Pizza.

It's BBQ and Pizza season. Of the two I much prefer to throw a few steaks, chops, or sausages, on the BBQ, but I'm not averse to making pizzas on occasions.

Pizzas always look much nicer than they really are. More often than not I find them uninteresting. This is one that I made yesterday, and was a case in point. It looked absolutely delicious, but fell slightly short; a tad too much Tomato.

I think too much fuss is made of pizzas. Personally I would rather eat a Pork chop than a Pizza, but at this time of year Pizzas are almost obligatory.

I never make my own bases; life's too short. Usually I firstly spread green Pesto on the shop-bought base before building-up with the Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Anchovies, Olives, etc. But for the one here I used a Tomato Passata base and it became all too Tomatoey (the salad was home-grown).

I am often amazed by young women in supermarkets who buy piles of ready-made, cheap-looking, boxed Pizzas; presumably to feed their children. No doubt this is done as a labour-saving exercise. In fact there is nothing more simple than making your own (as long as you buy ready made Pizza dough bases). About 5 mins preparation, and 20 mins in the oven, and Bob e 'tuo zio.

Everyone has a favourite Pizza topping, and mine starts with green Pesto. If you've never tried it; do so. It gives the finished product an altogether different balance. A thin layer of Pesto, sliced Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Anchovies, and a few black Olives. That's it. No toppings of Pineapple chunks or Mars bar slices for me.

I do like Pizzas (especially my own), however, I'd still prefer a juicy steak or Pork chop.