The ultimate pizza book for the ultimate pizza geek. This holiday, are you geek enough?

​Ho, ho, ho! This happens every year. It’s happening again. So, get ready.
 
Now is the time where we examine that perennial life question, “This Christmas, should I ask Santa Claus for that 32-pound, three-volume pizza book that comes in a bright red, stainless-steel case?”
 
And the answer is, No.
 
Of course not.
 
You don’t want it unless you’re a glutton for pizza punishment.

Plus, it may herniate your mailman when he tries to deliver it.
 
This is the only pizza book that should come with its own cargo crane.
 
We’re speaking, of course, about that book that could drag you to the bottom of the ocean, Modernist Pizza.
 
Surprisingly, despite its three-figure price tag and 40-pound shipping weight, it’s the best selling item in the “tools” section of the Free The Pizza website.
 
And I admit that I enjoy being an unapologetic shill for one of the world’s quirkiest cookbook authors.
 
 
I also feel OK doing that because I’ve read the entire book from cover to cover.
 
That includes Volume 1 - History And Fundamentals; Volume 2 - Techniques And Ingredients; and Volume 3 - Recipes.
 
I can’t say that it’s the best pizza book, as that’s too subjective an analysis. If you’re a beginner who’s never put your hand into dough, it’s probably not the book for you.
 
Classically-trained chef and former Microsoft CTO Nathan Mhyrvold, along with co-author and chef Francisco Migoya, along with team of fellow cookbook crazies in Seattle, have done some incredible work.
 
 
Is it disrespectful to call them "crazies"?
 
I mean it as a badge of honor. It seems a simple fact their accomplishment requires an admixture of genius and madness. They've written multi-volume books about food that are extensively researched and heavily photo illustrated, often with complex, cut-away images of little things like, oh, pizza ovens.
 
If you understand the heat-absorption thermodynamics of baking pizza, maybe it’s not so crazy to ask, “Would a pizza bake any differently if the dough, sauce and cheese were all black?”
 
But it does require some chutzpah to follow through on that question by figuring out how to make a series of all-black pizzas just to find out. (Spoiler Alert: The answer is no, it makes no difference.)
 
 
Nathan Mhyrvold’s company, The Cooking Lab, first published the five-volume Modernist Cuisine, which has changed how some chefs cook.
 
There’s also the five-volume Modernist Bread, which I suspect might have helped fuel the artisan bread renaissance.
 
The one-volume books, Modernist Cuisine At Home and Modernist Bread At Home seem almost like a slacker’s effort with list prices of a mere $140. (These affiliate links, along with others that follow, take you to discounted copies of everything mentioned.)
 
Finally, the three-volume Modernist Pizza is a book which probably would have been longer were it not for COVID putting a crimp in their extensive pizza-eating travels.
 
No doubt, you’d like to make an informed decision about whether to ask for this book as a gift, or to gift it yourself. I’m here to help in my own pizza-obsessed way.
 
 
Here now, the reasons why you might eschew Modernist Pizza:
 1.       You had to look up the word “eschew.”
2.       It’s opinionated, and you may not agree with every opinion.
3.       It’s heavy.
4.       Surprisingly, it’s not 110% comprehensive.
5.       You may not be able to handle the awe.
 

Reasons why you might desire it:
 1.       You crave knowledge
2.       You’d like to make most of the major pizza styles in the world.
3.       You enjoy myth busting
4.       You enjoy the occasional sense of awe
5.       Before I even said it, you already thought “abjure” was a better word than “eschew” in terms of being pretentious.
 
 
My next sentence was going to be, “Let’s break this down.”
 
But no. I've changed my mind. We're keeping this brief. 
 
I realized I could not improve upon what I've already said elsewhere. If you desire more details, you can read my comprehensive conclusion about whether you are a candidate for Modernist Pizza by clicking this link.

The book has not changed since I wrote that, and neither have my opinions about it. (But you will find the initial answer to the question contrary to the one here. Do not be alarmed.)
 

For me, the bottom line is this:
a)       if you are already somewhat adept at pizza,
b)      if you desire an extraordinary education in pizza,
c)       if you’d like to learn so much that you experience the epiphany of how much you don’t know,
d)      if you want to enjoy the awe that comes with receiving the 40-pound box with the word “heavy” on it in gigantic block letters…
 
Then Modernist Pizza is for you.
 
And this affiliate link leads you to a discounted copy on Amazon.
 
It normally retails for $425.
 
The discounted price as of this writing was under $300.
 

It does not need to be read cover to cover as I did it. But I do encourage it.
 
Having it all in context is beyond valuable. Then, using the book as a reference guide is ever more substantive.
 
And if you do end up getting it for Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanza or whatever other gift-giving holiday you celebrate, please tell me about your feelings of awe.
 
I love knowing there are other people who realize just how epic the experience is going to be.
 
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Not ready to see a 32-pound pizza book in your Christmas stocking? Need to start with the pizza basics? You'll find all the simple steps to homemade pizza magic right inside my weird and award-winning pizzamaker’s manual, Free The Pizza: A Simple System For Making Great Pizza Whenever You Want With The Oven You Already Have. If you’re just beginning your pizza-making journey, this book is a convenient place to start because it doesn’t force you to make any decisions beyond making a pizza. It’s simply a step-by-step guide for getting from zero to pizza and amazing your friends and family. And really, yourself as well. That first fabulous pizza is a glorious moment. And you'll have your own story of "My First Pizza." Learn more right here. ​ ​ ​