Philosopher’s π

My family often states that I’m not adventurous or spontaneous.

Perhaps they’re right about that.

But when it comes to food . . . When it comes to food, I’ll try almost anything once. At least, I’ll put it in my mouth once. And so, I’m trying new foods. You’d think this wouldn’t be a problem, but because I also value routine, I tend to order the exact same thing at a given restaurant. For example, I ordered the “Philly” Cheesesteak at a neighborhood “Grille” for seven years. A few months ago they updated their menu, and as a result no longer offer the sandwich. I’m lost.

So, the other day Krystal and I were eating at the Mellow Mushroom. We fell in love with this quirky chain of restaurants in Charleston and eat there periodically now that one is within driving distance. Anyway, the other day I wanted pizza but Krystal didn’t, so we went there. She ordered some kind of avocado sub and declared it delicious. She said if a Mellow Mushroom were closer she’d order one of those subs whenever she could for lunch.

I scanned the offerings and found something that sounded good: Philosopher’s Pie. According to the menu, the Philosopher’s Pie is

Olive oil and garlic base, all natural grilled steak, Portobello mushrooms, artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, Provolone, feta and mozzarella cheeses.

I googled Kalamata olives and read that they’re also called black olives. Now, I’m not a huge fan of black olives, but I do like them sliced thin and baked crispy on a pizza. I’ve never had artichoke hearts before, and I thought that a non-tomato based pizza would be a nice change. Also, mushrooms! Krystal doesn’t like them, so the only time I get to eat them is when we eat out.

It looked and smelled amazing, but Google lied to me about the olives. These olives were large and meaty, and though I tried them, I just didn’t care for them. The artichoke hearts were good, though. I’d definitely order this again, but without the olives.

I ended up taking two pieces home with me for lunch the next day. Now, Mellow Mushroom has a decent crust, and microwaves are infamous for being unfriendly to leftover pizza. I like cold pizza, but one bite convinced me this particular pizza needed to be warm. What to do?

I went online and discovered reheating pizza in a skillet. Essentially, one treats the pizza like a grilled cheese sandwich: the pizza’s done when the cheese starts melting. The method worked OK, but the crust ended up just a tad burnt.

Oh, and why did I try Philosopher’s Pie in the first place? It probably had something to do with the books I’ve been reading: The Pig that Wants to be Eaten and Breakfast with Socrates.