CRUST: White Dough

BASE: Garlic and Herbs

SAUCE: Barbeque

CHEESE: Mozzarella

TOPPINGS: Bell Peppers, Jalapenos, Pineapples, Olives, Tomatoes, Red Onions

SIDE: Ranch Dressing

When I walked into the building, I was immediately paralyzed by the infinite amount of my options. I looked at the wall on my left and scanned through the menu, going through the pre-set pizza recipes before deciding that, well, I might as well try what I came for.

I came to make a pizza I couldn’t find anywhere else. Or at least, I thought I did. It turned out that I was a little less adventurous than I had thought, but that’s not important.

Pieology works as a type of mix and match: you have multiple options for pretty much everything but the crust that you can choose in different combinations to make the pie of your dreams. I, decided pretty early on that my pizza of choice would involve barbeque sauce. Other than that, well, I figured I’d let it be up to the experts.

The guys behind the counter were a little surprised when I asked them for their opinions, so I figure most people have an idea of what they want. But they were pretty open to offering suggestions, and by the time we’d gotten to the veggie toppings we thought would go best with barbeque sauce and mozzarella, everyone involved was enthusiastic.

“I don’t think the flavor of the pineapples will be too overpowering. It’ll probably taste fine.”

Good call, pizza guy. The pineapples were delicious.

Overall, my experience at Pieology was a good one, even if it felt a little formulaic. I enjoyed both the taste and novelty of a pizza that I could fix to my own palate, and I know that I’ll probably go back if I ever dream up a flavor combination I won’t be able to sell to my local pizzeria. On the other hand, there was something about the starkness of the space that unnerved me a little, the way that individual pizzas being made on an assembly line undermined the sense of comfort I usually take from a perfect slice.

I guess I’ve always associated a certain magic with the creation of a good pizza. Watching one be made in front of me made me realize that maybe there really wasn’t.

I miss it, to be honest. More than I thought I would.