Ok ok, so I didn’t make this pizza. It’s from HUB (that’s Hopworks Urban Brewery) here in Portland. They have good beers, burgers, and pizza. Amen. This one was topped with feta, mozzarella, spinach, black olives, and garlic. I can’t make any claims to its deliciousness other than the fact we had the foresight to pack up after 4 slices last night and bring the rest home to reheat for lunch today in the toaster oven. Oh, and I may have slipped a few sardines in there. This was an excellent pizza yesterday. But today, that feta toasted beautifully, all golden and bubbling; those black olives developed little crispy edges and oh… let’s just say I closed my eyes while eating this slice. But the real secret is that almost burnt outer crust with its earthy goodness (and obviously carcinogenic badness, so don’t eat the totally charred bits) and golden, flaky layers which give way to a decidedly chewy center. I think the following day it’s more pie than pizza. Anything good about a pizza pie can only be enhanced in the toaster oven. Few foods can lay claim to being reborn. Pizza, well, few foods are pizza for sure.

My mom likes to freeze her pizza and then reheat it. She’s the Queen of burnt toasty bits and crusty edges. I know it’s a loaded question, but where do you find yourself on the subject of crusts? Do you sneak them to the corner of the plate and hide them under the napkin, do you eat them indiscriminately along with the rest of the slice, or do you save them for last to linger over? Not like I would call you out or anything, but for anyone (ahem) who sneaks those crusts away and pretends to have eaten them, where are your manners? Besides, that is what the slippery inside pieces of a large pizza are for. Seriously, you’re NOT going to eat that?

So the next time you go out for pizza, remember, while those two beers and two slices haven’t entirely filled you up, what do you think you’ll enjoy more? Stuffing your face now, or relishing that little delight tomorrow?

For homemade pizza inspiration, here’s a good one for ya.