Who doesn’t like to eat?
When the weekend arrives, I believe a lot of people start thinking about food, preparing it and eating it outside. After all, there isn’t much you can’t do on a
grill.Now I’m not fussy when it comes to eating. I like just about everything. However there are some combinations or preparations that do raise the eyebrows.
Last week, I wrote that
ketchup should never, ever touch a brat.Today, a food topic there is no right or wrong answer about, one that has countless opinions as to what makes it great.
I’m talking pizza.
Thin crust or thick? Anchovies or no? Chicago style or New York? Fruit……yes or no? Pepperoni or sausage?
Again, I am not fussy at all when it comes to pizza. Put pizza in front of me and I’ll eat it…….
There is one minor exception and this could open a pizza Pandora's Box.
Back in my early WUWM days, some of the on-air staff would occasionally get together in the basement of the home of Phil Cianciola, who now works at WTMJ.
It was a male-only crowd and we did what guys in their early 20’s do. We watched sports, listened to music, talked about women, and ate pizza.
We’d always order from Filippo’s and Phil would ask what everyone wanted. Not being fussy, I would say that I would go with whatever everyone else wanted. I’d mention a few favorites, but wouldn’t push the issue.
When it came time to make the final decision, I recall Phil asking if anyone minded if we skip the green pepper.
I, of course, said it was ok with me, even though I didn’t mind green pepper, but I inquired as to why Phil was opposed to the chopped up little green stuff.
Phil gave an answer I’ll never forget, and I’ve adopted the very same pizza philosophy ever since.
It was Phil’s contention, and mine ever since, that it didn’t matter if you had 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 toppings on a pizza. If one of them was green pepper, the green pepper would neutralize and completely obliterate and eliminate the taste of the other ingredients.
I firmly believe that.
Now this is not to say they don’t taste good on a pizza.
They just cancel everything else out and you just wasted a few bucks on your pie.
Cheese?
Of course, this is Wisconsin.
Sausage?
Uh huh.
Onions?
Great.
Black olives?
Love ‘em.
Pepperoni?
Yes.
Bacon, ham, ground beef, you name it…throw it on!
Green peppers?
HOLD THE PHONE!
The next time you have pizza with several ingredients and one of them is green pepper, ask yourself which topping dominates?
Green peppers on pizza………….not horrible, just too overpowering.
Thank you, Phil.
