Now, back in college, I spent a couple of years working in a really great, local place in Winston-Salem. They are known to make really high quality pizzas with locally grown organic ingredients. Perhaps you've heard of this place. It's called Pizza Hut. What? There's a Pizza Hut in your neighborhood, too? Wait, and the pizzas sort of suck, are greasy, and you can actually feel your arteries clogging when you eat it? Yeah, I guess we're talking about the same place.
So it's true. For two years, I made pizzas at Pizza Hut. Even worse, for two years, I ate an incredible amount of pizza, easily wolfing down a pizza per day when I was working. Somehow, I didn't gain 50 pounds and more incredibly, I still love pizza. True, the pizzas I make at home share about as much resemblance to a Pizza Hut pizza as a Ferrari resembles my Civic.
Which brings me to last night. There are endless debates about what style of pizza is the best and I'm not going to venture into that debate today (though I like Chicago deep dish), but what I will say is that without any doubt, the best pizza in the Triangle can be found at Lilly's Pizza in Raleigh (http://www.lillyspizza.com/). It's a wonderful little spot in Five Points. Unpretentious, funky, and reasonably priced beer on tap.
Here's what was ordered last night: The Sir Walter. It was outstanding. On it was porcini mushroom oil, prosciutto di parma, smoked gouda, fresh organic garlic, organic mushrooms, mozzarella, parmesan and oregano. In other words, it was all the things that Pizza Hut is not. And here you go:
It really was great and best of all, I've got some leftovers for lunch today.
And in case you're wondering, yes, I will still eat at Pizza Hut. The memories alone are worth it.
