Punk Rock Pizza

The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns were a strange thing. 

Some people got smokers. Some people knitted. Some people - made sourdough. 

To be sure, sourdough had long been an interest but with every previous attempt, I'd get busy, go somewhere, forget about it and - mould city. It never got anywhere, but now I wasn't going anywhere and I had some time to kill and wanted to connect with the kids. 

Sourdough is nothing more than smelly living slime, which means it was perfect for slime connoisseur, Kayah. We named our first starter Bobette and embarked on some experimentation. One Friday night, we made pizza dough with the starter discard. We hung out in the kitchen, making pizzas while I bombarded Kayah with some of punk rock's historical highlights. It was a great night of company, food and music. 

I'm always looking for a reason to alliterate and in a quick trade with Rhonda, we quickly found Pilon Punk Rock Pizza Party. A reason to eat good pizza and listen to music. 

We've repeated it semi-regularly ever since. Sure, we made a few sourdough loaves and delivered them to family and co-workers. But that pizza dough has persisted. We've been through Bobbette 1-23 but we still make up fresh batches of dough as much as possible. 

Last summer I bought a small portable wood pellet oven. It's easy to use and fun but I can't say what I'd do for a brick pizza oven in my backyard! 

Retirement goals I guess.

This past Christmas, I embarked on a very optimistic project of making a ball of sourdough pizza dough accompanied by a hand-cut punk 'zine and sticker by Rhonda (and an AI but I won't tell!) as a gift for all my friends and family. I think I made about 20 Punk Rock Pizza Parties in all. It was well received, but I think the execution lacked a bit and I don't think I'd do the same kind of project again. Or I'd at least use a stand mixer.

I ponder what I'd like to do next with it. I started a Redbubble store a few months ago with the thought that I might find some kind of merchandise angle, but it's just not quite what I have in mind yet. 

Only time will tell. Until then, if I can ever pop by your place with my oven, I provide the dough, and you provide the toppings. Let's listen to some punk music and have a slice - or twelve.