing, and hanging out with family and good friends on the Indian River in Florida. As you might guess, John also loves simple foods; his favorite food – Italian food!  When asked what kind of pizza he likes, John said “just pizza.”  He went on, “you know the kind loaded with sauce and sausage and meatballs and thick cheese.”  Then he tipped his head back and raised an imaginary slice of pizza to his mouth while describing the awesomeness of biting into that slice and pulling all the stringy cheese into his mouth.  How could I not make this amazingly simple pizza in his honor? 

My husband, along with the husbands of two of my original pizza taste-testers volunteered to taste a few of my pizzas; the only preference voiced was for a meaty/manly pizza.  When it comes to choosing pizza toppings, some people just have difficulty thinking beyond basic.  With this in mind, I decided to test John's 'Just Pizza' Pizza which contained the most basic of pizza ingredients - sauce, sausage, meatballs and plenty of fresh mozzarella and Parmigiano cheese.  The pizza tasted as good as it looked; delicious slices of meatballs packed with Italian flavor and sweet sausage settled into a bubbling bed of marinara sauce.  The slices of fresh mozzarella that topped the pizza browned lightly and melted just enough so as to hold their shape, yet became supple enough to stretch into the perfect gooey string of cheese tethering each bite in our mouths to the remaining slices of pizza in our hands.   Perfection!  I thank Charlie, Charlie B. and John for their willingness to taste a first run pizza and for the comments and compliments they shared that evening.  I can't wait to get to Florida to make this pizza for it's namesake, John Quoka.  I hope he enjoys it as much as did those of us who tested it. 

We also tested Arlene's Pizzagain Pizza the same night.  For those of you who do not know, Pizza Gain is an Italian Easter Pie that contains about three pounds of sausage and Italian deli meats - prosciutto, Genoa salami and capicola- to name a few.  These meats are then layered with a ricotta mixture similar to that found in good Italian lasagna.  The result is a dense, sumptuous 'pie' that is consumed in small pieces.  Now, I'm not saying how many small pieces each person would consume, but it was usually more than one.  This pizza contains all the ingredients found in Pizza Gain, except the eggs and the result was a fantastically savory pizza that was not overly salty or dense; yet it captured the essence of the traditional dish.  We cut it into small squares and the taste-testing began, each of us taking one piece.  Since it is not fair to judge a pizza from one small taste, we each had another.  This went on for several minutes, my husband cutting the pieces smaller and smaller as we all swore we couldn't eat another bite.  Well, as you might have guessed, we stopped only when the pizza peel sitting in the center of the table was empty, but for a few bits of crust and grains of cornmeal.  Another success.  I will be making this pizza at Easter time, knowing that it is a much lighter version of the traditional Pizza Gain and, without a doubt, telling myself this will make me feel better about eating multiple pieces.  This pizza makes an amazing appetizer any time of year - enjoy!

Puttanesca Pizza vs. Turbo Gas Grill

As you can see from the photo above, the grill won! 

I planned to test Perla's Puttanesca Pizza last night and when our friends Judi and Gary returned from WA a day early, I decided to bring my pizza fixings (all pre-measured and completely organized, of course) across the street and make the pizza at their house.  Imagine my horror when I opened the grill to pull the pre-baked crust off after just three minutes and saw a huge black charred circle in the middle of my perfect crust.   Quite surprisingly, I did not panic!  I simply brought the dough inside and chipped out the black charred crust - with just one tap of my tongs, it disintegrated.  I proceeded to add toppings to my doughnut shaped pizza and placed it back on the grill, hoping for the best.  As it baked, Judi kept assuring me it would be fine and there was a roasted chicken in the refrigerator if need be!  Well, it turned out to be an amazingly delicious pizza - the best part - everyone got an end piece!  It was crunchy, salty and savory and there was not one morsel left on that cookie sheet (I forgot my pizza peel) when we finished.  My advice, KNOW YOUR GRILL before you begin, and/or roll with the rejects, making the most of it.  Enjoy the process!

