Mean-Spirited Pizza

 Ramzi's is a burger and pizza place in Westlock. Watch out for this mean-spirited pizza! 

The Upworthy Crust

A few days ago, I learned of the existence of Big Mama's & Papa's Pizzeria. Edmonton has two locations, and today I visted the BMPP in Windermere. 

I bought the smallest available pizza, the 12-inch medium. This place offers single slices comparable in size to little people and a giant square pizza measuring 54 inches per side. Zounds! 

I was overwhelmed by the variety offered on BMPP's menu. I was sorely tempted by the Mexican, but since this was my first time here, I opted for the Stinkin' Cup and Char
Pepperoni . . .

. . . along with a serving of cheese toast. 

Cheese toast first: it's pretty good, but very, very greasy. It's loaded with garlic butter and cooked to perfection, with crispy-edged bread and cheese slightly stiff but half-melted, just how I like it. The portion size is generous for two people, and fair for four. My only quibble is how they assemble the portions into sandwiches, which results in the cheese slices melting together. This isn't a problem if you eat a portion as a mini-sandwich, but creates issues if you try to share. 

As for the pizza itself, it's scrumptious. The tomato sauce is savoury and slightly spicy--delicious enough that next time I might ask for extra sauce, as my pizza was fairly light on the stuff. This pizza comes with white and red onions, but I hardly noticed them, which makes me wonder if their flavour was overpowered by the pepperoni, the sauce, the seasoned crust, or perhaps some combination of the three. 

Speaking of the pepperoni--the key ingredient of this pie--it's as meaty and pepperoni-spiced as one could hope for. But I think the real star is the crust, which offers a satisfying flaky yet chewy texture and even a little heat thanks to the onion seasoning. 

I really enjoyed my first experience of BMPP, and I look forward to trying it again. 

Earl's Pizza Commandments

Just minutes ago I was involved in a group text discussion with Sean, Jeff, and Stephen, and there was some disagreement on acceptable pizza toppings. For the record, here's my comprehensive list of toppings I would and would not eat willingly: 

My Favourite Toppings
Cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, feta) 
Tomato sauce
Bolognese sauce
Pepperoni
Ham (including prosciutto)
Salami
Ground beef
Red pepper
Green pepper
Yellow pepper
Onion
Green onion
Shrimp
Pineapple
Fresh tomato
Bacon
Jalapenos 
Various savory herbs and spices

Toppings Good in Certain Combinations
Potato slices
Sour cream
Marinara sauce
Chili peppers
Sundried tomatoes
Spinach
Taco shells

Toppings I'll Choke Down to Be Polite or if I'm Really Starving
Mushrooms (though I will pick them out on the sly if I can do so unseen) 
Chicken
Sausage
Donair meat
Steak (too chewy, plus risk of fat and gristle, eewwww)
Carrot slices (raw only) 

Uncivilized Toppings Fit Only for the Demented
Beets
Yams
Sweet potatoes
Liver
Fish
Black olives
Pickles
Ketchup
Mayo
Relish
Kale
Kimchi
Turnip
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Green olives

These choices seem reasonable to me, but when it comes to the human palate, tastes may, of course, vary. 

Garmonbozia Pizza

Sean’s Pizza Review

Basile's Peephole

Basile's Pizza in Leduc has the largest door peephole I've ever seen. 

Could You Make Really Huge Pancakes in Zero Gravity?

If you were a cook in a space station with no gravity, could you make a pancake as large as, say, a parachute?

This question could also be applied to pizzas. 

Urbano Pizza Review

Last night I tried Urbano Pizza's Mexicana pie: cheddar, mozza, fresh tomato, jalepeno, chorizo, green peppers and meat sauce on a thin crust. I'd never heard of Urbano until I ordered it, and for once I was rewarded for culinary exploration: this is a great slice, tangy, robust, sinus-clearing and filling without leaving you feeling bloated. This pizza has only one fault: a crust that isn't quite rigid enough to bear the weight of the toppings. That quibble aside, it's very nearly perfect. I look forward to trying Urbano's other offerings. 

Pizza in a Glass

Yesterday's post about bad movie nights in the early 1990s reminded me of the time the same group of friends went to Pizza Hut for their incredibly cheap all-you-can-eat pizza night. I don't remember which of us this happened to--was it me?--but while the waitress was making her rounds, the grease-laden pepperoni pizza she was doling out skated across the surface of her platter and landed, point first, in a full glass of Coke, rendering both inedible and messing up someone's shirt. We all got a good laugh out of it, though.