[The KG9 Kid]

I'm old enough to remember this 'Chef Boyardee' pizza mix in a box that came with a little tin can of tomato paste and a packet of dry Parmesan cheese to pour over it.

God, that pizza was lousy as hell. My parents loved it.

I remember sitting in front of our black and white TV eating awful square thin pizza slices watching the Patty Hearst drama unfold.

[leadhead]

"old enough"?

Patty Hearst was kidnapped in the 70's.

My mom was making that Boyardee boxed belly buster in the 50's.

I found it amusing when I learned that the Boiardi family from Cleveland had owned the food company and a company that made specialty mortars. I wonder which came first, tile grout or their canned spaghetti?

[SamAdams76]

Would you believe that you can still find that awful "Chef Boyardee" pizza mix in your supermarket?

I remember having that stuff as a kid growing up in the early 1970s too. It was passed off by my mother as "real pizza" but I already knew better. There was a genuine pizza place down the street that made great pizza but I only got to eat it two or three times a year. This was back in the days before casual dining when "going out to eat" was only for special occasions and you had to dress up to go there. 99% of all meals back then were made and consumed at home.

I also remember my mother making this godawful toaster-oven pizza which was essentially tomato paste and shredded cheese on top of English muffins.

We ate it just like we ate everything she put on the table (or my father gave us the belt). Wednesdays was always spaghetti-and-meatball night and Friday night was for fish sticks. Not that my family was Catholic but all our neighbors were and my parents didn't want to insult them by having meat.

I still live in New England and having been around the country, we definitely have the best pizza here. Also the best subs. Forget major chains like Subway and D'Angelos. When you come to the Boston area, seek out the local mom and pop pizza & sub shops. They are everywhere. That's where you get real pizza and real subs.

[A knight without armor]

"Old enough" ???


It is still very much in the stores right now. There are two or three versions and you can get a single pie box or one that makes two pies.

If you make it right the crust is very good. I think it is flat and greasy plain but add your own toppings.