From Pizza Memoirs

Perla’s Puttanesca Pizza

 Auntie Perla was famous in our family for her pasta puttanesca .  She loved anything salty and spicy especially if it was on pasta; so it comes as no surprise that puttanesca style pasta was one of her favorites.  I remember how difficult it was to consume a serving of that pasta…it tasted like a salt lick.  Of course, with the exception of my mother, who rarely added salt to her recipes, the ‘grown-ups’ loved Perla’s puttanesca pasta.  For this pizza, I sauté and mash the anchovies in oil which gives them a wonderful nutty, less salty taste.  To further cut down on the saltiness, you can eliminate the whole anchovies when topping your Puttanesca Pizza.              

Ingredients:

¼ cup	Extra virgin olive oil
6	Anchovy fillets packed in oil, plus several for topping
8 to 9 ounces	Prepared pizza dough at room temperature
3/4 cup	Basic sauce All’ Amatricana, see basic recipe
4 to 6 ounces	Asiago cheese, shredded (approximately 1 to 1½ cups)
½ cup	Italian black olives, pitted and roughly chopped  (6 to 8 Gaeta olives)
¼ cup	Capers, drained and patted dry
½ teaspoon	Dried oregano
¼ cup	Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated; plus more for finishing
2 tablespoons	Fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
	Crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

1.   Heat olive oil in a 10” skillet over medium-high heat. Add anchovies and sauté, mashing fillets and stirring until they ‘melt’ into the oil, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

2.   Roll, stretch and shape dough into an unrefined 12 to 14 inch circular shape* according to basic directions.  Brush dough with cooled oil/anchovy mixture, then spread the All’ Amatricana sauce over dough.     

3.   Sprinkle the asiago cheese over the sauce and scatter olives and capers over all.  Sprinkle with oregano and Pecorino Romano cheese.  Arrange remaining anchovy fillets over the top of the pizza.  These can be omitted if you prefer a more subtle anchovy flavor.

4.   Bake on a preheated Pizza Grill or on a preheated pizza stone in a 500 degree oven for 10 minutes, rotating pizza after 4 minutes to prevent sticking.  Bake until crust is firm and golden and cheese is bubbly.  To bake this pizza directly on gas grill grates, follow directions below. 

5.   Remove pizza and immediately grate additional Pecorino Romano cheese over pizza.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley and crushed red pepper flakes to taste.  Cut and serve.

Gas grill preparation:  Heat all burners on high for 10 minutes.  Lower the heat in the center of grill (3 or 4 burner grill) or the front burner (2 burner grill) to low just before placing pizza dough on grate.  Dough will grill directly over low heat.  If using a two burner grill, you will have to rotate the dough half way through the baking time.  See basic directions for baking pizza on a gas grill.

*Stretch dough into a 14 by 12” rectangular shape making it quite thin in the center and leaving a border of slightly thicker dough approximately ½ inch wide around the perimeter.

Brush both sides of dough with olive oil and place on a large, rimless baking sheet that has been lightly dusted with cornmeal.

Carefully lift dough and lay it on the preheated grill (see instructions above).  Close grill lid and grill for 3 to 5 minutes or until bottom of crust is lightly golden brown with darker grill marks.  Remove from grill with tongs and place grilled side up on a flat baking sheet or pizza peel dusted with cornmeal.

Proceed with step 2 above from brushing dough with oil/anchovy mixture through step 3.

Carefully slide pizza onto grill, turning burner directly under pizza to low.  Close lid and bake for 5 minutes.  Check bottom of crust by lifting the edge with tongs.  If it is browning too quickly, turn off burner under pizza and continue baking for 4 to 5 minutes.  Carefully remove to pizza peel or flat cookie sheet.  Proceed with step 5 above.

In Memory of Nick: Nick’s No Nonsense Pizza

It was one year ago today, October 29, 2009, that little Nick lost his battle against neuroblastoma.  He fought valiantly, enduring more pain in his short seven years than many people experience over an extended lifetime.  His parting left a devastating void in the lives of all who knew and loved him.  Nick, may angels watch over you as you find peace and rest with our Lord.

The following is an excerpt from Pizza Memoirs to honor Nick.

