[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]

Is that a hardworking teaspoon of sugar just mindin' it's own business OR is it the shot heard 'round the world? If you frequent Slice, you may have spotted the recent re-emergence of a longstanding debate regarding Kenji's New York style pizza sauce. The recipe calls for a modest addition of sugar, and a whole lot of folks are just not having it. And I quote: "No, no, no, no, no, no, no," and "The red stuff on pizza is tomato sauce. There is no sugar in tomato sauce. I think I made that pretty clear," and "Are you crazy? Tomatoes in Tomato Sauce? The Italians are freakin freakin out! STOP IT!," and so on and so forth.

So, we want to know. Is that (biggish) pinch of sugar no big deal or utter, heinous blasphemy?

Poll: Sugar in Tomato Sauce, Way or No Way?

About the author: Niki Achitoff-Gray is the editor of Slice and a part-time student at the Institute of Culinary Education. She's pretty big into pizza. Also, she likes offal. A lot.

Most of have strong cheese feelings, especially when it comes to topping a pie. When I find Gruyère on a pizza menu, my eyes light up. My pulse quickens at the sight of blue cheese. Cheddar, on the other hand, gets a dismissive wave of the hand. Thanks, but no thanks.

When mozzarella's off the table, what cheese gets you going?

Discount coupon offered on the pizzeria's website. [Photograph: Allaroundpizza.com]

If you did a double take, too, then we're probably on the same page. Virginia Beach's All Around Pizza and Deli is offering a generous 15% discount to anyone who brings in their concealed handgun permit or just, you know, whips out any old concealed weapon.

According to restaurant owner Jay Laze, roughly 80% of his customers have taken advantage of this gun-toting supersaver opportunity. That's including one gentleman who apparently brought in his AK-47.

The NRA already offers discounts to its members, who can save big bucks at hotels like Wyndham and Best Western. It appears that the institution's incentivizing tactics have trickled down to small business owners like Laze.

The ambitious Second Amendment activist is certainly pleased with the promotion's success; Laze has already extended the offer for an additional month and says he's considering making it available indefinitely. With a menu touting "HOMEMADE DOUGH - ZESTY SAUCE - 7-CHEESE BLEND - FRESH - MADE TO ORDER" pies, ranging from $6.99-$14.99 ($2 for extra toppings), it's clearly a pretty unbeatable deal.

Slice'rs! Are you strapped for cash or up in arms?? *

*I'm really sorry. I just couldn't resist.

About the author: Niki Achitoff-Gray is the editor of Slice and a part-time student at the Institute of Culinary Education. She's pretty big into pizza. Also, she likes offal. A lot.

[Photograph: Meredith Smith]

Two things inspire today's poll. 1. We are entering the week leading up to one of the most pizza-eatingest days of the year—Super Bowl Sunday! And what in the snacking pantheon better represents the two most prevalent Super Bowl foods than the union of Buffalo chicken and pizza? 2. After re-visiting one of Boston's oldest and most famous pizzerias last week, and spotting a sign announcing that they now serve Buffalo chicken pizza, I've realized the hold that this topping has taken. It's been around in chains and is served in most college town pizzerias, but seeing it prominently advertised in an old guard pizzeria was striking... and telling. Heck, we've even seen it show up on an all Neapolitan menu.

Many voices from the pizza community are offended by the very idea of this pizza. And yet, it clearly has its fans. In his "In Defense of Buffalo Chicken Pizza" post, our own Max Falkowitz advocated for the topping pointing out, "there's textural contrast, sharp balanced heat, and enough distance from your average pizza that you could almost consider it as a separate food group. There's something daring and brazen about it, a gonzo bastardized pizza that's just so wrong it's right." So where do you stand on the topic of Buffalo Chicken pizza? Is it total crapola or the best American contribution to pizza since pepperoni?

About the author: Meredith Smith is the Slice editor. You can follow her on Twitter: @mertsmith.

Despite every cafeteria pizza I ever ate being served with a mound of golden corn kernels, I never felt tempted to cross over into corn topped pizza territory. I think I read a statistic* that 9 out of 10 pizzas sold in Japan come with corn on top. And despite a whole country embracing the topping, and I am sure they are not alone, I can't seem to make the great leap into kernel topped pies. What say you Slice'rs, am I alone in this, way or no way?

*That's a bold faced lie, but seems like a passable number.

About the author: Meredith Smith is the Slice editor. You can follow her on Twitter: @mertsmith.

Some pizzas that haunt Adam's dreams. [Photograph: Adam Kuban]

It's National Pizza Week, Slice'rs! Yeah, I know it's a made up week. And isn't every week pizza week? It is around here. In the spirit of fantasy celebration weeks, I thought this week's poll could be your fantasy way to celebrate National Pizza Week.

About the author: Meredith Smith is the Slice editor. You can follow her on Twitter: @mertsmith.What's your dream way to celebrate National Pizza Week?

Broccoli slice from Sam's Pizza Place in Wildwood, NJ [Photograph: Adam Kuban]

Last week, Kenji raised a very important question in Thursday's Top This: Why don't we see more broccoli on pizza? Like many a cruciferous vegetable, broccoli causes controversy. Mom's haven't been loading it up with obscene amounts of cheese sauce for nothing. But with pizza having the cheese part covered, and with nearly every slice having at least one broccoli topped pie in the case, I never suspected that it would such a polarizing topping. Let's see a show of hands, who gets down with broccoli on their pie? And is it just an aversion to the vegetable itself, or does it have to do with how it's prepared?

