Ode to pizza

Friday, February 10, 2012

What is it about pizza that so enthralls us?

Is it the very name?

Say it:

Pizza.

But how do you pronounce it?

Is it PEEza?

Is it PEETza?

Does it matter?

To the many folks who cast votes for their favorite pizza place in the Journal’s recent contest, it probably doesn’t matter.

But what does?

The toppings?

The crust?

The cheese?

Most people really didn’t say. They gave a general vote for their favorite place without actually saying much about the pies.

And isn’t that an odd way to describe a pizza? A pie? Why is it a pie? Little Jack Horner wouldn’t have fared well with a pizza:

“Little Jack Horner sat in a corner, eating a pizza pie.

“He stuck in his thumb and pulled out a slice of pepperoni and said

“Wow, this is hot!”

See?

Could it be just the idea of pizza? This somewhat large, round, food with … well, with just about anything you want on top of it? Oh, the power.

“I can have anything I want on top of my pizza and no one, except the person who actually makes it, can say to me ‘nay.’ ”

That is power indeed. Try telling the chef at a French restaurant that you do not want Dijon mustard on your steak, you want anchovies. Bernaise sauce? No, you want sausage and green pepper. That’s not going to fly.

But if you call up the local pizzeria and ask for extra cheese, sausage, pepperoni, olives, garlic, anchovies and green pepper, you’re going to get it, no questions asked.

That is power, indeed.

The other thing about pizza: Kids love it. And even if Jimmy and Jenny can’t agree on the toppings, the pizza place will let you do half one, half the other, thus pleasing both the little tykes. Pineapple? Sure, Jenny. Hamburger? Sure, Jimmy.

Pizza is a truly democratic dish, allowing all and sundry to have a vote on toppings and giving all and sundry many choices of where to go for this pie.

So, celebrate pizza. Even if the place you like the best didn’t win our contest, so what? All that matters is that you like it. Well, Jimmy and Jenny, too, of course.