2025, Art, books, Food

Sci Fi Pizza?

36 Comments

At the library last week I happened upon a little hardcover book called Pizzapedia by Dan Bransfield.  It says on the inside flap that it’s a “biography of pizza”.  I wouldn’t go quite that far but it is a charming piece filled with marvelous illustrations.

And some humor.  I found this about ¾ of the way through, right after an illustration of a pizza-making robot and how it works:

Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Pizza Robotics

    • First Law. A pizza robot may not burn a pizza or, through inaction, allow a pizza to come to harm.
    • Second Law. A pizza robot must accept orders for pizzas except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
    • Third Law. A pizza robot must protect its own recipes as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.

If you’re not a Sci/Fi fan, here is a copy of Issac Asimov’s original Law of Robotics.

    • A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
    • A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
    • A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

These laws were first introduced in Asimov’s 1942 short story “Runaround,” which is part of the collection I, Robot. They were designed to create a framework for ethical behavior in robots, ensuring that they prioritize human safety and obedience while also allowing for self-preservation.

I’m pretty sure that any pizza-making robots out in the world aren’t too worried about having to pledge allegiance to Issac Asimov, but the author made me laugh and that’s always helpful these days!

What is your favorite?  Thin crust, thick-crust, stuffed crust, deep-dish?  Square cut or triangles?

 

36 thoughts on “Sci Fi Pizza?”

  1. Love this, VS. I had not read I, Robot (though Husband probably has)… wonder if it would be any fun to read aloud.

    I like thin crust, otherwise you’re just chewing a lot of bread. But it doesn’t have to be the Ultra-thin Crust. Triangles seem easier to hold, but our high school place, Zeno’s, cut ’em in squares, and I still kind of miss that.

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  2. Cut mine into squares, please. I like very thin, crisp crusts with a scant sprinkling of cornmeal on them. I also like kind of weird things on pizza: mushrooms, Kalamata olives, and sometimes smoked oysters or anchovies. I don’t mind pineapple on pizza. It’s okay, but it’s not my favorite. Sauerkraut is also good on pizza.

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  3. A Pizza the Size of the Sun

    I’m making a pizza the size of the sun,
    a pizza that’s sure to weigh more than a ton,
    a pizza too massive to pick up and toss,
    a pizza resplendent with oceans of sauce.

    I’m topping my pizza with mountains of cheese,
    with acres of peppers, pimentos, and peas,
    with mushrooms, tomatoes, and sausage galore,
    with every last olive they had at the store.

    My pizza is sure to be one of a kind,
    my pizza will leave other pizzas behind,
    my pizza will be a delectable treat
    that all who love pizza are welcome to eat.

    The oven is hot, I believe it will take
    a year and a half for my pizza to bake.
    I hardly can wait till my pizza is done,
    my wonderful pizza the size of the sun.

    – Jack Prelutsky

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  5. I like pizza. Thin or thick crust, I just like pizza. And I prefer triangles please and thank you.

    We rotate through about 7 different pizza places in town that offer gluten free pizza for daughter. If we meet friends for pizza, we need an extra table just to hold all the pizza’s. Theirs, ours, and hers.

    One time in Chicago, we went to Lou Malnati’s pizza. Great thick Chicago style pizza. We asked for extra cheese as always. They said they already have a lot of cheese. Yeah, but extra please. Well. It was a LOT of cheese. Don’t really need more on theirs. Their gluten free used to be a sausage crust.

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  6. Husband and I love all styles of pizza, as long as it’s not from a big chain restaurant. Thin, crisp crust, chewy crust, thick crusts like Detroit style and Chicago style. We have several favorites nearby. When we go to Chicago, we go to Burt’s Place, which has the best pizza we’ve ever had.

    When I make pizza at home, it’s usually thin crust and always cut in triangles.

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  7. I didn’t have pizza from a pizza parlor until I was in high school. My mom had pizza in college and she had a cold dry piece and so she never wanted to have pizza ever again. She did relent when I was in junior high and we started having pizza made from the Chef Boyardee pizza box. Pretty straightforward cheese pizza she didn’t embellish it at all.

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  8. We just got an invitation to a local Volunteer Appreciation Open House in a couple of weeks that will be held at a lovely “designer pizza” place in downtown Winona. Will let you know if it’s wonderful – we tried to go there on my birthday one year, but didn’t want to wait in line…

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  9. I haunted Bill‘s Pizza in Northfield when I was in school there. They are still open, but now they’re called Basil’s although I’m not sure why. Thin crust cheese with extra cheese cut into squares. It was my favorite.

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  10. Hello from puppytown!

    Thin crust, Neapolitan style. Punch pizza here in town is really good. There is one in Uptown, too, that I really liked, but I think it closed–something like the Black Sheep? Edith and I met there for lunch years ago. I also liked running around Rome and Florenz eating street pizza followed by a gelato chaser. Definitely triangles. The pizzas in Italy have an egg fried on them, too.

    Puppy McGee has been exhausted today. He must be adjusting from the change of homes. He slept soundly all afternoon and is up and playing again. It is hard not to step on him.

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      1. He has grown like crazy in the few days we have had him. His vet clearance says he is 3.9 lbs. He is little. He will be between 25-30 lbs as an adult.

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      2. Sittin’ down in Eden Prairie, thinkin’ ‘bout a plate.
        Dentist’s office lost it in the mail.
        Puppy chewed a shoelace up, left me in a state
        And he just sits there waggn’ his little tail.

        Boredom’s just another word for nothin’ left to chew
        Nothin’, don’t mean nothin’ hon’ if it ain’t chewed.
        And feelin’ mad is easy, Lord, when Puppy chews the shoes.
        But feelin’ mad is never good for me….
        Never good for me and my Puppy McGee.

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        2. Linda, that is fun!

          I was a good academic and research writer but I do not have any talent for parody.

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      1. There was a Black Sheep in downtown St. Paul, too. Not sure when they closed – I liked that place, but apparently not enough of us went there often enough,

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        1. Apparently COVID was a contributing factor. They closed at the end of April, 2022.

          Here’s what they posted on social media at the time:

          “COVID, bike lanes and shortages, oh my!
          11 years it’s been
          So much has happened since way back when
          Great times had by all
          Customers, staff and especially Colleen and Jordan had a ball
          The time has come to close our St. Paul door.
          We loved every minute and our hearts are sore
          Great pizza and peeps are just a short drive away
          We’ll keep the coal burning all night and day
          Head over to the North Loop or Eat Street today
          We are so sad but it’s not goodbye
          Please visit us in Minneapolis
          For some great Black Sheep Pizza pie
          With love and gratitude for many great years,
          The entire Black Sheep pizza crew.”

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  11. Duane ‘s House of Pizza just closed in Fargo-Moorhead. It was the go-to pizza place there. I like pizza with white sauce as opposed to tomato sauce.

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  12. I had pizza several times when I was in Italy. One was almost a fried crust, and a couple of others were very, very similar to Punch Pizza here in the Twin Cities. Of course everything I had to eat in Italy was fabulous.

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  13. We have take out pizza about once every two or three weeks. We’re lucky to live close to one of the best take pizza places in St. Paul, The Pizza Shop. Nothing fancy, but good house-made sauce, and a good regular crust. . We like sausage, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, green and black olives. Once in a while Hans will order pineapple on his half. The Pizza Shop cuts the pizza in squarish slices which I’ve come to appreciate because it allows for better portion control.

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