Salad with your Pizza?

Mr. Rogov's poll about eating pizza brought to mind the time we flew our oldest grandson to CA. He was about nine years old, and on his first night with us, we ordered pizza. While waiting for it to arrive, I made a green salad, and set it aside on the counter. Our grandson said, "I thought we were having pizza?" I told him we were, along with the salad. He told us he had never seen pizza served with salad in his home town of Sidney, Ohio. He was totally blown away by the concept. I cannot think about having pizza with anything but a salad. Gene likes a beer and I have red wine, but other than the beverages, what side do you like with your pizza?

Generally, I won't have a side dish with pizza. They take up room that could be used for more pizza. If I quit eating the pizza soon enough, I might have dessert, but often there's no space left for that.

I'm not the poster-boy for balance when it comes to pizza.

I frequently serve an antipasto. But, man, it's a filling meal.

Like you, Karen, pizza doesn't seem like a "meal" without a green salad. I also think it's good to balance all of that dough and cheese with something light and healthy. That said, a habit I got into in college and never outgrew is having Buffalo wings with my pizza. Len thinks this is just absurd and says I'm the only person he knows who wants wings with his or her pizza. But of course, he can never resist them when they arrive. Wings are not offerred every place that we get pizza, but when they are, it's a "given" I will order them.

Yup, green salad but only after the pizza. And the idea of wings with the pizza is a good one. Got to try that one day.

Best
Rogov

It depends if we are making pizza at home or eating at our favorite pizza place. At home, we always have a nice salad with the pizza. If we go to our favorite pizza place, we skip their rather boring iceberg lettuce salad but always have their spectacular fried eggplant.

Carrie, I would love to have wings as an appetizer with pizza. Unfortunately, the few pizza places we eat at are fairly authentic Eye-Talian and they do not offer wings. But I would bet their revenues would jump if they offered pizza and wings on Saturdays and Sundays during football season.

Interesting reflection on my part. I have never made (nor will I ever make) pizza at home. Wherever I have lived in my life too many fine pizzas within easy walking distance. And probably those a heckuva lot better than I could do myself. ...And with a good deal less mess.

Best
Rogov

[Jenise]

LOVE pizza and salad. Of course, I eat salad with every thing so this isn't anything different from normal for me, but the truth is I wouldn't be happy or comfortable with a fully loaded carb meal unbalanced by something fresh, crisp and green. I also love salad (certain greens tossed with EVOO and salt, in this case) directly on the pizza. But again I'm specific about kind, in this case a plain cheese or a BLT where the tomato and bacon are on the pizza and the L gets added as soon as it comes out of the oven.

I usually have salad with or before pizza.

If people think pizza itself is a meal, then that helps explain why Americans have an obesity problem.

authentic Eye-Talian

You can tell you are from the midwest! That's how my folks say it.

I always have a green salad, following the pizza, when I make it at home.
If I'm just grabbing a slice at a pizza place, then no.

I'm not much of a salad person, eating it only occasionally when the mood strikes (or when it comes with a meal). Rarely ever with pizza which is the meal to me. If I'm making it for friends who are salad eaters, then of course I serve salad. I may take a few bites because its there, and because I know I should.

authentic Eye-Talian

You can tell you are from the midwest! That's how my folks say it.

I actually do not pronounce it that way, but I always got a laugh when my former Italian boss would order pizza for the department and demand that anchovies be on the pizza. When some would groan and ask why, he would say, "Well, you Poles and Germans should understand that I am Eye-Talian!" He was sort of making fun of them, but at least the pizza was free.

authentic Eye-Talian

You can tell you are from the midwest! That's how my folks say it.

I actually do not pronounce it that way,

I didn't really think you did.

This'll probably sound weird, but I love cottage cheese with pizza. I find the temperature and textural juxtaposition appealing.

Mr. Rogov's poll about eating pizza brought to mind the time we flew our oldest grandson to CA. He was about nine years old, and on his first night with us, we ordered pizza. While waiting for it to arrive, I made a green salad, and set it aside on the counter. Our grandson said, "I thought we were having pizza?" I told him we were, along with the salad. He told us he had never seen pizza served with salad in his home town of Sidney, Ohio. He was totally blown away by the concept. I cannot think about having pizza with anything but a salad. Gene likes a beer and I have red wine, but other than the beverages, what side do you like with your pizza?

Karen,
Your grandson lives about 10 miles from me. Wonder if he prefers Cassano's pizza?
They do offer salads at most joints around here, btw, but I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone order one with their pizza. I think in the old days, Pizza Hut used to have a pizza and salad bar combo for dining in.
The only thing I have room for with my pizza is more pizza.

JuliaB

Your grandson lives about 10 miles from me. Wonder if he prefers Cassano's pizza?

Oh I miss Cassano's. Never understood why I miss it so much but just never found anything that comes close where we are. I can make better at home but it does not make me miss Cassano's any less.

At Santarpio's (arguably the best pizza place in Boston), it's traditional to order lamb kebab or sausage while waiting for the pizza to arrive. Salad isn't even available.

-Paul W.

At Santarpio's (arguably the best pizza place in Boston), it's traditional to order lamb kebab or sausage while waiting for the pizza to arrive. Salad isn't even available.

-Paul W.

Ouch! My stomach hurts just thinking about eating sausage followed by pizza.

authentic Eye-Talian

You can tell you are from the midwest! That's how my folks say it.

That's how many in the Deep South say it, too.

I was watching a new Food Network show the other day…called “The Best Thing I ever ate…or something like that. Short 30 min show where the FN chefs tell you where their favorite restaurants are what they like to eat there. The last one I watched showed a pizza parlor in NYC (whose name escapes me) where they made a super thin, extra crisp margherita pizza, cooked in a wood fired oven..then topped with arugula and shaved parmesan reg right out of the oven.

Looked really good. That may be the best way to eat Pizza and salad I’ve ever seen.

Richard

where they made a super thin, extra crisp margherita pizza, cooked in a wood fired oven..then topped with arugula and shaved parmesan reg right out of the oven.

We do that semi-regularly at home, only without the wood fired oven, alas.

If we are making pizza, we almost always have a large arugula salad, usually as a first course. If we get delivery pizza, we don't bother, because we're only getting delivery pizza because we are way too tired to deal with cooking anything ourselves.

Standard practice for weekend dinner is to have homemade pizza and salad. I agree with those who said that all the bread and cheese needs something fresh and green on the side.

where they made a super thin, extra crisp margherita pizza, cooked in a wood fired oven..then topped with arugula and shaved parmesan reg right out of the oven.

We do that semi-regularly at home, only without the wood fired oven, alas.

If we are making pizza, we almost always have a large arugula salad, usually as a first course. If we get delivery pizza, we don't bother, because we're only getting delivery pizza because we are way too tired to deal with cooking anything ourselves.

I'm tempted to get my act together and actually make a wood-fired oven for pizza and bread. I have some plans and some cement blocks.