Diametric Tastes

Homemade pizza is one of my specialties. I always make my own pizza dough, and I have found the best results with organic flour and yeast. I always use sugar in my dough, which results in a flavorful, airy crust.

Tonight, one pizza had tomato sauce, red onion, colorful peppers, and mozzarella. The other, barbecued chicken, red onion, zucchini, and colby-jack. Very different, yet together, satisfied my craving for pizza.

Pizza is one food that my mother never made, and rarely purchased. She was not a fan. My sisters and I relied on pizza as a late night snack, or something that we went out and had with our friends.

Where I grew up in Upstate New York, USA, there were several types of pizza to choose from. Some were rectangular, some round. Some had thick crust (Sicilian), and some thin (New York). Everyone seemed to have a favorite place to get pizza from.

When I moved to Illinois, the pizza did not appeal to me. They cut thin pizza into squares, despite the fact that it is round, and deep-dish pizza with heavy fillings and chunks of tomatoes reigns King. One piece of that, and I am full for days, but not satisfied.

I decided to just start making my own, and to this day, it is a family favorite. Lately, we have been liking our veggie blend and the barbecued chicken, but I also enjoy pepperoni, blackened chicken with yellow tomatoes, or a simple tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil treat. I've even made an Asian version, complete with Hoisin sauce and a sesame seed sprinkled crust.

My caramelized onion, toasted walnut, and goat cheese pizza cooked on the grill is one of my favorites. Pizza cooked on the grill is a fantastic treat, and something that my family loves.

I think that my father would have gotten a kick out of throwing pizza dough on the grill and watching it cook. He passed down his love of grilling to all of his children. I'm not sure if it is part of our Armenian heritage or just a family tradition, but cooking over hot coals is something we all love to do.

Making one's own pizza is easy and delicious. Even if you are not a dough fanatic like I am, you can always visit your local pizzeria and buy prepared dough. Who cares if it is round or square? Make it to your own personal taste and mood.

You will thank me.