Knowledge of Pie: What I've learned making pizzas 5 weeks in a row

- Wet, slightly sticky dough, though more difficult to work with, makes tastier crust

- Mis-shaped pies, even perhaps with unsightly holes or crimped up areas due to a poor transfer to the oven, still taste good

- Women who work with dough in a professional kitchen make prettier pies than men who sell wine in a sometimes professional wine shop

- Mixing the right ratio of ingredients in a relatively consistent kitchen environment, using the same method and proofing the dough at least 8 hours (ideally, though, a day or more) makes a reliable dough

- Selecting and combining toppings is the most fun and forgiving part of the pizza making

- That's besides eating the pizza, of course

- Tomato sauce free pizzas often make for the most tasty and memorable pies (don't worry, Nat, the first pie will always have some sauce)

- A simple pizza can be a beautiful thing, for example: olive oil, sea salt, sliced red bell pepper, and a liberal sprinkling of ground espelette

- Enthusiastic, hungry pizza devotees are your biggest boosters of confidence and morale

Thanks to everyone who has participated in our ongoing, weekly pizza nights. There will be much more pizza to come, of course.