AJ stands for Andrew Jackson, our 7th president. His reputation for toughness earned him the nickname "Old Hickory." A hero of the War of 1812, Jackson has appeared on the $20 bill since 1928.

"Make the cheese thin and stringy, but not like rubber!"—Thi

There's excitement in the air! Or is it garlic?

The rich aroma of Mediterranean cuisine fills the halls of the youth center. Everyone's busy with youth center activities:

Lussier Teen Center

Googolplex thanks:

Howard Hayes, director, for use of the Lussier Teen Center, Madison, Wis.Close
Debra Heggs, facilitator, to the Girl Neighborhood Power group in Madison, Wis.

• Using computers;
• Setting up for tonight's open-mic event: rap poetry;
• Planning activities for the city-wide Girl Neighborhood Power group;
• Taste-testing pepperoni pizzas.

Taste-testing pizza? It's the Googolplex Teenage Pizza Challenge!

The challenge: Find the ULTIMATE pizza

"I like the crust thick and buttery; very thick!"—Diniqua

Six pizza testers are prepared to rate six pepperoni pizzas.

Just pepperoni? The testers all agree that pepperoni is the best topping to pick that will make the challenge consistent.

The choices for this party: three frozen varieties, a pizza kit in a box, a take-and-bake pizza from a national chain, and a home-made pizza.

First they cook them; then they eat.

Then they rate the pizzas.

"I like stuffed-crust pizza with lots of cheese!"—Cynthia

The rating system

How do you rate pizza? For this challenge, the testers rate each pizza according to:

• Cost
• Nutrition
• Convenience
• Looks
• Flavor!

Pizza and Nutrition

Is pizza nutritious? It depends on the crust and toppings:

Components	Calories	Fat (%)	Carbs (%)
One thin crust	160	1%	38%
14 slices pepperoni sausage	140	13%	0%
3 ounces chicken	141	3%	0%
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded whole-milk Mozzarella cheese	316	28%	0%
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim-milk Mozzarella cheese	240	10	0%
1/2 cup canned sliced mushrooms	30	0%	4%
4 slices of canned pineapple	120	0%	30%

Use this web site to compare crusts and toppings of a 14” pizza.

The best way to keep pizza calories and nutrition in line is to limit the amount of pizza you eat by ordering a pizza size that supplies only what you need.

If you order a larger size, chances are you'll keep on eating.

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First you cook them

"My favorite toppings are ham and pineapple!"—LaLee

Chef Jim, the Googolplex resident chief pizza maker, turns on the oven the minute he arrives at the youth center. That way the oven has enough time to reach the right temperature.

Six Pizzas On Time

How do you prepare and cook six pizzas so they are ready at the same time?

Chef Jim leads the kitchen team in preparing and presenting the pizzas. The local teen center lends the Teenage Pizza Challenge their commercial kitchen.

The big ovens make it possible to bake all six pizzas quickly, and have them ready at the same time.

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Then he carefully plans the preparation for each pizza so they'll be finished at the same time.

While the oven warms, Chef Jim follows the directions on the box to make the crust for the first pizza.

The first pizza is a boxed kit from Chef Boyardee.

Pizza #1: Chef Boyardee pepperoni pizza kit.

Pizza From a Box

The box contains:

• The dry mix for the crust, measured and sealed in a plastic bag;
• Pizza sauce in a can.

The cheese doesn't come with the kit, so Chef Jim purchases six ounces of mozzarella cheese ahead of time and adds it now, following the instructions on the box.

He combines the crust mix with warm water and vegetable oil, covers it, and lets it "sit in a warm place" for five minutes so it can rise. The warm place in this kitchen is a shelf just above the oven.

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• Cost: $3.69, + 0.50 for the extra cheese = $4.19 for a 12" pizza;
• Nutrition: 360 calories/serving;
• Convenience: The kit is convenient, but it takes a little time to make the pizza!

"I like all kinds of pizza, especially with pepperoni and sausage!"—Fannie

The next three pizzas are all frozen.

Pizza #2, Kraft Jack's Original pepperoni frozen pizza.

• Cost: $2.59 for a 12" pizza;
• Nutrition: 390 calories/serving.

Pizza #3, Red Baron Classic pepperoni frozen pizza.

• Cost: $2.59 for a 12" pizza;
• Nutrition: 340 calories/serving.

Pizza #4, DiGiorno Thin Crispy Crust pepperoni frozen pizza.

• Cost: $4.99 for a 12" pizza;
• Nutrition: 310 calories/serving.

Time for a joke!

What Happens when an Accountant Orders a Pizza?

An accountant walks into a pizzeria and orders a pizza.

When the pizza is done and he goes to the counter to pick it up, the clerk asks, "Should I cut it into six or eight pieces?"

The accountant replies, "Eight please. I'm rather hungry today."

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All three frozen pizzas are very convenient. It doesn't take long to take a frozen pizza out of its box and tear through the shrink-wrap plastic!

Pizza #5, Papa Murphy's Take-and-Bake pepperoni pizza.

Papa Murphy's is a pizza store that prepares the pizza for you, but doesn't cook it. You do!

"I like my sauce juicy red with lots of seasonings!"—Carissa

• Cost: $8.99 for a 12" pizza;
• Nutrition: Papa Murphy's doesn't give nutritional information for this pizza. We estimate 390 calories/serving;
• Convenience: This pizza requires the same amount of work as a frozen pizza—you take it out if the box and unwrap it!

Pizza #6: Chef Jim's homemade pepperoni pizza.

Chef Jim loves to make pizza. His is the last, and only home-made pizza in the contest.

• Cost: $2.45 for a 12" pizza;
• Nutrition: 328 calories/serving;
• Convenience: This pizza is the least convenient.

Thi (left): "Who made the first pizza?"

The First Pizza

Thi (left), age 13, asks Fannie, "Who made the first pizza?"

In Italy, everyone, even very poor people, had the few simple ingredients pizza requires (wheat flour, olive oil, cheese and natural herbs). It was a great way to use the food you had on hand.

The pizza we know today was first made in 1889 by a baker named Rafaele Esposito in Naples, Italy. Esposito made a specially topped bread for the visit of the Italian King Umberto I and Queen Margherita.

Esposito put tomato sauce and cheese on the flatbread he baked for the king and queen, and called it “Pizza Margherita”.

Find more pizza history and fun facts at Pizza-Pedia.

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Chef Jim says, “I started making pizzas as a kid when I wanted a snack while watching late-night horror movies.”

He knows from experience that making dough and letting it rise takes more time than we have. For the Teenage Pizza Challenge he makes the dough at home ahead of time and brings it in a bowl.

At the youth center, Chef Jim tosses the dough in the air. This stretches it into a circular shape.

The testers can hardly wait...

aj1379

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