At the brick oven

My aunt’s neighborhood is a special one, in that there is never a shortage of camaraderie and activities. Everyone is friends with everyone else. And since my uncle passed away last year, it is many of those neighbors who keep and eye on my aunt and do things like take care of the pond and the occasional giant opossom. I’m not officially a resident of the road, but they consider me to be. Lately, there’s been the need for emergency bonfires with orange julius cocktails and s’mores.

When National Night Out rolled around, one family hosted a gathering around their brick oven, fire pit and lush backyard garden. They supplied sauce and enough homemade dough for 31 pizzas, and everyone who attended brought their favorite toppings, from pesto to pineapple and anchovies. Many of the usuals were there, but it was fun to meet new people on the street and those I’d never met.

So with that beautiful golden light hovering over the willow tree, we rolled our dough and piled on the ingredients. My aunt and I made a few pizzas, but our favorite was simply had fresh mozzarella slices and basil. I was also intrigued by a steak taco pizza; each slice was topped with sour cream and guacamole. Yum.

Here’s a look at the evening of neighborly fun.