About the author: Meredith Smith is the Slice editor. You can follow her on Twitter: @mertsmith.

Top left: RosaAleppo by Imwalkin, top right: Margherita by TXCraig1, bottom left: Buddy clone by Norma427, bottom right: Fiddlehead pie by BKMatt [Photo Composite: Meredith Smith]

How would you classify your style when it comes to making pizza at home? Are you more of a naturalist, taking your topping cues from whatever is of the season? Or are you always seeking to push the boundaries, trying new techniques and unusual combos? Do you prefer to take the time to master the basics and just focus on classics, or do you find comfort in sticking to the tried and true? Or does homemade pizza simply represent a practical and delicious way to clean out the fridge?

About the author: Meredith Smith is the Slice editor. You can follow her on Twitter: @mertsmith.

[Photograph: Adam Kuban]

Pasta on pizza—it's a thing. How have we never put this question to you pizza lovin' people before? Adding ziti or macaroni to pies seems to be a regional trend that is most prominent in the Long Island and New Jersey swatch of the pizza belt. But there are outliers too, like this spaghetti pizza in Grapevine, TX. And I recently noticed that some frozen pizza brands have introduced mac n cheese varieties to their lineup. Are you into the carb on carb pies?

About the author: Meredith Smith is the Slice editor. You can follow her on Twitter: @mertsmith.

[Photograph: Robyn Lee]

It is the most leftover time of year, is it not? Which raises the very important pizza storage question that is the subject of today's poll: How long do you let leftover slices linger? For some, this may be related to the way in which they store their pizza. (Long time Slice'rs may recall the our own Ed Levine has some "questionable pizza practices" in the storage department that dictate the rate at which his leftovers need be consumed.) No judgement here. So how long does a leftover slice stand a chance in your kitchen?

Related: The Best Way to Reheat a Pizza Slice »

About the author: Meredith Smith is the Slice editor. You can follow her on Twitter: @mertsmith.

Happy almost Thanksgiving. Although turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie grace the dinner table in lieu of pizza, we keep all things we are grateful for at the forefront of our thoughts on Thanksgiving day. That, of course, includes pizza! So in the spirit of giving thanks, vote for the style of pizza that you are most thankful for.


What style pizza are you most thankful for?

Bonus Poll:

Ok, I'm just curious. Pizza isn't totally out of the Thanksgiving eating equation. Thanksgiving Eve is said to be one of the top five most popular nights of the year for pizza delivery. So how many of you Slice'rs will order pizza on Wednesday?

About the author: Meredith Smith is the Slice editor. You can follow her on Twitter: @mertsmith.

The Mootz from Paulie Gee's [Photograph: Max Falkowitz]

Versatility is one of pizza's greatest virtues. While traditionalist may favor tomato sauce, there is a whole spectrum of non-tomato sauces that make for an excellent pie. I'm sure there are some that I didn't even think of, so feel free to add them in the comments below. When you opt for a non-tomato sauced pie, what's the one you crave the most?

About the author: Meredith Smith is the Slice editor. You can follow her on Twitter: @mertsmith.

[Photograph: Jeffrey Ziga of Little Baby's Ice Cream]

I love pizza. I love ice cream. Would I love pizza flavored ice cream? Little Baby's Ice Cream in Philly (located next to Pizza Brain—the groundbreaking pizza museum) is making it possible to find out.

After you've cast your vote (or before), check out this coverage on Pizza Brain featuring Brian Dwyer, Hawk Krall, and the man behind pizza flavored ice cream, Jeffrey Ziga. Of course there is a pizza ice cream cameo:

About the author: Meredith Smith is the Slice editor. You can follow her on Twitter: @mertsmith.

[Image: Meredith Smith]

Between the Frankenstorm and Halloween, it's hard not to be in a "worst-case scenario" frame of mind. Did you know that Halloween is one of the busiest days of the year for pizza delivery? It's true. Along with Thanksgiving Eve and Super Bowl Sunday. But with most of the East Coast hunkered down, those deliveries may take a dive in favor of homemade pies. So that got me thinking about a pizza state of emergency. Suspend disbelief for a moment, Slice'rs, and let's play a little game of "would you rather." (You may remember this from grade school when you tried to gross out your friends by making them choose between what you deemed to be two equally undesirable scenarios: would you rather eat a scab or lick someone's arm pit?)

Imagine you are making pizza at home and you have to use at least one of these substitutes: a store-bought pizza shell, a non-dairy cheese substitute, or jarred tomato sauce. I even provided a cop out answer—frozen pizza. Making a cheeseless pizza or doctoring the sauce is NOT an option. That goes against the spirit of the game. Which of these choices do you find the least horrifying?

About the author: Meredith Smith is the Slice editor. You can follow her on Twitter: @mertsmith.

A whole wheat pie (left) and regular pie (right) from Oliveto in Oakland. [Photograph: David Kover]

Say "whole wheat pizza" and all sorts of damning descriptors flood the mind. Gluten-free fares no better. Among everyday pizza-loving civilians, I'd hazard a guess that alternative pizza crusts are not much loved. However, the trouble is more likely that too often grains get misused by those more interested in the "health benefits" of non-white wheats and grains than in how to work them into the dough properly. The use of a little rye or wheat certainly has the potential to produce a really interesting crust and not just a dense, leaden sad puck. My question to you is: What alternative pizza crusts have you tried and liked?
If some really memorable ones come to mind, tell us about it in the comments!

Multiple selection enabled.

About the author: Meredith Smith is the Slice editor. You can follow her on Twitter: @mertsmith.