Nick’s No Nonsense Pizza

Having initially been diagnosed with cancer at the tender age of three and one half years, Nick, at age seven, was no stranger to pain and suffering.  Yet, through it all, he never, ever complained.  Nick loved life and enjoyed the simple pleasures derived from playing his guitar and riding his motorcycles, to mastering the latest video games available. But he mostly loved being with his family and friends of all ages.  Nick’s dad taught him how to make pizza and he greatly enjoyed making it often with his Auntie Em.  His very favorite pizza was quite simple – fresh dough topped with sauce, mozzarella cheese and drizzled with olive oil.  He was very particular about the way in which this pizza was made.  Nick would tell Auntie Em to roll and roll the dough until it was quite thin and then would direct her not to bake it too close to the bottom of the oven.  You see, Nick did not like burnt crust!  Nick was the light of his Auntie Em’s life and losing him this year left her with a huge hole in her heart.  His strong spirit and memories of his love of the simple pleasures in life give her the courage to go on each day.  When you make this pizza, be sure to take a lesson from Nick – do not complain about the things in life over which you have no control and please, don’t burn the crust!

Ingredients:

8 to 9 ozs.	Prepared pizza dough at room temperature
2   Tbsp.	Extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
½ to ¾ cup	Marion’s Marinara Sauce, see basic recipe *
8 ounces	Whole milk mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/8 to ¼ inch slices
½ teaspoon	Dried oregano (optional)
¼ cup	Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

1.   Roll, roll, roll your dough until you have a 12 to 14 inch circular shape.  Remember, Nick said the dough must be thin to be good.  Place on a rimless baking sheet or a pizza peel that has been lightly dusted with cornmeal.

2.   Brush dough with two tablespoons of olive oil.  Spread marinara sauce in an even layer over the dough, using only enough to lightly coat the dough.

3.   Arrange sliced mozzarella cheese over the sauce and sprinkle oregano over all, if using.

4.   Bake on a preheated Pizza Grill or on a pizza stone in a preheated 500 degree oven for 10 minutes, rotating pizza after 4 minutes to prevent sticking.  Bake until crust is firm and golden and top is bubbly and lightly browned.  This is the point at which Nick would give Auntie Em a stern warning not to let the crust burn.

5.   Remove from the heat and immediately sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to taste.  Cut and serve immediately.  Enjoy this simple, no nonsense pizza.

*Tip:  You can use a good quality purchased sauce such as Rao’s brand in place of Marion’s Marinara Sauce.

Recreating a Lobster Pizza

Last night was the first run and taste testing of the Fabulous Fortieth Anniversary Pizza and I have to admit it was not 'fabulous'.  "How bad could a lobster pizza be?" you might ask.  Bad - don't get me wrong, it was not inedible, it was just not what I wanted or expected it would be.  The taste of the roasted garlic paste over powered the delicate taste of the lobster and the sweetness of the caramelized onion was predominate.  I will re-write the recipe and we will just have to try it again.  Tough work, but somebody has to do it.  It pained me to waste an entire lobster tail on a pizza that was not perfect, but that's what recipe testing is all about.  I think I will eliminate the roasted garlic paste and use butter in which I have lightly sauteed a few cloves of garlic.  The manchego cheese was awesome, so that will stay, but I will try sauteing sliced shallots in butter with the lobster for a minute or two and eliminate the caramelized onions.  Possibly finishing with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, a squirt of fresh lemon juice and a hint of fresh lemon zest will complement the lobster.  I am open to suggestions on this one, so if you have had a great lobster pizza and want to share what you liked about it, I would love to hear from you.  Perla's Puttanesca Pizza is up next for testing.  Review to follow.

Testing Three New Pizzas

Good morning everyone.  Just a note to say our daughter Jennifer is coming in from CT today so I won't be posting a long blog.  The good news - we will be testing three new pizzas over the course of the week.  First will be the Fabulous Fortieth Anniversary Pizza with a base of roasted garlic, then manchego cheese, sauteed lobster, caramelized onions, and more cheese.  Of course I had to pay an arm and a leg for the 8 ounce lobster tail...there are not many fresh lobsters swimming in the waters of Arizona.  The second pizza will be Perla's Puttanesca Pizza with it's savory base of All' Amatricana sauce, nutty tasting sauteed anchovies, asiago cheese, capers, olives and other ingredients one might find in pasta puttanesca.  The final pizza will be  A Plum Delicious Pizza.  This dessert pizza has a base of fig preserves topped with lightly sauteed sliced plums and pieces of St. Andre Triple Creme cheese.  When it comes off the grill it is finished with a sprinkling of raw sugar. a drizzle of Port Wine Reduction and a bit of freshly grated lemon zest.  No, these won't all be tested on the same day - that only happens when my sister Elaine visits from WA!  Hope you all have a great weekend, I know we will!  Linda

