The More Mozzarella the Merrier

Ordering pizza with a group is great; the more people, the more pizzas you order. The best part though is sharing that pizza with the extraordinary people that surround us. Every August my family gathers in Door County and we have an annual “Luther Bash”.  We sing karaoke, hit up a supper club, take long walks and lucky for me, we eat pizza.  Delicious wood-fired pizza.

A weekend getaway filled with great conversation and plenty of laughter reminds me of how awesome my family is.   It also reminds me the importance of maintaining and continually expanding a network of great people in our lives.

A feast for the whole family.

Approaching Door County on a Friday night I strategize with my Mom over the phone about what to order from Wild Tomato Wood Fired Pizza and Grille in Fish Creek, WI. My mom has arrived a day early and bless her heart has offered to pick up pizza for the whole family.

In the 4 hour car ride up north Tess, my brother Jeff and his fiancé Jaime have come up with a delectable plan for our Friday night pizza party. We account for everyone’s likes, dislikes and imagine the right variety for our whole family.  We then coordinate this to my Mom.

The mouth of the wood-fired oven.

When we arrive to our vacation destination, we are greeted with hot fresh pizzas and a packed condo of buzzing Luthers.  My wonderful Mother even went one step further and snapped pictures of the pizza that you see in this post.

That’s the power of a solid network. You have someone to share ideas with, lean on, and lift you up with a smorgasbord of wood-fired pizzas (along with pictures).

 The wood-fired wonder of the North. 

You may associate Door County the seasonal Wisconsin getaway with wineries, cranberries, sailboats and scenery, but would you expect some of the states best wood-fired pizza?

When I discovered Wild Tomato Wood Fired Pizza back in 2010, I suddenly felt a whole new level of appreciation for the relaxing touristy peninsula.  If one of these puppies existed in Madison, it would be my go to spot.

The “Sausage and Pesto” with Goat Cheese

“Sausage and Pesto” perfection.

For several years now my immediate family has made it a tradition to get the “Sausage & Pesto” pizza with goat cheese added to it (Tess’s amazing idea, I married well).  The wood-fired pizza has a sturdy charred crust that provides an excellent chew.  The crust is just thick enough to hold a bountiful yet balanced layer of of high quality ingredients: Italian sausage, fresh diced tomatoes, fresh basil, pesto and our addition dollops of goat cheese.

Some combinations seem so simple, yet fit so perfectly that when they come together, you wonder why people don’t do it more often.  The ingredients of the “Sausage and Pesto” pie come together and create a pizza that is fun and memorable.  Just like the Luther Clan; we come together and create a comforting and supportive network.

It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

While family is often at the core of our network, continually expanding our circle is important.

“Networking is when you create a far bigger family around you than you could have ever imagined.” states best selling author and podcaster James Altucher.

My uncle Pete’s combo: Sausage, pepperoni, mushroom and onion.

He references his podcast interview with Scot Cohen The Best Networker in the World. PERIOD. “Networking is when you create your “scene” over years. The people you can help. The people you learn to help. The people who can connect some dots and you become happy when you can introduce them to people who connect other dots.”

Harvey Mackay businessman and New York Times best selling author says in his book Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty “If I had to name the single characteristic shared by all truly successful people I’ve met over a lifetime, I’d say it is the ability to create and nurture a network of contacts.”

Developing and maintaining your network. 

• Keep it fun by bringing enthusiasm to a conversation, be optimistic and uncover a shared interest.  One of my favorite ways to spark up a conversation is to ask someone about their favorite pizza.  You can’t go wrong.
• Be a good listener and let others share what’s on their mind.  Give your full attention to them and affirm what they are saying. By being an attentive listener you become a trusted ally.
• Reach out to your favorite people every couple months.  Always work on maintaining relationships even if it’s just a call, text or a simple “Like” on facebook.  Share a picture of some pizza you enjoyed.
• The more the merrier holds true. Always add to your network.  The more we extend ourselves to others and create new relationships, the more opportunities we open up.  And the more excellent pizza we come across.
• Have patience with those in your network and hold them accountable.  Sometimes we need to lean and sometimes we are leaned on, taking the initiative to help others will solidify a life-long bond.

