Bye bye , perfect slice of the pie

We just had to fulfill our craving for the best lasagna in all the land at Cortina's family deli in Anaheim, California. I experienced this delight at lunch with friends a few weeks ago and  it was love after the first bite!

We journeyed to Anaheim , just to get a chunk of the layered perfection. It's always so hard to choose what to order there. The couple next to us got a large combo pizza and then I was doubly envious of that because this deli is also known for its exceptional pizza pie!                             



We lingered over our food, tasting each delectable bite. It's tough to get a table  because the deli is so popular, but we ignored the dozens of eager eyes boring into our heads , hoping to hurry our chewing along so they could sit down and eat. The pizza couple cave into the hurrying eyes and go to box up their more than half leftover pizza.

 As the woman stands up, her hip hits the table, and the pizza slides off its pizza stand, hitting the floor face down. Instant silence ensued as the full restaurant observes this loss of pie and we all join in a group moan and wail. The woman swoops down, gathers up the overturned pie, and plops it back onto her table. She becomes a  911 responder,  ready to resuscitate the food, grabbing napkins and "dusting" the top of the pizza. She renders CPR ( Chaotic- Pizza- Rants), blowing across the slices to clear off any invisible germs left.

Looking  at me, she asks, "Can I apply the 3 second rule to food dropped on the floor at a restaurant"? I shrugged and reply, "Sure. It still looks perfectly edible. You were very thorough with the napkin wipes. "She said, "I think so too!" then boxes up her pie.

The group of guys next to us nodded in agreement and one said , "Actually, it's illegal to throw any Cortina pizza in the trash. You've done the right thing!". The woman smiles, thanking us for our support, grabs her boxed pizza and leaves with her husband who's been just sitting there, shaking his head, waving his hands in protest throughout the CPR ( and no doubt wondering if he's the one that gets to eat it for midnight snack.)

I probably would have picked the pizza off the floor, but left it behind, risking that citation for trashing Cortina pizza. No way did that  paper napkin dab, wipe and added blow, remove enough microbes and fur balls to entice me to risk it, even though its awesome pizza! But I will be going back soon and getting my own slice and you can bet it won't be touching anything other than my mouth. YUM!