Dough'nt Be Afraid

DOUGH'NT BE AFRAID ~ SIMPLY PERFECT PIZZA DOUGH

I remember the first time I made pizza dough - what a disaster!  I don't know if it was my fear of trying something new, a really bad recipe, or a combination of both.  The sweat dripped off my forehead as I fought with the dough, not willing to give up.  After several hours of proofing, mixing the dough, waiting for it to rise, punching it down and waiting for it to rise again, I was so spent that the idea of making a pizza was ludicrous.  Not to be done in by a ball of pizza dough, I studied the recipe, this time having all my ingredients assembled before I began the process.  This helped, but the dough was still not to my liking.  Several years have passed since my clumsy first attempts at making homemade pizza dough; each time tweaking my recipe just a bit until finally - the perfect, yeasty, silky textured ball of dough sat on my wooden board.  Ah, victory is sweet!
I recently watched a re-run of an old episode of Julia Child, entitled Pizza Variations.  I actually had to laugh out loud as I watched her mix the dough in an electric mixer, flour shooting out over the edges of the bowl and onto the counter as she talked.  It only got funnier as she placed the dough on her counter, floured it and began to knead it.  She directed viewers on how to knead the dough saying 'lift it up and slap it - you've got to be rough with the dough."  She did just that as she slapped the dough onto the counter time and again from shoulder height, flour flying everywhere - what a great show!  I am actually too much of a neat freak to make that kind of a mess while making pizza.  Julia was in a class of her own, though.  This was evidenced when she opened the hot oven, licked one of her fingers and touched it to the quarry tile, to make sure it was sufficiently heated.  I prefer saving my fingers and using a kitchen timer - I'm definitely no Julia Child. 
Food processors simplify dough making, especially if you are lucky enough to own one with a dough blade attachment.  It not only mixes your dough, but kneads it for you.  All you have to do is shape it into a nice ball, place it into an oiled bowl, turn it over so the oiled side is up, cover and set in a warm place for about one hour.  That's when I appreciate living in Arizona, I have no difficulty finding a warm place in which to proof my dough.   

Tips on handling prepared dough:  Until ready to use, keep dough covered to prevent it from drying out.  Allow your dough to rest at least ten minutes before shaping it.  Bring the dough to to room temperature if it has been refrigerated; this takes between one half and one hour.  You can begin the stretching process by rolling the ball of dough out slightly with a floured rolling pin then gently coax it into shape using your fingers.  This allows air pockets to remain in your dough so gas can expand during baking,  producing blisters and variations in texture that make each pizza unique.  Detailed instructions for stretching and shaping pizza dough are included in Pizza Memoirs.  Now that you know how simple it is to make pizza dough, don't you want to give it a try? 

Dough'nt be afraid ~ go for it!

Awesome Autumn Pizza

As promised, here is the recipe for my fabulous fall pizza.  I will apologize ahead of time to those of you wanting to print this and run off to your kitchen with recipe in hand because after spending a few hours trying to install a gadget on this blog with a little printing icon, I must admit defeat.  Not to worry, though...I will keep at it until I get it right!  In the meantime, drag your laptops to the kitchen counter and get busy!  The following is an excerpt from Pizza Memoirs.

                                                 AWESOME AUTUMN PIZZA

Today is the first day of fall and it is a toasty 102 degrees here in Tucson, AZ.  I find myself missing the sights, sounds and smells of fall in New England.  As I sat outside in the heat of the day, I closed my eyes and imagined I was sitting in front of one of the fireplaces in our previous home in CT.  I could feel the heat of the fire (of course it was the sun), see the vibrant foliage and hear the crunching of leaves as we buckled down to complete yard work in anticipation of winter.  I recalled the bounty of apples and squash, our visits to orchards on crisp fall days and the comfort derived from enjoying a warm galette, bubbling over with fragrant butternut squash, apples and cheese.  The Awesome Autumn Pizza is my snapshot of fall in New England.