What pizza taught me:

Surrounding ourselves with great people makes life exciting, enjoyable and sometimes even easier. Pizza is always there for us in the good times and the bad, and if we play our cards right so is a solid support system of family and friends.

What I’m eating:  Wild Tomato Wood Fired Pizza and Grille

What I’m reading: Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty – Harvey Mackay

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The School of Slice

Pizza is a lifetime sport and so is learning.  During this time of year I always catch the butterflies of an upcoming fall semester.  I’m years out of school, but I try to stay as hungry for knowledge as I do for new and interesting pizza.

Continually reading, learning and seeking new experiences can be half the fun of life.  By consuming new information I’ve always got new ideas flowing and a fresh pizza perspective.  In the last couple years I have fully realized the power of a good book.

You are what you read. 

I didn’t always read, actually for the longest time I thought it was really boring outside of a classic fiction novel now and again. By progressively getting more into non-fiction I have taken some pretty cool strides in my personal and professional life.

It’s funny to look back when I was young and I participated in the Pizza Hut “Book It” program through my local library.  The basic concept as I recall, was to read a certain number of books and get a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut.  I don’t know if this brainwashed me, but I read more than ever now and treat myself with pizza.

“Book It” aside, a lot of very successful people believe regular reading and learning can help us excel.  In an article from Business Insider it was said that Bill Gates reads 50 books a year. Warren Buffet, the second wealthiest person in the United States said, “I just sit in my office and read all day”. Tech visionary Elon Musk responded, “I read books” when asked how he learned to build rockets.

Billionaire Mark Cuban (who is said to read 3 hours a day) addresses the importance of continual learning in his book How to Win at the Sport of Business, “The thing you do need to do is learn. Learn accounting. Learn finance.  Learn statistics. Learn as much as you can about business.  Read biographies about businesspeople. You don’t have to focus on one thing, but you have to create a base of knowledge so you are ready when it’s time.”

A Student of Slice.

Making a habit of self-education can seem tedious and boring.  I’ll share ways I’ve found to motivate myself to learn on a daily basis with the help of some delicious pies.

One slice in front of the other.

“The Clam Pie” at Gates & Brovi in Madison, WI taught me to ease into pushing my pizza envelope.  “The Clam Pie” is basically an awesome cheese pizza that has some clams, fennel and a dash of cream on it. Delicious and an easy first step towards broadening my pizza horizon.

When attempting to get into a book, start by committing to read a page a day.  Usually this will naturally turn into more as the material grabs your attention.  I started with one page a day and now enjoy reading 20 pages a day.

Listen and learn.

A kind waitress at Brixx Wood Fired Pizza in Charlotte, NC had the brilliant suggestion that I get a half buffalo chicken, half 4 meat/4 cheese pizza.  She saw that I was torn on what to order and gave a much appreciated recommendation.  I got the best of both worlds because I listened to her.

Many books reference and quote other books and authors.  Once you begin reading, a snowball takes effect as you discover one outlet for information leads to another.

You can also swap the radio for podcasts on your commute.  I enjoy the Tim Ferriss and James Altucher podcasts.  I’ve found many of my favorite books this way.

Go outside your comfort zone.

At White Pie Pizzeria in Denver, CO I went out of my usual comfort zone and tried the “White Pie” which had a runny egg smack dab in the middle of it.  The pie was truly amazing and I’m very pleased I pushed my usual boundaries.

We can also benefit from exploring reading material outside of our normal interests.  You could start reading a magazine/blog that doesn’t really fit in your normal wheelhouse and stumble upon a subject you really enjoy.  For example I started reading Wired magazine (a technology magazine) and have found all sorts of cool things I never would have been exposed to.

What pizza taught me:

Continually learning and discovering makes life so much more exciting.  If we embrace the student mindset slice by slice, book by book we can become even better versions of ourselves.

What I’m eating:  Gates & Brovi, Brixx Wood Fired Pizza, White Pie Pizzeria 

What I’m reading:  How to Win at the Sport of Business -Mark Cuban