Pizza

Pizza. It's a lovely thing, really. I love pizza because it is just so versatile. Pizza is the quintessential Friday-night sleepover food. It's also the perfect company-showed-up-at-our-doorstep-and-we-need-food food. A delightful italian pie by candlelight can truly make a spectacularly cozy meal. Thin crust roast chicken and spinach pizza on the patio on a sunny spring day is a fun way to spend a saturday afternoon with girlfriends. And despite its reputation as a nutritional trainwreck, pizza is one of my go-to healthy, balanced meals: a thin, whole grain spelt crust topped with homemade tomato sauce, a light sprinkling of feta and a healthy dose of spinach is by far my favorite way to eat pizza (Remember that spelt pizza we made at my house in Chapel Hill, Debbie? Fun days!).

Cairo, being the cosmopolitan metropolis that it is, has an astounding variety of pizza choices: Papa John's, Pizza Hut, and Dominos can be ordered via phone or internet and are promised to arrive at your home within 45 minutes. Additionally, there are other great pizza options such Maison Thomas, whose Quattro Formagio is truly a culinary delight, and Crave, a delightfully fresh restaurant that I discovered just two weeks ago. If you want to visit Cairo, rest assured that there are enough pizza offerings to satisfy every palate.

Of all these wonderful pizza choices, however, I must strongly express my opinion that no one should EVER order from Papa John's, EVER AGAIN. Last weekend, some of the youth group girls slept over at my house after church Friday night. After a quick discussion of dinner options, we settled on pizza, and despite a rather difficult ordering process, finally convinced the Papa John's employee that we wanted pepperoni pizza, not Cha-cha chicken pizza, and definitely not Hot and Spicy pizza. Just pepperoni. While we waited, we revisited our parents teenage years in the form of Kevin Bacon's dancing skills in 'Footloose.' After waiting an hour for the pizza to arrive, I called Papa John's to ask where it was, and the following hilarity ensued...

Hi, this is Bethany, I ordered pizza an hour ago. I would like to know where it is?

"Ahh, Mr. Besaneee, I sink za driver have problem. Will be there in five minutes."

Five minutes later...

Hi, this is Bethany again, the driver still isn't here, can you tell me where my pizza is please?

Ahhh, hold on. Ahhh, manager will call you in two minute, ok?

Hi, zis is za manager. I will make you new pizza.

NO. I don't want a new pizza, thanks, I just want the other pizza.

What you want on new pizza?

Nothing. I want the old pizza. We are really hungry, and we don't have time for a new pizza.

Ok, I make you new pizza. Old one is cold.

No problem, we like cold pizza. Just send the cold one.

Ok, what you like on new pizza?

I DON'T WANT A NEW PIZZA.

Ok, will be in ten minute.

Hi, this is Bethany, it's been ten minutes, our pizza still isn't here.

Ok, will be ten minute.

Ok, I will call you in ten minutes to let you know that the pizza still isn't here, ok? Thanks

Hi, this is Bethany, just calling to let you know that the pizza isn't here. I'll call back in ten. In fact, I'll call every ten minutes all night until it gets here, ok? Great. Thanks.

Repeat same scenario for the next hour and a half, and you get the picture. We ordered pizza at 8:45, and ate it at 11:15. Positives? Another crazy Cairo story, hot pizza that didn't cost us a dime, and great memories. No more Papa John's for me, though.