Ingredients: 
1 tablespoon       Olive oil
4 tablespoons      Unsalted butter, divided
1 small                Butternut squash (about 3/4 pound), peeled, seeded and cut into
                          1/2 inch dice*
                           Pinch Kosher salt
                           Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup                Water (more as needed to prevent burning of squash)
1/8 teaspoon        Freshly grated nutmeg
8 to 10                 Whole fresh sage leaves, plus additional for garnish
8 to 9 ounces       Prepared pizza dough at room temperature
1 cup                   Caramelized onions
5 ounces              Stilton blue cheese
6                          Whole chestnuts, roasted, peeled and chopped - available in specialty
                            stores
1 large                  Baking apple such as Cortland or Granny smith, cored, halved and
                            cut into 1/8 inch slices
2 teaspoons          Fresh thyme leaves
                            Maple syrup for drizzling, dark amber grade A is preferred
Directions:
1.  Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add squash, salt and pepper and stir to combine.  Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until squash is completely coated with oil/butter mixture and slightly softened.  Add water to pan, cover and cook for 5 minutes longer or until softened, but not mushy.  Using a slotted spoon, remove squash from pan and grate fresh nutmeg over the pieces.  Set aside to cool.

2.  Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet over medium heat.  Add whole fresh sage leaves and cook until butter begins to brown, stirring occasionally.  Be careful not to let the butter burn.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

3.  Roll, stretch and shape dough into an unrefined 12 to 14 inch circular or rectangular shape.  Brush dough with browned butter and top with sage leaves, tearing them apart and distributing evenly over dough.

4.  Spread caramelized onions out over entire crust, leaving about a 1/2 inch border.  Top with 2 ounces of the Stilton cheese.

5.  Scatter butternut squash over entire pizza and top evenly with chestnuts.  Arrange apple slices over all, top with remainder of the Stilton and sprinkle with thyme leaves.

6.  Bake on a preheated Pizza Grill or on a preheated pizza stone in a 500 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pizza after 4 minutes to prevent sticking.  Bake until crust is firm and golden, top is bubbly and apples are softened.

7.  Remove pizza from grill or oven and immediately drizzle with maple syrup if desired.  Garnish with fresh sage leaves; cut and serve.

Helpful Hint:   This makes a great appetizer pizza if you stretch dough into a 14 inch long rectangular shape.  After baking, cut into small squares.

*KITCHEN TIP:  To cube butternut squash, cut off top and bottom ends and peel squash with a vegetable peeler.  Stand squash on end and slice lengthwise, cutting from top to bottom, into 1/2 inch planks.  Stack planks and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch strips; then cut crosswise into 1/2 inch cubes.

Should you decide to make this recipe and need a great recipe for the caramelized onions, let me know and I will post mine.  Linda

Seasonal Favorites

Fall in Arizona - cold snap - get out the winter coats because it is going down into the 70s this week!  Fall is my favorite time of year, especially in New England where I grew up.  I think many people who have permanently relocated to our lovely Sonoran Desert begin to feel a bit nostalgic at this time of year.  I know I do.  Having said that, I will post the recipe for my Awesome Autumn Pizza in an effort to bring comfort to anyone longing for the cool, crisp autumn days we so fondly remember.  Check back tomorrow for this amazing recipe. Linda

Celi's Calabacitas Pizza and Jonathan's Apple Crumb 'Pie'zza

It is such hard work taste testing pizzas for Pizza Memoirs but somebody has to do it!  This is a picture of the first test run of Celi's Calabacitas Pizza and as you can see, it was fabuloso.  Thanks to Barbara, one of my charter taste testers for hosting a group to test this recipe.  It was fun for me not having to do all the prep work, as Barbara had everything at the ready when we arrived.  The combination of the herbed crema, bright sauteed vegetables, and melted cheese gave this pizza a light, fresh taste that had us convinced we were eating something healthy.  We used a combination of fontina and Monterrey jack cheese because asadero was not available and the flavor of the cheese worked perfectly with the vegetables.  If you would like to make this recipe, let me know and I will post it.  Now on to dessert!

