Pizza

I'm actually finding it difficult to stay awake tonight, so forgive me if this post isn't as lengthy as the other ones!

I think pizza is something that all people can agree they like. Of course, each person will say that he or she enjoys certain toppings, and detests other toppings. Personally, I have never had anchovies or pineapple on a pizza, but I know people who like them. I also know people who like no toppings at all, that is to say, they like "cheese pizza." In my opinion, and to paraphrase something I saw someone else post to Facebook one day, cheese is not a type of pizza, but an essential ingredient in all pizza. There's nothing wrong with eating a pizza with no toppings, but at least admit that cheese is not a topping!

We have a special deal with Papa John's in our area in which we can get a discount on lunch when we order at work on Fridays. So, obviously, it's always a good idea to get pizza for lunch on Fridays, which we did today. Our favorite to get is the Garden Fresh, which includes onions, green peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, and black olives. Since I detest black olives, and since we like to have some extra protein on there, we take off the olives and add pepperoni. Yum! Papa John's has some of the freshest-tasting pizza that I've had from a large chain, so I enjoy getting pizza from there. The veggies are fresh, the crust is perfect, and they put just the right amount of sauce. Excellent!

As it so happens, we also had pizza for dinner (I had forgotten that we had already discussed what was for dinner tonight). Since Papa John's is a bit farther from us than it is from work, we usually get ours from Pizza Hut or Domino's when ordering from home. Tonight we got Domino's, much to the chagrin of my father, I'm sure, since he prefers Pizza Hut. On my pizza, I got chicken, tomatoes, mushrooms, and onions. It was delicious! For me, the toppings are very important, but the most important parts of a pizza are the crust and the sauce. If there's not enough sauce, I'm unhappy. If the crust is too thin or underdone, I'm unhappy. Luckily, neither occurred tonight! I also enjoy how Domino's seasons their crust with garlic and herbs, since it adds that extra flavor that makes it great.

One very successful pizza place in the Knoxville area that isn't a chain is called Big Ed's. It's probably my favorite pizza of all, but since it's a bit of a drive from us, we don't go there that often. It is always loud and busy, and you usually have a pretty long wait to get in if you don't get there early enough. The sauce is excellent, the crust is excellent, and the atmosphere is definitely something else. Big Ed's is an heirloom of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and has been around for many, many years. The pictures that line the walls include some famous people that have dined there (if I were better-prepared, I could have mentioned some of those names here, but alas, I am not), as well as pictures of the larger-than-life founder, the real Ed. It's a great place to go with friends or family for dinner, and I would definitely recommend it for anyone interested in it.

What kinds of pizza do you all like? And what is your favorite chain, if you have one? Or even better, what's your favorite all-time pizza, whether it be hole-in-the-wall, or upscale? And do you have guilty pleasures or unusual toppings that you crave?