Childhood Favorites Die Hard

August 8, 2008

The cover of our September issue fully rekindled my childhood love of pizza. How could it not, with its crunchy crust, leafy herbs, and delectable, colorful heirloom tomatoes? Of course, my tastes have evolved in the last 20 years, meaning I no longer need gobs of cheese oozing off of each slice in order to make me smile.

Nowadays, I actually prefer a pizza with more vegetables than cheese, which is great because I can feel like I’m indulging, without over doing it. I’ve also strayed from my earlier grease-infused crust (remember when you’d pick up your slice and the paper plate would be doused with oil marks?) by opting for more healthful, alternative crusts that use less oil and unrefined flours. Cornmeal crusts are a favorite of mine because of their texture.

Here are a few VT recipes you can try out if you feel the urge:

Grilled Pizza with Spinach and Feta
Pizza Provencal
Asparagus and Red Pepper Pizza

Now that my homegrown tomatoes are starting to ripen and my basil leaves are waiting to be picked, I have every reason in the world to cook up a pizza, and sit in the late-day sun, crunching away.


—Gabrielle Harradine, Assistant Editor