Jonathan's Apple Crumb 'Pie'zza:  Orange zest kneaded into the dough, shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, cinnamon and sugar apples briefly sauteed in butter, topped with brown sugar crumble and baked on the grill for 10 minutes...perfection.  Barbara topped it with chopped toasted walnuts and a shower of powdered sugar and we headed for the table to taste test this bubbling beauty.  The smell was that of an apple pie that had been baking in the oven for an hour or a wonderful French apple tart!  Let me tell you, it tasted as good as it looked.  Julie, another willing taste tester present said, "Oh my, that is the best apple anything I have ever eaten."  Thanks again to Barbara, Faith and Julie for their dedication and hard work helping me test these pizza recipes...as I said earlier, it's a tough job, but somebody has to do it.

Celi's Calabacitas Pizza

For those of you who may not know, calabacitas is a Spanish word meaning 'little gourds'.  They are small and light green in color and are sometimes used interchangeably with zucchini.  Of late, calabacitas often refers to a vegetable dish or casserole containing sauteed onion, jalapenos, garlic, corn, diced squash and tomatoes, and herbs like cilantro and oregano.   Mexican crema and asadero cheese are stirred into the cooked squash mixture which can then be served wrapped in tortillas or baked to use as a side dish.  Either way, as vegetables go, it is 'fabuloso'.  I deconstructed this in order to make Celi's Calabacitas Pizza.  I mixed the Mexican crema with sour cream, chives and cilantro to use as a base on the pizza dough which is then topped with half of the cheese.  The squash mixture consists of sauteed Mexican squash (use only thin small ones or they can be bitter), onion, minced jalapeno pepper, fresh oregano leaves, salt and pepper; this is layered on the cheese and is topped with diced tomatoes.  More asadero and onto the pizza stone.  Hopefully, it will taste as good as it sounds; I will know tomorrow after the taste test.  My test run of the calabacitas consisted of mixing together everything that will go onto the pizza dough; it got the nod from my official taste tester, Araceli.  Thanks to all the taste testers at Gadabout, I hope you enjoyed the calabacitas.

DUH

OK...with a little persistence, I have relocated my long lost toolbar.  I'm back in business!  No more wasting time on technical stuff, it's time to make some calabacitas!  Two of my recipes are being tested by a huge fan this coming Friday so I want to test the calabacitas topping before she does it from my original recipe which may or may not be perfectly accurate.  I am using Mexican squash instead of zucchini because Celi's mother uses it in her calabacitas and I want to make it as authentic as possible.  I'll let you know how it turns out and more importantly, how it tastes on the pizza. L.

Introducing Pizza Memoirs

PIZZA MEMOIRS:  Artisan Pizza Recipes Inspired by Family, Friends and Hospice Patients' Favorite Foods. 

A work in progress, Pizza Memoirs invites the reader on a journey through cherished memories revealed to me by family, friends and hospice patients as they reminisced about their all time favorite foods.  The original artisan pizza recipes in this book have been carefully crafted so as to replicate tastes of each remembered dish or meal; yet are immortalized in new form.  The humorous, sometimes poignant vignettes introducing each recipe unveil insightful clips of personal histories.  Pizza Memoirs is infinitely more than a pizza cookbook.  It is a collection of memories entrusted to me for safekeeping, now lovingly played forward as pizzas. 

A bit of background information:  I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and, for eighteen years, worked with hospice patients and their families in coping with death, dying and grief.  In the course of this work, I made two significant discoveries; humor heals and food is a universal language.  I found that even the most unreceptive patients can be reached with my 'secret weapon' question -"What was your favorite food when you were a kid?"  This question consistently breaks through the barrier of silence and facilitates reminiscences rife with personal history. This work informed my decision to begin creating pizzas from favorite foods of family and friends.   

Pizza Memoirs will appeal to everyone who has a memory of a special meal with family or friends.  From chaotic holiday 'crazy meal' to intimate dinner for two, all will identify on some level. 

Check back for stories and fantastic pizza recipes.  Linda