One Food to Rule Them All

As I write this, it is National Pizza Day. So, as you read this, it will not be anymore. But so what? Go get yourself a pie. Alas, is there ever really a wrong day to eat pizza?

Kids love it, teens love it, college co-eds love it… the elite, the average, the wise, the not-so-wise – all of us have at least one thing in common: we love pizza. It’s a full meal in a handheld form. It can contain nearly all the major food groups: bread, dairy, meat and vegetables. The toppings are endless. Why, pizza just might be the world’s most perfect food!

Check out some of these pizza facts:

• Pepperoni is the most popular pizza. About 36% of all pizzas ordered are pepperoni pizzas.
• Over 3 billion pizzas are sold in the USA each year.
• 17% of all American restaurants are pizzerias.
• Americans consume on average 23 pounds of pizza per person each year*

I’ve had some great pizza in my lifetime. From childhood, I recall That Pizza Place in Carlsbad, CA having amazing pies. They used to show old Three Stooges episodes on a big screen and you could always follow up your dinner with a round of Pac Man in their tiny arcade. They are still around if you want to check them out. Also, Upper Crust Pizza in Vista, CA was the site of many-a-birthday parties and post-sports celebrations. They’re still around, too. The pizza I had on my honeymoon in New York City from Mario Batali’s Otto Enoteca Pizzeria was the stuff of legend, as was the slice of white pizza I gobbled up in Times Square while waiting for Phantom of the Opera to begin.

But, I’m sure we all have our pizza pie memories. The important thing to note here is that there are very few things you can do to improve a great pizza. One of them, though, is adding wine.

Pizza and wine is fantastic. It’s a masterful blend of high-brow/low-brow dining, but it just works! Whether it’s plain cheese or smoked salmon with crème fraiche and chives, there is a viniferous partner out there for it.

The Restaurant at Ponte has always been known for their pizzas, cooked to perfection in a grape wood-fired oven. This season they are featuring…

Sausage Pizza – topped with nduja sausage, salami, artichokes, mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, smoked mozzarella, scamorza cheese, nicoise olives and fresh oregano. Pair this pie with Super T.

Sausage Pizza

Chicken Pizza – topped with basil pesto, garlic, herbs, red onion, mozzarella and provolone. Pair with Pinot Grigio.

Verde Pizza – topped with shitake mushrooms, asparagus, prosciutto, mozzarella, manchego cheese, white truffle cream sauce, arugula and meyer lemon vinaigrette. Pair with Vermentino.

Verde Pizza

Margherita Pizza – topped with herb tomato sauce, roasted plum tomatoes, fresh pulled mozzarella and fresh basil. Pair with Sangiovese.

Well, my mouth is watering right about now, how about yours?

What’s the best pizza you’ve ever had?

*Pizza facts source:

 http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-pizza-day-february-9/

–Erica Martinez