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.

On Saturday evening we witnessed our first Unsilent Night in New York (check out the photo set). Listening to the sounds of the city mesh and mingle with the sounds of the Phil Kline’s soundtrack while walking from park to park with New Yorkers clutching boomboxes, some dressed as santa, was definitely a unique urban experience. On Sunday I woke up wanting pizza.

Pizza is one of those things you cook that is all about fun and flavor. There’s nothing practical about it. There’s nothing thrifty about it (especially not with the NY options). There’s nothing quick about it (between the rising of the dough, etc, you’re looking at leave 4 hours). Oh boy is it tasty, perfect for groups, satisfying hand work, and customizable to anyone’s taste (except gluten-free diets, so sorries!) with mix and match ingredients.